NATCHEZ — The butterflies are back for Trinity Episcopal’s Josh Loy.

Loy played for the Saints in the mid-1990s, and each game week came with nervousness and excitement, he said. Friday, Loy will take the field for the Saints again, this time as head coach, and he said some of those old feelings are starting to creep back.

“Sure there will be some butterflies and some nervous energy for sure,” Loy said. “I’m excited. I’ve waited a long time to have this opportunity, and I am humbled by the opportunity we have.”

Like the Trinity players, Loy used last week’s jamboree to get a taste of what the real thing will be like Friday when the Saints host Jefferson County.

“It was exciting and refreshing,” Loy said. “It was exciting to see them other than in the weight room or practice. I got a feel for them in a game setting, and it was good to see them compete, so we can start placing people in the right spots.”

Loy said he thought his team came out flat, but he was pleased with Trinity’s effort later in the day.

The Trinity coaching staff spent Friday watching film, and Loy said that was the first step in his first experience with game-week preparation. Loy said preparing this week will be much more difficult than it was when he was a player.

“Obviously there is more to prepare for now,” he said. “As a player you just have to worry about certain assignments that you have to do. As a coach your job is to get them prepared in all aspects. Obviously there is more preparation, and I’m a lot busier.”

Despite all the details that Loy will have to focus on to prepare his team for the season opener, he said there will be a time Friday where he will look around and enjoy the moment.

“There is a lot of emotion walking around campus and the hallways,” he said. “Obviously being on that field brings back a lot of memories. It’s going to be exciting to step on the field in a different aspect. I remember my time as player very fondly and to have the opportunity to coach and lead young guys is exciting.”

Loy expects a lot from his players this season, but he also has expectations of himself and what he wants to accomplish during his first season as a head coach, he said.

“I want to put a team on the field that the Trinity family and community can be proud of,” he said. “I want them to be disciplined and accountable to each other and all the other things will take care of themselves. I want us to be prepared every week and compete at the highest level and the wins and losses will take care of themselves.”

Loy knows he is trying to fill the large shoes of former Trinity coach David King, who was an assistant coach when Loy was a player at Trinity. But Loy said he is not trying to compare himself to his predecessor.

“I can’t be coach King,” he said “I can’t coach that way. He put this program in a tremendous place. The school and program are well respected around state for the things they accomplished. But this year is different team, and we are going about things differently. But like I said, I’m honored to follow in his footsteps, but I can’t be him.

“I have to be myself and coach my way.”

Loy said he looks forward to the challenge of preparing for an opponent this week, and he is ready to take the field and see what the 2012 Saints can do.

“We get to play a quality opponent in the first game,” he said. “Obviously that makes the feeling even better. Playing a quality opponent, you know it’s going to be a challenge, and that’s what you want.”