The first day of football practice used to mean the beginning of a grueling monthlong marathon to the start of football season.

This year, it’s more like a sprint.

Mississippi’s public schools hit the practice field for the first time Monday. Thanks to a tweak in the Mississippi High School Activities Association’s schedule, they’ll have just two weeks of preseason practice before beginning preparations for their season-openers on Aug. 21.

The schedule change was made to allow room in each team’s schedule for an open date. It’s also forced them to adjust their practice schedules to cram as much as possible into a relatively short time frame.

“I think it’s good. Nobody wants to practice for a month before they play. Coaches always want to be prepared, but the kids don’t want to wait,” St. Aloysius coach B.J. Smithhart said. “In a perfect world you’d have a week of conditioning and two weeks of practice. We have to jump right in there.”

One of Smithhart’s adjustments was to essentially stuff an extra five practices into this week’s schedule. The Flashes hit the field for the first time Monday at 6 a.m. for a two-hour workout, then returned in the evening for another hour of weighlifting and instruction before having a second two-hour practice.

The 28 players on the Flashes’ roster will follow the same two-a-day schedule all week.

“We had to find another way to get an extra five practices in. It’s not a lot of time to prepare,” Smithhart said. “That’s our extra five practices.”

Two-a-days are not an option at Warren Central. School starts today, and Monday was full of faculty meetings that occupied coaches for most of the day. So more than 70 players and their coaches worked out in the evening, following 90 minutes of conditioning drills with a 90-minute practice. Monday’s practice focused on offense, and today’s will focus on defense.

The Vikings, like all other MHSAA teams, will practice in helmets and shorts only until Thursday and dress out in full pads beginning next week.

“The biggest thing you’re trying to do is get your running in and cover the things that need to be covered,” WC coach Curtis Brewer said.

Warren Central hasn’t had two-a-days for several years because of the same combination of faculty meetings and the start of the school year. Out of Warren County’s four high schools, only St. Al is having two-a-days this year.

Although his school’s schedule won’t permit it, Brewer said there are still plenty of benefits to two-a-days.

“Those that have the opportunity to do it still do it. It’s something as a staff that we’ve become accustomed to,” Brewer said. “It’s something you just adjust to and you have to go on.”

*

Contact Ernest Bowker at ebowker@vicksburgpost.com