NATCHEZ — Ferriday High School junior-to-be signal caller Kobe Dillon took the snap and after two seconds, he threw a pass to one of his receivers in the middle of the field.

Instead of being the Trojans’ gunslinger during the next play, Dillon lined up at running back while sophomore-to-be Jyron Milligan stood at quarterback.

In the two area 7-on-7 events this summer — the first being last Tuesday at Natchez High School and the being at Adams County Christian School Saturday — Ferriday has consistently rotate Dillon and Milligan at quarterback.

“I would say it’s a quarterback battle,” said offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Kenny Kitchen.

Last year, Dillon completed 53-of-90 passes for 852 yards and 15 touchdowns with five interceptions. He also added 491 yards and four touchdowns on the ground on 37 carries. Dillon did this while missing five games for the Trojans.

As for Milligan, he played sparringly in 2017. But he made the most of his opportunities, as he threw a 80-yard touchdown in Ferriday’s 60-12 win over General Trass.

At this point, neither player has separated himself from the other. And both bring different skillsets to the competiton.

“Kobe is more of the athlete,” said head coach Stanley Smith. “He is more of a runner. As for Jyron, I think he is more of a pocket passer. Someone who can throw the ball down the field a little bit better.”

If Kitchen had his way, he said he would like Milligan to win the quarterback battle.

“We are looking to have Kobe play running back this year,” Kitchen said.

This offseason, the Trojans lost leading rusher Jerrius Scott due to graduation. And even though they returned Da’Minya Milligan — who ran for 951 yards and 18 touchdowns — the black and yellow would like to have Dillon help replace Scott’s production because of his athleticism.

“Kobe is a different type of athlete,” Smith said. “So you want to use him as much as possible. Put him in a position to be successful. I think he can play running back just as well as he can play quarterback because he is a dual-threat guy.”

For Milligan to win the quarterback competition, his coaches would like to see him be more consistent in his reads and understand the playbook a little better. Not only that, but Kitchen said Milligan hasn’t fully taken ownership of the offense and that is what Ferriday is looking for the most out of him.

With the summer 7-on-7 events, Kitchen has seen Milligan slowly take control of the Trojan offense. Plus, it gives Ferriday a feel on who might start at quarterback this upcoming season.

“These events are geared toward the offense,” Smith said. “You can work on your timing with your receivers and receivers can work on their routes. Things of that sort. But it really helping us out a lot on trying to figure who is going to be the guy.”

Although the Trojans would like Dillon to carry the ball instead of throwing it, they aren’t ruling him out at quarterback.

No matter who wins the starting signal caller job, Ferriday fans shouldn’t expect the loser to sit on the sidelines because if they have talent, Smith is going to find a way to use it on the field.

“We want to put the kids into position to make plays,” Smith said. “We don’t want to put a talent on the sideline when we can utilize it. We just have to, like I say, ‘Marry the both of them.’ And make it work.”