Boyles sees toughness, new leadership heading into summer

The Ada High School football team wrapped up two weeks of spring practices with a Maroon-White scrimmage Friday night.

Head coach Wade Boyles and his staff said there were plenty of positives to take away from the spring workouts and build on moving forward.

Ada lost a strong group of 14 seniors to graduation, making this year’s spring drills even more important.

Following are excerpts from an interview with Boyles as the Cougars head into their summer schedule.

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The Ada News: What were the goals you and your coaching staff set for this year’s spring football practices?

Wade Boyles: “Our biggest goal this spring was to build a strong foundation physically, mentally and culturally. We focused on teaching and re-teaching our base systems on both sides of the ball, developing fundamentals and establishing accountability. With some key guys gone, it was also about identifying new leaders and creating competition at every position.”

The Ada News: What have you learned about the team this spring?

Wade Boyles: “I’ve learned that this group has a lot of toughness and is willing to work. We’ve got some young guys stepping up and competing, which is what you want to see. At the same time, we’ve learned we’ve got to improve our consistency. Good teams don’t just flash, they execute every rep. That’s the next step for us.”

The Ada News: What were your numbers like during spring practices this year?

Wade Boyles: “We were pleased with our numbers this spring. Participation and attendance were strong, which tells you a lot about the kids’ buy-in. It gave us a chance to get a lot of reps across the board and really evaluate depth, which is critical heading into the summer.”

The Ada News: It sounds like the Cougars have made good strides since the start of spring practices and carried that momentum into the Maroon-White scrimmage.

Wade Boyles: “I think our kids have responded well to what we’ve asked them to do. The tempo has been good, the effort has been there, and we’ve seen improvement in execution. We’re not where we need to be yet, but we’ve made progress. The Maroon-White game was a good test to see who can perform when the lights come on.”

The Ada News: You’ve had a pretty good quarterback for the last four years (the coach’s son, Brock Boyles), but that guy graduated. What does the quarterback position look like heading into the summer?

Wade Boyles: “There’s definitely competition at that position right now. We’ve got a couple of guys getting reps, and each brings something a little different to the table. No one has separated themselves yet, which isn’t a bad thing. It just means competition is healthy. Summer will be big for those guys in terms of leadership, consistency and command of the offense.”

The Ada News: What is your message to the team as a whole heading into summer workouts?

Wade Boyles: “The message is simple — what you do this summer will determine what kind of team we are in the fall. Nobody is going to outwork us. That’s the standard. Be consistent, show up every day and compete. If we take ownership of the offseason, we’ll put ourselves in position to be successful when it matters.”

Ada opens the 2026 season Aug. 28 when Durant visits Norris Field.