NATCHEZ — With only two weeks left until football season begins, Natchez High School has half of their assistant coaching staff figured out while a few other names are pending. As for running backs coach Josh West and defensive coordinator Dan Smith, they’re officially hitting the ground running.

Smith said he plans to keep the defensive formation former head coach Lance Reed has been teaching the players for the past two or three years, but with a few subtle differences.

“I will run what Reed ran in the past, but add my little twist to it,” Smith said, “Reed did a great job with the defense and I don’t want to come in and try to change the whole defense in just two weeks.

“Maybe as we get to district, we may add some more stuff to the defense.”

West and Smith join veteran assistant coaches Roderic Smith and Jerry Baldwin.

Baldwin is currently dealing with health problems, which prevents him from attending practices, but Baldwin said he hopes to be back on the field soon.

While at least four assistant coaches are official, NHS athletic manager Beatrice Collins said two more coaches, an offensive line coach and a defensive backs coach, are hoping to be added to the list soon, though she didn’t name any candidates.

Smith was hired as the head baseball coach and defensive coordinator the same day as head football coach Melvin Pete July 17, and though he has only a few weeks to get familiar with his baseball team and football defensive unit, Smith said he is up to the challenge.

Smith played baseball and football at Natchez High until he graduated in 1998. Though he pursued baseball in college, Smith said his past 12 years as a baseball coach has often seen him juggling duties on the football coaching staff as well.

“I’ve been doing this (coaching football and baseball) since I’ve been teaching, and I’ve learned how to balance it,” Smith said, “I also have good coaches Smith said, “I also have good coaches that help me out a lot.”

West is a product of Natchez High School also, but after a serious leg injury his freshman year, he decided not to return to the football field.

“It’s one of those things you regret doing for the rest of your life,” West said,

West decided to major in physical education at Alcorn State University so he could coach.

“I wanted to find something I could do everyday for the rest of my life and enjoy myself,” West said. “I knew if I coached football, I would be happy.”

West is teaching at the New Morgantown Academies, and will come over to NHS solely for football.

West said he sees a lot of potential in his young team and coaching staff, and he hopes 2014 will be a building process to a future powerhouse program.

“I think the kids have responded well to (head coach Melvin) Pete’s attitude and they have accepted him,” West said. “We are moving forward with getting better every day and making strides to be the team we want to be. We are a young team, but we are a promising team.”