SELMA — Smoke from the grill wafted into the Selma High School weight room, but it didn’t distract the Saints’ football players from their workout routines.

They are busy adapting to new coach Leroy Miles and learning the new schemes he is implementing.

“We’re going to be in a 4-3 defense,” defensive end Ezekiel Ufomau said. “Last year we were in the 3-4 and that was the first time I’ve ever seen that. The 3-4 didn’t fit the people we had.”

Ufomau said the new scheme allows him to be more a pass rusher, which he prefers to the outside linebacker position he had been playing before.

“The big difference is where you are standing,” Ufomau said. “This is a lot easier to understand. It just feels a lot easier.”

Ufomau and Rykemp Giles are both sophomores competing for a defensive end position. Giles said he is taking every opportunity to work on his ability.

“I’m working on my footwork, doing squats and a lot of upper body stuff,” Giles said. “I have a Bowflex at home. It lets me do some things I can’t do up here.”

About a dozen people waited near the food at the weekly cookout for the Saints to finish before they finished off the hamburgers and hot dogs.

The community is invited to the free cookout every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to sunset at the softball complex behind Selma High School.