Nicholls believes future is bright, despite off year

Willie W. Bonvillain
November 20, 2013
Patterson still alive after hard-fought victory
November 27, 2013
Willie W. Bonvillain
November 20, 2013
Patterson still alive after hard-fought victory
November 27, 2013

Another year and another football season are in the books for the Nicholls Colonels.

What the team and its coaches would like to hang their hats on is the number of positives and progress that were made instead of the negatives.


First, the positives: Nicholls more than surpassed its win total from the past two seasons in which they went 1-10. The Colonels (4-8) won four games and were competitive in several others they ultimately came up short in or were otherwise outplayed.

The offense was able to shine at times with three different quarterbacks having various degrees of success, including Tuskani Figaro, who went on to become the first player in school history to both run and pass for over 1,000 yards in a season.

The offensive line – arguably the biggest bright spot – was relatively healthy all season, leading to a strong running game in general.


The negatives: the team lost its last six games, including last Thursday’s 52-27 loss at Southland Conference champion Southeastern, and finished near the bottom of the conference in defense, averaging almost 500 yards allowed per game.

They were hit with injuries at quarterback and later at running back just when the team was flying high following a promising 4-2 start.

Despite those setbacks, Nicholls coach Charlie Stubbs feels the team made progress this season.


“I saw some tremendous things on offense,” Stubbs said. “I felt like I finally could expand the playbook a little more, and I contribute a lot of that to our offensive line. Our line’s gotten so much better. We stayed healthy most of the season, so we were able to give the quarterback time in the passing game and we were able to establish the run.”

Indeed, Nicholls saw a plethora of running backs find success this season and seemed able to shift from one tailback to the next following season-ending injuries to their first and second-string backs, Marcus Washington and later Dalton Hilliard, Jr.

Washington rushed for over 400 yards and seven touchdowns in six games, and Hilliard followed with 371 yards and five touchdowns on 66 carries – most of that coming in the second half of the season after Washington went down.


Next it was tailbacks Michael Henry and Reggie Wilson’s turns. Henry, who didn’t see action until late in the season, capped a promising three-game stretch with 175 all-purpose yards (including 90 rushing on 16 carries) in the loss to Southeastern.

Wilson also made the most of his opportunities with two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) in the Colonels’ season finale.

“We (lost) the heart and soul of our offense, really,” Stubbs said of losing Washington. “But we were still able to function productively, so we kept patching it together.”


At quarterback, Nicholls thought they’d found its breakout playmaker in Kalen Henderson before the junior and University of Tulsa transfer suffered a knee injury late in the first half of the team’s Sept. 7 victory over Western Michigan.

The injury required Henderson to miss the next five weeks, so the Colonels found a breakout player in another quarterback.

Enter Figaro, who ended up getting most of the snaps behind center this season. Initially slated to red-shirt the season, Figaro rushed for a team-high 1,103 yards and seven touchdowns, and threw for another 1,135 yards and eight touchdowns.


Figaro capped his sophomore season with 84 yards and two touchdowns in Thursday’s game, becoming the school’s all-time leading rusher for yards in a single season.

With Figaro, Henderson, Hebert and more all expected back next season, Nicholls will have no shortage of competition at the quarterback position in the spring and summer.

That trio will all possibly join 2012 starter Landry Klann, who redshirted after shoulder surgery.


Stubbs said he views that as a good thing, particularly in light of some of the injuries Nicholls suffered at the position this season.

“I don’t think you ever have enough (competition) in this conference because it showed me that even this year, playing four quarterbacks due to various injuries you’ve got to always have somebody ready,” said Stubbs.

For his part, Figaro feels confident in his ability to lead the team going forward.


But he doesn’t feel his performance alone this season should be enough to guarantee him the starting position moving forward.

“Coming in next spring and working out and practicing and playing, (whoever does that) that’s who I believe should earn the spot,” said Figaro. “If they earn it next spring and in the summer, they should be that No. 1 guy. I’m just ready to work. I know we’ll all push each other to be that No. 1 quarterback and be prepared for the season.”

Defensively, Nicholls gave up 49 or more points in all but one of its last six games.


The Colonels’ defense also had its fair share of injuries with nose guard Edeh Udot and other integral figures missing playing time.

“We were on and off all season,” said senior linebacker Chris Bermond, who finished his college career with two forced fumbles on Thursday. “We had a lot of injuries, but I’m not going to use that as an excuse. We definitely could have been more consistent.”

On the whole, the Colonels need their current players to develop and be able to recruit several more in the hope of solidifying the defense.


Both of those tasks are on Stubbs’ agenda as Nicholls heads into the off-season.

“I know I’m an offensive-minded coach, but if you’re good on defense, and you can run the football on offense, you’ll always have a chance,” Stubbs said. “I already know we can run the ball on offense and if we can solidify, then all of a sudden we’re not into having to outscore people in this conference.”

In spite of the lumps Nicholls took this season, particularly in the second half of the schedule, there seems to be a level of excitement about the program going forward that perhaps was lacking in years past.


According to Stubbs, the groundwork to success has been laid.

“I really believe the foundation has been built,” added Stubbs. “Now we’re ready to skyrocket and get this thing to a championship level.”

“We’re definitely excited about next year as a program,” added Figaro. “We all can feel it and sense it that for the next couple of years we’re going to be a good football team that’s able to contend in our conference.”


Nicholls State football coach Charlie Stubbs talks to quarterback Beaux Hebert on the sidelines of a Colonels’ game. Nicholls finished its season 4-8 this week, following a loss at the hands of Southeastern. But despite just winning one Southland Conference game, the Colonels believe progress was made and the team is ready for a big jump forward.

LOUIS TALBOT