LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Mills won only 11 games from 2018-2021.
But 2022 was a different story, putting together a 10-win season to finish second in 5A Central.
They hope to build off that breakout season and soar even more this year.
"We're trying to build off of that season and continue to grow our program and our brand," Mills head coach Cortez Lee said. "Each year presents a different situation. I think that the guys continue to mature throughout the process. We are seeing the guys' skill sets improving."
Running back Rodney Jackson said the Comets are hungry for more success in 2023.
"That was just the beginning," Jackson said. "Now we just want to go in and bring it all together and show what we haven't shown before."
Quarterback Achilles Ringo returns for Mills after completing 67% of his passes for over 2,800 yards with 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season. He also added 11 rushing touchdowns.
The Comets also have a star returning on the defense with defensive lineman Charleston Collins, an Arkansas commit. He recorded 124 tackles, 46 tackles for loss and 12 sacks last year.
Lee is excited to have leads on both sides of the ball.
"We have some guys like Charleston Collins, Caleb Sain and Achilles Ringo," Lee said. "There's Rodney Jackson, an exciting player, and then Miles Caster-Wallace. We have several players we expect big things from his year."
With the season opener less than a week away, the Comets are finally ready to compete against someone else.
"These guys are ready to go," Lee said. "They've been hitting on each other all summer and have had team camps; gradually, they're ready to go out and partake and hit on someone else."
Mills opens the season against Blytheville on Aug. 25.
"I think that first week is going to be hyped up," Lee said. "The atmosphere is going to be live. Fans are going to come out, and our school is going to support us. They're just ready to go."