Le Mars football team welcomes new head coach - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

There is a new dog on the block. His name, Coach Gabe Tardevy. His eyes are set on turning around a 2011 football team that suffered just its second losing season in a decade.

"We're trying to change that mentality and get these guys going and they've really bought into our system," said Tardevy."

The former West Sioux coach takes over a Bulldog team that finished 1-8 last season.

"They know what they've been through," said Tardevy. "They know the tradition that they have here and kind of where they've been, where they want to be and now we have to work on how we can get there."

And with the season less than a week away, the 'Dogs are ready to bite.

The Bulldog seniors say this is a different team.

"I think we've had it kind of tough as seniors because we've kind of gotten beaten on and it's just been kind of hard, but we're hoping to turn that around this year," said senior Travis Kinney.

"This has always been a football town and that's what we're trying to restore is the pride we have in football," said junior Levi TeBrink.

Football fever is back for the Bulldogs.

"We got to focus on the game goals first," said senior Gabe Rahn. "If we focus on the game goals, the season goals should take care of themselves."

The Bulldogs host Sioux Center on Friday before heading to MOC-Floyd Valley in week two.