We're on the cusp of the 2026 season. All right. Friday night kickoffs. Our freshmen are about to start here in about fourteen minutes.
But more importantly, on the back of it in our first leadership meeting, we talked about the previous season. We talked about what went wrong, how it went wrong, the ownership myself, our coaches and you that would need to be taken. And not to say prematurely that we're going to win every game. But it's already been a better feel.
Would you agree?
And so the number on the back of the shirt is 43:18. And I'm not here to push religion on anybody or preach the gospel from my pulpit because I don't have one.
But Isaiah 43:18, if you remember, it states this: 'Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. You see, for I am doing a new thing.' Let's talk about that for just a minute because when I said it, it was at the right exact time in November. It's like, don't dwell on the past two and eight, who wants to do that?
That's how we all felt, but now let's talk about what that means for you. Your past is not your identity. Please understand that you are not a 2-8 football team.
You are a 0-0 football team.
You have been carving your identity by taking personal responsibility. Every Wednesday we had leadership meetings throughout the off season, even into the spring we had those meetings.
You have been defining what this season is going to be by your personal responsibility.
Winning football games starts with culture before it ever starts with execution.
You've got to win together, before you can ever hope to win out there.
You all have realigned the culture. You all have. Some of you kicking and screaming have tried to and done it. Some of us having to be tagged along. But you have realigned the culture. I feel it.
Last season taught us valuable lessons, but it doesn't get to write this season's story. That's what that quote means.
Last season taught us lessons, but that's it we learned from it, but it does not write this season's story. If you are willing to follow a different path, it is the decision you have to make.
It's a path that's going to involve the following:
but more importantly, brotherhood.
Then you, much like Isaiah 43:18, you can do a new thing. So here's my challenge to you. My challenge is this: tomorrow isn't about winning a football game. That might be the end result, but it's not about winning a football game. It's about showing who you have collectively become. That's what it is. Because long from now, you're not going to worry about who won the Penn Game. You're going to worry about the relationships that you built in this room and on that field. Last year doesn't define us, it teaches us. We cannot control the scoreboard, we can't control officials, we can't control the crowd. But, everyone has control whether to play for ourselves or for the brothers beside us.
Tomorrow I'm asking every single one of you to make that same kind of commitment, not to me.
But to the person seated around you and across tables from you.
When your number is called tomorrow, whether it's on offense, on defense, special teams or just cheering on your teammates, your answer should be the same.
Give everything.
Expect nothing.
Serve your brothers.
Leave the field with no regrets.
If the 11 men on the field choose that attitude on every snap, you've already become a different football team.
Forget the former. Do not dwell in the past. We are on to something new.