After disappointment, McNeese plans to make amends
(STATS) - No Southland Conference team has anticipated the 2018 season quite like McNeese.
The Cowboys felt they were snubbed of an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs last season - their 9-2 record was better than any eligible team that was left on the sideline.
Nearly as bad, the 2017 season basically didn't have closure. After the disappointment of Selection Sunday, the Cowboys went right into Thanksgiving break, and when the players returned to campus, the coaches were off on recruiting responsibilities to prepare for the December signing period.
"We didn't get to come back and have a week of school and be around them a little bit," coach Lance Guidry said. "It was just kind of announced that we didn't get in. That leaves a little bit of a bad taste in our mouth."
The Cowboys have returned for 2018 with a big appetite. In the Southland preseason poll released Thursday at media day in Houston, they were picked to finish fourth behind last year's three playoff teams from the conference: Sam Houston State, which advanced to the FCS semifinals for the fifth time in seven years; Nicholls, which has a Southland-high 14 preseason selections; and defending champion Central Arkansas, which is overcoming big senior losses.
While McNeese had a better record than Nicholls last year, the Colonels won the head-to-head meeting (37-35 on opening night), and that was a difference maker in the Southland pecking order for playoff bids.
To try to take the next step this year, McNeese will rely on an excellent senior class and has the potential to be more talented overall despite being inexperienced at some positions. Their 14 returning starters - five on offense, seven on defense and two special-teamers - include five Southland preseason first-team selections: running back David Hamm, tight end Lawayne Ross, linebacker BJ Blunt, kicker Gunnar Raborn and punter Alex Kjellsten.
Senior James Tabary was a 3,000-yard passer in 2016 and enters his third season as the starting quarterback, but McNeese should be more run-oriented than a year ago because Justin Pratt and fifth-year senior Ryan Ross provide outstanding depth and experience at running back.
The Cowboys also were the best in the FCS at defending the run last season.
"I always preach toughness," said Guidry, who's 15-7 in two seasons. "I always tell the guys the measure of a tough football team is the ability to run the football when you need to and the ability to stop the run. Each year, we're going to start there."
While McNeese, which has 16 all-time playoff appearances, is one of the historically elite programs in the conference, Guidry said, "We have to go out there and play that way as well. There's a lot of confidence going into this season.
"Hopefully, we can reflect back on (last season). By any means, we can't live in the past. We have to go forward into the future."
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KEY CONFERENCE GAMES=
Spotlight Game: Sam Houston State at Nicholls (Sept. 22)
Four of the eight conference matchups involving last year's top five teams are in September. Nicholls, coming off its first playoff appearance in 12 years, seeks to end an 11-game losing streak against Sam Houston.
Four More: Nicholls at McNeese (Sept. 15), Central Arkansas at Sam Houston State (Sept. 29), Sam Houston State vs. Stephen F. Austin in Houston (Oct. 6) and Central Arkansas at McNeese (Oct. 27)
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SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL=
Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors Poll
1. Sam Houston State (10 first-place votes), 187 points
2. Nicholls (6), 173
3. Central Arkansas (5), 170
4. McNeese (1), 159
5. Southeastern Louisiana, 119
6. Stephen F. Austin, 90
7. Abilene Christian, 89
8. Northwestern State, 86
9. Incarnate Word, 53
10. Lamar, 52
11. Houston Baptist, 32
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SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE PRESEASON TEAM=
First Team
Offense
QB - Chase Fourcade, Nicholls, Jr.
RB - David Hamm, McNeese, Sr.
RB - Carlos Blackman, Central Arkansas, Jr.
TE/HB - Lawayne Ross, McNeese, Jr.
WR - Davion Davis, Sam Houston State, Sr.
WR - Nathan Stewart, Sam Houston State, Jr.
WR - Damion Jeanpiere Jr., Nicholls, Sr.
OL - Mitchell Watanabe, Sam Houston State, Sr.
OL - Ryan Hanley, Nicholls, Sr.
OL - Chandler Arceneaux, Nicholls, Sr.
OL - Eric David, Sam Houston State, Jr.
OL - Tristan Wendt, Sam Houston State, Sr.
AP - Davion Davis, Sam Houston State, Sr.
PK - Gunnar Raborn, McNeese, Sr.
P - Alex Kjellsten, McNeese, Sr.
Defense
DL - Chris Terrell, Central Arkansas, Jr.
DL - Eric Jackson, Central Arkansas, Sr.
DL - Sully Laiche, Nicholls, Jr.
DL - Kenny Dotson, Nicholls, Sr.
LB - Allen Pittman, Nicholls, Jr.
LB - Hezekiah White, Nicholls, Sr.
LB - BJ Blunt, McNeese, Sr.
DB - Raphael Lewis, Houston Baptist, Sr.
DB - Alize Ward, Stephen F. Austin, Jr.
DB - Corey Abraham, Nicholls, Sr.
DB - Juan Jackson, Central Arkansas, Jr.
DB - Ahmani Martin, Nicholls, Sr.
KR - Juwan Petit-Frere, Southeastern Louisiana, Jr.
PR - Davion Davis, Sam Houston State, Sr.
Second Team
Offense
QB - James Tabary, McNeese, Sr.
RB - Kyran Irvin, Nicholls, Jr.
RB - Marcus Cooper, Southeastern Louisiana, So.
TE/HB - Josh Nix, Central Arkansas, So.
WR - Tamrick Pace, Stephen F. Austin, Jr.
WR - Kody Edwards, Incarnate Word, Sr.
WR - Dai'jean Dixon, Nicholls, So.
OL - Adrian Harris, Central Arkansas, So.
OL - Hunter Watts, Central Arkansas, Jr.
OL - Alfred Beverly III, Southeastern Louisiana, Jr.
OL - Grant Burguillos, McNeese, Jr.
OL - Eddie Houston, Nicholls, Sr.
AP - Alize Ward, Stephen F. Austin, Jr.
PK - Lorran Fonseca, Nicholls, Sr.
P - Caleb Lewallen, Stephen F. Austin, Sr.
Defense
DL - Chris Stewart, Sam Houston State, Sr.
DL - Chris Livings, McNeese, Jr.
DL - Cardell Best, Central Arkansas, Sr.
DL - Nathan Grant, Central Arkansas, So.
LB - Raphael Garner, Central Arkansas, Sr.
LB - Tamarcus Russell, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr.
LB - Ryan Woods, Stephen F. Austin, Sr.
DB - Trenton Gordon, Stephen F. Austin, So.
DB - Bolu Onifade, Abilene Christian, So.
DB - Darion Dunn, McNeese, So.
DB - Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State, So.
DB - Colby Burton, McNeese, Jr.
KR - Cedric Battle, Central Arkansas, Sr.
PR - Zae Giles, Lamar, Jr.