WAYNE, Neb. - The Wayne State College football team received their first national ranking in ten years, now coaches are reminiscing on that 2011 season.

For the first time in a decade, the Wildcats sit in the Top 25 at No. 23.

"I thought we could do it, and it's happened faster than I thought, but that's attributed to these kids and these coaches," said Head Football Coach John McMenamin.

Unlike the young team, some WSC coaches have been here before, back in 2011.

"I just remember we got off to a fast start," said Defensive Coordinator Scott McLaughlin, who was a Wildcat linebackers coach in 2011.

"We won a big one early and had a little bit of momentum," said Offensive Coordinator Logan Masters. Masters was a graduate assistant coach in 2011.

"We started 5-and-1 and then we went up to Concordia-St. Paul the next week we lost by two," said McMenamin.

Ten years ago, McMenamin started his first stint at WSC.

"It was a fun year, just cause you're excited about being an offensive coordinator at a Division II school," said McMenamin.

That "fun year" the Wildcats were ranked No. 24.

"Definitely remembers the faces," said Masters." I remember a couple of games."

"I remember those kids on that team," said McLaughlin.

Despite the ten-year gap, coaches said they've seen similarities between the teams.

"It's similar to this year, guys are making a lot of plays," said McLaughlin. "We haven't compounded mistakes."

The 2021 Wildcats hope to have a better outcome than the 2-and-3 end to the 2011 season.

"You learn a lot of lessons from that," said McMenamin.

Coaches said this season will be memorable.

"This is a special year just cause it's the first year being a head coach and we didn't get to play football last year," said McMenamin.

"Absolutely, it's just a great group of guys," said McLaughlin. "You know our seniors hung around for next year and that's special," McLaughlin.

"This one's going to stick out," said Masters. "So right now it's a really good memory, so hopefully we can keep making it better and better."