NATCHEZ — The veteran football players at Trinity Episcopal are now the veterans of everyone associated with football, staff included.

With new head coach Ryan Porter conducting his first spring practice, Porter said he’s going to rely heavily upon the group of rising seniors to help get his coaching tenure started on a positive note.

“We’re going to try to cram in as much as we can (this spring),” Porter said. “These guys are quick learners, and we have a core group of veterans coming back. That helps a lot.”

It also helps that many of those veterans were part of two state championship teams in 2009 and 2010, Porter added.

“These guys are winners,” Porter said. “They know how to win. These guys are competitors, and we’re lucky to have them.”

Monday was day four for Trinity’s spring practice, and Porter said the practice was geared more toward the offense.

“Right now, I’m just getting to know these guys,” Porter said. “Personnel-wise, we’re running a lot of different things at them, just learning our route reads, running out of different formations and personnel groups.”

Porter said he’s been working with the Trinity players since October, but he said he’s been able to identify the talent on the squad pretty quickly.

“Being a former player at the high school, collegiate and semi-pro level, I know a football player,” Porter said. “Some of these guys, they’re just like me. They love the game of football. They eat, sleep and breathe it.”

Porter said some of his players have not been able to make it out due to other obligations, but the ones that have made it are getting plenty of work in.

“We come out here to work every day,” Porter said. “We’re going to run a lot of different personnel groupings and a lot of different formations with these guys. It’s mainly just getting them accustomed to it.”

Rising senior Tanner Cage said he’s adjusting to a few things with the new coaching staff in place.

“I’m familiar with some of it, but some of it I’m learning,” Cage said. “I’m happy with this coaching group we’ve got. I think we can do a lot of special things this year.”

Fellow rising senior Sky Logan, who will play offensive and defensive line, said he’s taking his role as a leader seriously.

“I’m just talking to (the younger guys), prepping them for practice, stuff like that,” Logan said. “We have to listen to the new coaches, because that’s the only way we’re going to get better.”

For Cage, playing the role of the all-purpose back means he’s going to have to lead by example while he’s on the field.

“Every time I touch the ball, I just have to try to score,” Cage said. “Every time I get tackled, I have to try to get one more yard or two more yards. I have to step up, because there’s a lot of pressure on us this year.”

With summer workouts coming soon, Logan said he’s making sure to get as much work in during the spring.

“Right now, we’re just trying to get into the best shape we can, because we’re going to have a small team,” Logan said.