CSN West: McNeese State Back in the Spotlight

[CSN-info]

CSN West: McNeese State Back in the Spotlight
Kent Schmidt, CSN Columnist

The McNeese State Cowboys are now back. Last week’s win over the former Southland member and now current member of the FBS Sun Belt Conference, Louisiana-Lafayette cemented the status of the Cowboys being listed amongst the elite teams.

READ MORE... http://www.collegesportingnews.com/article.asp?articleid=87574

[patssle]

While I certainly think McNeese is the team to beat, I don't think we should label them "elite" just yet.

For this year, ULL is hardly a power. Even NDSU has a higher sagarin than ULL. Yeah they are FBS, but they are a FBS that could be beaten by several FCS teams. Portland has dropped out of the polls, clearly not the strong team everybody was expecting.

Last year they went 7-4 and lost to a 5-6 Texas State AT HOME and won the SLC with the entire SLC having a down year. Then of course getting wiped in the playoffs.

I'll wait til the playoffs before labeling them "elite".

[Lionsrking]

While I certainly think McNeese is the team to beat, I don't think we should label them "elite" just yet.

For this year, ULL is hardly a power. Even NDSU has a higher sagarin than ULL. Yeah they are FBS, but they are a FBS that could be beaten by several FCS teams. Portland has dropped out of the polls, clearly not the strong team everybody was expecting.

Last year they went 7-4 and lost to a 5-6 Texas State AT HOME and won the SLC with the entire SLC having a down year. Then of course getting wiped in the playoffs.

I'll wait til the playoffs before labeling them "elite".

I'm not sure about the "elite" label either, but I don't think you can simply dismiss beating UL-Lafayette on the road by three TDs as ULL being "hardly a power." The Cajuns may not be world beaters but they're plenty solid by FCS standards. I've watched both of McNeese's games, and while you can pick apart their opponents, they've done exactly what good teams are supposed to do, and that's dominate. Their QB is efficient and looks like a born leader. They run the football, have speed at WR, and they can run on defense. That's a pretty good recipe for success if you ask me.

[MCFAN]

While I certainly think McNeese is the team to beat, I don't think we should label them "elite" just yet.

For this year, ULL is hardly a power. Even NDSU has a higher sagarin than ULL. Yeah they are FBS, but they are a FBS that could be beaten by several FCS teams. Portland has dropped out of the polls, clearly not the strong team everybody was expecting.

Last year they went 7-4 and lost to a 5-6 Texas State AT HOME and won the SLC with the entire SLC having a down year. Then of course getting wiped in the playoffs.

I'll wait til the playoffs before labeling them "elite".

I seem to recall Sam getting beat up in Montana also.

[patssle]

I seem to recall Sam getting beat up in Montana also.

That was 3 years ago and what does that have to do with anything in this thread?

[FCSFAN]

While I certainly think McNeese is the team to beat, I don't think we should label them "elite" just yet.

For this year, ULL is hardly a power. Even NDSU has a higher sagarin than ULL. Yeah they are FBS, but they are a FBS that could be beaten by several FCS teams. Portland has dropped out of the polls, clearly not the strong team everybody was expecting.

Last year they went 7-4 and lost to a 5-6 Texas State AT HOME and won the SLC with the entire SLC having a down year. Then of course getting wiped in the playoffs.

I'll wait til the playoffs before labeling them "elite".What does last year have to do with anything? This year they are unbeaten against good competition and are ranked #6/7/8. That means elite. Come on, show us you can post on the Discussion board without smacking.

[MCFAN]

That was 3 years ago and what does that have to do with anything in this thread?
You referred to our getting wiped in the playoffs. I was reminding you that we aren't the only southland team to have trouble in Montana in late November or December. Just like you, we've had more success with the Griz at our house.

[TexasTerror]

What does last year have to do with anything? This year they are unbeaten against good competition and are ranked #6/7/8. That means elite. Come on, show us you can post on the Discussion board without smacking.

FCSFAN,

The season has not yet begun (atleast for teams not named UCA or NWST)...we all know for the Southland, it begins in conference play. No telling who is coming or going, top dogs or cellar dwellers. The team perceived as the worst team is going to beat the best team. Are we there yet?

McNeese is the front-runner, but there's a tough road ahead. SUU has given them problems as noted in the article. Very interested how the road-tested T-Birds do against the Pokes...

[FCSFAN]

FCSFAN,
The season has not yet begun (atleast for teams not named UCA or NWST)...we all know for the Southland, it begins in conference play. No telling who is coming or going, top dogs or cellar dwellers. The team perceived as the worst team is going to beat the best team. Are we there yet?
McNeese is the front-runner, but there's a tough road ahead. SUU has given them problems as noted in the article. Very interested how the road-tested T-Birds do against the Pokes...Are you saying that McNeese State is not elite right now because they have games in the future?

[TexasTerror]

Are you saying that McNeese State is not elite right now because they have games in the future?

No, I am saying that the fun does not truly begin til SLC season.

McNeese is the front-runner right now. I think most knowledgable fans had McNeese over ULL in that game last week -- but the SLC is the fun part of the slate where we'll really get to see what kind of team these Pokes are.

Season is not made in three weeks...it's made over the course of a year. Can't wait for the Pokes game vs the Kats! :)

[FCS Go!]

McNeese St looks as good as just about anybody else right now. They've had a couple of impressive performances and appear to be the class of the Southland.

I think Texas Terror is trying to point out that it is still early in the season and that anything can happen, especially in conference play. Would any of us seriously be stunned if McNeese lost a game at Texas St in a couple of weeks? A loss at Southern Utah might be another matter though.

[FCSFAN]

No, I am saying that the fun does not truly begin til SLC season.

McNeese is the front-runner right now. I think most knowledgable fans had McNeese over ULL in that game last week -- but the SLC is the fun part of the slate where we'll really get to see what kind of team these Pokes are.

Season is not made in three weeks...it's made over the course of a year. Can't wait for the Pokes game vs the Kats! :)So you are saying that McNeese State is elite right now and they are the SLC frontrunner right now. That is what the article says. Everyone knows the future is unknown.
xpeacex

[JohnStOnge]

I don't know if I'm ready to label them "elite" yet but I am encouraged. ULL rushed for over 250 yards against both South Carolina and Ohio and also averaged over 5 yards pre carry in both contests. They rushed for 156 against McNeese and averaged 3.4 yards per carry. That, to me, was the most encouraging thing about the game because McNeese, which traditionally had a very strong run defense, had swooned in that department in recent years.

The ULL game was a little deceptive. ULL did have four trips into the red zone without getting any points and made a lot of mistakes.

But, still, you're talking about a team that moved the ball very well against both South Carolina and Ohio then didn't do nearly as well against McNeese.

[McNeese75]

xlolx The Kat fans are very hesitant to give anything but light lip service to the Cowboys because they think RB is going to carry them to the promised land and do not want to be perceived as belivers in the Blue and Gold

I look forward to our home game with SHSU and personally, I think the Cowboys will prevail this year because I think our defense has a better chance of stopping your offense than yours does ours. Next year will probably be a differnt story xnodx

THEN there is the SLC POW issue that has them all PO too :D

[JohnStOnge]

I think Texas Terror is trying to point out that it is still early in the season and that anything can happen, especially in conference play. Would any of us seriously be stunned if McNeese lost a game at Texas St in a couple of weeks? A loss at Southern Utah might be another matter though.

I wouldn't be stunned if McNeese lost to Texas State nor would I be stunned it they lost to Southern Utah. I think Southern Utah is a decent team that's played a very tough schedule. I also think McNeese is coming off a very emotional win and has to guard against being full of itself.

I'm hoping for the best, but I'm nervous.

[JohnStOnge]

I look forward to our home game with SHSU and personally, I think the Cowboys will prevail this year because I think our defense has a better chance of stopping your offense than yours does ours. Next year will probably be a differnt story xnodx

I do think it's possible that McNeese's defense might be back to being very good. Can't tell for sure yet...but it certainly looks possible.

I'm telling ya, if you go by what ULL's offense did against South Carolina and Ohio, that was a very potent offense by FCS standards. May not be as potent now since their top running back got hurt near the end of the game with McNeese and his backup got hurt as well, but all indications are it was a very solid offense when McNeese played it.

[McNeese75]

I do think it's possible that McNeese's defense might be back to being very good. Can't tell for sure yet...but it certainly looks possible.
.

I'll let you know this weekend. We just arrived in LV and will be heading to Cedar City Saturday afternoon xthumbsupx

The T-Birds ran all over the Cowboy defense last year. We will see if a year makes any differnece

[TexasTerror]

THEN there is the SLC POW issue that has them all PO too :D

I wouldn't vote for a player on a losing team myself...outside of maybe a special teams player (can't deny a kicker who is making FGs from all over the yard)....

[Retro]

The big question for Mcneese going into this season was the O-Line and D-Line.. Those 2 areas have been very impressive in the first 2 games.

If your going to look at last years game againest SUU and Texas state, if you have to remember, that Viator took over for Tate before the SUU game and there were a lot of changes that week, so winning the game after a collapse againest South Dakota state was a feat in itself.. The next game was againest Texas State.. Mcneese made many mistakes and turnovers in that game that determined the outcome more so than TSU just running over Mcneese... Again i think it was a game where the coaching staff was still getting settled in..

I'm sure SUU has some revenge on their mind, but Viator has done a better job of keeping the team focused and discplined every week since becomg HC.

[FCSFAN]

I don't know if I'm ready to label them "elite" yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xbowx xbowx

ARE THE KINGS OF SANDBAGGING BACK????

WE'VE MISSED YOU COWBOY FANS!!!!

[GeauxLions94]

I wouldn't vote for a player on a losing team myself...outside of maybe a special teams player (can't deny a kicker who is making FGs from all over the yard)....


But 10 extra points and a FG are not too shabby xnodx

http://www.lionsports.net/content/headline/images/9zKLKIuNbl9V6fstaLsTNLUxb0Y6vEyq.png
Jeff Turner, Southland Special Teams Player of the Week

[FormerPokeCenter]

think I'd like to avoid the "Elite" label for now. When I think of "Elite" teams, I think of Georgia Southern, Montana, Youngstown, App State...all teams that have won a National Title.

Famously, we haven't done that.

As a guy who played in the last win over USL, I'm absolutely loving the fact that we killed them at their place in convincing fashion, but let's get real....it's only USL.

They lost, but "played well" at South Carolina to a team missing it's best offensive and defensive stars. Not much was learned about the Cajuns in that one.

They lost, but "played well" at home against Ohio, a team that had trouble dispatching Gardner-Webb. No disrespect to G-W, but I don't think much was learned about the Cajuns in that game either.

I see McNeese as largely being untested so far this year. I think they'll probably get their stiffest test of this season Saturday night.

Now, I think McNeese has some pieces that were missing from last year, most notably a presence at defensive tackle. If Vaalyn continues to play as well as he's been playing, I think they'll be okay up front.

I have no doubt that they're much improved over last year, but I think we can save the elite tag until the end of the season and see if it fits or not..

[patssle]

all teams that have won a National Title.

I don't think you necessary have to win a NC to be considered "elite". McNeese in the early part of this decade was definetly elite, despite making it to but not winning the NC.

[FormerPokeCenter]

I'm gonna stick by MY definition of "elite" ;) Having seen my Pokes come up short twice in the title game, I'm gonna wait until we have some of those Flags like Ga. Southern does before I start calling my team "elite"...

Do we have a great program? Abso-effing-lutely...but we're not in the same exclusive club that Appy, Montana, et al are....

[Dallas Demon]

I'm gonna stick by MY definition of "elite" ;) Having seen my Pokes come up short twice in the title game, I'm gonna wait until we have some of those Flags like Ga. Southern does before I start calling my team "elite"...

Do we have a great program? Abso-effing-lutely...but we're not in the same exclusive club that Appy, Montana, et al are....

Being "elite" and overconfident is a good thing if it is right before kickoff with us... xbowx

[JohnStOnge]

They lost, but "played well" at South Carolina to a team missing it's best offensive and defensive stars.

C'mon man! We had this discussion on the McNeese board! South Carolina was missing two anticipated starters on defense...a defensive end and a safety. And I don't know that either was back the next week against Georgia (one had had an appendiectomy, the other was held out over academic concerns). They rushed for over 250 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry.

The offensive side I can understand, as South Carolina played without its starting quarterback. But they weren't missing that much on defense.

[FormerPokeCenter]

The offensive side I can understand, as South Carolina played without its starting quarterback. But they weren't missing that much on defense.

So you're saying that you think that USL is good?

[JohnStOnge]

So you're saying that you think that USL is good?

Relative to FBS, no. Clearly much weaker overall than average. Relative to FCS, probably so.

But what I'm really getting at is their running game. I think they have a very good running game relative to what McNeese is likely to see in the FCS. They ran for more yards...a lot more yards (252 vs. 128)... and averaged substantially more per rush (5.4 vs. 4.1) against South Carolina than Georgia did and they ran for a pretty good bit more yards (277 vs. 181) and averaged a good bit more per rush (5.4 vs. 4.5) on Ohio than Virginia Tech did. Going into the McNeese game they'd also hit on 62 percent of their passes (29 of 47), hadn't been intercepted, and had given up only two sacks.

All indications were they had performed pretty darned well on offense. I don't think there are too many FCS teams that could play South Carolina and Ohio back to back and get 529 yards rushing while averaging 5.4 yards per carry in the two contests...whether South Carolina had a defensive end and a safety out or not. And they were competetive games, so it wasn't "garbage yards."

Then McNeese holds them to 156 yards rushing, 3.4 yards per carry, gets four interceptions, fives up a 46 percent completion percentage (11 of 24) and sacks them three times.

I think that's very encouraging. I also am encouraged by the fact that ULL's offense is in that general mode of lining up in that shotgun option thing that's gotten so popular with an athletic quarterback who can really scoot. I was very glad to see them play so well againt that style of offense.

[FormerPokeCenter]

I have no doubt we're better than we were last year. I've made no secret of my belief in that regard.

But, STILL....we didn't beat powerful I-A team, we beat USL. I thnk your comparisons of South Carolina's performance against USL and Georgia, and Ohio's performance against USL and Virginia Tech raise the key point that both South Carolina and Ohio were probably looking past USL to obviously tougher games. That's a known phenomenon in college football games...

We beat USL up, just look at their injury reports....I don't see them as being very good at all....and I see nothing in their early games as being indicative of them being good....