Cowboys Aiming High In 2014

The sting from last year’s playoff loss to Jacksonville State had to feel like being engulfed in a swarm of those South American killer bees. And when the Cowboys had gone through that swarm, the agonizing pain of defeat resembled the after-effects of an encounter with the genetically engineered Tracker Jackers from the Hunger Games.

You get the picture. Bad stuff. A fifth playoff loss in 10 years will do that to you.

It was an undeniable kick in the gut for a proud program that worked its way back into the FCS post-season tournament after a three-year hiatus.  The then 10-2 Cowboys were rewarded with a Top 8 national seeding, a first round bye and a playoff home game in the friendly confines of the Hole.

All signals pointed to McNeese’s first post-season win since 2002.

I recall the far away, shocked looks on the faces of players and coaches alike.

Head coach Matt Viator put on a brave face and complemented Jacksonville State on a performance deserving of the win, all the while wondering when the full brunt would hit him.

The holidays came and went, and pretty soon it was back to work, preparing for his ninth season at the helm. I would venture to say once spring practice commenced, and coach V saw the returning talent, the enthusiasm of the incoming freshmen and the obvious impact of a few interesting transfers, the mood turned positive; the hindsight what ifs and bad memories dissipated, or at least faded into the background.

I can’t put an exact day and time on it, but I bet at some point in mid- to late March, during those therapeutic spring workouts, Viator and his players recognized the skills, talent, leadership and desire to win were in abundance.  That old sting was replaced with confidence needed to once again set very high goals.

That heady optimism was validated over the summer at the annual Southland Conference meetings, where 10 Cowboys were named to the 2014 all SLC preseason team. First team members included senior offensive guard Antoine Everett, junior lineman Quentin Marsh and sophomore tight end Zach Hetrick on the offense. The All SLC defense included senior defensive end Everett Ellefsen, junior linebacker Bo Brown, senior safety Aaron Sam and Jean Breaux, the Cowboys’ junior punter.

The preseason All SLC second team had junior tailback Kelvin Bennett on the list, along with senior receiver Ernest Celestie, and junior cornerback Gabe Hamner. Those were pretty impressive numbers; the team members chosen formed a cross section of McNeese seniors and juniors across several positions.

The conference coaches and sports information directors also realized the potential of this team voting the Cowboys as high as No. 2 in the Southland (behind defending league champion Southeastern Louisiana, which was selected as the preseason No. 1 favorite to repeat).

Two national FCS polls also slotted McNeese in their preseason Top 10 rankings.

The early respect, both in and outside the conference, was evident. With 16 returning starters on the roster, six highly regarded transfers (five from larger FBS teams) in camp; a coaching staff virtually intact, with key position coaches and coordinators back in the fold; McNeese is back among the nation’s FCS elite.

The end goal is to remain there on a certain Sunday come November.

 

The Quarterbacks — Battle Royale

I could save the battle for the starting quarterback position for last, but what’s the point? It’s the most important position on the field; the most critical decision facing Viator this month; and the highest profile story line in camp.

As the quarterback goes, so goes the Cowboys.

In January and February, it was considered a three horse race, with junior Tyler Bolfing leading the pack, followed by oft-injured sophomore Will Briscoe and redshirt freshman Grant Ashcraft. It remained an interesting sidebar in spring drills as a beefed up Bolfing separated himself as the clear candidate to succeed longtime starting quarterback Cody Stroud.

The waters began to muddy when word leaked out that Kansas State quarterback Daniel Sams was seeking a release from the Wildcats and was interested in transferring to McNeese.

Viator and offensive coordinator Tim Leger were out in front on the Sams case early on, talking and sending welcoming overtures to Manhattan, Kan. Even though several well known FBS teams, and a few recognizable FCS programs, were sending invites to Sams, the New Orleans native said in my first interview with him that “it was McNeese the whole way.

“I made my move to McNeese because they graduated a senior quarterback. It obviously is a good situation. My uncle (former Cowboys great B.J. Sams) went here, and he said it would be a great place to play and a nice fit for my style of play. Besides, it’s closer to home,” said the soft-spoken Sams.

The  6-foot, 2-inch, 205-pound Sams wasn’t just a clipboard holder pacing the sidelines for K-State last year. Anything but. He played in all 13 games for Kansas State last season, and was second on the team in rushing, with 807 yards and a team high 11 touchdowns. He finished with a very limited passing resume of 38 of 53 for 452 yards and four scores. But all told, it was enough to earn him Honorable Mention All Big 12 recognition.

Sams was the other spoke in the Wildcats’ legendary coach Bill Synder’s two quarterback rotation. But when Synder decided that one quarterback would lead the Cats this season and it wouldn’t be Sams, the wheels began to turn.

The Wildcats tried to convince Sams that wide receiver was the position best suited for his skill set, and he tried it on for size for a short time. “I wanted to play, so I tried receiver, but it wasn’t where I needed to be to compete in the Big 12.”

Sams may not match the transfer fanfare and hype of Cecil Collins, Janzen Jackson or Riley Dodge, but he could very well have a much longer and more meaningful impact on the program.

He arrived just in the nick of time, with the graduation of the veteran Stroud. He offers Viator a dual threat skill set this team hasn’t seen since the days of Kerry Joseph in the 1990s and Derrick Fourroux from 2007-09.

A player with Sams’ resume just doesn’t up and leave a Big 12 program if he doesn’t intend to start to play immediately. Sams does intend to win the starting job, but came here with no promises or a clear path to the No. 1 huddle. “Of course I don’t expect anything to be handed to me. The competition will be tense and an everyday battle, which is good for the quarterbacks and the team.”

When you see Sams in action, especially against Baylor last year, when he rushed for 199 yards — second most in school history for a quarterback, you pigeonhole him as a running quarterback. That’s a logical assumption, but Sams says it’s an incorrect one.

“I’m a quarterback that is mobile and can move. I don’t listen to the stereotypes. I’m in a position to prove I can take running out of my quarterback description,” Sams said.

He made a strong case in the first intra-squad scrimmage. Under center for the second team offense versus the second team defense, Sams completed a 51-yard dart to tight end R.J. Walters. On the very next play, Sams did a little option number that included a shimmy and a shake for a 24-yard touchdown run.

It was a couple of bam bam plays that verified Sams was a legit Big 12 threat — if anyone had any doubts.

The shiny new McNeese quarterback says he can make all the throws and has picked up the offense.  He met with Viator at least two hours every week over the summer (a new rule allowed by the NCAA) and was aided in the film room by fellow quarterbacks Bolfing and Briscoe.

Viator is excited about tweaking the playbook with Sams’ skills in mind, but reminded giddy Cowboys fans that Bolfing entered August camp as the starter based on his spring work, and the battle for the starting job could wage on for a few more weeks. “I don’t have a clue when I will name the starting quarterback.”

Bolfing didn’t take the signing of Sams as an insult or knock against him. Viator explained that Bolfing understands the process and accepts the challenge. “Kids understand about competition. They want to compete.  You bring people in to win and make us a better football team. To me that’s what it’s all about. Good competition is contagious,” noted Viator.

That level of competition has definitely brought out the best in Bolfing as well.

Starting that scrimmage with the No. 1 offense, Bolfing hooked up with Jereon McGilvery for a 59-yard pass which set up a short touchdown run by Dylan Long. Bolfing, a junior from Montgomery, Texas, completed five of eight for 138 yards. He looked the part as a possible starting quarterback.

Sams has seen that competition extend from the quarterbacks to running backs to wide receivers.  All the skilled positions are pushing each other with the same goal in mind. “We have a major amount of talent here,” say Sams. “Deep at tailback and receivers.  We have the tools to be very dangerous.”

The transition from a FBS locker room to a bit smaller FCS facility has been smooth for the humble Sams. “I see where my teammates look at how I work coming from a bigger school, and if I work hard or take it for granted. I’m not at Kansas State anymore. I’m a Cowboy, just like the other guys trying to get it together. All of our transfers have forgotten about the past. It’s time to make a new future here at McNeese.”

That’s a great line from a young man mature beyond his 21 years. In the end, I expect that maturity, leadership, football savvy and immense skill set will earn him the No. 1 spot when the Cowboys kick it off against Nebraska on Sept. 6 in Lincoln.

 

Running Backs — Ready To Run

McNeese’s offense was off the charts last year. It started with the team’s FCS record-setting 53-21 blowout at South Florida. It was the first of six 50-plus point offensive explosions in the season. The Cowboys set school records for points scored and most yards in a season, along with several other offensive milestones.

Along the way, Viator’s offense achieved his goal of balance between the run and pass. Stroud got his 3,146 yards through the air, but equally impressive were the 2,716 rushing yards gained by the graduated Marcus Wiltz, Kelvin Bennett and Dylan Long.

Bennett’s 774 yards were second on the team, and he carried a 7.2 yard average to go with four touchdowns. The lightning fast junior will get his share of snaps this season, but will have to learn to share the ball with two SEC transfers in Nate Holmes from Arkansas and former Mississippi State tailback Derrick Milton.

“We have everything we need: every combination of speed and power,” says Bennett. “Last year, we switched in a lot of running backs. Being a backup won’t be a problem for anyone here because we will shuttle guys in and several guys will put up a lot of yards.”

Viator sees the obvious talent in the backfield bolstered by the addition of Holmes and Milton. He admits this could be a special group of tailbacks, but cautioned that the four runners will have to handle and cope with sharing that one ball.

The 6-foot, 210-pound Milton saw action in multiple games in Starkville the past two years. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry last season off just 13 carries. He will most assuredly get many more attempts as a Cowboy. He is thought of as McNeese’s second power back along with long-locked Long. But Milton winks when he sheds light on his other qualities.

“They (defenders) sleep on my speed, but yeah, I’m a power back.  Being from the SEC and playing at that level, you have to be strong and run downhill.”

Milton is tickled to be a part of what he calls a “great rotation of running backs.” They are all talented. He agrees with Viator’s claim that they’ll bring “something different to the table.”

The quarterbacks have been busy throwing the ball in their ongoing battle to control the huddle. But it’s clear to both Bennett and Milton that the offense will lean on the running game this season to move the chains and control the clock. “You can tell from our drills and our backs that the offense will stress the run, including the quarterbacks,” says Milton.

Nate Holmes raised many eyebrows with his sheer speed when he arrived from the University of Arkansas. He might rival Bennett for the title of fastest man in Blue and Gold. At 6 feet, 170 pounds soaking wet, Holmes better be fast. He played two years as a Razorback with limited action. The plan is to use him in the short passing game and in the return game, where Holmes can make the biggest impact.

Long is entering his junior year after gaining a respectable 355 yards. But he made his mark in the end zone, where he planted the ball 10 times, making him second on the team in touchdowns in 2013. The Covington, La., native is a proven blocker. He came into his own last season, and brought fans to their feet with his power inside running game, while at times he dragged defenders into the end zone.

This backfield has equal doses of speed and power and the ability to catch the ball. It has Viator up early, devising plays and schemes to use that unique collection of talent.

This isn’t the first time McNeese has had four top flight running backs on the roster. The key is keeping them all healthy and fighting for that one ball.

 

Offensive Line – Experienced And Steady

Let me repeat the old and at times boring but oh so true adage that “it all starts and ends with the offensive line.”

Over my 20-plus years of sports reporting, I’ve heard that from the likes of the NFL’s Sam Wyche, Ray Perkins, Bum Phillips and Don Shula. It was no different with the college game and Bill Curry, Pat Dye, Vince Dooley, Bobby Bowden, Bobby Keasler and Matt Viator, to name a few I’ve chased down over the years.

McNeese’s offensive line is in the enviable position of having four returning starters, with two on the All SLC team in Everett and Marsh. Mason Martin is the new guy at center, allowing Nick Gorman to move outside. Junior Ben Jones returns at tackle.

This fivesome has the size and speed to control defensive lines. They’ve also made strides with third-year offensive line coach Rob Sale in mastering the art of foot work and movement. “It helps us by working on it year round,” says Everett, who will get NFL interest this year. “Spring, summer and winter. Constant drills on foot work. It’s such an unnatural movement, so we have to keep doing it and working on it as a unit, which we have.”

 

It’s a long season, and the offensive linemen take a beating. So it’s critical their snaps are managed so they stay healthy and on the field. “Everything is about depth on the offensive line,” Viator says, as he does every August.

The Cowboys were very lucky last year as this unit stayed relatively healthy and injury-free; hence the record-setting offensive production that the Cowboys unleashed. That proves that success begins in the trenches.

Backing up this unit will be a collection of young sophomores and redshirt freshmen, beginning with Thor Miller, Taylor Donaldson and Joe Jenkins.

 

Receivers And Tight Ends —  Can They Stay Healthy?

Veteran receivers Ernest Celestie and Wes Briscoe missed spring drills due to injuries; Celestie with a broken bone in his foot and an ACL knee ailment for Briscoe. Celestie was in action in the scrimmage while Briscoe sat out.

Concerns remain whether this senior duo are 100 percent and can stay that way for the entire season. There are big questions and fair ones when it comes to the passing game production. The Cowboys have the numbers at this position, but many are young, with little to no game time (Khalil Thomas, Del Scott, Kent Shelby).

Sophomore Damon Gladney was having an impact in spring before going down with an injury that could keep him out till conference play, which means he may end up a medical redshirt. Senior Jereon McGilvery returns from an 11-catch junior year, and junior David Bush could increase his catch totals of 20 in 2013.

Celestie was thrilled to get an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA due to his injury-marred freshman year at Texas Tech. The former Barbe High star has endured shoulder and foot injuries throughout his college career, and has performed, despite not being 100 percent. But that could change in 2014.

“I’m as healthy as I’ve ever been since high school. My frustration level was off the charts over my injuries. I missed out on a lot of opportunities because of injuries and coaching changes (at Texas Tech). You do question whether you should keep playing, but you have to look at the bright side of things. I [knew] I wasn’t done playing. I could overcome it,” says Celestie.

The elder statesman of the receivers, Celestie knows it will be impossible to replace the talents and production of Diontae Spencer, who led the offense and special teams in five major categories. Celestie says he has high goals this year. But don’t compare him to Spencer. They’re two different kinds of receivers.

The talk of August camp is the play of redshirt freshman Kent Shelby, who was ruled ineligible by the NCAA at the 11th hour during last August’s drills. Viator can’t be happier to finally see what the 6-foot, 3-inch, 205-pound Shelby can do on Saturday nights.

He’s already proving his worth in practice and in that scrimmage, making a nifty leaping touchdown catch in double coverage against the first team defense. The veteran Celestie sees the future in No. 19. “We are expecting big things out of Kent. With his size (biggest among all wideouts), he is more than capable of making big plays.”

The 5-foot, 11-inch, 190-pound Celestie, who hails from Lake Charles and says he appreciates all the extra fan support and love, had his best year as a collegian in 2013. He totaled 31 catches with 565 yards (second behind D. Spencer’s 835 yards) with five touchdowns.

Celestie would like to add to those totals in this, his final year of football. He expects to be competing for the quarterback’s attention not only with other receivers, but in the running game as well. “He (Viator) is going to get exactly what he wants. He loves balance on offense and he will get that balance with the stable of running backs we have. But when you see our receivers, we’re no pushovers either.  So we will do our part and produce.”

With his experience and exposure to FBS competition at Texas Tech, Celestie has a unique perspective on this ongoing quarterback battle.

Sams … Bolfing … Briscoe … Ashcraft.

“I’m not picking sides or a favorite. I’m not a coach, so it’s up to them, but I don’t want a quarterback only because he thinks he deserves it. He has to work to get the job and work to keep it. If he’s not working, he’s not doing me any good. This competition is keeping them on their toes and minimizing their mistakes. It’s awesome. I love watching it,” says Celestie.

Viator got an unexpected curve ball when LSU transfer tight end Nic Jacobs opted out of his senior year at McNeese to go pro. He signed a free agent deal and is currently in camp with the New Orleans Saints. Viator had to speed up his tight end personnel progression, but it appears he’ll have at least three solid players on the edge.

Sophomore Zach Hetrick made the All Conference preseason team. He is equally adept at blocking and running routes.

The impact player at tight end could end up being Deondre Skinner, signed this summer. The 6-foot, 3-inch 247-pound Skinner signed with Houston out of Patterson High, then went to Tulane, but never played at either school.

That is worrisome. But his talent and potential could ease any misgivings over his past.

Expect to see even more two tight end sets this season to keep defenders guessing over run or pass.

 

Defensive Line — Big, Tough And Fast

What more could you want from the defensive line? Throw in solid backups, and the Cowboys have hit the trifecta.

“We have the best depth we’ve had, no question,” Viator says. “We plugged in Brian Hine, who had a great spring. Jake Grode, Danyel Hunter and a few freshmen played a lot, so that’s exciting.”

Follow Hine during an August scrimmage, and you’ll see a player running with a high RPM. He’s a muscle car with Indy car speed. He transferred from Cisco Junior College, where he collected 140 tackles over two seasons. Hine looks bigger than his 6 feet, 2 inches, 222 pounds, and plays faster than most, according to linebacker Bo Brown.

“Brian’s work ethic is incredible. He’s all over the field. He’s a big, ripped up guy. Looks like Hercules out there (laughing). He’s got a motor that never quits. He will be good for us.”

Now that the movie is out, Hercules would be an appropriate nickname for Hine, who’s wide and thick, but unnaturally fast for his size and build. “He can really run,” says a gushing Lance Guidry, veteran defensive coordinator. “We have had great defensive ends here … Bryan Smith and Kavita Pittman. They could run too. Now, I’m not saying Brian will be one of those guys. But he is really fast. He’s a 4.5 kid; plays with a high motor; and is really tough. He will change our defense.”

The D- Line only gets better as you move along. All SLC star Everett Ellesfsen has been nursing an injured leg, but is expected back soon. The senior is the best at pressuring the quarterback, with five sacks to his credits.

Inside tackles will be manned by seniors Kevin Dorn and Sean Brown, along with Krishon Seastrunk and Anthony Yruegas, among others.

The numbers for the D-Line are impressive and so is the talent. This will be one of the Cowboys’ strongest units.

 

Linebackers — Good But Need Depth

Behind that top flight defensive line will be two hard-nosed linebackers who have a knack for being around the ball.

Senior Deonte Thompson and junior Bo Brown will see the lion’s share of snaps this season. There’s some depth at linebacker, but these two have played so many reps it’s hard to take them out.

“We do need the freshmen to step up for depth, but we’re not sure who that will be right now,” Brown says. He was third on the list for most tackles last year with 75, but he’s equally as important as a defensive leader and motivator.

“Being a veteran, I am definitely a leader. You always need that leadership because you have days where you are lagging around. You have to have guys nipping at your heels and getting on them to work hard,”  Brown says.

Two critical areas the defense is focused on, according to Brown, are turnovers and denying the big plays to opposing offenses. The quest for more turnovers means a more active sweet tooth for some, as Brown explains. “Coach Guidry gives us (defenders) Payday candy bars if we get a pick or fumble during practice. We get a Payday … that’s what we are going for; stripping the ball, running to the ball on every play.”

Guidry ushered in “DWA” last season, and his defenders have taken “defense with attitude” to heart — especially the rally cry for turnovers. At every level of football, defensive coaches seek turnovers. If you win that battle, you often win the war.

“There is no exact number (of turnovers per game),” says Guidry. “The number is having more than the opposing defense. If they get five, we need six. If they get two, then three should be enough.

“We stress that our defense must outplay the opposing defense. If our defense outplayed Southeastern and Jacksonville or Northern Iowa, we would have won those games.”

It may be a bit harsh and one-sided to put that much onus on the defense in the Cowboys’ three losses last season, but that’s how Guidry cuts to the heart of the game. Outwork the man in front of you, outplay the opposing unit, and you should win.

 

The Secondary — Talented But There Are Still Questions

Two things are for sure about this defensive secondary: they are fast and they can run. Those two qualities will be needed, as more and more FCS teams go to a quicker pace offensive tempo and even quicker passes to multiple receivers.

The five defensive backs will decide whether the Cowboys improve from a middle-of-the-pack defense in the Southland to one ranked near the top. In 2013, McNeese was ranked fifth in both rushing defense — allowing 173 yards per game — and passing defense, with an average of 243 yards per game. That led to a fifth place finish in total defense, as the unit gave up 416 yards per game. The Cowboys inched up to fourth in overall scoring defense, with a 28 point average per game.

Numbers can be deceiving, as McNeese built big leads in many games so that opposing offenses were forced to rear back and throw almost every down to get back in the game. This resulted in some big chunks of yardage.

Despite that, the secondary has had a propensity to give up big plays early in games and have to scramble. Senior safety Aaron Sam says the answer is simple. “More mental discipline. The more focus you have, the less explosive plays they have.”

Sam, a former LaGrange Gator, led the team in tackles last year with 84, but had no interceptions. He intends to add to that stat in 2014, as he will lead this unit from the free safety position.

Junior Brent Spikes is leading the race for weak safety, and is one of August camp’s biggest surprises. Freshman Dominique Hill is expected to start at buck safety.

The cornerbacks will be rotated, with Gabe Hamner and JaLen James expected to start, while being spelled by Carlos Carroll and freshmen Kamon Darby and Tavarious Battiste.

 

“The safeties are pretty much set,” says Guidry, “but the cornerbacks will have the biggest rotation, and I don’t know who it will be yet. Within two weeks, we will know.”

Sam, at 5 feet, 9 inches, 180 pounds, falls short when he’s compared to some of the bigger defensive backs who’ve migrated to SLC teams via transfers. Sam can more than hold his own, but he’ll have some beef behind him this season with the addition of Jermaine Antoine from TCU, Shea Nutt and Austin Pennington returning.

“Nutt and Spikes like to put their hands on you,” says Sam. “We have cover guys, too, with speed.”

The secondary has been hitting people and getting the fiery Guidry even more animated and louder on the practice field. To wear that DWA jersey as a defensive starter, you have to get down and dirty. “It’s gotten real nasty since Brian Hine came on. Sean Brown and Kevin Dorn [are] on the inside. Wallace Scott, Brown, Thompson and Spikes really like to pop people.” Sam is being humble. He’s on the pop list as well.

 

Punter And Kicker — One Down, One To Go

Special teams are really a third of every program, even though they don’t garner as much attention as the offense and defense. If you’re subpar on special teams, extra pressure falls on the two units to make up for those shortcomings, whether they’re bad field positions from lousy punts or bad kickoff coverage. A missed field goal means a scoring opportunity squandered. High snaps on punts opens the door to a whole new circus on the field.

Over the years, the Cowboys have had special teams better suited to wear  Barnum and Bailey hats than helmets.

Right now, the full special teams lineup of kickers is still unsettled.

On the board, the punter’s position is in bold marker — junior Jean Breaux, who’s returning with his 39-yard average. Long snapper Hunter Romero brings senior experience and consistency.

The Cowboys are in search of a new field goal kicker with the graduation of  Ryan Rome, who was an improvement last year, hitting 12 of 15 field goals. The choice could come down to either Breaux or former St. Louis High star Alex Jellston. A 43-yard field goal by Jellston maybe drew the biggest smile and applause from Viator during a recent weekend scrimmage.

The biggest hole on special teams will be the void of Spencer at both punt and kickoff returns. Spencer was third in the SLC with a 29-yard average and led the conference in all purpose yards, as he averaged 146 total yards per game. That’s a big chunk of yardage to replace. The need to replace it should give Viator and special teams coach Slade Nagle reason to pause.

The Schedule

And All Others

An interesting staff twist came when former McNeese assistant and former Stephen F. Austin head coach J.C. Harper reunited with Viator as an unpaid volunteer coach serving as a video analyst.

Under NCAA rules for FCS schools, McNeese is at its limit of full-time coaches, so Harper can’t interact with players and will be very limited in his duties. The veteran coach, who moved back to Lake Charles after being fired by SFA last November, will spend significant time talking with and critiquing the other coaches, Viator says.

“The respect level for all of us is very equal. I’m excited about it. Anytime you can get someone that can bring what he can, I enjoy that. He brings ideas with a fresh set of eyes and looks at you from a different angle. I enjoy [his] breaking me down and other coaches too. That’s the only way you get better.”

The Cowboys will open the season one week behind most programs as they travel to Nebraska Sept. 6. The Cornhuskers, coached by former LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, are still not the Nebraska of old (five national championships during their bygone days in the Big 12), but are coming off an impressive bowl victory over Georgia at the end of last season.

“Nebraska will be a whole different atmosphere compared to South Florida,” says Sam. “100,000 fans; sold-out game. But we will be ready to punch them in the mouth.”

Daniel Sams will offer his teammates an insider perspective on FCS versus FBS. Sams remembers that while he was at Kansas State last year, FCS national champion North Dakota State came in and upset the Wildcats. “I will remind my new teammates that Nebraska puts their helmets on the same as us. Coming from a Big 12 school, I know those guys will be sleeping on us. I know that coming off what North Dakota did to us last year.”

After Nebraska, the Cowboys have an easy three-game slate of Prairie View, Arkansas Tech and SLC rival Nicholls State.

Two games are circled on the schedule: an Oct. 11 road game at Sam Houston and Nov. 15, when the Cowboys travel to Southeastern Louisiana. McNeese has home dates with new league member Abilene Christian, who will test the Cowboys, along with SFA and Lamar, at Cowboy Stadium.

McNeese travels to Incarnate Word on Oct. 25 and always tough Northwestern State Nov. 1.

The schedule is a bit easier with the absence of Central Arkansas, who has been a burr in the Cowboys saddle since it joined the conference a few years ago.

If McNeese can give off to a fast start at Nebraska and keep it competitive into the second half, then there should be some smiles and a bit of confidence on the flight back home and for the early half of the schedule. An upset of the Cornhuskers is not totally out of the realm of belief. Some strange things have been occurring the last few years, especially on the first few Saturdays of the college season, when FCS teams go calling on those bigger FBS teams.

The Cowboys have solid returning starters and impact transfers who will spark the offense and strengthen the defense.

I think Daniel Sams will lead at quarterback. But Viator may be inclined to rotate Tyler Bolfing in to turn the page in his playbook and keep the defense guessing.

The Cowboys will block and run the football. Their defensive front six will be steady, but there are still concerns in the secondary with experienced depth.

An added special teams touchdown here and there would help.

I see a 9-2 season, with challenges from Abilene Christian, SFA (first year head coach Clint Conque has had success against the Cowboys), and Southeastern La., of course. That season-ending home game against Lamar may be another nail biter late in the season.

If the Cowboys are aiming high, I might as well too.

 

Photos provided by McNeese Sports Information