Football Preview: Lamar Cardinals
Lamar Athletics
Lamar Preview (PDF)
STORYLINES
• Lamar tied a school record for wins last season by posting an 8-4 record. The Cardinals go in search of their first back-to-back winning seasons since the 1966 and 1967 campaigns.
• Lamar will enter the season with a new offensive coordinator as former offensive line coach Chuck Langston takes over as OC.
OFFENSE
• The Lamar quarterback battle for 2015 will come down between two players who have never taken a snap in a Cardinals uniform, as both transferred in following the 2014 season. Joe Minden transferred from conference rival Stephen F. Austin, while Carson Earp is a junior college transfer from Navarro College.
• Senior receiver Reggie Begelton is on pace to become the school’s all-time leading receiver in touchdown catches and receiving yards. He enters the 2015 campaign as the school’s all-time leader in receptions.
DEFENSE
• Lamar returns all four starters in its secondary from a squad that finished second in the Southland last season in pass defense. This following a season in which Lamar had to replace all four starters in the secondary.
• Lamar’s defense will be headlined by the return of 2014 second-team All-Southland selections Xavier Bethany, Omar Tebo, and Ronnie Jones, who led the team in tackles last season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Lamar returns sophomore kicker Juan Carranco from a freshman season that saw him receive Southland Conference Special Teams Player of the Week, and CFPA National Punter of the Week honors.