PSN Spotlight: Heritage Patriots Football

When it comes to building up a high school football program, Heritage Patriots head coach, Ryan Andrews understands firsthand the efforts from coaches, players and the local community that must go into helping turn things upward and as he enters his second year over the Patriots program, Andrews is ready to take the ups and downs of year one and build on them.

“The fight that was in these kids and not quitting regardless of what the scoreboard said, that was something I can take something positive from,” Andrews said during Thursday’s workouts. The second year Heritage coach also noted that the program saw significant growth on off the field areas such as booster funds, which he state has been a difference of “night and day,”.

Andrews also acknowledge that he has placed high expectations on himself as he and his staff look to turn around a Patriots team that has struggled to win more than three games since the 2019-2020 season in which they finished at 5-6 overall and 3-2 in the region standings. However, Andrews is motivated to show that he is more than willing to step up to the challenge as he has had to do so in the past.

“I have a chip on my shoulder,” Andrews admits largely in part because while he has successfully helped teams improve, there have been instances where he believes that because the overall record may not have met expectations, despite much improvement, how good of a coach he is may have be questioned. “So I have a high expectation of I have to show I really can coach football,” Andrews adds.

And for Andrews and his staff, they are still dealing with the after effects of COVID-19 pandemic as Rockdale County, in which Heritage is located, was one of the more stricter school districts as the 2020-2021 season, the schools in the area, including Heritage played a shortened season of just five games, opposed to surrounding counties that played close to a full schedule. Therefore the late start saw many student athletes and their families transfer out of the area.

Yet, Andrews and crew are confident that they will be able to rely on leadership from players lake 2024 quarterback, Tony Simmons, and 2024 linebacker, Brandon Pruitt to help bring the team along. “We’re still incredibly young even going into year two so those two will be a steady, calming voice and I just look forward to it,” Andrews said of the rising seniors.