NATCHITOCHES, La. — Larry Calcote has heard the talk of him being an NFL prospect, but the Northwestern State senior offensive lineman brushes it aside.

For now, the former Trinity Episcopal standout is focusing on his senior season, looking to help the Demons improve on last year’s 5-6 record.

“I listen to it, but I never let it get to me,” Calcote said of the NFL talk. “One thing my mom told me before I left for summer workouts is, prepare every day like you’re not a starter, like you’re not All-Conference, like you’re not an NFL prospect.”

At first, Calcote said he didn’t quite understand what she meant.

“She said to work out like you’re trying to make it, which I am, but it didn’t really make sense at first,” Calcote said.

“Now I realize that it’s all about being humble. People talk to me all the time about the NFL, but I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. For now, I’m focusing on what I need to improve to get better as a player and help my team win.”

Calcote is participating in summer workouts with the team and taking two summer classes. One of those classes included a final that he took Sunday, something Calcote wasn’t too thrilled about.

“It gives you the weekend to study, but it’s a class I’m pretty well prepared for, so I’m basically waiting for the test to start,” Calcote said Saturday afternoon.

The Demons are adjusting to new strength and conditioning coach Joey Guarascio — who the players call Coach Joey — as they compete with each other in summer workouts.

“He’s a younger guy, in his 20s, and he played D I ball in Kansas, so he knows what it’s like to be a football player, how your body should be feeling at this point in time,” Calcote said. “That’s what he bases his workouts around.”

For Calcote personally, he said Coach Joey is trying to help him gain a little bit of weight for the fall.

“I put on a few pounds last year, but they want me to put on more,” Calcote said. “That means I have to come in earlier and take a certain amount of nutrition and protein before workouts to make sure I’m getting the right amount of calories.”

As far as his goals for the fall, Calcote said he’s keeping things team-oriented first and foremost.

“I just want to win,” he said. “I’ve never had a ring, never held a championship trophy. This is my last go-round, and I want my team to go out on top.

“Personally, I want to improve my strength and my knowledge of the game. I want to learn the Xs and Os a little better.”

After starting conference play last season 3-1, the Demons lost their last three games to finish 3-4 in the Southland Conference.

“The main thing that held us back was how we finished,” Calcote said. “You have to finish, and we lost our last three games, so that’s a sign of not finishing.

“It goes back to what I said about staying humble and not getting the hot head, because when you do, you under-prepare for people, and that’s a big mistake. Our team is a little older and wiser, and I’m picking us to win it all this year.”

Calcote said he keeps in touch with his former head coach at Trinity, David King, and he was surprised this past spring when he found out King was leaving Trinity for Adams County Christian School.

“I never thought something would happen, with it being a big cross-town rivalry and all, but after I heard different things about it, I don’t feel too bad about it,” Calcote said. “It’s all Natchez, and I think he’s in a good situation over there.”

Calcote said he’s also keeping tabs on King’s son, Kent, who has joined the football team.

“I tell him every day, one way you can never go wrong in this business is to always compete,” Calcote said.

When the younger King asked Calcote what he meant, Calcote said he told Kent that he should always try to outwork the competition in every aspect.

“He’s going to play running back, and I told him if he sees a running back lifting more than him, he should strive to lift more than that running back,” Calcote said. “If he runs a drill in a certain time, you should strive to run it faster. If you do that, you can never go wrong.”