2007 McNeese State Football Preview
LAKE CHARLES, La. - McNeese State’s defending Southland Conference champion Cowboys head into the 2007 season with credentials for a strong case to repeat as champions. The Cowboys have 57 lettermen returning of which nine starters are back on offense, six on defense and one as a specialist. And, among those returning are the league’s 2006 Player of the Year in Steven Whitehead, the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in Bryan Smith and the league’s rookie of the year in quarterback Derrick Fourroux.
Also, Matt Viator, the SLC Coach of the Year, returns for his first full season as the Cowboy head man. He took over after four games last year and led the Cowboys to a 6-2 record, to the league title and into the NCAA Division I football championship playoffs.
Besides Whitehead and Fourroux, also returning as starters on offense for the Cowboys are tailback Jamie Leonard, tight end Kyle Link, wide receiver Quinten Lawrence, tackle David Ballard, guards Eman Naghavi and Jimbo Hill and center Lance Fremin.
All-SLC wide receiver Carlese Frankln is also considered a Cowboy starter on offense as is tackle James Jordan who played guard last season.
Defensively besides Smith, starters back are Kirby Joseph at end, tackle Kenneth Lundy, linebackers Trey Bennett and Allen Nelson and cornerback Jonathan Walker. Rejoining the team this season after a year off is tackle Vaalyn Jackson who was a starter in 2005.
Blake Bercegeay, an all-SLC pick, returns as the team’s place kicker and punter.
Whitehead, Smith and Bercegeay were all selected to all-America teams last year. Whitehead led the Cowboys in pass receiving last year with 48 catches and he ranked fourth in the nation in punt returns with a 16.8 average, was 19th in kickoff returns with a 23.95 average and was 24th in all-purpose running with 131.1 yards per game.
Smith is the Cowboy “sack master” as he set a school record last season, led the conference and ranked fourth in the nation with 13.5 sacks. He also led the league in tackles for a loss with 23 for 116 yards in losses.
Bercegeay led the Cowboys in scoring with 87 points as he booted 18 of 20 field goals and made 33 of 36 PAT attempts. He will also carry over a string of 11 straight field goals made into the coming season.
In his first campaign as the Cowboy quarterback, Fourroux started all 12 games, completing 118 of 217 passes for 1,490 yards and 10 tds. He ranked second on the team in rushing with 377 yards and he averaged 155.6 yards per game total offense.
QUARTERBACK:
Derrick Fourroux claimed the job in August and never looked back. He completed 118 passes for 1,490 yards, ran for 377 yards and averaged 155.6 yards per game total offense in leading the Cowboys to the league title, the first rookie since Eric Acheson to do such. He’ll be backed up by Mark Fontenot, Bart Crader and Beau Lasseigne
TAILBACK:
Jamie Leonard returns as the team’s leading rusher from last season (605 yards and 5.9 average)
but he will be pushed by Todd Pendland, Neely Hubbard, Elrick Jones and Kris Bush. Hubbard is returning after a year’s absence. Two years ago he was third on the team in rushing and made a good showing in the spring. Bush was the team’s leading rusher in 2005.
FULLBACK:
Jordy Johnson started all but one game last season and is expected to open there. The fullback in the Cowboy makeup is used mainly as a blocker. Backing him up will be letterman Terez Jackson and redshirt Barry Guy. Bush has also lined up there.
WIDE RECEIVER:
The Cowboys list three starters there - all-American Steven Whitehead and all-SLC Carlese Franklin and Quinten Lawrence. This may be the most talented position on the Cowboy team this season. Whitehead led the squad last year in receiving and Lawrence was the leader in 2005. All three of those are game breakers and will also line up to return kickoffs and punts. Others who will see action are Ramon Smothers, Immanuel Friddle, Richard Conner, Chad Davis, John LeDay, Bernardo Henry, Tyrone Jackson and Chris Royal.
TIGHT END:
Kyle Link moved into the starting lineup last year and ranked fourth on the team in receptions with seven for 57 yards and a td. He’s big and strong and should become one of the best in the conference. Backups will be Wesley Mangan and Brannon Broussard, both having earned their first letter last season. Mangan caught two passes during the year, both for tds.
LEFT TACKLE:
James Jordan, a starter at guard last season, has been moved to take over the role held down the last three years by all-SLC performer Brent Pousson...both Jordan and his backup - Josh Hurd - are seniors
RIGHT TACKLE:
David Ballard is in his second year in that starting role with Casey Richter behind him. Ballard is one of of the strongest players on the team, having won the Cowboy bench-a-thon the last two years.
LEFT GUARD:
Pre-season all-SLC Eman Naghavi will start with redshirts Chris Robin and David Webster behind him.
RIGHT GUARD:
Jimbo Hill has been a starter the past two seasons and will have Josh Bass backing him up.
CENTER:
Lance Fremin is coming back from an injury and will resume his starting role. Eman Naghavi, who moved there last year, will be listed as a backup with help from an incoming freshmen.
PLACE KICKER:
The Cowboys have one of the best in Blake Bercegeay who has led the conference in kick scoring the last two years. He’s earned all-America and all-SLC honors
DEEP SNAPPER:
Ccenter Lance Fremin (PATs and FGS) and tight end Kyle Link (punts) will handle the position.
HOLDER:
Wide receiver Richard Conner and quarterback Beau Lasseign will handle the duties.
DEFENSIVE END:
All-American Bryan Smith and all-SLC Kirby Joseph return to give the Cowboys the two best defensive ends in the conference. Smith has been named the top defensive player in the nation in some pre-season polls. Last year he ranked fourth in the nation in sacks and set a school record with 13.5. He also led the conference in tackles for a loss with 23 (116 yards in losses). He was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan award. Backups will be lettermen Kenton Alleyne and Bryant Mason and redshirts Joshua Ellison and Brandon Zanders.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE:
The position is expected to be stronger with Kenneth Lundy back as a starter and Vaalyn Jackson, a 2005 starter, returning. Backups will be lettermen Travis Thibodeaux, Jerrell White (moved from end), Ken Jones and incoming freshmen.
LINEBACKERS:
The Cowboys could use some three linebacker alignment this season. Trey Bennett and Allen Nelson are back as starters and all-star selections while David Turnage will start at the third spot. Nelson led the team in tackles last season with 119 and Bennett was third with 87. Also returning are lettermen Deron Minor, Jared Dolan, Garren Jim and Matt Kreamer and up from the redshirt ranks are Drew Johnston and Geremy Pilate.
CORNERBACKS:
Jonathan Walker, an all-conference pick, returns as one starter and Marcus Brown has been installed as the other. Walker pulled off three pass interceptions last year. Backups will be lettermen LaDarius Key and Jeremy Haynes (shifted from wide receiver) and squadmen Brian Harvey and Dashaun Camp.
STRONG SAFETY:
The Cowboys lost both starters here including all-SLC Jamelle Juneau. Darrick Brown and Tyson Sibley will go in as starters with Josh Quayhagen, John Vigers, John Hamilton and Detrick Taylor as backups. Vigers is back after a year off.
FREE SAFETY:
Kody Knox has handled the starting role in the two past seasons and will go in No. 1 there this year...Brandt Linde will also see action as will incoming freshmen. Juneau had been moved there in the spring before losing his eligibility.
PUNTER:
Place kicker Blake Bercegeay will continue to handle this role as well as serve as place kicker. A year ago he averaged 39.4 yards on 51 punts with a long of 57. Beau Lasseigne will be the backup. He was all-district in high school as a punter and posted a 40 yard average.
KICK RETURNS:
The Cowboys have had three of the best in the nation the last two years in Steven Whitehead, Carlese Franklin and Quinten Lawrence and they all return. All three can break a game open. Whitehead earned all-American honors last year as a kick returner. He averaged 16.8 yards per punt return and ran one back for a touchdown and he posted a 23.9 yard average per ko return. Franklin averaged 17.9 yards on kickoffs and Lawrence 17.0...Todd Pendland could also see some action.