NATCHITOCHES – On the field or off it, Saturday's annual Joe Delaney Bowl should have the feeling of a typical gameday in Turpin Stadium.
 
Fittingly, the atmosphere stands alongside what has been a relatively normal set of spring practices for the Northwestern State football team. Kickoff for the Joe Delaney Bowl, which signals the conclusion of spring practice is set for 12 p.m. inside Turpin Stadium.
 
"If you look over the 14 practices we've had, you've seen moments from both sides," sixth-year head coach Brad Laird said. "We went eight practices then had spring break. Once we got back from spring break, the defense has come back after that break stronger as far as some of the competitions. It's been a lot of back and forth, which is what you want. As we go into the spring game, you want to see improvement. You want to see consistency. You want to see the scope of work.
 
"There's a process to getting to Saturdays in the fall. This is part of the process. We want to end it on a good note."
 
There is another piece of a bigger-picture puzzle Laird wants to see in Saturday's game-like atmosphere – staying healthy.
 
The Demons have split the roster into a Purple team and a White team with a few players competing on both teams.
 
"If you're watching in the stands, it's going to look like a four-quarter game," Laird said. "We'll kick it off with special teams, and it will look like a game. We'd like to – as much as we can – keep the core group of ones together, because you want to build consistency with the guys who have earned it over the past 13 to 14 practices."
 
As the Demon wrap up their 2023 spring practice schedule, they will do having folded in 17 newcomers who joined the team at the semester break. That group has meshed quickly with the returners as the core of the 2023 roster takes shape.
 
Newcomer or grizzled veteran, Saturday provides one final chance for NSU's players to make an impact on their coaches before returning for summer workouts and fall camp.
 
"You want to find out who are the guys who have stepped up who are going to be able to give you those quality reps in the fall," Laird said. "We still have the summer and we still have fall camp, but the spring is where you get your opportunity to showcase where you fit in – whether it's on offense or on defense or who gets on the bus because of special teams. All of those get answered in the spring. To finish up this spring game, there will be guys who earn that opportunity for the fall."
 
The Joe Delaney Bowl is part of a busy day of Northwestern State home athletic contests that includes softball's 12 p.m. Southland Conference series finale with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and a 2 p.m. baseball game between NSU and UIW.
 
"It's going to be a great Saturday with a lot going on," Laird said. "It's going to be a great day on campus, one that gives the players and coaches the opportunity, as former players come back, to interact with them throughout the day."