HEALDTON, Oklahoma (KTEN)- New Healdton head coach Dylan Terry didn’t come to Healdton to take it easy on his players. So far, it has been a perfect match.

“I enjoy it," Healdton senior tackle Jason Josey said. "A lot of people don’t but that’s on them. It’s a challenge, but it’s fun.”

Last year, the Bulldogs finished 1-9 and its players say they learned some valuable lessons going through last season’s struggles.

“If you pin the blame on each other, your season doesn’t get any better," Josey said. "This season, we plan to be a lot better on that and put our season into God’s hands and let Him do most of the work for us. Of course, we put in the work, but He is our main guy.”

Healdton will have a new look to it this season with just four starters returning on each side of the ball. And even then, many are playing new positions. Former running back Maurice Macias has undergone quite the crash course this summer. 

“It’s his first year ever playing quarterback," Terry said. "But he really worked hard on his motion and mechanics in the summer and he’s improved a lot since spring. He’s looking fine running the offense. Getting people where they need to be and doing what he’s asked to do.”

Since taking over the program, Terry has preached the acronym E.A.T. to his players.

“Effort: you give it a 100 percent all the time, attitude: go out there and feel like you’re the best, and toughness: don’t feel no pain. Keep going,” Josey said.

And with that mindset, the Bulldogs head into 2023 hungry for their first playoff berth since 2020.

“The opportunity is there," Terry said. "It’s going to be difficult. It’s going to be a challenge. But it’s there for us if we can just stay the course and keep getting better each week.”

Healdton will get the Dylan Terry era under way this Friday, Aug. 25 when Mangum comes to town.