By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director

The Centenary football team kicks off its historic first modern season at home Saturday night at 7 against Hendrix, after kicking around Community Christian College of Louisiana 49-0 in a scrimmage last Saturday evening.

The scrimmage gave head coach Byron Dawson plenty of opportunities to test his new team against an outside opponent in game-like conditions. Now the clock is ticking down to the first intercollegiate football game in many decades for Centenary.

The Gents play 10 regular-season games – five at home and five on the road in their first official NCAA season in over a half-century. 

MEN’S SOCCER:  The Centenary men’s soccer team recorded its first victory of the season on Sunday afternoon as the Gents recorded an impressive 4-1 win over the Huntingdon Hawks in a non-conference match played at Roger Short Soccer Complex on the campus of Mississippi University for Women.

The Gents (1-1) rebounded from a 1-0 season-opening loss on Saturday to the Piedmont Lions in a non-conference contest. Centenary defeated Huntingdon for the second season in a row after the Maroon and White recorded a 5-2 win over the Hawks at home last season.

The Gents received goals from senior midfielder Hunter Booth, senior defender  Christopher Tarr, freshman midfielder Emiliano Mondragon, and freshman midfielder Kevin Huskey Jr. Freshman midfielder Hayden Hughes tallied a pair of assists and Mondragon and Tarr each had an assist.

Freshman keeper Sebastian Lutin started for the second time in a row for the Gents after making his collegiate debut on Saturday. He played all 90 minutes and made one save.

The Gents welcome Howard Payne on Friday at 6 p.m. in their home opener at Atkins Field. 

WOMEN’S SOCCER: The Centenary women’s soccer team fell 3-0 to the East Texas Baptist Tigers on Sunday in its season opener in non-conference play in Marshall, Texas.

The Ladies (0-1) were down 1-0 at halftime and then the Tigers added two goals in the second half to secure the victory. ETBU finished with a 22-6 advantage in shots and took four corner kicks to the Ladies’ one. Sophomore goalkeeper  Kaniyah Hill made her Ladies’ debut after not playing last season due to an injury. She played all 90 minutes and made eight saves.

The Ladies will be off for nearly two weeks before they return to action on Sept. 14 with a non-conference contest at LaGrange (Ga.) College. 

VOLLEYBALL:  The Centenary volleyball team lost a pair of non-conference matches on Saturday on the final day of the “Cajun Country Classic” as the Ladies fell 3-0 to Howard Payne and 3-0 to Millsaps College at the Gold Dome. 

The Ladies dropped their season opener on Friday by a score of 3-0 to the Louisiana Christian Wildcats.

After a 3-0 defeat Tuesday night at Grambling, enabling the Lady Tigers to sweep the series, the Ladies (0-4) have 10 days off before a weekend tournament at Jackson, Miss., in the Millsaps Invitational. 

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: The Centenary teams begin their seasons on Friday as they compete in “The Opener” hosted by Mississippi College at Choctaw Trails in Clinton, Miss. 

The Ladies and Gents, led by third-year head coach Joseph Moses Jr., will then be off for two weeks before returning to action in the Nicholls XC Invitational in Thibodaux, on Sept. 28.

Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu

LAS VEGAS – Just when movie buffs didn’t think there would be another sequel in The Hangover series that started here in Sin City, comes The Hangover V.

It stars LSU fans, disgusted with a 27-20 loss to USC on Sunday in the Modelo Vegas Classic, many of whom probably ended up drunk and passed out on top of Vegas hotel roofs, in all-night diners and Elvis wedding chapels cursing everything that went wrong leading to a fifth straight season-opening loss for the not-for-too-much longer 13^th ranked Tigers.

There was an enormous Vegas buffet of blame to be passed around for an extremely winnable game LSU somehow refused to accept.

The most puzzling thing when it was all over was wondering why USC head coach Lincoln Riley tried for almost two years to get out of this game after USC signed the contract.

Didn’t Riley watch the Tigers’ four previous stinkeroo losing openers to Mississippi State (2020), UCLA (2021) and Florida State (2022 and 2023)?

If anything after LSU sank again in its yearly maiden voyage, it’s Power 4 Conference teams will now call the Tigers and offer large sums of guaranteed money to schedule a sure win over one of college football’s name brands.

Note to Verge Ausberry, LSU assistant athletic director in charge of scheduling:

It’s only fun for Tigers fans to experience a first-time game setting like Green Bay or Las Vegas if LSU wins.

There’s no shame in being like the majority of the SEC and finding a Division 1-AA directional school to beat by 70 in an opener.

Makes the players feel good and gain a little confidence. They can make mistakes and still win. Lessens suicidal thoughts from the fan base. Head coach isn’t dog-cussed right off the bat. 

All this macho stuff that “We’re LSU and we don’t back away from a challenge” must be tabled for a season opener.

Pay a humpty $750,000 to be a Week 1 Tiger Stadium human sacrifice. Don’t wait until Week 2 like this Saturday vs. Nicholls. You might beat Nicholls by 80, but it won’t remove the stench of LSU being incapable of putting its foot on USC’s throat in the fourth quarter and choking out the Trojans.

For the second consecutive season opener, the Tigers’ massively hyped offensive line was a huge disappointment. Against an all-new USC starting defensive line filled with SEC transfer portal castaways, LSU had no viable rushing attack.

Nineteen of the Tigers’ 26 rushing attempts gained 4 or fewer yards. That’s embarrassing for an O-line whose leader (Will Campbell) said it was going to Vegas “for a fistfight.”

It also didn’t help that new starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who threw for 304 yards, two TDs and an interception on LSU’s final snap, didn’t bother to present himself at least once or twice as a running threat.

Sure, he’s nowhere as fast as Jayden Daniels, LSU’s Heisman Trophy-winning QB from a year ago. Few QBs on the planet can turn a scramble into a 60-yard plus TD run like Daniels, now starting QB for the NFL’s Washington Commanders who watched Sunday’s game from the LSU sideline.

But Nussmeier needs to run on RPO plays occasionally to keep the defense from sitting in the chaise loungers in the gaps waiting for running backs.

Defensively, not even the $16.11 million shelled out by LSU head coach Brian Kelly to hire an entirely new defensive staff can provide an instant miracle cure.

“We have warts,” Kelly of his defense afterward, “and they’re not going away overnight. But they got better.”

Maybe some individual players improved, like defensive end Sai’vion Jones, who had 5 tackles (4 solo), 2 sacks, 1 pass breakup and 1 forced fumble.

But when USC needed a guaranteed completion, Trojans’ QB Miller Moss feasted on LSU’s defensive underbelly that was as soft and expansive as whale blubber.

Evidence is USC never had to face a third-down situation on its last two TD drives of the game.

Also, Kelly didn’t do his defense any favors by having LSU’s offense bypass a chip-shot field goal for a quick lead at the end of the Tigers’ massive 74-yard, 13-play game-opening drive that ate almost half of the first-quarter clock.

USC blitzed on fourth down, Nussmeier threw the ball away and those missing three points came back throughout the game to bite the Tigers in the butt.

Even worse, two LSU personal foul penalties by veterans Kyren Lacy and Major Burns – both for unsportsmanlike conduct – led to field position helping USC score 10 points.

As good as Lacy played for a half – all 7 of his catches for 94 yards and 1 TD came in the first two quarters – his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was textbook dumb.

After his TD, he pantomimed shooting a gun at the USC defender he had just toasted. The flag led to LSU having to kick off from its 20 instead of 35, allowing USC return specialist Zachariah Branch room to bust a 46-yard return that led to a USC field goal.

Nussmeier and linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. said the only things they could during postgame media interviews.

They were the standard losing team clichés such as:

“This is a good learning experience that will help us the rest of the season.”

“Gotta get back to the building and watch the tape.”

“We’ve just got to execute.”

“It’s a long season. We’re still in contention for the playoffs, that’s where we see ourselves.”

Yes, the new 12-team playoff provides hope that teams with two losses still have a shot at making the field.

The problem is LSU again has an `L’ after week one and has to be virtually perfect the rest of the way.

That would be as miraculous as the majority of grumpy Tigers fans piling into the Las Vegas airport Monday without pounding headaches and alcohol sweats but all having the same lament. 

“How many thousands of dollars did we spend watching this season-opening poop again?” 

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

LAS VEGAS – LSU head coach Brian Kelly was more than disappointed.

He was four-plus wrinkles-on-his-forehead-angry.

Not just about the No. 13 Tigers’ 27-20 season-opening loss to No. 23 USC here in the Modelo Vegas Classic on Sunday in Allegiant Stadium.

It was about what led to LSU’s fifth-straight season-opening loss.

He was steaming about well-deserved two game-changing personal foul penalties against two of his veteran players. He was seething about the Tigers’ scoring just six points in three red zone trips. He was at a loss for words about his team’s lack of killer instinct.

“We’re sitting here again,” said a red-faced Kelly, pounding his fist on the table in a postgame press conference, “talking about the same thing, about not finishing off an opponent when you’re in position to put them away.

“What we’re doing on the sideline is feeling like the game is over and I’m so angry that I’ve got to do something about it. I’ve got to coach them better because it’s unacceptable for us not to have found a way to win that football game.”

USC running back Woody Marks, a Mississippi State transfer, ran 13 yards for the game-winning TD with 8 seconds left. The Trojans drove 75 yards in 59 seconds, not even needing to use a timeout.

“Two teams just traded blows the entire game,” USC head coach Lincoln Riley said. “We felt we had some missed opportunities, felt like we outplayed them more than what the scoreboard showed. Our guys were resilient.”

The Tigers took their first and only lead at 17-13 with 3:42 left in the third quarter on quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s 13-yard TD pass to Aaron Anderson.

But on its next three possessions, LSU managed just a game-tying 31-yard Damian Ramos field goal with 1:47 left to play while USC scored a pair of TDs on a Miller Moss 28-yard pass to Ja’Kobi Lane with 5:44 remaining and Marks’ run up the gut for the game-winning points.

While Nussmeier finished 29 of 38 for 304 yards, two TDs and one interception on the last play of the night, he got no help from the Tigers’ running attack which was supposed to be a strength, powered by a veteran offensive line.

LSU ran for 117 yards on 26 carries, including 61 yards on 10 carries from John Emery Jr. But subtract Emery’s two best gains of 39 and 10 yards and the Tigers averaged just 2.8 yards per carry.

USC outgained LSU 447 to 421 in total offense yards, boosted by Moss’ 378 passing yards (27 of 36) and one TD and Marks’ 68 rushing yards and two TDs on 16 carries.

The Tigers’ defense batted down passes several times and failed to recover two fumbles it caused. And at crunch time, the defense and its new $16.11 million staff failed to come up with a plan preventing USC’s comeback.

On USC’s fourth-quarter TD drives covering 64 and 75 yards, it didn’t face a single third-down conversion situation.

Also, LSU had 10 penalties for 99 yards, including two senseless penalties that led to 10 USC points.

After Kyren Lacy caught Nussmeier’s 19-yard game-tying TD pass at 7-7 with 7:04 left in the second quarter, Lacy pantomimed shooting a gun at the USC defender he had just beat.

He was whistled from a personal foul, which forced LSU to kick off from its 20 instead of its 35. That helped USC return specialist Zachariah Branch to shake loose on a 46-yard return to the LSU 43, which led to a 22-yard Michael Lantz field goal and a 10-7 USC edge with 4:21 left in the first half.

Then with LSU leading 17-13, LSU stopped USC on fourth-and-9 at the LSU 36 with 8:38 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Tigers were hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when senior safety Major Burns removed his helmet during the celebration before leaving the field.

That set the Tigers back to their 21 to start the series. LSU went three and out and punter Peyton Todd booted just a 35-yarder, fair caught at the USC 35.

It took USC only three plays to get in the end zone for a 20-17 lead on Miller’s TD pass to Lane.

“Those penalties were impactful,” Kelly said. “And even when we went up and down the field (offensively), we left a lot of points out there when you score just six points when you’re in the red zone three times.

“When our best was needed offensively, we did not deliver (like Nussmeier’s incomplete fourth-down pass to kill LSU’s opening drive after Kelly bypassed a chip-shot field goal). We put too much pressure on our defense to be something they’re not ready to be. 

“They battled, but we have warts and they’re not going away overnight.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By MALCOLM BUTLER, Lincoln Parish Journal

RUSTON — Defending Southland Conference champion Nicholls ran into a nightmare on Saturday night.

The Louisiana Tech defense.

A much-maligned unit a year ago, the Bulldogs D put a sleeper hold on the Colonels’ prolific run-heavy offensive unit which helped lead Nicholls to a postseason appearance in 2023.

And ultimately it led Tech to a season-opening 25-17 win at Joe Aillet Stadium.

“I didn’t think we were very good offensively or on special teams tonight,” said Tech third-year coach Sonny Cumbie. “But our defense bailed us out. And that’s what we told the guys in the locker room. Good teams pick each other up and our defense picked us up tonight.”

It was a Fields day, so to speak. Kolbe Fields, that is.

The transfer linebacker, who had to sit out all of last year, made his Bulldog debut in style, recording 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

He made an immediate impact.  On the first Nicholls offensive play from scrimmage, Fields teamed up with David Blay to tackle Colonels all-everything tailback Jaylon Spears in the end zone for an early safety.

It was the start of a stellar night for Fields and the Tech defense.

“I woke up at five this morning, and I prayed and cried,” said Fields, who transferred from LSU. “I also thought about my people, and it wasn’t me out there, it was God.”

At the end of the night, it was the Nicholls offense that was shedding some tears.

The Colonels managed just seven points and 200 total yards, that TD coming late in the fourth quarter. Nicholls State was just 3-of-16 on third down conversions, only 1 of its last 14.

“It’s always a blessing to win, and you cannot take it for granted,” said Fields. “We have to do what we do week in and week out. We need to just improve and compete and keep going.”

After Tech took the early 2-0 lead on the safety, a pick-six by Nicholls defense lineman Rasheed Lovelace on an attempted screen pass by Jack Turner gave the Colonels their only lead of the game at 7-2.

Turner responded in style, hitting Solo Lewis for a 28-yard TD pass just over one minute later to give the Bulldogs a 9-7 lead. On Tech’s next offensive possession, Turner left with an apparent knee injury and did not return.

Redshirt freshman Blake Baker replaced Turner and completed 12-of-24 passes for 207 yards and one TD while throwing two interceptions. Baker hit Marlion Jackson with a 14-yard TD pass during a monsoon midway through the second quarter to up Tech’s lead to 15-7.

“I thought Blake played well,” said Cumbie. “Obviously, ball protection was an issue for us tonight (with five turnovers). However, he made some plays and showed some composure.

“The effort was there from an offensive standpoint. But it was arguably one of the sloppiest games I have been part of from an offensive and special teams standpoint.”

While the Bulldogs’ offense and special teams units were inconsistent, the Bulldog defense was not. Tech recorded six sacks of Colonels’ starting QB Pat McQuaide.

“It is a good start and we need to continue to have numbers like that,” said Cumbie of the sacks. “J’Dan Burnett and Jessie Evans are good pass rushers. We are letting them play fast and they have an opportunity to rush the passer. That was one of our goals of the season, to get to the quarterback more.”

Tech held a 15-10 halftime lead. In the third quarter neither team was able to put points on the scoreboard as both defenses held strong. The Bulldogs unit held Nicholls to just 53 total yards on its first six offensive possessions of the second half.

The dominance allowed the Bulldogs to add a 24-yard Buck Buchanan field goal and a 6-yard Jimmy Holiday touchdown run in the fourth quarter to push the advantage to 25-10.

“Overall, I am proud of the resiliency we had on offense,” said Holiday. “We fought through some adversity and some hiccups, but we kept going and did not drop our heads. We kept to our motto to improve and compete.”

Nicholls’ offense finally found the end zone on a 27-yard pass from McQuaide to Quincy Brown with 2:17 to play in the game, cutting the deficit to 25-17.

The Colonels got one final opportunity to tie the game, but on fourth and 10 from inside its own 20-yard line, McQuaide was sacked by Burnett and Zach Zimos to clinch the outcome.

“I am excited our football team is 1-0,” said Cumbie. “It was a great effort from a defensive standpoint.”

Tech returns to action Sept. 14 at North Carolina State.

Contact Malcolm at lplnewsla@gmail.com

By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal

LAFAYETTE — It was a tale of two halves for Grambling State Saturday night in the Tigers’ season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette at Cajun Field.

After finding themselves in a deep hole by halftime, the Tigers fared better in the second half before falling 40-10.

A 30-0 halftime deficit, built on a 23-point second-quarter, was simply too much for GSU to overcome even though the Tigers played the Ragin’ Cajuns to 10-10 in the second half.

ULL scored on its first offensive possession, marching 82 yards to paydirt on eight plays that culminated with Dry’Lyn Washington’s eight-yard dash to the end zone 5:56 into the opening stanza.

The Ragin’ Cajuns took over in the second quarter, with quarterback Ben Woolridge firing two scoring strikes, a 13-yarder to Harvey Broussard and a 56-yarder to Tavion Smith.

UL-Lafayette added a defensive score for its second touchdown of the quarter when Caleb Kibodi picked off a pass thrown by GSU quarterback Myles Crawley and returned it 50 yards.

ULL’s final score of the half came on a 41-yard field goal by Kenneth Almendares that pushed the Cajuns to a 30-0 halftime advantage.

The Ragin’ Cajuns pushed their lead to 37-0 midway through the third quarter on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Woolridge to Terrance Carter.

Grambling’s lone touchdown came with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter as K’Travion “Bull” Hargrove powered his way to paydirt from one yard out.

Hargrove, a Ruston High School product, may have been the brightest spot of the day for the G-Men, rushing for 61 yards on 12 attempts.

The teams traded fourth-quarter field goals, with ULL’s Tony Sterner making a 27-yarder before Grambling’s Reed Harradine blasted a 50-yarder through the uprights.

Crawley finished with 19 completions on 28 pass attempts for 166 yards.

Receiver Nicholas Howard was another offensive bright spot for the G-Men, leading Grambling with five catches for 68 yards.

Blake Davis was the defensive standout for the Tigers, leading GSU with eight tackles while adding an interception.

The Cajuns dominated in overall offense, totaling 481 yards total while Grambling only managed 241.

Heading into the game, new GSU coach Mickey Joseph was focused cutting down on penalties. 

Joseph saw his team get better in that category. After giving up 82 yards per game last season, against the Ragin’ Cajuns the Tigers were only penalized for 25 yards on six calls.

Next up for the Tigers will be the home opener as they play host to Tuskegee at 7 p.m. Saturday at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium.

Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

LAS VEGAS – Twenty-one years ago, 42-year-old Brian Kelly was busy coaching Grand Valley State to the second of back-to-back NCAA Division 2 national championships.

Twenty-one years ago, Lincoln Riley was a 20-year-old Texas Tech walk-on quarterback from Muleshoe, Texas. He was quickly converted by then-head coach Mike Leach into a student assistant working with the offense.

Twenty-one years ago after LSU beat Oklahoma in the BCS national championship game and USC conquered Michigan in the Rose Bowl, LSU and USC split the national title by finishing No. 1 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches and the Associated Press polls respectively.

Twenty-one years later here on Sunday afternoon before an Allegiant Stadium sellout crowd boosted by approximately 30,000 hard-partying LSU fans who began filtering in town on Thursday, the Tigers and the Trojans meet in the de facto 2003 national title tiebreaker matchup in the season-opening Modelo Vegas Classic.

The game is set for a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff (4:30 in Las Vegas) and is nationally on ABC as the only televised college game of the day. LSU is a 4½-point favorite.

“You’ve got teams that shared a national championship, two elite programs coming together,” third-year LSU head coach Kelly said. “That’s the reason we wanted this matchup.”

Even though third-year USC head coach Riley was beating his chest earlier this week about the matchup between the 13th-ranked Tigers and 23rd-ranked Trojans – “If you don’t crave that (a challenge), then this ain’t the game for you and USC ain’t the place for you,” he said – Riley tried for two years to get out of the contract to play the Tigers.

Multiple-sourced media reports said since Riley and Kelly both have Trace Armstrong as their agent, Riley asked Armstrong for help changing Kelly’s mind.

USC’s administration offered LSU possible replacement opponents. Tigers’ athletic director Scott Woodward didn’t budge.

Since the contract was signed in August 2021, musical chair conference alignments have re-designed the college football landscape starting this season.

The SEC expanded to 16 teams adding Texas and Oklahoma and the Pac 12 imploded scattering members to several conferences, including USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon to the Big Ten (which has 18 members).

“We were too far down the line to make any (schedule) changes in this opener,” Kelly said. “Even given the (conference realignment) changes, it’s still an appealing opener.”

Especially because LSU and USC circa 2024 are two peas in a pod.

Both are replacing Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks (2023 winner Jayden Daniels of LSU, 2022 winner Caleb Williams of USC) with Garrett Nussmeier and Miller Moss respectively who were named Most Valuable Player after starting and leading their teams to bowl wins (ReliaQuest for LSU, Holiday for USC) in the last post-season.

“I’m not a finished product yet, we’re not a finished product yet,” said Nussmeier, a 6-1, 200-pound redshirt junior who has patiently waited his turn and paid his dues to earn the permanent starting job. “Hopefully, I’m better in December than I am right now.”

Moss, a 6-2, 205-pound redshirt junior, followed Nussmeier’s career path of being a backup for the last two seasons. Riley waited until Aug. 20 to name Moss as the starting QB vs. LSU.

“It’s a good positive first step,” Moss said. “Now, it’s about going out and winning football games.”

And after LSU and USC finished 105th and 116th in total defense last season among 130 FB teams, Kelly and Riley made drastic changes.

Kelly fired the Tigers’ entire defensive staff and spent $16.11 million on new hires, including coordinator Blake Baker from Missouri. Riley fired all but one defensive assistant and went across town to hire UCLA’s D’Anton Lynn as coordinator.

Baker and Lynn have similar philosophies of showing different alignments to confuse offenses yet simplifying assignments to play fast and not overload defenders with too much information.

The new D-coordinators have quickly had their players buy into their systems.

“Coach Baker has a spectacular mind,” LSU pre-season first-team All-American linebacker Harold Perkins said. “He always brings something fresh to the table.”

USC linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, an Oregon State transfer, has similar confidence in Lynn.

“In his one year at UCLA, he (Lynn) made them one of the best defenses in the country,” Mascarenas-Arnold said. “I expect nothing less for us.” 

GO FIGURE 

3-3: LSU’s record in Sunday night games 

5: Heisman Trophy-winning running backs for USC 

7: Straight 10-win seasons for Brian Kelly 

8-3: Brian Kelly’s record vs. USC 

10: Starters on USC’s defense who are transfers 

18: States in which LSU has opened football seasons 

23: Times in last 24 years LSU is ranked in preseason top 25

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Sports Information Director

TULSA, Oklahoma – The first drive of the Blaine McCorkle era of Northwestern State football delivered.

And so did most of the first half of Thursday night’s season opener at Tulsa.

A late first-half surge, though, put the homestanding Golden Hurricane in the driver’s seat and Tulsa cruised to a 62-28 victory at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Field. The result, however, was not the most important takeaway from the Demons’ first game since October.

“The first thing people need to recognize and remember is Northwestern State just completed a Division I football game today,” said McCorkle, who made his debut as the Demons’ head coach after being hired in November. “I’ve said it many times, a lot of people thought this program was going to be dead and gone, but that’s not true. We’re alive and well, and we have a lot of good football ahead of us. We don’t believe in moral victories – that’s not who we are – but there is an awful lot for our whole university and the city of Natchitoches to be proud of tonight.”

Northwestern hadn’t played since the university curtailed last season after six games in the wake of the off-campus shooting death of a player.

Back to action, NSU wasted no time putting the first points of the season on the board as Kennieth Lacy broke free for a 75-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game to put the Demons in front.

It was a career-long run for Lacy, a senior from Kilgore, Texas, and the longest rush for the Demons since Aubrey Scott’s 80-yard touchdown run against Nicholls on March 6, 2021.

“My offensive line blocked amazingly,” said Lacy, whose previous long run was 55 yards. “Once they freed me up, I knew I could make the safety miss and take it to the house. The O-line played amazingly. They played their butts off today.”

The early-game battle of momentum-shifting plays continued with both special teams units producing touchdowns.

Tulsa (1-0) started the special-teams fireworks with Kamdyn Benjamin’s 66-yard punt return score snapping a 7-all tie.

After the Northwestern offense could not get anything going, Tulsa moved into the red zone and was threatening to build a two-score lead as Seth Morgan trotted out for a 32-yard field goal attempt.

Cam Hardy came through the middle of the line and blocked the kick before Antonio Hall scooped up the loose ball and returned it 74 yards for a game-tying touchdown.

Both teams traded long drives in the opening quarter with Tulsa outgaining the Demons, 128-107. The first was the most productive quarter of the night for Northwestern, which totaled 119 yards in the final three quarters.

While the Demons struggled to string together consistent offense, Tulsa took advantage – none more so than in the final eight minutes of the first half.

In that span, the Golden Hurricane produced three touchdown drives to turn a one-score game into a 27-point halftime advantage.

“In these (Football Bowl Subdivision) games, sometimes the attrition gets to you,” McCorkle said. “You wear down on bodies, and that’s the difference in the scholarships. They fought and played hard, and I’m very proud of them.”

Tulsa extended its lead to 48-14 after the third quarter before Northwestern took advantage of the game’s first turnover.

It took the Demons just two plays to convert after Isaiah Robinson recovered a fumbled punt at the Tulsa 12-yard line. From there, senior quarterback Quaterius Hawkins connected with Myles Kitt-Denton a 12-yard scoring pass 21 seconds into the final quarter.

That score started another flurry of back-and-forth scores to close out the game.

Tulsa’s Lloyd Avant’s 100-yard kick return score answered Kitt-Denton’s grab before Chance Newman capped the Demons’ longest drive of the game in terms of plays and production with a 4-yard keeper.

“We found our identity, and we’re going to go back to the drawing board and back to work,” said junior linebacker Cadillac Rhone, who recorded six tackles. “We’re going to get better. Like coach McCorkle said, we’re going to make our biggest improvement from Game 1 to Game 2.”

NSU is home next Saturday against Prairie View.

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

JOURNAL SPORTS

RUSTON – Louisiana Tech kicks off its third season under coach Sonny Cumbie at home in Joe Aillet Stadium Saturday night at 7, with the Bulldogs lining up against an FCS visitor that is no gimme.

The Bulldogs, 3-9 last year, play host to defending Southland Conference champion Nicholls, picked to repeat its league title.

Tech is eager to get out of the doldrums of three straight three-win seasons. The Bulldogs suffered a season-ending slump of six straight losses, and four defeats in a row at home, in 2023. But four in the six-game skid were one-possession losses.

After five straight seasons of opening up on the road (2018- 22), Tech will start the year at home for the second consecutive time. The Bulldogs have played their first game of the season in Joe Aillet Stadium just four times in the last 15 years. The ‘Dogs are 12-1 all-time in season openers at the Joe, having won 10 straight dating back to 1979.

Tech’s homefield will have a new look, and so will the Bulldogs – even it’s a retro one.

Fans are sure to enjoy a new video board. At a cost of $6.8 million, it is a 3,240-square foot end zone display that measures 36 feet high and 90 feet wide.

Also new to the Bulldogs for the season opener will be their helmets. Officially unveiled at a team meeting on Aug. 14, the white helmets feature a Tech script that dates back to the 1960s. The helmet will be matched up with Tech’s throwback LT Blue uniforms they unveiled back in 2022.

Jack Turner was named Tech’s starting quarterback by Cumbie at CUSA Media Day. Turner enters his third year with the Bulldogs and appeared in eight games including four starts last season. This will mark the fifth straight season that the Bulldogs will have a different quarterback start Game 1.

He has made 11 career appearances at QB for the Bulldogs over the last two seasons after transferring from Navarro Junior College. He was impressive during his first career start at Nebraska last season, completing 27 of 42 passes for a season-high 292 yards and a touchdown. He also made starts against UTEP, WKU, and Middle Tennessee.

Sophomore defensive back Michael Richard returns after being named the 2023 CUSA Freshman of the Year and garnering Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic. He led CUSA freshmen with seven pass breakups, which ranked seventh nationally among FBS freshmen. Opponents completed just 40 percent of passes (14-35) against him last season, allowing just one touchdown in 249 defensive snaps. His 83.5 coverage grade was the fourth-best mark among CUSA defensive backs.

The Bulldogs have a new defensive staff after Cumbie made offseason changes.

The Colonels are coming off their third SLC title in the last six years and fourth playoff appearance under head coach Tim Rebowe. Nicholls posted its first undefeated season in conference play in 2023.

The Colonels have a league-high 15 Preseason All-Southland selections, headlined by returnees Southland Player of the Year Jaylon Spears (running back who had 1,300 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns) and Freshman of the Year Rasheed Lovelace (defensive lineman who made 27 tackles with 2.5 for loss). Nicholls comes in ranked No. 23 in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25.

The game can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on the Tech Sports Network with Malcolm Butler, Teddy Allen and Jerry Byrd Jr. describing the action.

Tech will visit North Carolina State in two weeks, then hosts Tulsa Sept. 21.

By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal 

The Mickey Joseph era of Grambling State football begins Saturday as the Tigers travel south to visit Louisiana-Lafayette in the Herbert Heymann Classic. 

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Saturday at Cajun Field, which is undergoing major renovations that have the entire west (home) side of the stadium off-limits this season. ESPN+ will provide television coverage. 

It will be the second meeting between the programs with ULL claiming a 49-17 victory in the 2018 season opener for both teams.  

Grambling went 5-6 last season under fired coach Hue Jackson, dumped following his second year. The Ragin’ Cajuns are coming off a 6-7 campaign. 

“We’re excited about this upcoming game against Lafayette,” said Joseph, a New Orleans native and veteran major college assistant coach. “We’re honored to play a really good team that played in the postseason the past two years. (ULL coach) Mike Desormeaux does a really good job with them and they’re like every other team in Louisiana — they’re full of Louisiana kids and Texas kids. They’re a well-coached team and we’re excited for the opportunity.” 

Joseph hopes that knowing about many Louisiana players will benefit his game plan. 

“I don’t think they have any film on us. They’re going to have to pick and choose what they study. We understand what they want to do on offense — they’re a 12-personnel team that wants to run the ball. 

“They’re a solid football team all around. Their receiving is really good but the strength of that team is their offensive line.” 

Joseph admits he doesn’t know what to expect defensively from the Cajuns. 

“They’ve brought in a new defensive coordinator and we don’t know what they’re going to do, so we’ve got to be ready for anything,” Joseph said.  

The Tigers return veteran quarterback Myles Crawley, who was picked as the preseason SWAC Offensive Player of the Year and is on the Walter Payton Award preseason watch list. 

Last season the redshirt-senior from Lithonia, Georgia, threw from 2,303 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 60 percent of his passes (197-of-328).  

Crawley was the first Grambling State quarterback to throw for at least 2,000 yards in a season since Devante Kincaid in 2017 and the first GSU QB to throw at least 16 touchdowns since Geremy Hickbottom in 2018.  

Grambling has a key addition to its offensive backfield in redshirt senior K’Travion “Bull” Hargrove, a transfer from Memphis after time at Mississippi State. 

As a high school junior, Hargrove was a workhorse for Ruston High. On 205 carries, the 5-11, 185 pounder ran for 1,537 yards and 20 touchdowns, adding 460 yards and six TD’s on receptions. Injuries slowed him as a senior but he was still a high-major recruit. 

“I like what Bull can do,” Joseph said. “I know what Bull can do. 

“Bull’s a kid that’s going to run it 20-25 times a game. He’s a great kid. He’s a great human being and we’re glad we’ve got him back home. He’s going to be big for us on offense.” 

Joseph said his Tigers will need to focus on all three phases of the game against the Ragin’ Cajuns. 

“They’re Lafayette, so you know they’re going to run the ball and try to impose their will on you,” Joseph said. “We’ve got to come out and try to compete in all phases of the game. We’re going to have to try to play error-free. We can’t have missed assignments because they’ll make you pay for those, and they’ll also make you play if you’re not physical.” 

Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com

By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director 

Gents’ football is now just eight days away from the regular-season opener at home against the Hendrix College Warriors in a historic contest set for next Saturday, Sept. 7 at Atkins Field on the Centenary campus.

Centenary will prep for its first official intercollegiate game in decades with a  scrimmage on Saturday at 6 p.m. against Community Christian College Louisiana at Atkins Field. There is no admission charge.

“2024 marks a pivotal growth season for our football program,” said Gents’ head coach Byron Dawson. “We’ve seen progress in our team dynamics, staff development, and facility enhancements.

“The challenge now lies in managing this growth while fostering a strong team culture. Although we’ve addressed key areas of depth, there’s still much work ahead. Every year demands a fresh start, and this is a new year, a new team, and a new dream.

“With a young roster and an emerging program, we’re still in the process of evaluating players to find the right mix for our first NCAA season. The excitement and support from the Centenary community are truly inspiring. The journey begins, now we go!”

The Gents play 10 regular-season games – five at home and five on the road.  Season tickets for the season are now on sale and available for purchase at www.gocentenary.com. 

MEN’S SOCCER:  The Gents, led by fourth-year head coach Kevin White, will begin their season on Saturday with a non-conference match against Piedmont in Columbus, Miss. 

Centenary will face the Lions and the Huntingdon Hawks a day later on the campus of Mississippi University for Women in a pair of neutral-site contests. The Gents and Lions will meet for the first time while the match against the Hawks will be the third all-time between the two programs. Centenary recorded a 5-2 win over Huntingdon at home last season.

The Gents finished 4-9-3 overall and 1-6-1 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference last season and were 3-4-1 at home and 1-5-2 in road/neutral contests. Centenary was picked ninth (tied with Schreiner) in the SCAC preseason poll.

WOMEN’S SOCCER: The Ladies, led by fifth-year head coach Morgan Dorsey, will open their regular season Sunday with a non-conference match versus the East Texas Baptist Tigers in Marshall, Texas at 4 p.m. 

Centenary will prep for the opener with an exhibition match against the University of Texas at Dallas Comets (a Division III opponent) in Richardson, Texas this evening at 6 p.m.

The Ladies were 1-12-3 overall last season and 0-6-1 in conference play while finishing 1-4-2 at home and 0-8-1 in road/neutral contests. Despite the Ladies’ struggles last season, one constant theme was strong defense. Centenary held 12 of its 16 opponents to two goals or less and recorded four shutouts. The Maroon and White held seven opponents to one goal or less and one of the highlights of the season was earning a scoreless tie at Austin College, despite only traveling with 11 players due to injuries. 

VOLLEYBALL:  The Ladies begin their regular season at home this weekend as they play host to the annual Cajun Country Classic today and Saturday in the Gold Dome. Centenary will be joined for the two-day event by Howard Payne, Louisiana Christian, and Millsaps. Centenary plays LCU today at 6 p.m. and then plays a pair of matches on Saturday – facing Howard Payne at 9 a.m. and Millsaps at 1 p.m. 

Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

I didn’t need an alarm clock to wake up Monday morning.

Instead, there was Skippy the Wonder Bichon standing on my chest while I pried open my eyes.

“Today’s THE day,” the Skipper gleefully announced.

“You mean this is the day you actually obey me?” I replied.

“It’s GAME WEEK, baby, the start of our college football picks,” Skip said. “You, the self-proclaimed Mad Dog and your alleged 44 previous years of experience vs. me and my ambidextrous whizzing ability.

“I’ve been training for this the entire off-season. Yoga for hind leg flexibility. I spent a week with the state police K-9 drug dog unit learning to elevate my sniffing to the next level.”

Yes finally, the Skipperoo makes his official Shreveport Bossier Journal college football picks debut. He follows my 25-year tradition of previous Higgins Wonder Bichons Sophie and Buddy 1 who were canine college football-predicting trailblazers.

Here’s Skippy’s picking method as established by his predecessors:

On his daily morning walks when he marks the entire neighborhood relieving himself, a left leg lift means Skip is picking the visiting team in a matchup. A right leg lift means he’s choosing the home team.

If the game is played at a neutral site, the team whose school is located closest to the game site will be the designated home team.

Here we go with Week 1 of the 2024 season: 

No. 13 LSU vs. No. 23 USC, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Sunday, 6:30 p.m. (ABC) 

Betting line: LSU favored by 4½ points 

The skinny: Tigers’ head coach Brian Kelly spent $16.11 million signing a completely new defensive staff. With LSU losing four straight season openers (the last two under Kelly), he and Tigers’ fans want an immediate return on investment vs. the Trojans. The key matchup for the weekend will be Las Vegas police vs. some of the expected 30,000 LSU fans invading Sin City trying to swim the Bellagio fountain to cool themselves in the 105-degree heat. 

Mad Dog’s pick: Nuss Bus Ti-gahs 31, Surfer Dudes 27 

Skippy’s pick: LSU 

No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Clemson, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Saturday, 11 a.m. (ABC) 

Betting line: Georgia favored by 13½ 

The skinny: Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is not keen on buying players from the transfer portal. Georgia has so much money for NIL deals that it probably has a separate account to pay for the 300 or more driving-related traffic offenses by Kirby Smart’s players in his nine years as head coach. 

Mad Dog’s pick: Kirby’s NASCAR All-Stars 35, Dabo’s Principles 13 

Skippy’s pick: Georgia 

No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M, Kyle Field, College Station, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. (ABC) 

Betting line: A&M favored by 3 

The skinny: What more could you ask for in a season opener? A mascot in a leprechaun suit vs. an all-male cheerleading squad dressed like mental hospital attendants. Definite culture-clash. 

Mad Dog’s pick: Four-Leaf Clover Pickers 31, Gig’ Em Ags 23

Skippy’s pick: Texas A&M

No. 19 Miami (Fla.) at Florida, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

Betting line: Miami favored by 2½ 

The skinny: Florida needs to win its games on the front end of its schedule because the Gators’ last four games are against preseason No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 12 LSU and No. 10 Florida State. Somebody in the SEC office doesn’t like Florida head coach Billy Napier. 

Mad Dog’s pick: Hot Seat Billy 24, Miami Vice 20 

Skippy’s pick: Miami 

Western Kentucky at No. 5 Alabama, Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Saturday, 6 p.m. (ESPN) 

Betting line: Alabama favored by 32 

The skinny: First-year Alabama head coach Kalen Deboer’s predecessor Nick Saban was 17-0 in season openers (7-0 vs. ranked teams) with an average victory margin of 31.7. Alabama has won 22 straight openers. Welcome to the pressure cooker, Kalen. 

Mad Dog’s pick: Nicktatorless Tide 38, Western Kain-tuck 3 

Skippy’s pick: Alabama 

In other games: 

Colorado State at No. 4 Texas, DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Saturday, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN) 

Betting line: Texas favored by 32 

Mad Dog’s pick: Spies of Texas Are Upon You 49, Rocky Mountain (No) Way 0 

Skippy’s pick: Texas 

Nicholls at Louisiana Tech, Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, Saturday, 7 p.m. (ESPN+) 

Betting line: Louisiana Tech favored by 8½ 

Mad Dog’s pick: Teddy Alllllen Techsters 30, Wooden Nicholls 17 

Skippy’s pick: Louisiana Tech 

Grambling at UL-Lafayette, Cajun Field, Lafayette, Saturday, 7 p.m. (ESPN+) 

Betting line: ULL favored by 33½ 

Mad Dog’s pick: Perturbed Cajuns 41, G-Men 14 

Skippy’s pick: UL-Lafayette 

Virginia Tech at Vanderbilt, FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, Saturday, 11 a.m. (ESPN) 

Betting line: Virginia Tech favored by 13½ 

Mad Dog’s pick: Hokie-Pokies 35, Comicaldores 24 

Skippy’s pick: Virginia Tech

Southern Miss at Kentucky, Kroger Field, Lexington, Saturday, 6:45 p.m. (SEC Network) 

Betting line: Kentucky favored by 28 

Mad Dog’s pick: Crazy Kitties 37, Southern Missed 17 

Skippy’s pick: Kentucky

Contact Ron and Skippy at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Sports Information Director

TULSA, Oklahoma – When kickoff arrives for Northwestern State’s 2024 season opener at Tulsa, it will mark nine months to the day since first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle stood in the Stroud Room and introduced himself to the Demon fan base.

It took much longer than nine months for McCorkle to ascend to his current position – a journey that hits another milepost at 7 p.m. tonight when the Demons begin their 117^th season of football at Tulsa on ESPN+.

“I’ll have my emotions on game day and be excited for it, because nine months ago, we were standing in this room when I took this job,” McCorkle said. “I mentioned this has been a 26-year journey for me to get to a Division I program in the state of Louisiana, and here we are. I’m very thankful and grateful for that. It will be special, but we came here for these kids.

“To see them go out and play and do what they came here to do, I’ll be more excited for that. I’ve had my day and done that. It’s their turn, and I’m blessed to be the one to lead them out there.”

The matchup is the second all-time meeting between Northwestern and Tulsa – the first in 41 years. For the current Demon roster, it stands as the first time it hits the field since Oct. 19, 2023.

The Demons, to a man, are more than ready to see a different opponent across the line.

“We’re very eager,” junior linebacker Cadillac Rhone said. “It was a long offseason – a lot of weight training sessions and running, spring practice and fall camp. We’ve been hitting each other a long time. We definitely are eager to face somebody else.”

McCorkle’s addition – and that of most of his staff – isn’t the only change within the program.

Rhone, a Many High School product who led the Football Championship Subdivision in forced fumbles at 0.5 per game, has moved to linebacker in new defensive coordinator Matt Conner’s system.

That also includes a roster that is nearly split down the middle in terms of returning players and newcomers.

The Demons open the McCorkle era by facing a Tulsa team that enters its second season under head coach Kevin Wilson after posting a 4-8 mark in 2023.

“They are very similar to us but at a different level,” McCorkle said. “They have a pile of new players themselves. You look at the two-deep and the film and you can pick out a few guys who you know are going to be there, but the majority of their team will be a guessing game.

“They are doing it at the FBS level, and we’re at the FCS level. It’s a little different animal we’re dealing with. Like coach Conner says, they’re not going to eat us, so let’s play ball.”

For the Demons’ group of seniors, playing ball again has been a long time coming.

Now that it has arrived, the plan for the 12 regular-season games on the schedule is simple.

“I’m soaking in every moment we have right now,” tight end Chance Newman said. “I’m going to go out and enjoy every bit of it. That’s the goal for me – go out, have fun, be physical and try to get this win. If we can go out and execute, we’ll put ourselves in position to play a good football game and build confidence for these guys.”

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director

Overshadowed by the official return of football at Centenary finally just a couple of Saturdays away, other fall sports teams will get their seasons underway this week.

Gents’ football is now just less than two weeks away from the regular-season opener against the Hendrix Warriors, practicing daily in preparation for its first NCAA football season in over a half-century. The Gents and Warriors will begin their seasons on Saturday, Sept. 7 at Atkins Field on the Centenary campus with kickoff set for 7 p.m. 

Coach Byron Dawson’s squad will tune up with a scrimmage Saturday at 6 p.m. at Atkins Field against Louisiana Community Christian. There is no admission charge for the preseason contest.

As part of a five-member Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference football loop, the Gents and other SCAC teams will play a double round robin schedule this season with each team playing the other home and away for an eight-game conference schedule. Conference competition will begin the second weekend of the season, September 14.

Meanwhile, the 2024-25 Centenary Athletics campaign begins this Friday as the Ladies’ volleyball team hosts the Cajun Country Classic in the Gold Dome with matches continuing on Saturday. 

The Ladies, led by first-year head coach Kayla Black, will play one match on Friday and a pair on Saturday and welcome Howard Payne, Louisiana Christian, and Millsaps to town for a two-day event with six total matches.  

Centenary plays LCU at 6 Friday evening, then competes twice Saturday, at 9 a.m. against Howard Payne and facing Millsaps at 1 o’clock.

On Saturday, the men’s soccer team faces the Piedmont Lions in Columbus, Miss., in a non-conference match at 3 p.m. to open its season. The Gents, led by fourth-year head coach Kevin White, will then face the Huntingdon Hawks on Sunday, Sept. 1 on the campus of Mississippi University for Women at 2 p.m. 

The Gents and Lions will meet for the first time while the match against the Hawks will be the third all-time between the two programs. Centenary recorded a 5-2 win over Huntingdon at home last season.

The women’s soccer team opens its season on Sunday at East Texas Baptist in a non-conference match set for 4 p.m. in Marshall, Texas. The Ladies will prep for their opener with an exhibition match at the University of Texas at Dallas on Friday at 6 p.m. in Richardson, Texas. 

SPORTS MEDICINE: Brandon Henschel and Hallie Little have joined the Centenary Athletics Sports Medicine department, Director of Athletics and Recreation David Orr announced.

Henschel, a native of Iron River, Mich., is the new head athletic trainer while Little, a native of Shreveport, joins the department as an athletic trainer.

Henschel comes to Centenary from ULM, where he served as an assistant trainer with football, volleyball, beach volleyball, softball, and men’s basketball teams from March 2023 to July 2024.

Henschel earned his bachelor’s in athletic training from Central Michigan in 2022. He is currently working on his master’s in exercise science from ULM.

Little, a 1999 graduate of Arkansas State, is an experienced swimming instructor who has coached for 10 years and teaches ISR, which is a swimming resource that teaches infants six months and older how to survive if they fall in the water.

She became certified in athletic training in 2023 and worked PRN for Willis-Knighton Health System and Christus Health System before coming to Centenary.

Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu

By JASON PUGH, NSU Sports Information

The Northwestern State football team is seven days away from the first game of the Blaine McCorkle era.

Since McCorkle arrived on campus in late November, the Demons have enjoyed a “night and day” turnaround.

“When we first got here – I took the job Nov. 27 and we had that first team meeting – we had guys stand up and introduce themselves and each other, and they didn’t know each other’s names,” McCorkle said ahead of Thursday’s Northwestern State/Independence Bowl Kickoff Luncheon at Superior’s Steakhouse. “Now when I have individual meetings with them, all they talk about is how close they are as a team. In my opinion as a staff, we still have a long way to go in that category, but they are buying into the team mind-set and putting the team first. In this day and age, that’s kind of a rare thing with NIL and the transfer portal. They’re seeing things big picture.

“They’re a group of guys, right now, that I think are excited to be at Northwestern State. It’s been a fun transformation to watch. If we can continue to build on that, the football piece on the field will come.”

The on-field transformation will be on display for the first time when Northwestern opens its 2024 season at Tulsa on Aug. 29. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

With fall camp in the rearview mirror, the Demons have moved into preparation for their first Thursday night season opener since beginning the 2019 campaign under the Thursday night lights at UT Martin.

McCorkle and his staff, which includes one holdover assistant coach, struck a near perfect balance in terms of roster construction.

“We have 107 guys on the roster,” McCorkle said. “Fifty-four of them are brand new. Fifty-three are returners, so right at 50 percent were not on the roster last year. It’s been neat to see the culture come together and blend both of those groups. I’m excited about where we are. As a coaching staff, we pinched ourselves a couple of times during preseason because it went so smoothly. Things are going well. The guys worked hard and had a good attitude, and I think they’re ready to play football again. Our football team hasn’t played a game since mid-October, so we’re on the longest break in the country.”

During that break and throughout his nine or so months on campus, McCorkle along with his staff has built a trust that has permeated throughout the roster – one McCorkle hopes will continue to multiply throughout the season.

“They knew there were a lot of things within the department, within the locker room and within themselves they had to change to get it right,” he said. “It’s been neat to watch and see guys find what they have to do personally to make it right, because it starts with you individually. They’re buying into it. They’re believing it. As we go down the roster, there are very few guys we say aren’t there yet, speaking from a buy-in and cultural standpoint. We’ve come a long way in a short time. We’re not there yet by any means, but it’s been encouraging to watch.”

Contact Jason at pughj@nsula.edu

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – After committing $16.11 million for the next three seasons to hire a new defensive staff, LSU head football coach Brian Kelly expects an immediate return on a massive investment beginning with basic non-negotiable expectations.

“It starts with the players having an energy and enthusiasm for the coaches in which they’re playing for,” Kelly said Wednesday with the 2024 season opener vs. USC in Las Vegas on Sept. 1, just 12 days away. “I thought at times we’ve lacked that, but I’m now seeing that on a consistent basis.”

Well, what about that Harold Perkins?

“The defense feels like he (new defensive coordinator Blake Baker) gives us the confidence to go out there and just do we do best,” said Perkins, the Tigers’ junior preseason AP first-team All-American linebacker. “And that’s attack.”

Kelly, who has always coached more on the offense side of the ball, also prefers a defense that keeps quarterbacks guessing.

“If you don’t know where (defensive) guys are lined up every down, the quarterback doesn’t know what he’s getting every play,” Kelly said.

Such guesswork and confusion can also trickle down to the offensive linemen.

“The stunts and the footwork that we’re using to be put in certain positions is definitely creative,” said Gio Paez, the new LSU starting defensive tackle transfer from Wisconsin. “It’s going to create a lot of problems for the (offensive) tackles and guards.”

But all of the above doesn’t matter if a defense caves on third down and allows the opposing offense to make plays to extend drives.

Of LSU’s many terrible defensive stats from last year’s 10-3 season, being ranked 114th nationally in third-down conversion defense (44.8 percent allowed) in the 130-team FBS was the worst indictment of the Tigers’ ineptness.

“Blake has done a really good job with the defenses that he’s coached, having ways to get off the field on third down,” Kelly said.

Tigers’ linebacker Whit Weeks thinks he and his defensive teammates are now suitably armed with such schemes to make big plays on key downs.

“We get to fly around and go make plays and have fun doing it because we have a lot of blitz packages now,” Weeks said. “There’s way more blitzes, which cause negative plays.”

Several LSU defenders have raved about the football education they’ve received from the new assistants.

Starting senior defensive end Sai’vion Jones, who has just seven sacks in 38 career games (16 starts) as a Tiger, has shown a consistent knack in the preseason for pressuring quarterbacks. He gives full credit to new edge rush coach Kevin Peoples for opening his eyes to fresh techniques.

“Kevin Peoples introduced me to things I can work on, like improving my reaction off the ball by studying the first thing that moves on each (offensive) lineman when the ball is snapped,” Jones said.

“I also didn’t know there are two different pass rush tracks. If I want the offensive lineman to turn his shoulders more and make him get high on me, I do a speed track which is six yards behind him. But if I want him to plant his feet and be able to work him with a finesse move, I’ll go four yards behind his feet.”

Starting sophomore cornerback Ashton Stamps said being coached by new defensive backs coach Corey Raymond has been a revelation.

Raymond, a former LSU defensive back who spent the last two seasons at Florida, produced seven first-team All-Americans and 14 NFL draft choices (including four first-rounders) as the Tigers’ secondary and cornerbacks coach from 2012 through 2021.

His resume gives him automatic credibility with Stamps and the rest of the secondary.

“He focuses on the smallest details,” Stamps said of Raymond, “and he’s a tough coach. He’s not there to be a friend.

“I thought about his past (LSU) players like `Sting’ (former two-time All-American cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.). Coach was tough on them and that’s maybe why they’re successful. If he’s tough on you, he cares about you. He sees potential in you, so he keeps pushing you.”

Kelly is eager to see his defense against live bullets a week from Sunday vs. the Trojans.

“I like the way our corners have held up (in preseason) on the outside,” Kelly said. “We all lived through last year (allowing) too many big plays on defense. We’ve eliminated those chunk plays.

“We’re still moving guys around inside (on the defensive front), but we’ve got five guys that we’re rotating in. Our edge is going to be pretty good, but our pass rush is going to be manufactured.

“It’s not going to be just four down (linemen), pin your ears back. It’s also going to be nickels and safeties and linebackers and different guys coming from different pressures.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

JOURNAL SPORTS

New Northwestern State football coach Blaine McCorkle speaks today as Superior’s Steakhouse hosts a traditional preseason luncheon previewing the Demons’ upcoming football season.

Fans are asked to pay at the door with cash or checks. The luncheon is sponsored by John and Lynne Manno of Shreveport.

The public is invited to join the event in Ballroom B inside Superior’s Steakhouse, located at 855 Pierremont Avenue in Shreveport. The luncheon begins at 11:45 a.m., one week ahead of the Demons’ Aug. 29 season opener at Tulsa.

Cost for the all-inclusive lunch is $20 and includes water or tea, a salad, a plated meal and dessert. Reservations are being accepted by contacting the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl office at 318-221-0721.

“This event is something our department looks forward to being involved with,” NSU Director of Athletics Kevin Bostian said. “This kickoff to football season is one of the longer standing traditions for us and for the Shreveport-Bossier community, which means so much to Northwestern State from a current student and from an alumni standpoint. We are eager to connect with our fan base and allow them to hear from coach McCorkle about the 2024 season.”

McCorkle took over at Northwestern late last year after six seasons rebuilding a downtrodden Division III program in his first head coaching stint at Belhaven (Miss.). The Blazers were nationally ranked in a 10-1 playoff season last year and went 24-7 in his last three seasons, including 19-6 in USA South conference action, winning the 2023 league crown.

He was a deep snapper at LSU in the late 1990s and played in two Independence Bowls for coach Gerry DiNardo’s Tigers. The 48-year-old has previously been an assistant coach (offensive line) at Delaware, Richmond, Liberty, Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga, among others. His brother Sammy is head coach at Dartmouth and their dad, Sam, was a college assistant at various levels, including stints at Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Kentucky.

JOURNAL SPORTS

BATON ROUGE – Longtime Tiger Stadium public address announcer Dan Borné will be temporarily stepping away from the booth to manage several health concerns, the university announced on Tuesday.

Borné, who has served as LSU’s public address announcer in Tiger Stadium for 38 years, is hopeful that he can return at some point in 2024. Borné also serves as the public address announcer for LSU men’s basketball games in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, a position he’s held for 36 years. 

“We are going to miss hearing Dan’s voice fill Tiger Stadium on Saturday nights,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “Dan has been a big part of creating the atmosphere and energy in Tiger Stadium. We hope for a speedy recovery for Dan and look forward to his return to the booth in Tiger Stadium.”

The longtime voice of Alex Box Stadium, Bill Franques, will take over in the interim for Borné.

LSU’s first home game is Sept. 14 against Nicholls, beginning a string of four straight Tiger Stadium appearances.

JOURNAL SPORTS

SUWANEE, Ga. — In balloting by the league’s head coaches, Centenary’s fledgling football program is projected for a middle of the pack finish while McMurry is picked atop the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference’s 2024 league football race.

The SCAC released its poll Monday, as Centenary football players reported to begin preseason practice. Some Gents have been studying abroad in France.

In what will be the SCAC’s first football season since 2016, the War Hawks were the unanimous choice to finish atop the conference, earning 25 points in the balloting and all five first-place votes. Texas Lutheran, who ended the 2023 campaign with a 2-8 mark (1-5 ASC), finished second in the polling with 19 points.

Centenary College, who will kick off its first season of varsity football in over 50 years, was the coaches’ third choice and finished with 12 points in the balloting followed closely by Austin College (1-9; 0-6 ASC) with 10 points and Lyon College, who finished 4-4 in its first season playing an NCAA Division III schedule, with nine points.

As a five-member football league, the SCAC will play a double round robin schedule in 2024 with each team playing the other home and away for an eight-game conference schedule. Conference competition will begin the second weekend of the season, September 14.

Among players to watch in the SCAC in 2024, these Centenary players were cited by the league:

• Vance Feuerbacher, Centenary (sophomore quarterback) – expected to start under center for the Gents; was QB1 to open 2023 before an injury ended his season.

• Joshua Ware, Centenary (sophomore running back) – one of the team’s leading ground gainers, including team-high 48 yards on 16 carries in season finale against Lyon.

The SCAC football season begins on Saturday, Sept. 7, with all five teams in non-conference action. The first week’s schedule is highlighted by Centenary hosting its first football game since the 1960s with an on-campus contest against future conference opponent Hendrix College. 

The first slate of conference games will follow on Saturday, Sept. 14 as Centenary travels to Texas Lutheran and Lyon heads to McMurry for the first conference football games since November 2016. Both of those games are scheduled for 6 o’clock kickoffs.

By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director

Centenary’s first official intercollegiate football season in many decades kicks off soon and thanks to a new streaming partnership, Gents fans can watch home action online.

Centenary Athletics and KTAL have agreed on a partnership to stream all Centenary athletics home events across 19 varsity sports during the 2024-25 athletics season.

Various sponsorship and advertising opportunities will be available including digital, print, and gameday-specific ones.

“We are proud and honored to partner with the Centenary College of Louisiana Athletic Department to livestream every home game on KTALnews.com/gocentenary,” said Marissa Diaz, KTAL’s digital director. “This partnership exemplifies our pledge to help our partners succeed and an invest in our communities.”

Centenary Director of Athletics and Recreation David Orr said the partnership will greatly broaden exposure for the college’s NCAA Division III athletics program, and strengthen local ties.

“Our coaches and student-athletes have a strong love and connection with Shreveport-Bossier City and we are all proud to represent Centenary and our community. It is obvious that aligning Centenary Athletics with KTAL Sports, with our combined love for our community, would be natural,” he said.

“We want to earn and gain support and excitement from our community by providing the opportunity for the Shreveport-Bossier audience to stream Centenary athletic contests along with attending the live events on our campus,” Orr said. “We strive to be Shreveport-Bossier’s Team and KTAL is a great partner, aligned with the values of community and service.” 

GYMNASTICS HONORS:  Nine Centenary gymnasts won national academic acclaim for the 2023-24 academic year from the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association.

Centenary finished 71st nationally in team grade-point average (3.43) and two Ladies earned a perfect 4.0 GPA and all nine had a 3.50 GPA or above.

The Ladies recognized and their majors and GPAs:

Freshman Hayden Cagle (Austin, Texas): Chemistry – 3.97 GPA

Sophomore Claire Flores (Oklahoma City, Okla.): Business – 3.50 GPA

Senior Kendall Huff (Riviera, Texas): Business Administration – 4.0 GPA

Junior Emma Lavelle (Mandeville, La.): Mathematics – 4.0 GPA

Freshman Cecilia Paredes (Rockwall, Texas): Kinesiology – 3.75 GPA

Senior Isabel Plaza (San Antonio, Texas): Biology – 3.59 GPA

Sophomore Sophie Schmitz (Trophy Club, Texas): Business – 3.83 GPA

Sophomore Olivia Stratmann (Houston, Texas): Kinesiology – 3.85 GPA

Senior Lacey Wedge (Belle Chasse, La.): Business Administration – 3.70 GPA

The WCGA is the advocate for women’s collegiate gymnastics.

FOOTBALL ADDS ASSISTANT COACH: Jenetrell Oliver has joined the Centenary football staff as defensive ends coach/analyst. 

Oliver, a native of Keithville, is a practicing attorney and reunites with Dawson after playing for him at Evangel Christian Academy from 2009-12. Oliver was an All-State defensive lineman and was a part of two state championship teams.

Oliver continued his athletic career at Louisiana-Lafayette as a running back for the Ragin’ Cajuns. He was part of two New Orleans Bowl championship teams. An injury sidelined him for a year, during which he pivoted to coaching, leading the defensive line at Southern Lab High School in Baton Rouge in 2014.

After graduating, Oliver became defensive coordinator at Logansport High School in 2016, where he helped produce the team’s first undefeated season and their second state championship in 20 years. He then enrolled at the Southern University Law Center.

After earning his degree, Oliver returned home to establish Oliver & Watkins Legacy Law Firm LLC and 4Points Construction. Concurrently, he resumed his coaching career at Evangel Christian.

The Gents begin their preseason workouts Monday.

Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – When entering your post-graduate years of playing college football, you’ve learned a few things about the sport.

“I understand this is a business,” said new LSU defensive tackle Gio Paez, a sixth-year Wisconsin graduate who in late March transferred after the Badgers lost to the Tigers last January in the ReliaQuest Bowl. “But I wasn’t making crazy (financial NIL) demands (when transferring). I’m not all about that.”

Neither is new Tigers’ fifth-year senior wide receiver CJ Daniels, who graduated and transferred from Liberty in mid-January after leading the Flames to a Fiesta Bowl berth vs. Oregon.

Though unhappy Liberty head Jamey Chadwell told Yahoo Sports that LSU is paying Daniels $300,000 and providing him a car and apartment, that’s not necessarily why he’s now a Tiger awaiting the Sept. 1 season opener vs. USC in Las Vegas.

On his LSU recruiting visit, Daniels walked into the Tigers receivers (meeting) room (in the football complex) and glanced at a mural. It was filled with action portraits of LSU’s first-round NFL draft choices such as Ja’Marr Chase, Odell Beckham Jr., and Justin Jefferson.

“When I saw all those players, I was like `I want to be a part of that’,” said Daniels, who had a four-year Liberty career total of 106 catches for 1,954 yards and 21 touchdowns. “I wanted to go somewhere where I compete and grow every day.”

Paez and Daniels sought situations where they could develop untapped parts of their talents, become immediate starters and increase their NFL Draft stock.

The 6-3, 305-pound Paez, a Los Angeles native, played in 33 games with 6 starts (all last season) in five years for Wisconsin. He said he had no clue he would transfer, even before the bowl game in which he admitted he aimed a steady stream of trash-talk at his future LSU teammates.

But after the bowl, Paez wanted to become a well-rounded D-lineman. He felt it wouldn’t happen if he stayed with the Badgers.

“At Wisconsin, we were all about stopping the run,” Paez said. “I wanted to be able to transition to pass rushing, getting free from being blocked and being disruptive. That’s what (LSU D-line) Coach Bo (Davis) has helped us do. I’ve had a lot of great line coaches, but Coach Bo is definitely bringing out the best in me.

“He says it’s not a sin to get blocked, but it’s a sin to stay blocked. You take that philosophy to what I’ve done in the past of eating blocks and letting our linebackers flow, to now being encouraged to be disruptive and aggressive.”

Paez said it wasn’t long after entering the portal that Davis made initial contact.

“I just asked him to be authentic and straightforward,” Paez said Davis. “He’s done nothing but that.”

The 6-2, 205-pound Daniels, originally a three-star rated recruit from Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview High, entered the transfer portal just days after he finished his best college season.

“My phone blew up,” said Daniels, whose 55 catches for 1,067 yards and 10 TDs immediately got calls from Florida, Texas and Arizona among others. “LSU wasn’t even in my top schools until (offensive coordinator) Coach (Joe) Sloan called me.

“I’d see a few (LSU) games (on TV) last season. I knew with (Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback) Jayden Daniels and (first-round NFL draft choice receivers) Malik (Nabers) and B.T. (Brian Thomas), they were a very explosive team.

“He (Sloan) told me to come visit. They had a great plan for me. They’d already set in stone a lot of things I wanted to do (to improve).”

Daniels admitted he struggled in spring practice adjusted to Sloan’s offense.

“For me, it’s easier to learn the offense as a concept instead of learning a specific spot,” Daniels said. “The spring was definitely cloudy for me. You have to learn the plays here faster than I did at Liberty.

“But between (the end of) spring and (the start of) fall camp, I met every day with the coaches just to get everything down. It makes it easier for me to play fast.”

CAMP NOTES: LSU head coach Brian Kelly said Wednesday that the Tigers’ third practice in as many days was about pushing through fatigue in temperatures with a heat index of more than 105 degrees. “You’re trying to build a mindset with your team,” Kelly said after the Tigers’ 11th preseason practice. “Today was trying to really put our guys in stressful situations, both on offense and defense, and, you know, being able to, you know, handle those with the right balance of emotional control, execution, smart decisions.

“We’re going to have to win close games. We’re going to have to be mentally strong late in games, and we’re going to have to have that kind of mindset that when things get difficult we’re going to be able to overcome and win, and in particularly on the road.”

LSU has three more days of consecutive practices before taking off Sunday followed by the final six days of preseason practice leading into game week preparations for the season opener.

“We are getting close to moving day, like in golf (tournaments),” Kelly said. “These guys need to understand that over the next few days, we need to see who the guys are who can stack days together. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are kind of moving days for us. We need to see those guys who can stack days together.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – LSU starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier vouches that the defensive schemes of the new Tigers’ defensive coordinator, Blake Baker, aren’t easy to decipher.

“He’s definitely one of the more complex coaches I’ve faced,” Nussmeier said after the Tigers’ ninth preseason practice. “Every day, there’s a (new defensive) look. I have to make sure I’m in the right protection or reading the right guy. He challenges me and our offense in different ways.”

The essence of what made Baker’s defenses the last two seasons at Missouri so effective is no secret. He made his schemes simple and relatable so his defenders could react rather than become mentally paralyzed with too much rolling around in their heads.

It’s the opposite of how LSU defenders played the last two seasons under former Matt House.

Too much complexity resulted in miscommunication, misalignments and too many mistakes that made the 10-3 Tigers of 2023 rank 103rd or worse nationally in six defensive stat categories.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly took a look at Missouri’s defensive numbers under Baker last season – No. 4 nationally in fumbles forced (17), 11th in sacks (18), 16th in fumbles recovered (10) and 18th in tackles for loss – and made Baker college football’s highest-paid assistant at $2.5 million annually.

“Our scheme is very user-friendly and very player-friendly,” said Baker, who was LSU linebackers coach in 2021 on Tigers’ head coach Ed Orgeron’s final staff before he was fired. “It takes time (to learn). We really work hard as a staff compartmentalizing things, putting things in buckets, and trying to give them (the players) some word association. It’s clicking with them pretty quick.”

More than one LSU defender describes Baker’s defense as allowing them to play “free.”

“Free, like you don’t have to worry about a lot on your mind,” Tigers’ cornerback Ashton Stamps said. “You have one call, one check, and not like 14 different checks. Just being free allows you to do freakish things.”

LSU All-SEC inside linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. is all in on anything Baker can design.

“Coach Baker has a spectacular mind,” Perkins said. “He can come in here right now and draw up something (a scheme) that I like. He’s always bringing fresh stuff to the table. We may come out in a look we’ve already used, but we’ll run something totally different from it.”

One of Baker’s charges is making maximum use of Perkins’ spectacular athletic ability, which seemed vastly reduced last season when he moved to middle linebacker.

Perkins is playing in the box again this season as an inside linebacker but with more confidence and knowledge instilled in him by Baker.

“Harold Perkins right now is playing on fire,” Baker said. “We’ve put a lot on his plate. We have packages (for Perkins), and we move him all around. He’s not just playing on the inside.

“I’m very pleased with Harold and his development. If you talk about where he started this thing at the beginning of spring and where he is now, it’s night and day.  I really think he’s not even scratching the surface of where he’s going to be.”

Monday began a run of 12 LSU practices in the next 13 days – six straight days this week, a recovery day on Sunday and then another six consecutive days putting the Tigers on the doorstep of season-opening game week preparation.

Baker is trying to solidify a starting lineup and playing rotation.

“We’ve been mixing a lot of people with a lot of different groups,” Baker said. “We haven’t settled into any type of depth chart. We’ve improved a lot physically since spring. The guys did a really good job in the summer on their own. We have about 90 percent of our playbook in and we’re calling it all so there’s a lot on their plate mentally.

“I’m pleased where we’re at, but we still have a long way to go. I’m still looking for more consistency. When we all do our job, we’re pretty good.”

Baker said this two-week stretch of six consecutive practices each week is huge for the defense leading into the Sept. 1 season opener vs. USC in Las Vegas.

“We’re looking for marked improvement,” Baker said. “I think the cream will start rising to the top.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com