Story By Rick Sarro
Photo By Jesse Hitefield
Lance Guidry’s Second Act
The Curtain Will Soon Rise For The Cowboys 2017 Season
Lance Guidry’s opening act as McNeese’s head coach was far from a stellar performance. Last year’s 6-5 record was the Cowboys’ 12th straight winning season, but was not even close to the program’s lofty standards.
That’s an opinion shared and spearheaded by Guidry himself, who admitted during the Southland Conference’s Media Day in Houston that just posting a winning record is not good enough and certainly not what’s expected at McNeese.
One year removed from the team’s 14th SLC league title in 2015 and a 10-1 record, Guidry did not skirt the issue. Conference championships and contending for an FCS national championship are the goals and expectations. The 46-year-old Guidry made that point perfectly clear when he was named head coach, succeeding Matt Viator back in late 2015.
The inaugural season under the fiery Cajun coach from Welsh had its share of hard knocks (more on that later), but looking forward and not backwards is what the rest of the conference and the preseason national rankings did when it came to handicapping the Cowboys in 2017.
The Southland Conference’s combined head coaches and sports information directors’ preseason rankings put McNeese 3rd in the league race behind front runner and defending SLC champion Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas. The FCS national poll tabbed the Cowboys at No. 24.
The smart money has the Pokes as a formidable force based on returning talent, critical experience at key positions, an offense that returns eight starters and 97 percent of their offensive production and the always interesting intangible … motivation.
This will be a highly motivated and focused coaching staff seeking some redemption for an underachieving 2016 season. Also, recent history of bounce-back seasons may be on their side.
Twice since 2012, the Cowboys have responded from sub-par seasons (7-4 in 2012 and 6-5 in 2014) to streak to two 10-win campaigns. McNeese rebounded in 2013 with a 10-3 record and that 10-1 SLC championship run in 2015.
Can that be an omen for 2017?
Guidry, like many football coaching lifers, doesn’t put much stock in trying to read mystical tea leaves or counting on rotating odd-numbered years to get to double-digit wins. Games are won and lost on the practice field and on Saturday nights under the lights. They are won with an aggressive, physical defense; a disciplined, precise, well-executed offense; and consistent play from special teams.
The complementary layer includes communication, locker room chemistry, the elevation of team goals above all other things and the process of getting the players locked into the game plans and willing to fill any role necessary for the greater good.
That’s heady stuff. But even with the most talented of rosters, these factors can mean the difference between being a championship contender or an also-ran.
In 2016, McNeese had a dangerous defense returning. It was anchored by an imposing defensive line, veteran linebackers and a speedy, ball-hawking secondary. The offense had some newbies on the offensive line; impressive talent at the skill positions; and was faced with breaking in a new, first-year starting quarterback in Arkansas State transfer James Tabary.
Even though the defense ranked high against the rush and total scoring, it failed to apply consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The secondary was lost without leading safety Dominique Hill, who sat out the first six games after being suspended for violating team rules at the end of 2015.
The Cowboys’ defense was horrendous in the Red Zone, allowing 28 scores in 30 attempts by opposing offenses. The defense gave up 285 total points — the most in three seasons.
That gritty attitude instilled over the years by then-defensive coordinator Guidry was missing in action most of the year. The Cowboys allowed 30 points or more six times, and succumbed to a heavy dose of explosive plays of 20 yards or more.
All that and a failure to connect with the players cost new defensive coordinator Tommy Restivo his job after only one season. Guidry didn’t look far for a new DC. He was staring at him in the mirror. It’s not unprecedented for Guidry to hold dual roles as head coach and defensive coordinator. In fact, Viator may not have had the official title as offensive coordinator during his 10 years leading McNeese, but in essence he was the OC, designing the game plans and calling the plays.
The offense under first-year coordinator Landon Hoefer flourished with 3,036 total yards (second-most for a single season in school history). Hoefer guided a young Tabary to several McNeese passing records and established a high level of confidence in the quarterback, who returns for what could be even more broken records.
The drag on the offense was a perplexing inability to run the football with any consistency or authority: something rarely seen in the Blue and Gold.
Fumbles and negative plays by the running backs turned the Cowboys into a one-dimensional offense that aided opposing defenses and resulted in a wilting offensive attack in critical fourth quarters.
The season turned in Hammond, with the game seemingly headed to overtime, tied at 24 with 47 seconds to play. Southeastern had other ideas, though, and lofted a deep sideline pass that sailed over a leaping Jermaine Antoine into the waiting hands of Brandon Acker, who raced 82 yards for the back-breaking, game-winning score with 8 seconds remaining.
The game of life took over the following week, as Lance Guidry learned hours before kick-off against Central Arkansas that his older brother had tragically and unexpectedly passed away in Georgia. A distraught and grieving Guidry stayed with family and did not coach the game.
A shaken, emotional team and coaching staff, with heavy minds and hearts, suffered a 35-0 shutout loss to the Bears.
McNeese found themselves in an unexpected 2-3 conference hole and out of the SLC race by mid-October.
To the credit of Guidry and the squad, the Cowboys finished the season on a 3-1 run, only losing a hard-fought 56-43 defeat at Sam Houston.
The strong turnaround salvaged another 6-5 season — the team’s fourth 6-5 record over the past 7 years.
As was noted before, that’s not the record or results this proud and storied program is accustomed to. History, tradition and past championships are what built McNeese football and sustains it to this day with strong recruiting and a status that attracts high-level transfers seeking titles and rings.
Knowing where and how this team has traveled will help us determine their path in 2017.
An intense August training camp is underway, with sights set on the season opener — a rare Southland Conference road match-up against Nicholls State Aug. 31.
Our preseason analysis begins with the coaching staff.
Teachers, Motivators And Game-Planners
By now, you know I put a very high premium on coaching staffs and the work they do on any level of college football. This is particularly the case in the FCS, as these coaches have to do more with fewer scholarships and limited budgets than their brethren in the FBS.
It’s clear this team and the entire outfit is a highly energized and passionate extension of their head coach. Guidry, a veteran assistant coach and coordinator, learned his craft during several stints at McNeese, and at the larger Miami of Ohio and Western Kentucky. He soaked up a lot of knowledge and insights, with one being to hire talented coaches, listen and learn from them and let them do their jobs.
Guidry may have been a bit stretched during his first year as head coach, juggling on- and off-field responsibilities and being pulled in many directions. That didn’t dissuade him from taking over the reins of the defense, though. A higher priority prevailed.
He did realize he would need help, so he reached out to former All SLC McNeese linebacker Wayne Cordova to serve as director of football operations and help coach the safeties.
When he was viewing game films, Guidry clearly saw where the Cowboys fell short last season — particularly on the defensive side. He has identified the problems; now it’s time to find the solutions. “Last year, sometimes, I didn’t even know what defense we were running. It didn’t even look like a McNeese defense. As the year went on, it got worse and worse. But that’s history. The players did not execute what we were trying to teach them, anyway. At some point, we lost them on the defensive side. They were confused. I do know this — for the players to play fast and physical, they have to know what the hell they are doing.”
Guidry is big on labels and slogans to charge up the troops: D.W.A. (defense with attitude) and “poodles and pit bulls” (descriptions for big defensive plays or ones lacking intensity). He came up with this year’s team motto — “The Last Ride” — and has let the players know exactly what it means.
“I tell them we are going to play Nicholls. It’s the national championship. It’s the last ride. Next game, it’s the national championship. It’s the last ride. That way when we get in it (the national championship), we have been there before,” Guidry reasons.
From the first day he took the job, a very confident Guidry spoke of not just winning games and conference titles, but also of putting McNeese back on the national stage by capturing a national championship. As he prepares for his second season as head coach, Guidry continues to speak freely and openly about the team’s goals of winning a ring. In his mind, it’s not bravado, but simply upping the ante and setting the bar high.
“We talk about winning a national championship all the time. If you don’t talk about it, it’s never going to happen,” said a steely-eyed Guidry.
“If we ever get back, it will be our third time going, and we are going to win it. If we get back, we will win it. But we have to get back.”
His biggest off-season coaching hire was veteran offensive coach Ben Norton, who came south from Northwestern State, where he had served as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach since 2014.
The 47-year-old Norton replaces offensive line coach Eman Naghavi, who departed to join Viator’s staff at UL-Monroe.
Norton worked wonders while with the Demons, topping the SLC in rushing in 2016. He will need to tap into that success to turn the Cowboys’ ground game around this season. “In my opinion, we are not that far off from being a really good running team. We have nice running backs with awesome talent, and they run hard, and that’s where it starts — in having guys that can run the ball. As far as the blocking pattern goes and the talent there (offensive line), we are not that far off. Through the spring and fall camp, I see a lot of progress there,” says Norton.
This is Norton’s second go-round at McNeese, where he coached the running backs and offensive line in 2005 and ‘06. He pointed to great memories at McNeese; a sense of “unfinished business”; and those 14 SLC titles as reasons for his return.
Landon Hoefer must feel like he is in the cat bird seat, with a record-setting quarterback returning for his junior season and a plethora of top-flight receivers and running backs to execute his offensive game plans. “It’s exciting when you have guys coming back that have done it in meaningful situations. Darious Crawley, Kent Shelby, Parker Orgeron and Tavarious Battiste have all done that as receivers. Kylon Highshaw made some great plays in critical situations.
“The summer workouts (off season) are player-led, and James (Tabary) and the receivers have brought the young guys along. We listen to them. We give them a lot of freedom. We create a base structure for them, and from there they have freedom to work. But they have to be on the same page.”
Hoefer feels they accomplished that, and he’s seen the by-product so far in camp.
He begins his second year as offensive coordinator leaning on Tabary, the SLC’s Newcomer of the Year in 2016, to build on his solid season. But under the microscope that all offensive coordinators employ, the passing game has need for improvements.
“We did make a lot of strides with the forward pass. The yardage is a way to gauge the success, I suppose. But the success rate when we really needed it in the critical third-down situations, whether it was against Central Arkansas or Southeastern — it wasn’t where it needed to be. We did some things in the pass game that seemed to impress people. But it was still very sloppy, as well. So there is room for improvements all across the board,” Hoefer cautions.
All these offensive weapons are impressive. But they’ll only misfire if the offensive line doesn’t control the line of scrimmage. “We need to get stronger (across the offensive line) and work together better as a unit. If this guy sees this on defense, then (he must) communicate it to everybody. Coach Norton has done a tremendous job of organizing (the offense’s) thoughts on pre-snaps; on trying to be a nickel instead of five pennies. The best way I can describe it is that last year we were working as five pennies and not as a nickel,” Hoefer says.
Assisting Hoefer with the offensive package is second-year assistant coach, and McNeese Hall of Fame quarterback, Kerry Joseph. Most of his time will be spent on further development of a talented group of receivers led by Darious Crawley, Kent Shelby and Parker Orgeon.
Joseph has connected well with the players, and proven to be a recruiting asset. One of his main jobs may be to keep all the receivers happy and engaged as Tabary tries to spread the ball around to a couple more young pass-catchers, three tight ends and a few running backs looking to get in the passing lanes.
Improving the running backs and their production on the ground will be a tall task for second-year assistant Dennis Smith. The rushing attack fell off the radar last year, with backs gaining only 1,508 total yards while averaging 3.9 yards per carry. Those aren’t the rushing stats the Cowboys strive for and usually achieve.
Fumbles and negative plays were evident early on, while the offensive line struggled in the run game at times.
Tight end coach Paul Marin is one of four assistants beginning his second season with McNeese. Marin will have a new big body at tight end with the move of LaWayne Ross from running back. To my surprise, Ross earned first team All SLC preseason honors without playing one down at tight end. He will be joined by Austin Nelson and DeonDre Skinner.
Lark Hebert, the veteran of the staff at 16 years and counting, will oversee the defensive line for the second year. Hebert is a McNeese stalwart, and has coached pretty much every defensive position outside of defensive backs.
He will have to figure out a way to get more pressure on quarterbacks and solidify the inside rush defense this year.
Charlie Ayro and Zach Bronson are two more assistants who are starting year two, coaching linebackers and cornerbacks respectively. The two McNeese Hall of Fame players may have wished they had some eligibility left after they saw some of the misreads and broken plays last year.
Ayro will have some depth at linebacker, led by senior Ashari Goins, but consistency will be the issue.
Bronson, a former standout safety with the San Francisco 49ers, had to be happy to hear Guidry proclaim every position is up for grabs, and that open competition will surely keep the cornerbacks practicing at a high level.
Bronson’s challenge will be improvement in the Red Zone defense and avoiding those explosive pass plays downfield.
First-year assistant Cordova will be in Guidry’s back pocket on the practice field working with the safeties. Carlos Perez is back to help with the defensive line.
First-year strength and conditioning coach Ben Sowders made a quick impression on the players during off-season workouts, according to Guidry. Sowders, who came over after two years at Georgia Tech as a player development coach, is hoping the conditioning foundation he laid over the summer will get the Cowboys off to a quick start and possibly help in avoiding injuries and down time for players as the season grinds on.
Star Of The Show
You can’t begin any discussion or breakdown of the Cowboys without starting at the top with the quarterback.
There is no doubt that the star of the show is quarterback James Tabary. He doesn’t agree with or like that distinction, but it’s hard to deny or ignore. Like any great leader, he deflects praise and underscores the importance of all the players and personnel groups.
If there is no question of Tabary’s star power, there is also no question he is one of the integral leaders of this team. He burst on the scene after transferring from Arkansas State prior to last season. He quickly established himself as the starter, and promptly began racking up impressive passing statistics.
The New Orleans native and Holy Cross graduate came up a mere 33 yards short of setting a new school record for single-season passing yards, finishing with 3,036. He set new single-season records for most pass attempts at 415 and completions with 249. Tabary totaled 23 touchdown passes against 7 interceptions, hitting the 60-percent completion rate for the year.
He earned SLC Newcomer of the Year honors, but was snubbed for any preseason SLC recognition — primarily due to the huge numbers racked up by Sam Houston quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe.
Tabary, a very confident and focused junior player, simply went back to work during the off-season and has looked extremely sharp during practices. “I worked on everything. From the film room and breaking down defenses to my footwork to consistency on my progressions and finding my correct checkdowns along with knowing more of where my hots (primary pass targets) are. I really, really worked on what the guys up front (offensive linemen) are doing. (I worked on) knowing how the run schemes and pass schemes work.
“I always have to perfect my craft in every category. I will never be perfect, and the day I get complacent is the day I fail.”
Tabary welcomes the talk around camp about striving to win not only the conference championship, but also winning a national championship. He’s front and center, making sure the entire team knows the goals and isn’t shy in verbalizing them.
“I love it, man. I love talking about what our goal is every day and reminding our guys why we are out here. We use the term ‘370’ because it’s 370 miles from here to Frisco (site of the FCS National Championship game), and the guys start getting fired up and it puts it back in their head why we are actually out here.”
This offense has eight starters returning, with 97 percent of the yardage production distributed among those players. The offensive backfield has its top three rushers back, along with their top five receivers; two experienced tight ends; and a new big body in LaWayne Ross.
McNeese’s skill positions are loaded, talented and hungry for the football. It will be Tabary’s job to spread that leather around and get the ball into the right hands at the right time. “It’s hard (because of all the talented options on offense), but I tell them they will never know when the ball is coming to you, so always stay on your toes. I don’t even know who the ball is going to go to before the play. Stay consistent whether they get the ball or not and stay focused.”
Former back-up Grant Ashcraft appears to have shelved football in favor of focusing strictly on baseball. That leaves senior Joe Lissard as the only experienced back-up at quarterback. Redshirt freshmen Cody Orgeron, twin brother of receiver Parker, along with Matt Keller, have been getting practice snaps as well.
The Disappearing Running Game Must Be Found
You didn’t have to tell Forrest Gump more than once to run. Usually, all it took was the simple command “run, Forrest, run” and the lovable character was off sprinting through a pasture.
That’s largely been the case in McNeese’s 53-year football history. No one wondered or guessed whether the Cowboys were going to run and run the football well.
Up until last year.
One of the more perplexing aspects of the Cowboys last season was the inability to run the football with any ferocity or consistency. Negative run plays, fumbles by the running backs and simply poor blocking up front resulted in one of the most glaring deficiencies of the offense.
Consider the fact that since 1995, eight different running backs have logged more than 1,200 yards of rushing on their own. For the benefit of comparison, in 2008, Toddrick Pendland’s single-season rushing record of 1,431 yards nearly equaled McNeese’s total team efforts on the ground in 2016.
Tailback Ryan Ross led the team with 601 yards and five touchdowns, but performed below the standard he set in 2015, when he had nearly 900 yards and a lofty 6-yard average per attempt. Justin Pratt, as a freshman last year, was second with 471 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
If the Cowboys struggle again to establish the run, this offense will once again be one-dimensional. And that’s not part of Lance Guidry’s master plan.
“It all starts up front. And we have to be more physical and we have to be able to run the football. Last year, we were not able to do that until the end of the season. I think our offense picked up drastically at the end of the season, and maybe it was able to do that because the little man emerged, Justin Pratt.”
It’s not like the Cowboys didn’t try to pound it like they have in the past. The offense averaged about 35 rushing attempts per game and ended up with a 137-yard clip per game. The problem was they couldn’t run when the run was most needed and failed to make defenses fear that aspect of the offense.
In turn, that lack of concern by opposing defenses made them more amped up to stop the pass, which put more pressure on Tabary and the passing offense. Guidry explained that when his team could not run early, they began to abandon what they do best, seeking offensive production however they could muster it. By midseason, he recognized that and steered the offense back to what the team traditionally does best, and that’s running the ball through the gaps with speed and power.
“Usually the teams late in the seasons in the playoffs that get to the national championship win big games at the end because they do what they do best,” says Guidry. “North Dakota State is going to run power and they know how to run power.
“We’re going to be balanced. I like being balanced. I like being able to run the ball and be physical. But I like throwing that thing too. I like stretching the defense, because I know you have to late in the year. You have to be able to complete third downs and stay ahead of the chains.”
Offensive coordinator Landon Hoefer is under pressure to improve the running game by any means possible. He will receive some help in that task with a bigger and better offensive line; more running backs to turn loose with Pratt; the return of David Hamm; and more snaps for the speedy Benjamin Jones. “There was no question that the effectiveness of our run game last year was far below McNeese’s standards. That being said, there was sloppiness all over the board. I realize that’s the one that sticks out and what people see and the most obvious to the naked eye,” says Hoefer.
He, along with new offensive line coach and running game coordinator Ben Norton, and running backs coach Dennis Smith, are getting up close and personal with players, determined to get the running game on track from game one.
A big part of that objective will be one of the smallest players on the roster in 5-foot, 7-inch, 188-pound Justin Pratt.
Don’t let his height and stature fool you. Pratt has freakishly large legs for a man his size, and those legs have an equal dose of speed and power. It’s no secret the sophomore tailback from Spring, Texas, likes to hide behind his blockers and stay out of defenders’ line of sight. He relies on vision and patience, and, once a gap opens, he hits it hard and fast.
Pratt has seen marked improvement from the running game since day one of camp. He admits some of the change is between the ears. “I see improvements from the O-Line. The backs and quarterbacks, too. We all have that confidence that we really didn’t have last season.”
A Bevy Of Receivers, But Only One Football
It’s great for an offense to be awash in the riches of having more talented receivers than it knows what to do with. But the problem remains that there is only one ball to go around.
That suits Tabary just fine as he relishes the opportunity to have multiple options in the passing game and find the open receiver and get the ball into their hands quickly and take advantage of match-ups.
The list of wide-outs and tight ends is long; many have experience and proven abilities, but also come with a chip on their shoulders from last year’s underwhelming results. Senior receiver Kent Shelby says they had a case of the big heads coming off the SLC championship season in 2015, and he knows how that turned out.
“We felt we were the big dogs and no one could stop us. And when we got smacked in the mouth, we didn’t rise back up. We kind of fell flat on our butts. But this year, because we know what it’s like to lose, and how to win a conference championship, we want even more. We don’t want just a conference championship; we want a national championship.”
Shelby is coming off a 40-catch season. That’s the most ever for him in a single year. He also notched 509 yards and five touchdowns.
The New Orleans native has been nagged with knee and toe injuries that have put a ceiling of sorts on his 80 career receptions and 1,285 receiving yards.
The 6-foot, 3-inch Shelby has NFL aspirations, but knows he needs a breakout season to advance that cause and help the Cowboys get back into the play-offs.
“I haven’t really exploded to be that big receiver at McNeese yet. All the adversity (injuries) I’ve faced hasn’t allow me to show my true potential. So that’s keeping me motivated and on the edge to compete every single day.”
Senior Darious Crawley was probably McNeese’s best Red Zone threat. He responded with tough, acrobatic catches. His 41 receptions for 701 yards; seven scores to go along with three 100-yard receiving games; led the team in 2016.
These two are your clear cut starters out wide, with Parker Orgeron in the slot, coming off a freshman season that saw 29 catches for 373 yards.
The second tier of receivers is just as talented and will press these guys for reps.
Senior Tavarious Battiste; junior Kylon Highshaw — a huge target at 6 feet, 5 inches, 210 pounds; and senior Nick Edwards; saw significant snaps last year. Three redshirt freshmen will see action too, in former Barbe star Nate Briscoe; Trevor Begue, who has made some big catches in practice; and Cyron Sutton.
Former Oklahoma State transfer Tre Roberts has yet to make a real impact. But he sure looks the part as a solid 6-foot, 2-inch, 200-pounder who can get off the line. Hoefer needs to figure out what Roberts can do and see how it fits in his schemes.
Due to the heavy numbers at running back, LaWayne Ross has been moved to tight end. Without even making a catch or playing one single down at his new position, Ross was inexplicably voted to the preseason All SLC first team at — of all things — tight end. I point this out not as a knock on Ross, who will use his 6-foot, 260-pound body as both a blocking and receiving weapon. Ross has already made some nifty catch-and-run plays against the defense in camp.
“LaWayne Ross’ skill set is extremely unique,” Hoefer emphasizes. “I don’t know if we will ever be around another guy that has his skills and size. We are trying to build some things for his skill set.”
Hoefer also had high praise for Sulphur’s Austin Nelson, with a franchise tag of sorts as best in class. “Austin Nelson is arguably our best player on offense. And he has had some injuries and other things. He is one of the toughest human beings I’ve ever met. Austin kind of sets the tempo for the whole unit.”
I’m not sure whether Hoefer just got lost in the moment, regarding Nelson as the best talent on the offense. Tabary is clearly the best player on that unit, as proven by the fact he was selected to the prestigious FCS national watch list for player of the year honors.
The key take-away is McNeese is stacked with skilled players who can run and catch the football. But before they can succeed …
It All Starts With The Offensive Line
From the head coach to the offensive coordinator to the offensive line coach down to the student managers, they will all tell you that the O-Line is the No. 1 unit in need of vast improvements.
There’s more than a few new faces and names associated with the offensive line who intend to turn a liability into an asset. It begins with new line coach Ben Norton, who says he and all the offensive assistant coaches spent countless hours getting bleary-eyed watching game tapes from last season. His assessment is short and simple.
“In my opinion, with the blocking patterns and the personnel there, we are not far off. Through the spring and fall camp, I have seen a lot of progress.”
Two new big bodies in camp are LSU transfer Andy Dodd and Chris Aye from La. Tech. They are battling for playing time against returnees Jimmy Converse, Jalen Smith, Tyrae Johnson, Kyle Zenon. Two youngsters are in the mix among the top six to seven offensive linemen, with sophomore Grant Burguillos and redshirt freshman Joe Latronico getting their hands in the dirt.
“We all know that the offensive line was looked upon coming off last season as one of the weaker units on this team,” says Norton. “They’re aware of it. We’re aware of it, I’m aware of it. Everyone is aware of it. It’s not the elephant in the room anymore. But you know what — we are a lunch pail group of guys. They are going to come to work every day and get better at the little things and then focus in on the big things.”
The newest McNeese assistant coach likes the talent he sees in the O-Linemen and commented that they are stronger, quicker and more agile after summer weight workouts with new strength and conditioning coach Ben Sowders.
Dodd has been busy catching up in the weight room after an off-season when he put on a few more pounds than he would have liked. At 6 feet, 4 inches and nearly 350 pounds, Dodd brings an imposing size presence to the O-Line. With his skills, talents and strength, it’s easy to see why he played at LSU and competed at the highest level of college football in the SEC.
The LSU graduate could have stayed in Baton Rouge, but chose to transfer and play at McNeese for several reasons, one being his wife is from Iowa, and another that he wanted to use his fifth and final year playing the game he loves. “I didn’t feel like I had finished what I started at LSU if I quit. It’s a good opportunity because I’m pursuing a master’s in education, so why not play football and get a year of it paid for?”
In the Pit Bull drill that pits man against man, Dodd used his obvious size and power to manhandle his opponent easily out of the circle, prompting Guidry to holler, “that’s what the SEC is like.”
Dodd says there’s not much of a gap between the talent level at McNeese compared to LSU other than size across all positions. He said in a very humble tone that his goal was to be a starter by the season-opener. Both Guidry and Norton expect that to be the case. Dodd is playing mostly center, but can go right tackle or guard — “wherever the team needs me the most.”
So far, the former LSU Tiger is impressed by his offensive mates and expects to be an integral part of the turnaround this season. “I’m confident in what I can do and the impact I can make. We are very explosive with the receivers, and the running backs and J.T. (quarterback James Tabary) can all make their plays. J.T. is a great leader, and if we can all jell together, I think we are going to have a big season.”
Sack Masters And Run Stoppers
Jammerio Gross-Whitaker and Chris Livings were both put on the All SLC preseason second team as defensive ends. More than 15 quarterback sacks between them was the reason, along with a team-leading 59 tackles for Gross-Whitaker and 14 tackles for a loss by Livings.
“Me and Butter (Livings), we always have had a competitive nature. We always have a little side bet on who will have the most sacks. Last year, he beat me by a half a sack. But I don’t think that will happen again this year. We both have the right mindset to get to that quarterback and make a play,” says Gross-Whitaker.
The Cowboys’ two star defensive ends use a combination of power and speed to get through the maze of linemen and blocking running backs. Livings, the former Barbe High standout, says he studies the techniques of NFL defensive ends close to his size and weight. But he knows the fastest way to the quarterback is a straight line.
Livings says having Guidry back running the defense keeps them from getting complacent. Gross-Whitaker described Guidry’s impact as “electric.” Both agree the success from the defensive line will come from the players. “We have to go hard from the first, second, third and fourth quarters,” says Livings. “(We) can’t take any breaks, and really need to turn it up in the fourth quarter.”
The Cowboys lost two wide body run stoppers in the middle of the D-Line last year in Isaiah Golden and Anthony Yruegas. The good news is Antonio McGhee returns for his senior year after sitting out 2016 with a knee injury. He is healthy and a welcome force at defensive tackle.
No doubt, the defensive line will rotate players in and out to keep fresh with hopes of little drop-off. Seniors Kurt Viges and Joe Jenkins will pair up with McGhee along with sophomore Marval Bourgeois and expect some inside help from a couple of redshirt freshmen.
Linebackers Under The Gun
The linebackers will be under pressure, with gap support against the run; getting quarterbacks pressured when Guidry calls a blitz; and in pass coverage against all those spread offenses.
The group of backers have ample experience in senior Ashari Goins, who was born to hit people, and was third in total stops at 57. Christian Jacobs returns for his senior year after finishing seventh on the team with 42 total tackles. Another senior, Ed Duplesis, will be in the rotation.
It will be interesting to see whether former Barbe star linebacker Khoury Kraus can continue his development and ascent as a promising sophomore. Junior Sage Seay is a speedy linebacker who can contain the edge and play pass coverage.
Discipline and consistency will be the keys the unit will need to continue its tradition of stellar play.
Defensive Secondary … Body, Soul And Mind
McNeese’s defensive secondary — from the cornerbacks who play on an island in man coverage to the safeties who are expected to battle offensive linemen, tight ends, running backs and receivers — must invest their body, soul and mind to turn this defensive backfield into a cohesive unit.
That’s putting a lot on a secondary that was besieged with coverage breakdowns, poor tackling, erratic pass coverage and troubles defending the Red Zone.
Much of that defensive failure fell at the feet of former defensive coordinator Tommy Restivo, who was fired after one dismal season. But some of the blame must also go on the players, who picked the worst times to fall asleep at the wheel and allow an inordinate number of big downfield plays by opposing offenses.
“Communication was probably our main problem last year; not so much talent-wise, but communication,” laments senior safety Andre Fuller. “We weren’t lined up right. People didn’t know what their assignments were and who they were supposed to be keying on. But now, with everyone being older and more experienced in the system, everybody is just clicking.”
If there is one plus with the secondary, it is experience.
Fuller, a preseason All SLC selection, is a senior returning after placing second with 58 total tackles and one interception returned for a touchdown last year. Dominique Hill is another senior safety, and arguably the most versatile defender on the defense. Senior cornerback Jermaine Antoine is considered the top cover man. Erik Jones is another senior in the secondary rotation, along with Josh Washington.
Two defensive back transfers have Guidry giddy with game-time anticipation. Safety B.J. Blunt, a 6-foot, 1-inch, 210-pound bruiser, had eight interceptions to lead Garden City Community College in Kansas to an 11-0 record and the 2016 National Community College Championship. He originally signed with McNeese in 2014 as a top-rated defensive back, but academics sidelined him for a year. And then he opted to go the junior college route.
“He’s a big physical kid,” says Guidry. “He’s going to run downhill and hit you. We’ll get him involved in a bunch of blitzes.”
Cornerback Kyree McLean is the other junior college transfer. He, along with redshirt freshman cornerback Darion Dunn, has impressed the coaches. The two were awarded DWA jerseys for their practice efforts.
There was a possibility that incoming top-rated defensive back recruit Hanif Muhammad might compete for playing time this season as a true freshman. But a knee injury suffered over the summer during workouts on the artificial turf will sideline him — probably through next spring, according to Guidry.
This secondary will need all its other hands on deck — especially against spread offenses in the Red Zone. The Cowboys’ defense allowed 28 of 30 scores in Red Zone situations in 2016. That’s why Fuller, the leader and quarterback of the defense, says the Red Zone is where body, soul and mind come into play. “That’s when it comes down to the mindset; that will to not let them into the end zone. It comes down to our mental and physical toughness.”
Guidry, who has been spending extra time working the secondary in camp this August, is all in on Fuller, Hill, Blunt and a collection of skilled cornerbacks. What a difference a year makes.
“Andre is a type of kid who can play free safety or weak safety. It’s good to have him back there. He’s like the quarterback of the defense. Dominque (Hill) is solid at the nickel/buck safety. And we added depth at corner. We feel like we have four or five kids that we can put in there and can play, whereas last year, sometimes we had like one or two.” Guidry cringed at the thought of last season’s secondary glitches.
Kickers And Return Specialists
The special teams held up their end of the game plan bargain last season.
Local St. Louis High grad Michael Mack averaged 38 yards a kick as a true freshman and displayed pretty fair consistency.
The place-kicking job is too early to handicap right now. Gunnar Raborn, who transferred from Alabama a year ago, earned the kicking honors when Trent Manuel struggled a bit from 2015. Raborn made seven of eight field goal attempts last year, and 33 of 37 PATS. He has decent range, with his longest kick being a 47-yard field goal against Abilene Christian.
Manuel is waging a comeback of sorts in August camp, and might just win his job back. That decision may come down to how the two kickers perform in the two controlled intra-squad scrimmages.
The search is on for a new kick returner to replace Khalil Thomas, and maybe a new punt return specialist if Kent Shelby is moved from that role. Darious Crawley, Parker Orgeron and Tavarious Batiste are good candidates.
The Schedule Lacks FBS And SHS
The Cowboys’ schedule lacks pizzazz and an eye-catching major matchup, either home or away.
First off, the schedule rotation offers McNeese only five home games, which seems to be the every-other-year pattern versus six home games.
Second, there is no guaranteed big money game against an FBS opponent. In the coming years, there are games against Oklahoma State, LSU and a home tilt against Southern. But that doesn’t help the interest level for this year. This fall’s slate of games leaves much to be desired, with two non-conference yawners against Florida Tech and Alcorn State home and away respectively.
The most interesting aspect of the schedule is the opener, coming a week early on a Thursday night on the road to open Southland Conference play against a revitalized Nicholls State team. These are the same Colonels who had a lead at Georgia in the fourth quarter last season only to lose a close game, and then followed that up with a lead late at South Alabama. Nicholls made a name for themselves and garnered much-needed publicity and national chatter over their two near-upsets of FBS teams last season.
There is an extra edge and intensity this year in fall camp with a key conference game in the wings that will usher in the college football season and be televised nationally on an ESPN network. “It’s amped my sense of urgency up a little bit for sure,” says Hoefer. “There is no warm-up game to work the kinks out.
“We open up with our first conference game on a Thursday night, so we have to be mentally focused. It’s all mental, and it’s the first game, and it all counts. No plays off. No games off. Gotta go right into it and get our business done,” says senior cornerback Jermaine Antoine.
Conspicuously missing from this year’s schedule is defending SLC champion and conference rival Sam Houston State. Due to Incarnate Word’s completed transition to FCS, they are now able to compete in the SLC race. To achieve a maximum nine conference game schedule, certain teams and games will be rotated in and out annually. This year, that meant Sam Houston and McNeese will only eyeball each other from a distance.
There are obviously two ways to view that. The positive in some minds would be the two SLC powers will sidestep each other and maybe make for an easier road to a conference title for either team. The negative (voiced by Guidry and most of the players I talked with) is that McNeese will miss the opportunity to prove they are the best by not playing the best the league has to offer.
“I don’t like it at all,” Guidry says. “If we are going to win conference, I feel we have to beat them. If you look over the past 3 or 4 years, we are the only team that beat them. So if we don’t beat them, who’s going to beat ‘em? I don’t like splitting conference championships. If we can’t beat them, we can’t win the national championship. I want to play them every year, but it is what it is. So hopefully, we will meet them in the play-offs.”
The season opener at Nicholls State is a wild card. The last time McNeese opened the season with a road conference game was 1990 in Thibodaux, which was ironically Lance Guidry’s first start as a Cowboy defensive back in then-head coach Bobby Keasler’s first game as head coach.
Guidry and the Pokes lost that game on the bayou 31-27, and Keasler finished his first season with a 5-6 record.
There will be no margin for error if McNeese hopes to position itself into SLC contention. The Stephen F. Austin and Central Arkansas road games will be difficult tests. The most anticipated home game will be Nov. 4 against SLC rival Southeastern Louisiana as the Cowboys will circle that match-up for some revenge and redemption from last year’s heart-breaking loss in the final seconds in Hammond.
Handicapping The Cowboys
With one of the league’s best quarterbacks in James Tabary leading a posse of talented skill players, the offense is poised to put up record numbers behind a rebuilt and stronger offensive line.
With the defense led by Gross-Whitaker and Livings coupled with a Guidry-inspired and coached unit, the defensive calamity from last season will be a distant memory.
This roster has depth, experience, speed, size and a high level of talent in key positions. And don’t underestimate the impact and importance of those assistant coaches like Joseph, Ayro, Bronson and Smith being more comfortable and fully transitioned in the system as they enter their second full season.
The Cowboys have a good shot at being 7-0 going at the critical SLC road matchup at Central Arkansas Oct. 28. If they beat the Bears on the purple turf in Conway, then another Southland title will be in their sights.
In sports, it’s better to have a short memory and not dwell on a troubled 2016. For these Cowboys, though, it might serve them well to learn from last year’s failures in order to succeed and have the bounce-back season they so desperately need in 2017.
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