NATCHITOCHES – Longtime college football coach Jack Harbough once said, "attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind."
 
That is exactly what third-year Northwestern State head coach Blaine McCorkle wants his Demon football team to do as they open spring practice on Tuesday.
 
"I want to see them attack spring practice," head coach Blaine McCorkle said. "Start fast. Go after spring practice. Don't hold back. We've talked about that a lot because I think one thing we fell victim to last year was we entered a lot of games feeling out way through and when we realized we could play with somebody it's a little too late. 
 
"That's a product of being as young as we were but now we're a whole lot older. So teaching them to go after it, not hold back. Don't live in fear of the mistake. No hesitation. No fear. Go attack it and let things fall where they may. If you trust your training when you go on the attack you're going to be alright."
 
Attacking the day will be made easier with early starts to the day's work.
 
For the first time under McCorkle the Demons shift their practice time to the morning window, taking the field at 7 a.m. for 14 scheduled practices across the next five weeks leading up to the annual Delaney Bowl on April 25.
 
"We're excited for it and we're ready to go," McCorkle said. "I think we've had a really productive offseason as players and coaches. I think we've improved our program in a lot of areas. We've brought in some good talent to help enhance our roster, restructured our staff a little to help us be more detailed. We've had some self-scout and reflection there too. So, all together I think this is as excited as I've been to go into spring practice since we've been here."
 
That excitement comes in part from what McCorkle believes is the most complete roster he has had in Natchitoches.
 
"We had a long staff meeting really analyzing and evaluating our roster from top to bottom with a lot of metrics and deviations and things like that," McCorkle said. "This is hands down our more complete football team. We don't have and what I would call superstars out there that are going to blow the scoreboard up by themselves, but our bottom end is much better. We're a balanced football team across the board which is going to lend to as much depth as we've had."
 
That depth has been building over the past three seasons as the once youngest team in Division I football continues to get more birthdays under their belts and continues to stick together as a group.
 
The Demons lost just 13 players to the transfer portal from a season ago, the second fewest in the Southland Conference. The addition of 20 transfers, 17 of which will take the field on Tuesday, adds to the depth component as well as the top-end talent on the roster.
 
 "They've fit in really well so far and put up some good numbers and done some impressive things in the weight room," McCorkle said of the transfers. "We'll be excited to see them get out there. A lot of new bodies on defense, especially in that defensive backfield. We're glad those guys are here and excited to grow and get better."
 
The class consists of seven defensive backs that address one of the biggest areas of need for NSU this offseason, along with the defensive line that is another excitement point for McCorkle.
 
"I'm really excited about the secondary and seeing those new guys there," McCorkle said. "We've shuffled our staff and have two coaches back there now with Coach Mo (Maurice Stewart) to coach specifically the corners and brought in Darren Jackson to work with the safeties. That group by nature has a lot of personalities so having more hands-on attention with those guys and little bit different focus in that room, I'm excited to see what that looks like."
 
The Demons practice on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of this week.