Natchez High School football coach Roy Rigsby bounced around at Wednesday’s practice, moving from one drill station to the next with an added vigor.

Football is back in the air in Bulldog Country.

The practice marked the second of 15 in the spring for Natchez, gearing up for a mid-May exhibition against McComb.

“We’re just in helmets right now, so there’s a lot of teaching going on,” Rigsby said. “The overall objective is to make sure that they’re learning.”

The Bulldogs are attempting to turn the page from a disappointing 1-10 campaign in Rigsby’s inaugural season as head coach. Rigsby said if offseason workouts are any indication, the Bulldogs are primed to put last year’s frustrations in the rear view.

“Last year was a rough year, but these guys have committed to the weight room,” he said. “We have some new things going on that will help us.”

A strong crop of rising seniors will serve as the backbone for Natchez. Rigsby said he expects to have about 16 seniors, with many playing pivotal roles.

“It’s a great class, they have great leadership skills,” he said. “They’re more focused than they’ve ever been before. They’re learning, and that’s what we’re looking for. We’re looking to see how fast they can take information in.”

Two of those rising seniors are playmakers Ernest Woods and Christopher Shropshire.

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound Woods said an added benefit for the Bulldogs has been the return of a school hour football period, allowing players to participate in additional workouts.

“We’ve been in the weight room,” Woods said. “We lost a lot of games last year just because we were the weaker team.”

Woods will serve as a key ball carrier for Natchez on the offensive side, but perhaps where he will be relied on most is on defense. After tallying more than 50 tackles from his linebacker post last year, Woods will shift to the secondary as the team’s starting strong safety.

“It’s something I’m kind of used to because I always move around,” he said.

Shropshire, a rangy 6-foot-4, 200-pound pass rusher said he is happy to be back on the practice field with his teammates.

“This is just fun,” he said. “We’re going to come hard as a defense and try to hit everything that’s moving.”

McComb will visit Natchez at 2 p.m. May 13 for the spring game.

“I want the community to come out and support them,” Rigsby said. “I can guarantee it won’t be anything like last year, as far as wins and losses. These guys are working hard, and I think they’re going to see a significant change.”