RIDGELAND, Miss. (WLBT) – On November 4, 2023, the Ridgeland football team was in the weight room preparing for the 2024 season. In Todd McDaniel’s first year as head coach, the Titans finished the season 3-7.

Even though McDaniel and his players weren’t quite hoping for a sub-.500 finish, they’re using last year’s experience as a guide this season.

“It’s developed me as a character. It’s taught me to never give up,” said junior linebacker Jordan Wright. “Last year we had a lot of ups and downs in the season, but it taught us to always fight through.”

“They’re mentally stronger now,” McDaniel said. “They know adversity is going to happen. Last year, when adversity happened, we tucked our tails between our legs and ran a little bit. Now they come out there and play 48 minutes. That’s the difference.”

In McDaniel’s second year, the offseason went more smoothly than in the first year.

“It’s a lot easier. Coming here as a freshman is like trying to build an airplane and fly it at the same time,” he said. “Right now, our kids totally understand our scheme: offense, defense and special teams. The learning curve has flattened out. So now we’re getting ready for a game and getting ready to play football.”

After nearly ten months of preparation for the season, the Titans feel ready for 2024.

“It’s a lot better going into the new year and being used to everything, it’s a much better feeling,” said junior tight end Devan Griffin. “We all know each other on the team, so this is all a good feeling for me.”

“I think we’ll be better prepared than we were last year,” Wright said. “(Coach McDaniel) always taught us that we always have to believe in what we’re doing to be successful, and I think we’ll be successful this year.”

“They know what’s expected,” McDaniel said. “They know the standard now, they know we want to attack people, we want to play physical and most importantly, we want to play smart. We’ve started building our foundation, now it’s time to start building our house. They understand exactly what we’re trying to do now. I know everyone’s name, they know me. They know what I expect, so we’re ready to go.”

The Titans open their season on August 30th by hosting Crystal Springs.

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