Danny Britt lifted Benedictine to new heights. He’s chasing ‘the next step.’

SAVANNAH — In 15 years, Danny Britt has led Benedictine from long-term mediocrity to Georgia powerhouse status. Now, he wants to take it to another level.

Britt has spent the past few years working to make Benedictine nationally relevant. The Cadets have played several nationally ranked opponents the last five seasons.

“The next step would be going to that private school level of … (Christopher Columbus from Florida) or Mater Dei (from California), or those sort of things, but it’s going to have to take more than just me,” Britt said.

Britt acknowledges the ask of his administration and community to further elevate the program and reach his goal of being one of the top 25 programs in the country.

“A bigger group of people are going to have to say we’re not OK with the status quo,” Britt said.

Britt says his national pursuit started after Benedictine had won two state titles and several more region championships.

“A few years ago, I was struggling getting games,” Britt said. “Everybody was like, ‘Coach, we’d be stupid to play you,’ and we were going to be pretty good again. And I was just sitting right here (in my office), and I thought, ‘Next level. Screw it.’”

Benedictine opened the 2021 season against Christopher Columbus and Beaufort (South Carolina). The Cadets lost those games 42-27 and 33-23, respectively, before winning their third state championship under Britt that December.

Benedictine lost to Christopher Columbus again in 2022 but beat Bolles (Florida) 26-7. It also beat Chambers (North Carolina) in Week 2 of the 2023 season.

Some of the Cadets’ other most notable nonregion opponents since 2021 include reigning national champion Buford, Rabun Gap and Colquitt County. Benedictine has gone 2-7 in those games, though the Cadets did lose three of them by 10 points or less.

The Cadets also came three points shy of beating nationally ranked Creekside in the 2025 Class 4A state championship game.

Becoming a Top 25 national team is no easy feat in Georgia. Only six of the state’s schools were ranked in a major national poll this preseason: Buford, Carrollton, Creekside, Grayson, Thomas County Central and Gainesville.

Top 25 status is costly, too — playing out-of-state opponents means higher travel expenses and, ideally to Britt, upgraded facilities.

“It’s going to take people with resources and/or people with status in the school other than me that want more, and I don’t know that anybody else really does,” Britt said. “I think everybody else is kind of OK with just continuing to be successful at where we’re at, and I’ve had to come a little bit to grips with that.”

To be clear, the “status quo” typically means Benedictine is a state championship contender. The Cadets have advanced to the state quarterfinals every season since 2013 and have won four state championships and 10 region titles since Britt took over.

Britt’s team appears primed for another title run in 2026, too. Benedictine is the No. 2 preseason team in Class 5A, and the Maxwell Projections predict the Cadets will make the state championship game again.

It’s a much better position than the program was in when Britt took a job he was somewhat unwelcome in.

Britt left his position as defensive coordinator and middle school principal at Savannah-area private school Calvary Day in January 2011. Britt said Benedictine “almost blew up” when he was hired because no one outside the hiring committee wanted him.

“All they knew was I was coming from (Calvary Day), and I was primarily a principal,” Britt said.

Britt changed minds quickly, though. Benedictine’s season opener was at Blessed Trinity, which had beat the Cadets 44-0 the year before.

Benedictine lost again, but it was because of a missed field goal in overtime. Britt saw his team and community shift that night.

“Once we went into overtime, you kind of see, like, people started believing,” said Pat Fogarty, a senior on the 2011 team who now coaches Benedictine’s offensive line. “And then it got to the point that we were kind of mad if we lost.”

Benedictine improved from 1-9 to 5-6 in Britt’s first season. In his second year, the Cadets won nine games for the first time in 12 years.

In 2013 Benedictine won its first region title since 2000, and in 2014 the program won its first state championship.