McNeese State Football Preview
McNeese Athletics
2014 Southland Conference Football Media Guide (PDF)
2014 McNeese Football Media Guide
McNeese State
STORYLINES
• Senior wide receivers Ernest Celestie and Wes Briscoe were both granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA during the spring. Celestie, who ranked second on the team in receptions in 2013 with 31 grabs and 565 yards, is the team’s top returning receiver. He was awarded a medical hardship season after he was forced to miss his freshman season at Texas Tech due to an injury.
• Briscoe, who made 9 catches for 115 yards before falling to a knee injury in the fourth game of the season, will get one more year and joins Celestie as returning starters in the wide out positions. The duo will be joined by returners Jereon McGilvery (11-219-2) and David Bush (20-194-1).
• Highly touted freshman WR Kent Shelby, will make his debut in 2014 after missing the 2013 season due to eligibility issues. The 6-foot, 4-inch receiver turned heads last August during workouts before being ruled ineligible. He’s expected to make an immediate impact this season.
• McNeese reaped the benefits of several transfers during the spring – RB Nate Holmes from the University of Arkansas, RB Derrick Milton from Mississippi State, and DL Brian Hine from Cisco JC – all are expected to step in right away.
• The addition of Holmes and Milton in the backfield, who join returners Kelvin Bennett (108 carries, 773 yards, 4 TD) and Dylan Long (79-335-10), are expected to give McNeese one of the most feared offensive backfields in the Southland Conference and perhaps the FCS ranks.
OFFENSE
• The big question mark for McNeese heading into the 2014 spring season was the quarterback position. McNeese lost Southland Offensive Player of the Year and school record holder Cody Stroud following the 2013. That question mark may have been answered in early June when McNeese received another highly touted transfer in QB Daniel Sams from Kansas State.
• Sams was one of the conference’s top playmakers last season as he led all Big 12 QBs with 807 rushing yards in earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors. Before leaving Kansas State, Sams ranked fourth in school history in career rushing yards (1,042) and 100-yard rushing games (three) by a quarterback. Sams, a native of Slidell, La., is related to former McNeese great B.J. Sams.
• McNeese’s young offensive line matured quickly in 2013 and became one of the top groups in the Southland ranks as the Cowboys averaged 209 rushing yards per game, 451 total offensive yards and 40 points per game. The Cowboys return 4 of the 5 starters from last year’s line including All-Star candidate Antoine Everett.
DEFENSE
• The Cowboys are high on this year’s defensive line, one that could prove to be one of the best for the squad in quite sometime. Preseason All-America candidate Everett Ellefsen (44 tackles, 7 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 int.) will be joined by returning starter Kevin Dorn (52 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 int.) as well as big and physical Sean Brown (30 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack). Throw in the transfer Hine and big boys Antonio McGhee and Danyel Hunter, McNeese will field a unit with a lot of depth.
• The secondary is young but fast and physical. Senior Aaron Sam, a preseason All-America candidate, will make the move to free safety where he can utilize his speed. True freshman Dominique Hill (5-10, 177) made a lot of noise during the spring and ended the slate in the starting backfield. Junior Gabe Hamner (48 tackles, 2 int.) along with a host of sophomores – Carlos Carroll (6-1, 177), Shea Nutt (6-3, 180), Austin Pennington (5-11, 200) and Ja’Len James (5-10, 170), will provide a lot of speed and physicality. Add in summer transfer Jermaine Antoine in the defensive backfield and the Cowboys should house one of the speediest in quite some time.
• The linebacker position sees the return of starters Bo Brown (75 tackles, 12 TFL 4 sacks) and Deonte Thompson (31 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack) along with senior Correy Middleton (17 tackles, 1 TFL) will give the unit a strong foundation. Reshirt freshman Ed Duplessis (6-2, 218) and junior Keylon Bruno (5-11, 209) will help provide depth at the spot.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Special teams took a hit with the loss of kicker Ryan Rome and return standout Diontae Spencer. However, junior punter Jean Breaux (39.5 ypg, 15 inside 20) is back and is expected to handle kicking duties as well, where he went 1-for-2 in field goals last season with a 47 yarder made, and 1-1 in PAT. Also returning is return man Khalil Thomas who averaged 24.6 kickoff return yards per game and had one to go for a 94-yard score.