Lawyer provides ‘laid back,’ ‘knowledgeable’ care
August 13, 2013Colonels feature 3-headed monster at QB
August 20, 2013
The past few seasons have been somewhat of a disaster for the Nicholls State University football program.
Nicholls hasn’t won a Southland Conference game in two full seasons, and the Colonels haven’t beaten a Football Championship Subdivision foe since Nov. 13, 2010.
But with another football season looming, the Colonels believe a turnaround is imminent.
Players within the program tout a renewed energy at practice as the team aims to get back on the winning track this season.
“Comparing last year to this year, I just feel like people’s attitudes are way different,” senior linebacker Chris Bermond said. “We expect more this year. We’ve got a big group of seniors and we’re expecting to do more. As a group of seniors, we talked about goals and reaching for the sky and we’re not going to accept anything less.”
Offensively, Nicholls returns a slew of players from last year’s offense.
Playmakers like halfback Marcus Washington, receivers Josh Hanberry, Erik Buchanan, Demon Bolt and tight end Nick Scelfo return for the Colonels’ offense that averaged 17.7 points per game in 2012.
The team also added playmakers through recruiting this past offseason.
Scelfo said having the continuity on offense is a source of comfort to the team. He added that he believes Nicholls will have the ability to stretch the field in the new season.
“That’s one thing that is going to be key for us – we finally have a bunch of guys who have been in the system,” Scelfo said. “We all know the offense and once you know what you’re doing, you can attack it full-speed and you can play with a lot of confidence.”
The man throwing the ball to the playmakers will be different in 2013.
The Colonels have three scholarship players vying for playing time under center.
The need for the open competition comes after Nicholls announced this spring that 2012 starter Landry Klann had suffered a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery.
Vying to take his place are returning junior Beaux Hebert, Tulsa transfer Kalen Henderson and sophomore Tuskani Figaro.
Hebert is taking most of the first team reps in practice. He said that he relishes his opportunity to potentially guide Nicholls’ offense.
“It is exciting to know that I am going to play a lot this year,” Hebert said. “I’ve been working hard in the offseason to get everything about my game better. I am excited to try and lead our offense when the coaches call me to perform.”
While Stubbs admitted that Hebert is getting a lot of the first-team reps, he stopped short of naming the junior quarterback his starter.
Stubbs said that he and his coaches have some decisions to make regarding the position before the start of the season.
“Soon, we’ll have to make a decision to get a true batting order going with those three,” Stubbs said. “Regardless, I’ll definitely be working two guys with the first team in practice just so that they get experience. Everybody needs more reps, but unfortunately I can’t work all three of them.”
No matter who emerges as Nicholls’ quarterback, the team’s offensive line should be more productive.
The Colonels return a slew of its starting linemen from last season.
Nicholls also heavily focused its recruiting efforts in the trenches, hauling in some high school players and college transfers.
“We worked hard to get that (size),” Stubbs said. “There are some big guys out here. Some are in better shape than others, but we’re working through that together. We have more competition at positions on the offensive and defensive fronts and that is definitely great to say.
“We haven’t had that here in years past.”
Hebert agreed and said he sees a big difference in the line’s play this year compared to last.
“That’s something that is great for us right now,” Hebert said. “It feels so great to be protected back there. I know they will block their butts off and I know I’m going to play my butt off, so it’s great to have us all pulling in the same direction as a team. We have some big, big people blocking for us up front.”
Nicholls’ defense also returns a slew of its top performers from last season, including Bermond, defensive linemen Edet Udoh and Lorenza Young and defensive back Siegan Vergenal.
Bermond said he likes what he’s seen so far in fall camp.
“We have a lot of intensity,” Bermond said. “A lot of guys are flying to the football and are making plays. It’s going great.”
But for Nicholls to make its ambition a reality, the Colonels have to overcome a brutal schedule.
The team opens its 2013 schedule against one of the best college football programs in the country – the Oregon Ducks.
From there, Nicholls also will play road tilts with annual MAC contender Western Michigan and two-time reigning New Orleans Bowl Champions UL-Lafayette.
Getting through those games in full health is important if Nicholls wants to have any chance to win the Southland Conference Championship.
“Staying healthy is the key,” Stubbs said. “In the past few years, we’d had it fall to where when we had an injury, we’d drop from a really good starter to a true freshman. That’s devastating.
“Hopefully, we’ve gotten to a point now to where if we have an injury or two, we’re replacing the starter with a guy who has experience giving us some solid action out there on the field on college Saturdays.”
Nicholls State University tight end Hayden Cardiff hauls in a pass during a Colonels’ practice. The Colonels are hoping to have a rebound season after posting one-win seasons in each of the past two years.
