#HSFT21 Stop #3 – Hamilton Lions

HAMILTON, Miss. (WCBI) – “They are showing the commitment that is required to build a program,” head coach Wade Tackett said.

Tackett enters his first season with the Hamilton Lions. So far, so good. The players are working hard to make year one a good one.

“Our guys seem to work a little more than they used to,” lineman Quinn Pounders said. “I don’t know if it’s just cause of the new coach or they like the system more, but they have been working harder than they used to.”

“The kids are bought in right now,” Tackett said. “The commitment level. The work ethic. I can’t stress enough how important that is and how great it is to have that coming from those guys.”

The feeling is mutual.

“If he’s putting time in, then we need to be putting time in,” said Gavin Lee.

It’s safe to say that players and coaches are feeding off one another’s energy. Tackett comes to practice ready to work, so the team does the same.

“He pushes us,” senior running back Rye Howard said. “He wants us to work hard. He wants us to get better.”

Improvement is definitely at the forefront for the Lions. Last season, Hamilton finished with a 4-7 record. In their losses, Hamilton averaged 12 points a game. Now, with a new system, Tackett and the Lions look to make that a thing of the past.

“Be aggressive on offense,” said Tackett. Spread the ball out a little more.”

“We have RPO’s,” Howard explained. “We’re passing more. It’s not like head-on, straight down. It’s more options, and I like that.”

“I like the way he does his offense,” Pounders said. “I like his defense too. His offense is straightforward to learn. It’s easy to remember.”

Senior leadership goes a long way in making the transition successful. The Lions’ seven seniors have been working with Coach Tackett and his staff to help bring the cubs up to speed.

“We’ve had some senior leadership meetings on what my expectations for them are,” Tackett said. “What their expectations for the rest of the team should be.”

“We don’t have to pay attention to everybody and make sure they’re doing it right,” Pounders said. “You don’t have to do it as much so you can focus on yourself more.”

Hamilton kicks off the season with a home opener against Hatley on August 27th.