Quincy High School football will kick off the season this weekend under first-year head coach Greg McMillan.

McMillan most recently coached at Selah High School before taking a year off to watch and enjoy his son’s senior year. His football coaching roots run deep, as his father coached football and taught in Washington for 40 years.

After a long wait to get his tenure with the Jacks, McMillan will hit the sidelines this weekend. He said he was really happy for his players when they heard the news the region had moved into Phase 2, opening up competition this spring.

“They have been waiting so long for this and they were fired up and ready to go,” McMillan said. “Now that we are preparing for a jamboree at the end of the week; it is getting real. We actually get to play against other teams.”

McMillan said he has been pleased with the focus and energy he’s seen from his team in the first few weeks of practice. In addition to simply learning the Xs and Os, he said the focus is setting the standards and expectations for the program.

Trying to instill a new coaching scheme is never easy. Doing so during a pandemic and shortened season is even more difficult, he said. Besides dealing with all of the COVID-19 regulations and guidelines, he said they are trying to introduce everything new: new playbook, new philosophy, new culture, etc.

He said coaches and players are all new to each other and still building comfort with one another.

“Once again, this pandemic has taught us to appreciate all that we have or used to have,” McMillan said.

With a shortened preseason, he said the team is searching to find strengths on the field. But, he said the enthusiasm from his team has been refreshing. McMillan said they’re ready to play and assumed a lot of high school coaches are seeing that same fire.

With only five games, goals are a little different than a typical season.

“Our goals for this short season are to establish the culture and focus of the new program, play as a family, and to send the seniors out on a positive note,” McMillan said. “We wish we had a full season, but at least we get a five-game season to enjoy and experience.”

McMillan said he feels like he’ll be able to pick up right where he left off and he couldn’t even begin to describe the emotions his players are feeling right now.

“You only get so many Friday nights in your life and we will have a lot of kids with limited or first-time experience,” McMillan said. “We want to make it as memorable as possible.”

The Jacks open the season Saturday at home when they host a three-team jamboree on their new field at Quincy High School.