Two days before the season-opening Red Carpet Bowl game with Gulfport, the Vicksburg Gators were still in full pads. It’s all a part of coach Alonzo Stevens’ plan to keep his team with a mindset of being physical.

“We’ve got to be physical. I think that was a big part of the problem last year. We’re still trying to get that full commitment to be made. We need to commit to bringing an all-out effort. It’s almost there, but we still have a way to go,” Stevens said.

The Gators were beaten 47-6 in last year’s Red Carpet Bowl game by Ocean Springs at Warren Central and then lost their next four games by similar scores in a 1-10 season.

Gulfport is expected to bring another tough-minded team in the Mike Justice mold to Memorial Stadium for the second game for the 48th annual Red Carpet Bowl. The Admirals and Gators will kick off following the conclusion of the Warren Central-Ocean Springs contest.

Gulfport took home last year’s Red Carpet trophy, holding off a late Warren Central rally to win 35-21. Admirals’ quarterback Derrick Lattimer had a huge game, rushing for 158 yards and four touchdowns while passing for another 87 yards and one score. Good news for the Gators is Lattimer has graduated. Justice, however, feels he has a better overall club.

“We’ve got a lot back from last year’s team. We will have a new quarterback, we just need to see how well he will play. But that goes for the whole team. I think we’re solid, but we need to play,” Justice said.

Justice, who coached for several years at Louisville and Madison Central before moving to Alabama for a handful of seasons, said he expects to see another good, athletic team from the Gators.

“Vicksburg is forever going to have good football players and I feel they will play us as hard as Warren Central did last year,” Justice said.

Stevens was glad to hear Justice’s compliments.

“I appreciate the comments. I just hope we can deliver,” Stevens said.

For the Gators to be successful, they will have to protect junior quarterback Cameron Cooksey, who threw for 705 yards last season.

“We know Gulfport is going to be sound and be pretty methodical on offense. They have a good defensive line and a good offensive line. We can’t have turnovers and we’re going to have to move the football in order to keep their offense off the field,” Stevens said.

The Gators are also expected to be better on defense, led by defensive ends Kederrick Parson and Namonta Gaines. Linebacker Korbin Richards could be a key playmaker.

“It will help if we could get a turnover like we did in the game with Ocean Springs. The big problem, however, was we didn’t do anything with it after we got the ball,” Stevens said.