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By David Boyce  |  Northwest Missouri at Emporia State  |  Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016  |  7 p.m.  |  Welch Stadium - Emporia, Kan.
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MARYVILLE, Mo. - Some Northwest Missouri State football players will spend time Thursday thinking about homework assignments. Many Bearcat fans will work on Thursday.
 
But Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 is no ordinary school or work day in Bearcat nation. It is the start of a new football season. Northwest travels to Emporia State and takes on the Hornets at 7 p.m. Welsh Stadium.
 
"You equate it to a holiday," Northwest coach Adam Dorrel said.
 
The Bearcats are coming off a 15-0, national championship season. It was the second time and the last three years that Northwest put together a perfect year.
 
Everybody wonders what 2016 will bring.
 
"There is an eager anticipation," Dorrel said. "The kids are anxious to get out there and show what they can do. They are anxious because some have never played before. I feel like our team has a sense of urgency, something to prove."
 
Senior Kyle Zimmerman will make his first start at quarterback. Because of the nature of the position and playing for one of the top football programs in NCAA Division II, Zimmerman will have more eyes on him.
 
Zimmerman, though, enters his new role having learned from previous quarterbacks Brady Bolles and Trevor Adams. He understands he is one of 11 players on the field when he takes a snap.
 
"I focus on the task at hand," Zimmerman said. "I try not to let that stuff get to me. Obviously, more people are watching you. There are a lot of great playmakers around me. I trust in their abilities. I need to get the ball in their hands. I trust the offensive line. They have done a great job all camp and during this week."
 
Those words are exactly what senior safety Kevin Berg expects to hear from Zimmerman.
 
"Coming up three years as a backup, he had his chance to learn from some really great quarterbacks who came through here," Berg said. "His work ethic is something that is very special. He has been in the weight room every day, working his butt off to teach and lead the younger guys.
 
"This past year he has done a phenomenal job stepping into the leadership role that we need at quarterback."
 
Zimmerman won't be the only new face who will have more responsibilities. There will be a number of sophomores and juniors making an impact this season.
 
Remember, at the start of the 2015 season, few people knew about wide receiver Shawn Bane Jr. All Bane did in his freshman season was finish with 1,207 yards and eight touchdown receptions.
 
Emporia State is no different. The Hornets are coming off their best season in NCAA Division II. They reached the quarterfinals in the playoffs and had their season end with a 38-17 loss to Northwest.
 
"They will be a great team," Zimmerman said. "They have given us challenges before. They are very well coached. We will have to come out ready to play. They will have a big crowd for us. It will be an exciting matchup."
 
Starting the season against a high-quality opponent definitely gets the players' attention early on. Dorrel saw it in the latter stages of spring football and during fall camp.
 
"You have to be ready," Dorrel said. "They are a new team. We are a new team. You have to be a little careful not to be so caught up in what they did last year because you are going to go down there and they are probably going to do a lot of stuff different."
 
It is a message that has been received by the Bearcats.
 
"Around here, expectations never change," Zimmerman said. "It doesn't matter who we play. We are always looking to compete at the highest level. Our coaches hold us to a high standard, and we hold each other to a high standard."
 
From that standpoint, Zimmerman likes what he has seen from his teammates in the three weeks of practice leading up to the first game. The preparation for Emporia State has been good.
 
"I think a lot of the guys feel very confident about the game plan the coaches put together for us," Zimmerman said. "We have had a great week of practice so far. It is always good to get the scout guys going. They gave us a great look all week. We feel confident with what we got going and the things the coaches brought to the table for us."
 
Dorrel and his coaching staff believe Zimmerman is ready to lead to the Bearcats.
 
"He has earned the right to start and lead our team," Dorrel said. "You are always anxious for all the kids because you want them to do well. For Kyle, we are little more hyped because he has been so loyal to us and Northwest. We are all rooting for him to have a great game. We are very confident in him."