NATCHEZ — Xavier Green has been playing both offense and defense since middle school.

Now a senior at Natchez High School, Green is set to line up at both offensive tackle and defensive end for the Bulldogs when they begin their season Friday.

Since Green isn’t getting as much rest as a player that only plays one position, he said his physical stamina is what allows him to see so much action.

“It’s a hard challenge (playing both ways),” Green said. “You have to be a better athlete to overcome it. You just have to play hard every day.

“You have to be mentally prepared and stay in the weight room and get strong. That’s the main part of it.”

Green said he probably sees the weight room regularly approximately eight months out of the year, and he said developing both strength and speed is what he focuses on.

“It’s a little of both,” Green said. “You have to have speed to get past the other lineman, and you have to have strength to hold your position down.”

Green said he started out playing both ways in middle school, but his football career really took off when he got to high school.

“I had to build my way up,” he said. “I didn’t start at first. If there was a young player coming up wanting to play, I’d tell them to just go hard when they put you in and do your assignment. If you do that, they’ll notice you.”

Bulldogs head coach Lance Reed said Green has been starting since his 10th grade season, which is a testament to Green’s work ethic.

“He’s a consistent player,” Reed said. “He plays hard, and he always knows what to do. He’s a smart kid.”

Since Green plays in the trenches on both offense and defense, he said he understands the importance of winning the battle between linemen — and how it affects the outcome of the game.

“Your linemen make the game,” Green said. “You have to build a running game in order to be able to throw the ball. On defense, you have to put pressure on the quarterback.”

Being mentally ready is a major part of being a defensive lineman.

“You have to have pre-snap awareness,” Green said. “I always worry about the run first, then I go for the pass. You have to follow the ball and know where it is at all times.”

And Green said he realizes how the defensive line doing their job can affect the play of the defensive backs.

“It makes their job easier when we put pressure on the quarterback, because he’s not going to make as good a throw under pressure,” he said.

Green also said he thinks playing defense is a little bit tougher than offense.

“On defense, you have to determine where to go. On offense, you already know where to block,” Green said.

When he looks back on his football career, he said the main thing Reed and the rest of the Bulldogs’ coaching staff has taught him is discipline.

“You have to be coachable and know when and where to do things,” Green said.