BOISE — The journey to kickoff for the Borah Lions, and most Treasure Valley high school football teams, begins every Saturday morning, after a night under the lights.
During the season, alarms usually go off around 4 a.m. in Jason Burton's home.
"A little tired, definitely need a lot of coffee," Burton, the head coach of the Lions' football program, says.
Besides his normal coaching duties throughout the week, Burton teaches business and media classes at Borah High. The same passion and intensity Burton has on the sidelines, carries over into his classroom.
"I love it, I love it as much as coaching, I look forward to my whole day with my students, I tell them all the time I'm living my dream job, it's a lot of fun," Burton says.
But before and after school, Burton, his staff and his players are practicing, watching film, scouting players and game-planning.
This year, the Lions are continuing to build on last year's successful season, hoping to repeat at 5A SIC conference champs.
This year wins against Eagle, Skyview, and Meridian, the Lions entered week four 3-0. A win over rival Timberline, which also happens to be their homecoming game, would move them to 4-0 for the first time since 1995.
But with homecoming week comes more stress and distractions for the players.
"Homecoming is always special at a high school, especially when the football team is successful," Burton says.
Part of Burton's success can be attributed to his wife Kayla, who says she was groomed from an early age to love the Friday night lights.
"I was raised in the bleachers, our kids will be raised in the bleachers," Kayla says. "It's nothing new for me, and I like it."
"When we first started dating, I was like, 'this is what I want to do,' and she was like, 'well, I was raised in the bleachers,'" Jason says.
Kayla says date nights during football season are faster than the Lions' no-huddle offense.
"'Cause that's what you do when you don't have a Friday game, you go scout other teams," Kayla says. "So we went to Tin Roof Tacos and then walked over (to Dona Larsen Park) and watched the second half of another game."
And don't think it's just coaches that stress over touchdowns and play calls. Kayla says her nerves are rampant every single Friday.
"I'm always nervous," Kayle says. "I text Jason throughout the day just to make sure to remind him it's game day, just in case he forgot."
But at the end of the day, the couple hopes the entire Borah football program is having fun and enjoying the journey together.
"'Are you having fun?' I always say that. Like this is a game and it's meant to be fun. None of us are getting paid. That moment of so much joy in the room and everyone hugging each other, that's what it's all about," Jason says.
And when game day finally arrived, Jason gathered his players and coaching staff inside the locker room at Dona Larsen Park to reiterate that sentiment.
HIGHLIGHTS: Borah vs. Timberline
"That's what I want you to play with tonight, love in your heart. Love of the game, you guys are here because you love the game, enjoy it. Everyone in this room, if you get tired, look at the dudes that aren't wearing pads that wish they could come out here. There's no other place I'd rather be, no place in the world, with no one else."