As the 2005 football season quickly approaches, the Colonels find themselves predicted to finish last in the Southland Conference.Despite the unimpressive prediction, junior offensive lineman Jacob Bender believes the Colonels will still be competitive.

“We’re picked towards the bottom nearly every year, but for the last three years, it has come down to the final games of the season for us,” Bender said. “We’re looking to come out on top this year as it starts Sept. 3 with Utah State.”

The Colonels enter their first season without the after-burn of the NCAA investigation resting on their shoulders. The sanctions handed down by the NCAA required the Colonels to start practice three days late and reduce off-campus recruiting by seven days and reduce the number of official visits by five.

However, the Colonels can still win both the conference and national championships, as well as qualify for the playoffs.

“Our guys are aware that they can still compete for the conference and make the playoffs,” second year head coach Jay Thomas said. “This is a new year, and Nicholls State football is up and running. The 85 guys out here are proud to be at Nicholls State, and they’re ready to play.”

Bender said last year is behind them, and the offensive line is ready to go.

“Everybody is over and done with last year, and no one even talks about it anymore,” Bender said. “Everybody has the same mentality as me, which is that we’re going to win the Southland Conference. As far as the line goes, we’re going to be big, we’re going to be nasty and we’re going to be mean. Expect to see a lot of pancakes this year.”

This year’s team may be unrecognizable to the public as the Colonels have new jerseys and new faces to wear the jerseys.

The Colonels will dispose of the dark blue jerseys by Riddell, which they’ve worn for the past three seasons in favor of the traditional red jerseys they’ve worn in years past. Nike will make the new red jerseys.

Thomas is anxious to put this year’s team on the field.

“Camp has been going very well,” Thomas said. “Our guys have been going out there and are working hard and competing. Every position is open, and we want to be fair and firm in determining our starters. We want to ensure that we put the best 11 guys on the field. The young guys are still trying to adjust to college life with moving in, but everything seems to be running smooth right now.”

The new season will provide a challenge for the Colonels on offense, as they must find a replacement for last season’s leading rusher, Colt Colletti.

“You can’t replace a guy like Colt so you don’t even think about that,” senior quarterback Yale Vannoy said. “Broderick Cole, who was our freshman of the year last year, is going to come in and do a good job for us. It’ll be exciting. I didn’t get a good night’s sleep all summer because I am ready to get back out here for my senior season.”

Senior transfer Anthony Harris from the University of Southern Mississippi is one of the players competing for playing time at the running back position. Harris believes he is learning the offense really well.

“I’ve got the basic offense down, but I still need to do a little work on the passing routes. I feel confident that by the time Sept. 3 comes, I’ll be ready to play.”

The receivers are also looking to fill the void left behind by Marcus Richardson. Transfers are competing for playing time, including sophomore Patrick Gordon from Alabama and University of Toledo transfer Kenley Horton, as well as returning sophomore Michael Okoronkwo.

“We have some key transfer receivers that will help us on offense,” Vannoy said. “They, along with our returning guys, are going to make things exciting. I’m expecting good things out of our receivers this season.”

The defensive side of the ball has its share of new faces as well.

Junior transfer defensive back Marcques Lewis, who was a member of LSU’s Southeastern Conference and National Championship team, believes he’s ready to bring his game to the Colonels.

“Whatever learning experience I had at LSU, I’m looking to bring it here to Nicholls,” Lewis said. “At LSU we had a good tradition and a good bond with each other, and I’m looking forward to bringing that to my new teammates.”

The Colonels defense has the most returning starters with senior Henry Johnson leading the way for the secondary.

“We’re going to be very solid on defense,” Johnson said. “The secondary is going to have to lead the defense because that is where we have the most seniors. I’m expecting great things back there, and I hope it will rub off on the other players. This is my senior season, and I’m ready. It’s what a player dreams of.”

Thomas agreed that the defense would be solid this season.

“Things are beginning to come together on the defensive side of the ball,” Thomas said. “We have seven senior defensive linemen, which is a position where you want older mature guys because it makes a bigger difference. We have to be highly aggressive and highly multiple this season on defense.”

Unlike last season, the Colonels will play every home game on Saturdays at 2 p.m. ,with the exception of Homecoming, which is the only night game of the season. The Colonels had two Thursday night games last year.

“Personally I think it’s better to play in the day than at night,” senior defensive end Michael Young said. “Instead of waiting around all day for the game to start all we have to do is wake up, eat a good meal and then play football.”

Thomas said Thursday games were good because of a three-day weekend but day games have their advantages.

“It’s nice to have a Thursday-night game because it gives opponents less time to prepare for the option,” Thomas said. “It’ll be hotter at 2, but we practice in the heat everyday so hopefully that will work to our advantage.”

The Colonels will open the season Sept. 3 with back-to-back road games against Utah State and then against Indiana. The first home game is Sept. 17 against Cheyney University.