Just two months removed from the Buster Davis head coaching debacle, Admiral Farragut started the Ryan Hearn era Monday morning.
Hearn, who took over June 20 when Davis resigned shortly after the spring game and just four months on the job, had 31 players at the first full preseason practice. He expects another three or four international boarding students to join the team shortly. In the Blue Jackets’ spring game — a 35-6 loss to Berkeley Prep — only 19 players were available.
“It’s much different around here,” senior Napoleon Maxwell said.
Maxwell missed the first day due to a quad muscle strain in his right leg. But most other key players worked out, including RB/LB Cortavious Givens, QB Dalton Collins and RB Isadore Wood, who played at Daytona Beach Father Lopez last year.
Hearn, who spent the past three seasons as Ocala West Port’s head coach, has five new assistant coaches. Former Northeast offensive coordinator Dan Mancuso and former Palm Harbor University offensive line coach Chris Carothers joined Hearn this summer.
“It’s a good staff and a good group of kids,’’ Hearn said. “We work well together and have fun together. You have to have fun or what’s the point?"