For the first time all summer, Bingo Morton found sleep hard to come by Monday night.
Not only was it past 1 a.m. before the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior wide receiver finally drifted off, but "I was up before 6:30," he said. "I'm usually in bed by 10:30 or 11 and up at 6:30 or 7. But I could not sleep at all. Just really excited for the game to get here."
Unlike most weeks, when the Mocs take the field on a Saturday, the 2018 season gets here Thursday night at 7, the Mocs hosting Tennessee Tech at Finley Stadium. Though lots of schools will start the year with higher expectations - neither the Mocs nor Golden Eagles received so much as a single vote in the FCS Coaches or STATS.com FCS preseason polls - it's doubtful too many games all season will involve two teams trying so hard to distance themselves from the previous season. TTU was 1-10 in 2017, UTC 3-8.
What made it worse for the Mocs was that they'd reached the playoffs three straight years prior to last season, when Tom Arth was in his first year replacing Russ Huesman, who left for Richmond at the close of 2016.
"I don't want to talk too much about last year," Arth said Tuesday. "It challenged me in ways that I'd never been challenged before. But I also think it made us a lot closer team, a lot stronger team."
A brief listen to the players would seem to confirm their coach's beliefs.
Morton spoke of the difference between the start of last season and this one being "togetherness. The chemistry we have. Just a mentality through the whole team to dominate this year."
Senior defensive lineman Derek Mahaffey added, "I think we're closer as a team, which is one element you need to be great."
No one has any idea how great this team could become. Because sophomore quarterback Cole Copeland couldn't get his academic house in order, the Mocs will have a new quarterback - presumably either junior Nick Tiano, the former Baylor School star, or junior college transfer Chris James - for a third straight season.
Unlike a year ago, there is notable experience on the offensive line with at least four players who started nine or more games in 2017 and a fifth, center Harrison Moon, who transferred from Mississippi State.
Running backs Tyrell Price and Alex Trotter should make for a dangerous backfield, and Morton is a preseason second-team All-Southern Conference pick.
How giddy is Arth regarding the juco transfer Price, who checks in at 6-foot, 220 pounds?
Recalling one preseason scrimmage where the East Mississippi Community College product broke to the outside and raced down the sideline, Arth said with a smile, "Tyrell showed an acceleration and burst I didn't know he had. He is a big, strong, physical runner."
What is known is that the defense should again be big, strong and physical. The Mocs didn't lose those eight games a year ago because of the defense. The offense couldn't get out of its own way. The defense ranked first in the SoCon and 25th nationally. It should again carry its weight this time around.
But can it be enough to return to the playoffs against a schedule that already includes three league opponents ranked among the top 23 in preseason FCS polls and a regular-season closer at South Carolina?
"We've practiced really well," Arth said. "Now we've got to translate that to a game situation."
He also said, "I feel as prepared as I've ever felt going into an opening game."
And "I don't know if I've ever been as excited for a group of players."
Now 37, Arth even has put aside the superstitions of his younger days to embrace a more mature approach. So those three bowls of Lucky Charms he used to eat for good luck during his playing days are out, along with his lucky socks.
"I've been trying to eat healthier than in my playing days or early coaching days," he said with a grin. "And I've decided to quit giving credit for the win to the socks or underwear I wear. It's really all about the work the players and coaches put in, how well we play on game day."
Each player or coach is different. While Morton can't wait for Thursday, Mahaffey said he's "calm. Right now you need to relax, go to your happy place."
Let UTC top TTU and Mocs Nation will be in a happy place for the first time since Nov. 26, 2016, when the team crushed Weber State 45-14 in the opening round of the FCS playoffs.
Let these Mocs start 1-0 for just the second time in nine years and everyone who bleeds UTC blue and gold will sleep well Thursday night.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com