NATCHEZ — Northwestern State offensive lineman and former Trinity Episcopal standout Larry Calcote is doing a bit of shuffling this season.

Calcote, who is entering his junior season at Northwestern State, will be moving to offensive guard after playing tackle last year.

“The coaches felt it would be a mismatch for the other teams,” Calcote said. “They feel like I’m more quick and athletic than most (defensive) tackles. I ran a 4.8 (40-yard dash), so they like to use me to pull and trap.”

And Calcote said he’s OK with the move.

“They felt it was the best way to utilize my skills,” he said. “We had some guys that could play tackle, and I guess they want the best five players on the field at all times.”

Last season saw the Demons go 5-6 with a trip to the Southland Conference championship, and Calcote said he’s looking forward to improving on that record even more this fall.

“We went from 0-11 to the conference championship game against Stephen F. Austin (State University),” Calcote said.

“We’re ranked No. 21 (in FCS) going into this year, but I don’t think we focus on that so much. We focus on where we are and what we want to be, and the stats will take care of themselves.”

Calcote credits Demons head coach Bradley Peveto for the school’s short turnaround. Peveto was defensive coordinator at LSU during the Tigers’ 2007 national championship season before taking over at Northwestern State.

“We have great coaches, and he’s a great coach,” Calcote said. “It took him a year to figure out his players, and once he got everything set up, we were pretty much unstoppable.”

Calcote said he has several personal goals this year, but those ultimately take a backseat to team goals.

“I want to win first-team All-Conference and All-American, and hopefully have a good enough season to possibly declare (for the NFL) early,” Calcote said. “As far as the team, we want to win the conference title and national title.”

Calcote is spending his summer in Natchez, and often visits his former school and coaches.

“I’ve been using the weight room to get my workouts in,” Calcote said. “This place has really helped me out a lot. Coach (David) King has a great program, and Trinity was a major turnaround point as far as my career in sports.”

Calcote said King’s demeanor allows him to relate well to his players..

“Most winning coaches have a firm hand, and he’s like the exact opposite,” Calcote said. “He’s laid back and cracks jokes. He’s also good at putting you in position to make plays. That’s a gift he has that sets him apart as a coach.”