By Kyle Roberts
In a conversation with Ruston High Head Coach Jerrod Baugh earlier this week, the challenge was made to his team to shed any complacency and really dig in to get ready to start the 2024 season.
In talking with Baugh after Thursday’s practice, his team is clearly moving in the right direction as his team wraps up its last week without full gear and into a three-day break.
“I thought today’s practice may have been the best practice that we’ve had in helmets, which was good to see,” Baugh said. “I’ve been pleased with everything we’ve gotten done. We all just had a little better feeling overall today.”
Baugh lauded the collective attitude of the team and for the energy they brought to end the week.
“It’s like I told the kids — they had a great attitude and came out to try to get things done,” Baugh said. “It started with some of the guys we needed to see some leadership from that did a good job of being positive and having the right attitude to go to work today, and they were vocal about it. I think a lot of the other guys fed off of that. It was really good to see and hear.”
With the season less than one calendar month away, the team now moves from morning practices and will start afternoons next week — and they’ll finally be adding the full contact portion, as well, in full gear by the end of the week.
“We’ll start incorporating a lot of situational things, particularly on downs and distances,” Baugh said. “We’ll have all sorts of situations for them to work through. We want them to be fully aware of what the other side of the ball is doing and know how they relate in whatever the situation may be. Is it second and long or second and short? Third and long or short? Then there’s fourth down situations. We’ve done a little bit of that with our two-minute situation, but we’ll be able to incorporate more of those things once the pads are put on.”
When asked about how he’ll just the success of his team next week, Baugh concluded by saying that it’s about working hard and keeping a great attitude.
“I want to keep seeing what I saw today,” Baugh said. “There are things that we’re identifying as a coaching staff that we want to make sure we’re working on, and then we want to make sure we’re getting better at those specific things.”
Ruston High will have a two more full weeks of practice before traveling over to C.E. Byrd High School on Friday, Aug. 23, in Shreveport for their annual summer scrimmage with the Yellowjackets. The Bearcats will then play Saturday, Aug. 31, at the 2024 BayouJamb at Malone Stadium against Neville.
The 2024 regular season will open on Friday, Sept. 6, at home against Acadiana.
