August 5
August 5, 2008
Sarah Maria Domangue
August 7, 2008“Finish.”
That is the most commonly used word heard around Barker Hall as the Nicholls State football team returned to practice last week.
After starting the 2007 season a promising 5-1, the Colonels failed to finish strong, losing five of their last six games to conclude the season 6-5 overall.
“A lot of close losses, very devastating losses,” head coach Jay Thomas said about last season. “We have to finish and take advantage. We only play 11 games a season, and train all year for those games, so why not give it everything you’ve got?”
With four of their first five games on the road in 2008, the Colonels will have an even tougher task of duplicating last year’s strong start. To make that happen, the Colonels will turn to their 25 seniors and 20 juniors on this year’s team.
The offensive side will be led by probably the two most important seniors on the team: quarterbacks Chris Bunch and Vince Montgomery.
Both said they don’t care who starts; they are just looking to be a dangerous tandem this year.
“Everything is going great,” Montogmery said. “I’ve spent my summer rehabbing my ankle that I hurt in the last game. I feel I’m in the best shape I’ve been in since I arrived here four years ago.”
Montgomery’s fellow signal caller, Bunch, who had to be red-shirted last year because he didn’t have enough hours of classes, looks to excel in the triple-option offense for his final season.
They will have help in the running back corps with returning senior Isa Hines and Jerald Watson, a former Central Catholic of Morgan City standout who transferred from Southeastern. In 2005, his last year playing for the Lions, Watson rushed for 400 yards and 12 touchdowns on 70 carries. He also attended Auburn and was a member of the Tigers’ 2004 undefeated team, which also featured Ronnie Brown, Brandon Jacobs and Carnell “Cadillac” Williams.
“It’s great having him back there,” Montgomery said. “He’s our speed factor and will make the offense much more exciting.”
As in past seasons, defensive coordinator Steve Ellis expects the defense to be strong. In each of the last five years, the Colonels has had one of the top-ranked defenses in the conference. Ellis thinks that can be the case again.
“We have a job to do as a defensive unit,” he said. “The guys understand that. Every fall camp we start with building blocks and we say, Hey, these are the building blocks, these are the criteria that are going to help us be successful.”
The heart of the defense is preseason All-American selection Ladarius Webb, who will anchor the secondary. Webb says he is looking to be a leader.
“We are motivated to finish what we start. We want to be competitive throughout the whole season,” he said. “We were a conference championship team but we made key mistakes and didn’t win it. We are working on finishing and leadership. I need to become a better leader and my other teammates need to become better leaders and finish the season off.”
Webb, along with linebacker Garrick Spain and defensive lineman Daun Thompson, both seniors, hopes to anchor the Colonels defense.
