Football Preview: Nicholls Colonels
Nicholls Athletics
Nicholls Preview (PDF)
STORYLINES
• Nicholls will begin a new era under Tim Rebowe, who officially became the Colonels’ 10th head coach in program history on Nov. 21, 2014.
• The Colonels are coming off their second winless campaign in program history. The team went 0-11 in 1995, but put together one of the best turnarounds in FCS history, going 8-4 in the next season which included an appearance in the playoffs.
OFFENSE
• While the Colonels lose both QBs from last season, returning to the offense is redshirt junior Tuskani Figaro. Before redshirting last season, Figaro received the majority of the snaps in 2013, going on to pass and rush for more than 1,000 yards.
• For the first time in program history, Nicholls will have two 1,000-yard rushers in the same backfield. After Figaro accomplished the feat in 2013, running back Michael Henry became the third Colonel in program history to surpass 1,000 yards after rushing for 1,005 yards last season.
DEFENSE
• The Colonels return three of their top four tacklers from last season. Linebacker Kameryon Brown is the leading returning tackler with 89 stops in 2014, followed by safety B.T. Sanders (79) and linebacker Ronnie Walker (76). Sanders tied defensive back Josh Singleton, who also returns, for the team-high with two interceptions last season, while Walker recorded a team-best five tackles for loss.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• The Colonels will need to replace a huge void in their return game with the loss of Keenan Canty, who earned All-Southland honorable mention as an all-purpose player. Along with finishing third on the team in receiving, Canty handled all the punt return duties and fielded 55 of the Colonels’ 71 kick returns.