RANKIN, Texas (KOSA) - “They’re chomping at the bit, you know. We’re trying to warm up with some half-speed drills and they’re flying around everywhere and I’m trying to, you know, pull the reins on them and slow them down a little bit just to get warmed up. So I think the morale is great right now,” Rankin head coach Garret Avalos said.

The Rankin Red Devils are coming into 2024 following a 7-4 season, the team’s first season with fewer than 10 wins since 2018. 2016 was the last time the Red Devils finished with a losing record.

“This region’s always extremely tough. It’s changed a little bit with the realignment, so we’re now Region 1, but still just as tough as it’s ever been. You know, we feel like we’ve got a good group of kids, they’re excited about the challenge of a tough schedule,” Avalos said.

Rankin also has a new offensive coordinator in former Sands coach Tye Keith. Avalos says he runs a very similar offense to what Rankin has run in recent years. But one big change is coming to the Red Devil offense.

Dash Davis was the starting quarterback last year. He is likely to have a different role on offense as Gage Lopez, the backup last year, is getting pushed up the depth chart.

“He’s put a lot of work in in the weight room this year and filled out quite a bit, so we’ll have him under center to kind of get things started and move Dash to the backfield and try to get him in some space to make some plays.

“He’s put a lot of work in in the weight room this year and filled out quite a bit, so we’ll have him under center to kind of get things started and move Dash to the backfield and try to get him in some space to make some plays,” Avalos said.

The new offensive coordinator allows Avalos to put a lot of time in on his defense, where he believes a lot of talent can shine.

“Dash Davis returns to us this year as a senior, he’ll be a big part of what we do. And Gage Lopez, those two guys will– and Dustin Jackson, those three guys, sorry– they’ll kind of anchor the back end as linebacker/DB types,” Avalos said.

The Red Devils open the season with a unique Thursday night matchup with the Happy Cowboys.