ROBERTSDALE, Ala. – For most teams a region championship, 8-4 record and playoff loss to the state runner-up would be a great accomplishment. For the Daphne Trojans, it’s not enough.

The Trojans, who have won two state championships (2001 and 2010) and 11 region titles since 1992, aren’t resting on just being “good enough.” Daphne fell to Opelika 24-17 in the second round of the 6A playoffs last season.

“Our expectations are always high. We want to win 15 games and get to Tuscaloosa. That’s the goal,” Daphne coach Glenn Vickery said Monday at Baldwin high school media day. “I don’t think we are satisfied with where we finished last season at 8-4. We have to be better than we were last season.

“If the guys who start for us play at the highest level they can then we can do that.”

Returning defender Kareem Brown said losing to Opelika, then seeing them advance to the finals, was difficult.

“We had a good season and we came close but we really should have won,” Brown said. “I think it gives us confidence that we could have been in the finals if we beat Opelika.”

Vickery said both Zack Morgan and John Quinnelly will likely see time at quarterback. Morgan is a returning senior and Quinnelly, a sophomore, led the Trojans in 7-on-7 play this summer while Morgan sat with an injury.

Senior linebacker Myles Pierce is excited about competing under the direction of assistant coach Jacy Todd, who missed most of last season after a car wreck nearly took his life.

“It is great to have coach Todd back on the field,” Pierce said. “Last year we used it as motivation to play for him. He gets up about 4 in the morning to get out there to coach us so that’s a big motivator. If he can get there that early we should be able to get there early, too.”

The Trojans open the season Aug. 30 at home against Spanish Fort, who kicked off last season with a 20-14 win against Daphne in a game televised by ESPN. Spanish Fort finished 14-1 and won the 5A state championship in December.

“Spanish Fort is big because it is the first game, but for us it isn’t bigger than the region games,” Vickery said. “Still, I think when you open up with a big game it should be a motivator. I’m hoping that our guys remember that feeling of walking to the bus in the heat after losing to them last year."