2013 Scouting Reports: McNeese State

[Brad]

Tuesday, 20 August 2013
By: Dan McDonald

 

 

College Football Preview 2013: McNeese State Cowboys

 

 

McNeese State's Cowboys were one point away – twice – of claiming a spot in the NCAA's FCS playoff bracket.

 

The close calls with Southland Conference rivals Southeastern Louisiana and nationally-ranked Central Arkansas eliminated hopes for a 14th SLC title and a 15th trip to the Division I playoffs. That took the glitter off an otherwise-successful 7-4 season and made for a long off-season for the Cowboy returnees.

 

"We'd worked so hard for that and then being so close, it hurt," said senior offensive lineman Arinze Agada. "That was on my mind all spring, but now we have another chance this fall ... we can't have games like that keep us from going to the playoffs."

 

McNeese does have another chance and returns a primarily veteran club in that pursuit, and head coach Matt Viator cautioned against any wholesale changes in what has been successful for the 'Pokes over the past decades.

 

"You have to be careful," Viator said. "You want to look and see why you lost, but really it was a play here and there and a kick here and there last year. You try not to over-react, because we had a lot of kids that played great in those two games ... it was unfortunate that we just didn't pull them out."

 

McNeese has pulled out as many as anyone in the league since Viator took over in 2006, with the Cowboys winning just under 73 percent of their SLC games. They're again picked to contend, with MSU tabbed third in the league's preseason coaches poll.

 

Much of that confidence comes from the return of a whopping 62 lettermen and 16 starters, including most of the skill-position players. But there's also excitement on defense, where former MSU standout Lance Guidry assumes the role of defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. It'll be Guidry's fourth stint on the Cowboy staff including one graduate assistant season, and since then he's served as interim head coach at two FBS schools – Miami (Ohio) and Western Kentucky, both of which he coached in bowl games and became noted for passionate pep talks on those TV broadcasts.

 

"Not a lot's going to change," Viator said of the defense, "but Lance will put his own brand on our 4-2-5. He's a product of our system."

 

"Everybody sees all the rah-rah," said senior safety Terence Cahee, "but they don't see that he's very knowledgeable in the secondary and he's a great teacher."

 

One area the Cowboy staff won't have to teach much is at quarterback, where Cody Stroud returns for his third year. Stroud threw for 2,094 yards and 19 scores last year with just five interceptions, throwing for 966 yards and 10 scores and completing 66.7 percent of his passes in his last four games.

 

"We were able last year to build with Cody coming off a good season," Viator said, "and now we can put even more on his plate and expand his role and his realm."

 

The offense he engineered suffered only 12 turnovers all season, helping MSU rank fourth nationally in turnover margin.

 

Running back Marcus Wiltz was a second-team All-SLC pick after rushing for 651 yards and six scores even though carrying less than 30 percent of the team rushes. Javaris Murray (506 yards) and Kelvin Bennett (302 yards as a true freshman) give the Cowboys great depth in the backfield, while Diontae Spencer (31 catches, 413 yards) leads a balanced receiver corps.

 

The big question on offense is replacing three offensive linemen who each earned all-league honors in their career. But Agada, a first-team all-SLC and all-Louisiana pick last year, provides stability and MSU shifted veterans Nick Gorman and Quinten Marsh from the defensive side to shore up that front.

 

Cahee heads up a secondary that will be the building block for the defense, after an 83-tackle, 10-pass-breakup season, with fellow safety Ryan Bronson and cornerback Guy Morgan also back from a unit that had 15 interceptions last year. Up front, end Everett Ellefsen has been named to two national watch lists after collecting 12 tackles for minus yardage last season.

 

Rest of report

 

[FrmrPokeCenter]

 

 

I hope we'll be able to hang 40+ on them, but we're an unproven product with weaknesses until we show otherwise. McNeese should be a good game to shake things down. At our worst, we're still not MTSU.

 

1. USF

2. 34-13

3. Pierre

4. Andre

5. 465

Well, I would say last year were some of yalls worst days. 3 wins with best "quality" against Nevada. MT finished with 9 wins and their best "quality" win against Georgia Tech. Sorry, Yall have a ways to get back to were yall were 4-5 years ago. McNeese was a shell of what it was at the end of the season last year. When we are healthy we can play with any mid major or lower BCS conference team. Can't get much healthier than first game. Yall better not look past us. Good luck!

 

 

I'm having a hard time believing that you're a true McNeese fan.  The fact that you managed to transplant your Texas/Louisiana-like southern drawal into actual typographical speech leads me to believe that you could be a double-agent.

 

Well, McNeese has an incredible creative writing department.  One year,  we claimed two Pulitzers. One by a faculty member and another by a former student...

We're rather like Bush 43.  We write well, but you probably won't be able to understand a single word we say...

Fortunately, we're great with hand gestures....

I don't know enough about this year's squad to venture a guess as to how we'll do.  If we're healthy, I think you'll be surprised at what we're able to do with 63 scholarships.  The kid who starts at QB for us walked into Tiger Stadium as a true freshman, drove us down the field and threw a touchdown strike to silence 93,000 LSU fans and put us up 7-0 in his first collegiate start.  After LSU tied it up, he drove us back down the field and we took another lead on a fieldgoal, so...I'm thinking that he's not really gonna get rattled by the crowd in Tampa...

Athletically, we'll match up well with you.  In some cases, you'll be on the short end of the measuring stick.  On balance, I think we're probably going to be a little faster than you guys are.  We'll be smaller in some places, but... the key is going to be how we handle depth and injuries....

 

[McNeese722]

 On balance, I think we're probably going to be a little faster than you guys are.  We'll be smaller in some places, but... the key is going to be how we handle depth and injuries....

 

 

Come on, Jay, we maybe small but we are slow.

 

Where have you heard that before?  

 

Doc

[FrmrPokeCenter]

Sheee-iit Doc....

I think ah may have head that befoah....Ah think we problee gonnah be as green as grasss this yeah....Graduation left the cubbahd bare.  Worse than even ole' Mothah Hubbahd...

You follow me?

[McNeese722]

Sheee-iit Doc....

I think ah may have head that befoah....Ah think we problee gonnah be as green as grasss this yeah....Graduation left the cubbahd bare.  Worse than even ole' Mothah Hubbahd...

You follow me?

 

Exactly.   

 

Doc

 

P.S.  Seeing you here, Jay, reminds me of something I've been wanting to do but keep forgetting   It will happen this afternoon.

Edited August 26, 2013 by McNeese722

[FrmrPokeCenter]

 

Sheee-iit Doc....

I think ah may have head that befoah....Ah think we problee gonnah be as green as grasss this yeah....Graduation left the cubbahd bare.  Worse than even ole' Mothah Hubbahd...

You follow me?

 

Exactly.   

 

Doc

 

P.S.  Seeing you here, Jay, reminds me of something I've been wanting to do but keep forgetting   It will happen this afternoon.

 

 

Doc, 

THANK YOU!  You ROCK!   I saw where you and the Mrs. donated pretty heavily to Billy's ride earlier in the year, so this comes as a complete surprise!    Thanks for the continued support!    Your donation gives me a $2.00 lead over the the guy that's won the thing the last two years!   Billy's holding down 4th...which I think is pretty damned amazing.  Two of us from SW La., totally kickin ass on the fundraising in Atlanta! ...I'd like see him climb back up a couple of notches and get on the podium this year!  

Seriously, thanks again!  You've been one of my biggest contributors every year I've done this! 

[charsibb]

 

 

Sheee-iit Doc....

I think ah may have head that befoah....Ah think we problee gonnah be as green as grasss this yeah....Graduation left the cubbahd bare.  Worse than even ole' Mothah Hubbahd...

You follow me?

 

Exactly.   

 

Doc

 

P.S.  Seeing you here, Jay, reminds me of something I've been wanting to do but keep forgetting   It will happen this afternoon.

 

 

Doc, 

THANK YOU!  You ROCK!   I saw where you and the Mrs. donated pretty heavily to Billy's ride earlier in the year, so this comes as a complete surprise!    Thanks for the continued support!    Your donation gives me a $2.00 lead over the the guy that's won the thing the last two years!   Billy's holding down 4th...which I think is pretty damned amazing.  Two of us from SW La., totally kickin ass on the fundraising in Atlanta! ...I'd like see him climb back up a couple of notches and get on the podium this year!  

Seriously, thanks again!  You've been one of my biggest contributors every year I've done this! 

 

 

Fill us in on the details guys?! Is this Nascar, rodeo, or BMX?

[McNeese722]

 

 

 

Sheee-iit Doc....

I think ah may have head that befoah....Ah think we problee gonnah be as green as grasss this yeah....Graduation left the cubbahd bare.  Worse than even ole' Mothah Hubbahd...

You follow me?

 

Exactly.   

 

Doc

 

P.S.  Seeing you here, Jay, reminds me of something I've been wanting to do but keep forgetting   It will happen this afternoon.

 

 

Doc, 

THANK YOU!  You ROCK!   I saw where you and the Mrs. donated pretty heavily to Billy's ride earlier in the year, so this comes as a complete surprise!    Thanks for the continued support!    Your donation gives me a $2.00 lead over the the guy that's won the thing the last two years!   Billy's holding down 4th...which I think is pretty damned amazing.  Two of us from SW La., totally kickin ass on the fundraising in Atlanta! ...I'd like see him climb back up a couple of notches and get on the podium this year!  

Seriously, thanks again!  You've been one of my biggest contributors every year I've done this! 

 

 

Fill us in on the details guys?! Is this Nascar, rodeo, or BMX?

 

Jay rides in the 24 Hours of Booty in Atlanta every year and I donate to his ride.

 

Jay's 24 Hours of Booty Page

 

Note:   I apologize to the moderators if posting this link is not appropriate.   It is a cancer fundraiser not a commercial advertisement.

 

Doc

[charsibb]

 

 

 

 

Sheee-iit Doc....

I think ah may have head that befoah....Ah think we problee gonnah be as green as grasss this yeah....Graduation left the cubbahd bare.  Worse than even ole' Mothah Hubbahd...

You follow me?

 

Exactly.   

 

Doc

 

P.S.  Seeing you here, Jay, reminds me of something I've been wanting to do but keep forgetting   It will happen this afternoon.

 

 

Doc, 

THANK YOU!  You ROCK!   I saw where you and the Mrs. donated pretty heavily to Billy's ride earlier in the year, so this comes as a complete surprise!    Thanks for the continued support!    Your donation gives me a $2.00 lead over the the guy that's won the thing the last two years!   Billy's holding down 4th...which I think is pretty damned amazing.  Two of us from SW La., totally kickin ass on the fundraising in Atlanta! ...I'd like see him climb back up a couple of notches and get on the podium this year!  

Seriously, thanks again!  You've been one of my biggest contributors every year I've done this! 

 

 

Fill us in on the details guys?! Is this Nascar, rodeo, or BMX?

 

Jay rides in the 24 Hours of Booty in Atlanta every year and I donate to his ride.

 

Jay's 24 Hours of Booty Page

 

Note:   I apologize to the moderators if posting this link is not appropriate.   It is a cancer fundraiser not a commercial advertisement.

 

Doc

 

 

Road bikes.

 

Looks very very painful!

 

Go get 'em Jay!

[Gismo]

Game preview cliff notes:

We are going to crush, destroy, obliterate, dominate, bust, batter, demolish, raze, eradicate, slaughter, waste, nuke, massacre, dismantle and squash McNeese.

Edited August 27, 2013 by Gismo