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According to Nicholls State University’s website, the Colonels’ official school colors are cardinal red and grey.
But bruise black and raspberry blue were more the story of the team’s injury-plagued 2011 football season as more than a dozen players missed significant time with various ailments.
With more able bodies and a new strategy to keep players healthy, Nicholls is optimistic that they can avoid the injury bug’s bite when the season kicks off in September.
“We’re a stronger team – we’re just a stronger team,” senior wide receiver LaQuintin Caston said. “We took some pivotal injuries last year. A couple of key guys got hurt and it took us back a little bit. … But we got our guys back 100 percent and we’re just a better team with all of our guys in. This year, we’re going into the war with all of our bullets.”
“If we can keep them all healthy, I think we’re progressing to be a much improved football team,” Nicholls State coach Charlie Stubbs said.
The biggest reason why Nicholls believes it can combat its 2011 injuries is numbers.
The Colonels have a lot more able bodies than they have had in years past – especially along the offensive and defensive lines.
Having depth at those positions allows the team to limit the reps that each player receives, while also allowing players to compete for spots along the depth chart.
It also means that individual nicks and bruises are not as crippling as in previous years because serviceable backups are in place to fill the void.
“We have more bodies, everything – we have much more depth this year,” senior linebacker Jordan Piper said. “That’s what you need in college football. Last year, we were thin at some spots. But this year, we have more guys and we have competition, and it’s just making everybody better.”
“It just adds depth,” junior quarterback Landry Klann said. “And anytime you can add more of that, it’s good.”
But in addition to the numbers, the Colonels are also scaling back their practices to try to keep players healthy.
A week into fall practices, Stubbs said the Colonels have still not done a live tackling drill.
In Thursday’s workout, coaches were blowing plays dead on first touch between offensive and defensive players.
Many of Nicholls’ injuries a year ago occurred in practices, and the team does not want to be its own worst enemy with the new season on the horizon.
“We have not done anything where we take the guy all the way to the ground yet like in tackling,” Stubbs said. “We’re staying up on everything. Some of our modes are like tag and thud. We try and change it up so that we can protect because we’re still limited on the talent level here.”
Another reason why Nicholls thinks it is better equipped for the season is because of its conditioning.
Several players have noticeably added muscle to their frames.
One of those players is Caston, who appears to be at least 10-15 pounds more muscular than he’s been in the first three years of his college career.
He said he did so to be able to withstand the physicality of elite-level college football.
“Coach told me I had to put on a couple of extra pounds to be able to take on the extra hits at receiver and then when I’m back at quarterback running the ball,” Caston said. “I’m just trying to preserve my body and I’m trying to last for the full season.”
Preserving the body against one another is one thing.
But Nicholls is also trying to stay free from heat exhaustion.
The Colonels take multiple water breaks throughout workouts to keep players fresh.
Stubbs also stressed following morning practice how important it is for players to go and get training in the locker room before the team’s afternoon workouts.
He said he’s pleased with the way the Colonels have looked physically in the opening week of camp.
“Here in Southeast Louisiana, you’ve got to be in tremendous shape,” Stubbs said. “It is unbelievable the humidity and the heat. I commend the kids and we’ve been practicing smart and we haven’t had any catastrophic things happen. We try to work them through it.”
“The injury bug bit us bad last year,” Caston agreed. “We’re just trying to avoid it with working out and taking advantage of our fine treatment facility here.”
If Nicholls is able to stay in tact, they believe this year can be special.
The Colonels are coming off just a one-win season in 2011, but have a slew of experienced players.
Piper said the team’s chemistry is better than it’s ever been and Nicholls is ready for a breakout season.
As the senior linebacker said – they have no choice but to be better.
“This year will be different because it just has to be,” Piper said. “We don’t have a choice. One-and-10 is just not acceptable anywhere in this country – college football or high school. There’s nowhere to go for us, but up.
Caston agreed and said he isn’t going to waste his final season as a college football player.
“This year is going to be different because we are ahead of where we were last year at this point and there’s nowhere to go but up for us,” Caston said.
Nicholls State freshman halfback Michael Henry carries the football into the teeth of the Colonels’ defense. Nicholls is trying to stay healthy in 2012 after an injury-riddled season a year ago.
