Execution.
One word describes such a complicated process that is an essential ingredient to success on Friday nights.
Coming off a disappointing loss to Caledonia High School, Heritage Academy football coach Barrett Donahoe wants his team to improve its execution. There won’t be any better time to start than at 7 tonight when Heritage Academy (1-2) plays host to Madison-Ridgeland Academy (2-1) in a Mississippi Association f Independent Schools Class AAA, District 1AAA, Division 2 game.
“We have to have complete execution offensively,” said Donahoe, who is the team’s offensive coordinator. “I don’t want to take anything away from Caledonia and say that it wasn’t a good defensive football game against a team that was fast and physical and has been playing in a system for a couple of years. But we have to have consistent execution from a coaching staff, and I have to do a better job of executing.”
Donahoe said he was disappointed by his team’s inability to run the ball effectively last week in a 20-7 loss. He accepted the blame for the Patriots’ ineffectiveness, saying that he and his coaches have to do a better job of making their players understand the concepts they are running and feel more comfortable with what they’re doing. He said the Patriots can’t afford to be in long-yardage situations in second and third down, which is something they have faced because defenses are stacking the line on them.
Donahoe said senior quarterback Cade Lott can make defenses pay by using a variety of weapons, including senior wide receiver Parker Dunaway, but that Heritage Academy has to make plays in the passing game and can’t afford dropped balls.
That’s where the execution comes in.
“It is nothing more than consistent execution in practice, which leads to the game field,” Donahoe said. “Every week we have to work at getting better. We have to get better at it right now, and the guys have to have the urgency to get better right now.”
Donahoe said the Patriots have senior leaders and other experienced players who sense how important it is to execute. He feels a good week of practice has put the team in position to make it happen tonight.
“One of the hardest things do in coaching is to breaks habits and a mentality that has held you down,” Donahoe said. “We are working on it every day. From a coaching staff standpoint, we preach to our kids they’re going to work harder than they did than yesterday to put them in the best possible situation to win the game Friday night. Hard work and consistency within our staff will pay off for us and will lead to success.”
In other action involving Lowndes County teams, Caledonia (3-0) will play at East Webster (3-0), Immanuel Christian (0-3) will play host to New Site, and West Lowndes (1-2) will travel to Ethel.
Caledonia coach Ricky Kendrick hopes his team can build off its home victory against Heritage Academy against a tradition-rich Class 2A program. He said the Confederates had a good week of practice and are focused for a shot to go 4-0 for the first time in a number of years.
“We got them back on a flat place,” Kendrick said of his players. “East Webster has a really good football team. Some of the polls have them ranked No. 3 in the small schools in the North part of the state. It will be quite a challenge.”
Kendrick wanted to get his players re-focused so they understand the victories they have so far this season are merely tune-ups for much tougher competition they will face once Class 4A, District 4 play begins. He feels the Confederates have learned lessons each week, have developed confidence, and are growing more comfortable in the system.
Still, he doesn’t want them to become overconfident, which is why he is staying on them so they continue to make progress in what he knows is a marathon of a season.
“I think our kids are playing extremely hard,” Kendrick said. “I think we are where I thought we would be in that area, in character, in dedication, in will to win. No one miss Monday’s practice, and everybody has been on time. We’re doing a lot of good things. When we look at (comparisons against other teams on paper) and see our size and our speed, we realize we have to make up for it somewhere. We have to keep pushing and control the things we can and leave the other things and see what happens with it.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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