Hickman football returns most players since early 2000s ahead of 2023 season

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Hickman football team will lean on its large group of returning juniors and seniors, as work has already begun ahead of the 2023 season.

Head coach Cedric Alvis said that the Kewpies are actually returning their largest group since about 2007.

"Hopefully that can bring some success," he said. "Ultimately, just getting kids to buy in to discipline, accountability and commitment. Those have been the three things that we've focused on all off season, also focusing right now in the preseason."

One of those rising junior returners is quarterback Carter Holliday. Alvis said he's seen the QB grow a lot in his two seasons with the Kewpies.

"He's a talented kid, a lot of athleticism, he's extremely smart. The only knock is that the kid is a perfectionist, he wants to get everything right, no matter what," Alvis said. "He's on his fourth year playing football, total, so just understanding the game, understanding what we need from him, understanding what we need from all the other positions has just increased. When you look at how talented he is you would have never thought that his first time playing football was eighth grade."

Hickman will continue working a couple days per week throughout the rest of June. The goal is to install everything, both offense and defense, before action begins in August.

Alvis said the thing that excites him most about his group this year is the level of commitment.

"They're glue, more than any other team. We've kind of gone through some adversity already and so when you lose some people, you kind of have to reevaluate some things, right, when you go through some things. So, this team has bonded together. They have stuck together through that adversity so far and it's actually made them a stronger group," he said.