New coaching staff prepares for upcoming season

With the start of summer practices for the upcoming fall seasons, more new faces than old are appearing at the fieldhouse and gym at Daingerfield High School. With only one returning football coach from last school year, new Tiger athletic director Mike Waldie will have a fresh set of coaches to mold the athletes at Daingerfield High School.

Waldie was hired by the School Board after the resignation of Aric Sardinea. In the time since Waldie has come on board, he has brought in seven new coaches to join himself and Ben Ramirez on the Tiger coaching staff. Ramirez is the only returning football coach from last year’s playoff staff.

Defensively, the Tigers will be led by Assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, Davin Nelson. This will be Nelson’s third school to work with Waldie, and he will also coach the safeties. Bradley Gandy will be Nelson’s Co-Defensive coordinator, and will be responsible for the linebacker position. Kary Sears will be in charge of coaching the corners, while Cedric Standard will coach the defensive line. Both Sears and Standard have ties to Coach Waldie through Mount Pleasant. Holdover Ramirez will be responsible for the outside linebackers.

Offensively, Waldie will coach the running backs and full backs, and Jordan Wood, who also joined Waldie from Woodville, will be the Offensive Coordinator and coach the offensive line. Brad Moughon will fill the role of quarterbacks coach, and will also serve as the Tigers’ Passing Game Coordinator. Hunter Henzler will serve the Tigers as the wide receivers coach. Averi Nelson will be the Tigers’ new Athletic Trainer.

With so many new faces on the coaching staff, Waldie admits that it will take some time for everyone to get on the same page. “It is a whole new language, both for the kids and for us. We have to all learn how to communicate with each other. It is through the relationships that we will be able to come out of valleys when things aren’t going our way,” said Waldie.

The coaching staff is not the only place there are many new faces. With only five returning starters on either side of the ball, Waldie knows that forming those relationships early will be the key to the season. The new Tigers scheme will focus on a defensive belief that “if the other team can’t score, they can’t win,” according to Waldie, so defensive prowess is key. Waldie feels that the key to defense will be the defensive line, made up of Cody Davis, Jordan Williams, and Dalton Morgan. Waldie knows that, if the defense can “keep the wrong band from playing,” the offense will have a shot in every game.

Offensively, although it is still early, Waldie feels the key will be the offensive line, which will be anchored by junior A.J. Carroll and senior Dalton Morgan. Both young men are returning offensive starters, and figure to play important roles on the line again this season. Waldie is pleased that in every offensive skill position, the Tigers are looking at a depth chart at least two or three deep, which will give the Tigers ample opportunity to rotate on offense, keeping fresh legs in the mix. Currently working out at the quarterback position, the Tigers are looking at Reggie Jeter, Tim Broner, and Jakauri Woods. Waldie says they will choose a starting quarterback eventually, after they see how the team stacks up against opposing teams.

Waldie admitted he will know more about the team, and the direction to head in certain areas, following the first scrimmage, which was held on Friday, Aug. 12. “There is only so much you can do before you actually see the team against someone else,” admitted Waldie. The Tigers will visit North Lamar for their final preseason scrimmage on Aug. 18 before welcoming the Hughes Springs Mustangs to town for the opening game of the regular season. The matchup with the Mustangs will be on Thursday evening, Aug. 25, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.