First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
October 4, 2018
Lafourche shines a light on domestic violence in October
October 4, 2018
We all knew the Nicholls State University football team could play soma defense.
But on Saturday at Family Day, the Colonels showcased another element — one which, may help the team in its quest to win the national championship.
They played explosive, high-powered offense.
The Colonels walloped Lamar 50-27 before a huge crowd of 8.044 fans who turned out to celebrate the university’s Family Day.
Nicholls, ranked No. IS in the FCS polls, gained 613 yards on 66 offensive snaps for a highly efficient as yards per play. The Colonels were also only penalized 3 times in the win — all factors which greatly pleased coach Tim Rebowe, who said he was happy to see his team rebound from what he called a “sluggish start” to the game.
“We talked about it before — it’s going to be a four-quarter game,” Rebowe said. “Stay the course. (Lamar) is a good football team. They can really run that football. I thought we played much better in the second half.”
Rebowe’s words are accurate.
The Colonels weren’t at their beet early.
Nicholls struck first early in the game on a 26-yard pick-six from Austin Dicker son which gave the Colonels an early 7-0 lead. But the rest of the first quarter was a bit of a lull.
Lamar got a field goal midway through the quarter to cut the lead to 7-3. They then took the lead after a Nicholls turnover on a 1-yard touchdown run from Darnel Colbert to go ahead 10-7.
Nicholls scored a touchdown on the next drive to go ahead 13-10. but Lamar answered bade in the second quarter with a 44-yard touchdown pass from Colbert to Mason Bikes to go up 17-13 with 9:37 to go in the first half.
That score was the dust-up that Nicholls needed.
The final 40 minutes of the game belonged to the Colonels.
Alter Lamar’s score, Nicholls finished the first half in style, quickly taking back the lead on a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chase Fourcade to Dai’Jean Dixon to go up 20-17.
After a possession change, Nicholls unleashed its newest offensive toy — true freshman Julian Gums.
The De La Salle High School graduate got his first career touchdown late in the second quarter on a 66-yard run to put Nicholls up 27-17 — a score which held through half time.
Gums carried 10 times for 152 yards and a scare in the win.
He and senior Mason Bon-dreaux complimented Kyran Irvin, Fburcade and Kendall Bussey in the Colonels’ powerful running game.
Boudreaux had 5 carries for 19 yards in the win.
Rebowe said he was proud to see the Colonels* run game get going — especially the freshman, who was making his collegiate debut.
“We run hard,” Rebowe said. “Julian does a good job. You know; he practices that way. He’s really mature. He’s a tough runner. He has great vision. The guys upfront did a good job opening holes for him.”
In the third quarter, Lamar showed a little fight, getting a 15-yard field goal early in the quarter to cut Nicholls1 lead to 27-20.
But after that Nicholls slammed the door shut with two-straight touchdown passes from Fourcade — one to Irvin and the other to Dontaze Costly to balloon the lead to an insurmountable 41-30 at the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter. Nicholls added insurance.
Fourcade started the quarter with a 12-yard touchdown run to go ahead 47-20.
With Fourcade and a lot of the team’s starters resting, the Colonels added three mare with 5 minutes left in the game on a short field goal from Lor-ran Fonseca.
Kicking was an issue for the Colonels throughout the game — anissue Rebowe said Nicholls his to get fixed in the coming weeks.
Fonseca made the short field goal, hut missed two extra paints in the win.
After the field goal, Lamar got a garbage-time touchdown an an 8-yard run from Jordan Hoy to Bend the game to its final margin.
With the win, Nicholls remains in control of its destiny, though the team will have to make its hay away from home.
Nicholls will not play another home game until late-October.
This week, they’ll travel to take on Northwestern State — a team that’s proven highly competitive in Southland play so far this season.
The Demons beat Lamar on the road two weekends ago in a shootout, a 40-46 win
On Saturday they lost 24-17 to Southeastern Louisiana— a game which came down to the final snap.
This week will be Northwestern State’s first home conference game, so a large crowd is expected, which could prove a challenge for Nicholls.
Nicholls was a big fourteen on Saturday against Lamar and they didn’t Falter, scoring a huge win over the conference rivals before a Large cloud at John L. Gundry Stadium.
