It's been just over five months since Gadsden County football walked off the field at Wakulla's JD Jones Stadium after a 46-14 loss to the War Eagles in the Class 2S-Region 1 quarterfinal.
The dreams of a first state title run for head coach Russell Ellington fell short.. The second-year head coach said he's been ready to get back on the practice field since the clock his zero last November.
"The offseason was a long one, especially coming off of a tough playoff loss," Ellington said. "All offseason all you want to do is get back on the grass and give yourself a chance. That's what today is."
Returning to the practice fields tucked away in the back corner of Gadsden County High School Monday, Ellington said his group is working on its mental toughness after last season ended with a 6-5 record and the loss to Wakulla in the playoffs.
Retooling the Jaguars coaching staff and taking in player transfers to reshape the roster, Ellington said his team needs to start putting things together during spring practices.
"You can't win without mental toughness," Ellington said.
"Last year was a big jump for us. I love my kids, I loved my senior class, they did great for us. But this year, the 25' class knows that moving forward we got to be mentally tough off and on the field. We have to be tougher. So I'm looking forward to that."
Jeramiah McCloud stepping into leadership role in senior year
One of the Jaguars' biggest strengths last season was their defensive line.
The play of edge rusher Josaiah Knight and Jeramiah McCloud bolstered the unit. With Knight graduating and moving on to Mississippi State, it's McCloud's time to step into the leading role.
"My senior season I know I have to take it more seriously. As a junior you have the older people to depend on but now's something I got to do" McCloud said.
"I'm gonna have to be accountable and be held accountable for the stuff I do. Being a senior is different, you need to be a leader instead of having someone else do it."
Like Ellington, McCloud is entering his second season with the Jaguars, and he is excited about the potential of Gadsden County's roster.
"I can definitely see improvement from last year, everybody bonds together so it's been fun," said McCloud. "The offense and the defense we talk trash to each other, but it's all fun, it's a brotherhood here."
McCloud has quickly risen to national prominence after strong performances at camps during the winter, including an MVP-winning showing at the Under Armour Orlando camp,
McCloud is looking to maintain his momentum during spring practices.
Recently de-committing from Mississippi State, McCloud is enjoying the recruitment process and continuing to develop his game as he looks to achieve his goal of winning a state title in his senior year.
"My goal this fall is to get to state. With all these guys coming in I want to see how far we can take our talent," McCloud said. "With the talent we got we should be playing like a state championship team, so I think that's my goal for my senior year."
Freshman experience helping Landon Dougherty's growth at QB
Landon Dougherty showed flashes of his potential in his freshman season as one of the starting quarterbacks for the Jaguars. And with that experience, the rising sophomore is looking to build on the foundation he set last fall.
The adjustment to starting in high school football required Dougherty to adapt to the changes of playstyle. But as he begins his preparation for his second season under center, the 6-foot-5 quarterback knows what he has to work on during spring practice.
"Just getting the ball out faster and knowing the reads," Dougherty said. "Knowing how to move in the pocket is big. It's just more fast-paced than middle school, and I came in and started as a freshman, but I was just learning the offense."
One of the most promising quarterbacks in the area, Dougherty is growing in his confidence at the start of spring with new receivers and running backs.
"Just learning how they run, how they do their routes, but they're really good athletes," Dougherty said about the transfers on offense. "We just got to get on the same page and then we'll be fine."
Dougherty will look to showcase that connection with his new players when Gadsden County plays its spring game on May 17, traveling to face Pensacola Booker T. Washington.
Liam Rooney covers preps sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamroone y
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Retooled Gadsden County football team looking to build momentum during spring football
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