DUNEDIN — When Mitch Disney took over Dunedin High’s football program two years ago, he knew it would be. Tough task. 

"Just poor morale, we had poor attendance, poor grades, I mean, everything. Walking into a situation that you felt was hopeless,” Disney said. 

He also knew it would take drastic change. 

"We instituted mandatory study halls, we have grade checks where I can pull up their grades and check out what they’re doing,” Disney explained.

"We have rules, simple rules, you don’t practice, you don’t play."

Hard practice, accountability and a certain level of pride. 

"It’s the little stuff. They make sure the locker room’s clean, they make sure everyone’s behind the line, little things like that,” Disney said. 

Things as small as painting numbers on the football field, and as obvious as a new scoreboard. All to show that the Falcons should be taken seriously. 

Senior running back Davious Haywood said Disney has made all the difference.

"A lot of these kids, they didn’t really know how to play football -- Coach Disney, he really influenced us, he taught us right from wrong,” said Haywood. 

It hasn’t been easy but the results are visible in the classroom and on the field. In their season opener the Falcons won for the first time since 2014, breaking a 43-game losing streak. 

"It felt great honestly, after years of losing, to be able to break the streak — just amazing,” said senior linebacker Miguel Galarza. 

It may only be one win, but it means much more. 

"43 straight losses they were there for a lot of it and for them to stick through it when a lot of people told them to leave or told them to quit football in general, it means a lot,” Disney said. "The best part about Friday was just seeing their faces, that meant more than anything else.”

And perhaps it’s the start of a new era in Falcons football. 

"I really feel like this could be a major turnaround,” Haywood said. "I feel like we’re going to win a lot of games, I feel like the program’s going to change.”

Galarza couldn’t agree more. 

"We completely changed — we’re not like the old Dunedin,” Galarza said. "So I think we’re starting our own program now.” 

And that’s thanks to a coach who accepted the challenge of rebuilding a program. 

"It actually meant a lot to see a coach actually caring for their players, even when we’re not on the field, when we’re outside of practice,” Haywood said. 

Galarza and his teammates feel it’s only the beginning. 

“Honestly, it’s completely changed. Every year just keeps getting better and better.”