McNeese State Season Preview
Defense will be a strong point for the defending Southland Conference co-champion McNeese State Cowboys this season with all 11 starters returning.
Actually, only 10 of those who started the last game of the 2009 season return, but linebacker Deron Minor, who was a starter at the first of the year until sidelined with an injury, is also back.
The key for the Cowboys will be if the defense can carry the load until the offense catches up. And, a key to that side of the ball will be the quarterback position where four-year starter Derrick Fourroux graduated, leaving the competition for the starting signal caller wide open.
Besides Minor, headliners on defense are expected to be tackle Desmund Lighten and free safety Malcolm Bronson. Minor was a preseason all-conference pick last season but was injured in the Tulane game and sat out the rest of the season. Lighten was a first team all-conference selection a year ago after ranking second on the team in tackles with 77 and setting a school record by recovering two fumbles for touchdowns.
Bronson, a first-team All-Southland pick in 2009, received rookie of the year honors after he led the team in tackles with 89 and made two pass interceptions.
Other returnees claiming all-conference honors on defense last year for the Cowboys are safety Darrell Jenkins, cornerback Seth Thomas, linebacker Geremy Pilate, ends Josh Ellison and Terrance Freeman.
The other starters back are tackle Damion Aultman, safety Ford Smesny and cornerback London Durham. The only starters returning on offense are tackles Miguel Gauthreaux, who is also a returning all-conference pick, Taylor Johnson and center Mase Duge.
Besides Fourroux, the Cowboys also lost All-American running back Toddrick Pendland, all-conference tight end Wes Mangan and all-conference offensive tackle Casey Richter.
Champlain Babin, who rushed for 395 yards on six yards per carry last year, and Marcus Wiltz, up from the redshirt ranks, are expected to handle the tailback posts while there are four vying for the starting quarterback role.
McNeese added some experience at quarterback during the summer when graduate student Jacob Bower enrolled. Bower saw playing time the past two years at Tulsa. Zack O'Quinn, Cody Stroud and Blake Barousse all got in spring action but none have taken a snap in a real collegiate game. Incoming freshman Will Briscoe could also be in the mix.
Corday Clark, who caught 26 passes for five touchdowns last year, will step in at tright end and the Cowboys will have a good group of players at wide receiver including John Leday, Damion Dixon, Chris Royal, Deviontae Edmonson and Bernardo Henry.
On the offensive line, Jonathan Landry and Marcus Bellow are expected to be starters as well.
Josh Lewis, who booted eight field goals and 44-of-49 PATs last season, returns as the team's place kicker while Ben Bourgeois and incoming freshman James Bice will handle the punting duties.