In his first spring back with Vicksburg High’s football program, Tim Hughes hasn’t spent a lot of time evaluating talent, installing schemes or preparing his team for a specific opponent.
That will all come later. Right now, Hughes said, he’s more focused on how the Gators get things done than what they actually do.

“It’s important, because building a program is a structure and a process, and at some point in time it has to be learned. There’s things I could do that we could do to have a productive spring, but it would be to the detriment of the program,” Hughes said. “We’re getting a lot in. Right now they have to learn the how-to, not just what we’re doing.”

Hughes, a Vicksburg native who was previously an assistant at VHS from 2001 to 2011, was hired as the Gators’ head coach in February. His job isn’t just to turn around a program that has had one winning season since 2008, but also to stabilize and rebuild a team in transition and turmoil.

Hughes is Vicksburg’s fourth head coach in seven years, since Alonzo Stevens retired in 2011. Some of the effects of the coaching turnover were eased by a veteran roster the past few years, but most of those players are now gone. Thirty-four seniors graduated from last year’s team, including quarterback Joe Johnson, two-time Vicksburg Post Defensive Player of the Year Nick Anderson, and three-year defensive starters Jo’Mon O’Neal and Michael Sullivan.

Despite losing more than half the roster from last season, Hughes said the numbers have remained steady during spring practice — about 60 players, roughly the same that were on last season’s team — and there are even some benefits to a fresh roster joining a first-year head coach.

“Would I love to have 35 seniors that have a bunch of experience? Absolutely,” Hughes said with a laugh. “But to have a bunch without a lot of playing experience, there’s not a way they’re used to doing things. You get to put your blueprint on it.”

The roster turnover has also forced some players to switch positions out of necessity. Antonio Calvin moved from defensive end to middle linebacker, and Hughes said others have been moved not just to better utilize their talents but also to provide veteran leadership at key positions.

“Leadership is the kind of stuff I’m looking at,” Hughes said. “Antonio Calvin was a defensive end and I’m moving him to (middle) linebacker, because we need a mike linebacker and he’s our best defensive player. (Offensive lineman) Jehari Riley is another senior and (tight end) Joshua Pedyfoot have done well to set the pace.”

The first phase of construction following Hughes’ blueprint ends Thursday night at Pelahatchie High School. The Gators will play Scott Central and Pelahatchie in a spring jamboree starting at 5 p.m.
Each scrimmage will be two quarters played under normal game rules. After the varsity games, Vicksburg and Terry will play a junior varsity scrimmage at 6:40 p.m. The JV game will be two quarters and played with a running 15-minute clock.

Hughes said he’ll use the film from the jamboree to figure out which direction to take the offseason program and preseason camp when it begins July 30. Thursday will be the first time he and his coaching staff see how well they’re grasping what’s being taught.

“I want the kids to enjoy themselves and have fun playing football. But when it’s time to play ball, I want to see structure and dialed-in aggression. It’s going to be about not doing a whole lot of things average, but doing a few things well,” Hughes said. “That’s what I get to use this for. We want to look better than what we’re playing against. But we’ve got to use this to evaluate the things we didn’t necessarily get to in the spring.”

SPRING FOOTBALL GAMES
Thursday
5 p.m. – Vicksburg vs. Scott Central and Pelahatachie, at Pelahatchie
6 p.m. – Brandon at Warren Central