Northwestern State Preview (PDF)
STORYLINES
• Northwestern State will open the season with a conference game (at home, Sept. 3 vs. Southeastern Louisiana) for the first time as a Division I FCS member.
• The Demons broke or tied 30 school records last season, including marks set by 2015 seniors Ed Eagan (6) and Chris Moore (4).
OFFENSE
• Northwestern State enters fall practice with half a dozen contenders to start at quarterback, including sophomore J.D. Almond and junior Daniel Hazlewood.
• NSU was second in the country with a 67.2 completion percentage in 2014, the first season with Ben Norton as offensive coordinator. But 2014 senior QB Zach Adkins threw all but seven of those 390 passes.
DEFENSE
• The Purple Swarm defense will have its fourth coordinator in four years with Daryl Daye making the call for the NSU defense this season.
• While only three starters are back from 2014 (safeties Adam Jones and Chase Collins, defensive end Leroy Armstrong), among their 25 defensive lettermen returning, the Demons have six players who started at least once last season, including 2013 Freshman All-American end JeMarcus Marshall.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• For the third straight season, the Demons have the same return specialist (All-American all-purpose player Ed Eagan), kicker (Chris Moore) and punter (Andy Wickman), all seniors.
• Eagan was second in FCS in all-purpose yardage at 180.5 per game, 17th in punt returns (10.0 average) and 36th in kickoff returns (23.2). He led the country in combined kick return yards (1,254).