SEASONS UNDERWAY

Mother Nature cooperated quite nicely — albeit one week late.

After she unleashed her fury in the form of lightning and thunderstorms that forced the cancellation of the McNeese versus LSU season opener in Baton Rouge, both the Cowboys and Tigers finally opened the 2015 season with victories under calm and clear skies.

Both played out about the way many expected.

The Tigers used a heavy dose of running back Leonard Fournette to hold off Mississippi State 21-19 in Starkville, while the Cowboys sputtered offensively in the first half but steamrolled Incarnate Word in the second half for a resounding 43-6 pounding at Cowboy Stadium.

McNeese and LSU sure could have used that week-one game to work out some kinks on both sides of the ball.

I was pretty confident LSU, behind that offensive line, would be at mid-season form, running the ball with Fournette. I was equally confident McNeese, behind its experienced O-line, would hit the turf running by committee with tailbacks Ryan Ross, Derrick Milton and UTEP transfer David Hamm.

This trio accounted for 200 yards rushing off 28 carries for an impressive 7-yard average.

Fournette looked like a Heisman hopeful, with 159 yards and three touchdowns in a dominating performance that displayed his immense physical skills along with his internal will and grit to fight for that extra yard or 2 or 10.

I wasn’t surprised that Cowboys quarterback Daniel Sams, now fully healthy and beginning his second year at the helm, would take a few quarters to find his throwing rhythm and confidence. He says the entire offense came out jumpy, with too much excitement to finally be on the field.  Once Sams got through a 7 of 13 for 87 yards first-half, he and his receivers found their pitch-and-catch timing, which helped result in 247 second-half offensive yards and 34 points.

“I definitely made leaps-and-bounds progress,” said Sams. “I just have to continue to work on my feet. I was too antsy at times, and that comes with me staying poised and playing football.”

Viator was “excited” with the win, and liked what he saw offensively, except for those three inside-the-5-yard-line mishaps. More on that later. He kept a watchful eye on Sams, expecting to see improvements, and he saw just that.

“I thought Daniel handled himself well tonight,” said Viator. “I was excited about his decision-making. He missed a couple of throws, but he made some good throws also.”

The question that’s dogged LSU since that embarrassing Music City Bowl loss to Notre Dame at season’s end has been the quarterback position, and who would step up to lead this underperforming offense.

Sophomore Brandon Harris won the starting job over Anthony Jennings. But just how much could any self-respecting, reasonable-thinking Tigers fans really expect out of LSU’s quarterback?

With a game plan correctly focused on Fournette and the run, I would say Harris did well and scored a passing game for his first start since a dismal experiment at Auburn last year. Harris completed 9 of 14 attempts for a miniscule 71 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.

Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron did not ask Harris to do anything besides hand the ball to Fournette and company, and he did just that quite nicely.

With a bigger, filled-out frame and a higher degree of poise and confidence, I believe Harris could have delivered more production with his arm if given the chance with more liberal play calling from above.

Cameron and Miles simply needed Harris to manage an ultra-conservative game plan; build a lead; protect that lead; avoid turnovers and let the defense hold up their end.

Give Harris his due. He did what was asked of him and did not go rogue.

If you eyeball Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott’s final numbers, I’m not so sure LSU’s defense deserved the confidence placed in them. Prescott, a former Vinton native with family still rooted in Southwest Louisiana, picked up where he left off last year, completing 34 of 52 passes for 335 yards and two touchdowns.  He had Miles and the Tigers clawing to a slim two-point lead after the Bulldogs scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

Back in Lake Charles, the Cowboys blew open a 9-0 half-time lead by scoring 20 unanswered points in the third quarter before tacking on another 14 in the fourth.

Once the McNeese defense went heavy man-to-man in pass coverage, they were able to go blitz happy and ended up with five quarterback sacks. There was constant pressure on ICW quarterback Trent Brittain, who was accurate early on, but was no real threat against the Cowboys’ turnover-hungry defense.

Defensive Coordinator Lance Guidry had to have a Joker-sized smile after reviewing the game tape.

Along with those five sacks, his defenders accounted for 10 tackles for losses and recovered three fumbles. There was also a sack for a two-point safety that shifted the momentum of the game.

Defensive end Jammerio Gross led the Pokes with two sacks. He says this defense was primed for LSU and obviously disappointed over the lost opportunity. The mindset of preparation and aggression, though, carried over, despite the disparity of the opponent.

“With Coach Guidry [defensive coordinator Lance Guidry] there is no difference with the way he prepares us regardless of our opponent,” said Gross. “We go out there with a DWA mentality every game and execute the great game plan he always has for us.”

If you put McNeese’s and LSU’s performance side by side, I would say both needed that week-one game and field work equally.

Les Miles and Matt Viator have a laundry list of questions about their respective teams going into any season opener.

Miles had to fill in the blanks against a much higher grade opponent in Mississippi State, who rose to No. 1 in the country for a number of weeks last year. The Bulldogs were replacing numerous starters, especially on offense. But they still had Prescott, who almost singlehandedly beat LSU a year ago and nearly duplicated the trick this season.

Viator had the added issue of ensuring his troops were over the disappointment of being denied a full 60 minutes on the hallowed ground that is Tiger Stadium. This collection of Cowboys, from top to bottom, will never have another chance of playing in Death Valley. And that can play mind games if you let it.

This McNeese squad had a year of anticipation and yearning to compete against LSU. You can rest assured that those 4 minutes and 58 seconds will be the source of long-held memories.

Some form of post-LSU depression had to be dealt with and eradicated in preparation for Incarnate Word, no matter the obvious drop-off in talent, hype and adrenaline. “I thought the Tuesday, Wednesday practices were as good as we’ve had, but we were pushing them to get over it,”  Viator explained.

“Control what you can control. That’s done. There’s nothing you can do about it. Everything happens for a reason. Just might not like the reason. Let’s go.”

The most glaring shortcoming for the Cowboys was their inability to score touchdowns from inside the Cardinals’ 1-, 3- and 5-yard line.

On one second quarter series, McNeese tried to muscle it in from 3 yards out and twice from the 1, but were denied.

Early in the third quarter, two running plays from the ICW 4-yard line netted one yard. Then a Daniel Sams pass was almost intercepted, with 98 clear yards for a Cardinal defender to take it back. McNeese settled for the field goal and a 12-0 lead.

Later in the third, from inside the ICW 5-yard line, a loss of 3 yards on an inside run and a Sams incompletion forced another field goal.

Viator surely missed being able to call on number 34 running back and short yardage specialist Dylan Long [10 rushing touchdowns in 2014], who was lost for the season with a knee injury during August practice.

The Cowboys ended up piling on the points. But these unproductive series were troubling, and will be given ample review in the film sessions.

“I thought we lost our composure a little bit in the red zone,” said a perplexed Viator. “We got hurrying. I don’t know why we were hurrying. We were in no huddle. We snapped the ball twice and no one moved. We talked to Daniel about that. [We said], ‘settle everybody down. Make sure everyone has the call and make sure everybody is set and run the play.’”

Sams did not want to use the word composure, but he did explain the red zone problems as being too amped up. “I wouldn’t say we had a lack of composure. We were just too excited, and didn’t calm down and breathe and do what we are supposed to do. Maybe that will come with me keeping guys calm and basically executing the offense.”

“I’m not disappointed in the way we played, for sure,” said Viator. “We will have to start a little bit better. We have to cut out some of the mistakes we made offensively. Everything points to a first game.”

Back in Starkville, Harris executed what little of the offense Cameron allowed him to. The protective and conservative approach was aimed at building Harris’ confidence; shortening the game with a ball-control running game; and avoiding turnovers.

It worked for the most part until Mississippi State’s defense caught up with Fournette and company when Prescott got the hot hand and had Tiger fans squirming again.

I would guess the reins on Harris’ arm will be loosened a bit more as LSU welcomes Auburn to Baton Rouge. It’s the same Auburn team that barely survived a 27-20 overtime win over Jacksonville State.

LSU’s 2-point escape out of Cow Bell City doesn’t appear that bad compared to the fate of some SEC teams.  No. 6 Auburn was nearly upset by an FCS team. No. 18 Arkansas was knocked off by Toledo 16-12. No. 21 Missouri trailed 17-10 at the half, but rallied to beat Arkansas State 27-20.  Florida squeezed out a 31-24 win over East Carolina.

The Cowboys will head to Stephen F. Austin, who will need the week to lick its wounds from a 70-7 thrashing by third-ranked TCU.

McNeese probably won’t spend much time eyeballing the LumberJacks game film against TCU. Viator and his staff will focus more on last year’s 31-16 loss to SFA and ways to disrupt quarterback Zach Conque, who torched the Pokes, completing 21 of 23 passes for three touchdowns.

LSU will return home, seeking some redemption of their own, remembering all too well last year’s 41-7 humiliation against then fifth-ranked Auburn.

It seems the Cowboys and Tigers have more in common as their seasons go to week number 2.

Get Rick Sarro’s perspectives on sports on Soundoff 60, which airs Monday through Sunday nights at 9 pm on Suddenlink Channel 60 and Saturday and Sunday mornings at 10 am as well.