FERRIDAY — Cleothis Cummings said he is enjoying running his first fall camp as head coach of the Ferriday High School football team.

He also said he is getting plenty of help from his assistants to help him adjust to his first varsity head coaching position.

“It’s been very exciting,” Cummings said. “We have experienced coaches that have made the process much easier.”

Ferriday kicked off camp Aug. 6, and the Trojans took the field in full pads for the first time Thursday afternoon.

Cummings said the Trojans focused on fundamentals in the first days of fall practice.

“Teaching is the most important part,” Cummings said. “The coaches are very involved in player development. That’s the key now is to develop them into football players.

“We are loading up (Thursday) and will see where we are at as far as our physicality.”

Cummings said the team worked hard this summer to learn his system, and the players are making progress each day.

“Mainly we are getting them to understand their assignments,” he said. “Assignment football is important.”

Cummings said seven-on-seven practices have helped the Ferriday skill players get a taste of his system this summer.

The Trojans will soon get tired of practice, Cummings said, and he is looking forward to the team’s first scrimmage Aug. 17, against Jena.

“It will give us a starting point to see where we are,” Cummings said about the scrimmage. “We will see what we can do and what we can’t. It’s just a learning tool.”

Which players will play where is something Cummings said he already has a good idea of, but the scrimmage and the Vidalia jamboree Aug. 25, will test the starters.

“The depth chart we have fairly worked out, but we will see if they will play up to (their positions) and hold their spot,” Cummings said.

Cummings said he is proud of the way all of his players have performed so far this summer, but a few guys have started to separate themselves from the pack.

Ferriday will open its season Aug. 31 against Natchez High School.