With high expectations heading into the 2007 football season, the Colonels have been working hard in spring practice to fulfill the hopes of a possible Southland Conference Title in the fall. The team has 83 players dressing out for the spring practice, and four of those players include mid-year transfers the Colonels signed on Feb. 7. The group of four consists of defensive backs Ladarius Webb and Lance Moore from the University of Southern Mississippi, defensive tackle Soloman Ona via Mississippi State University and defensive lineman Daun Thompson from Trinity Valley Community College.
Twelve of the high school recruits that were signed will come to Nicholls in the fall to begin their first year with the team.
Head coach Jay Thomas said he is pleased with the way practice is going so far and he has seen a lot of hard work and determination on the field.
“We had a great off-season, and the spirits are high. As traditionally, our guys are always going to come out and play hard,” Thomas said. “We have a great group of seniors and they are doing a great job of stepping up and leading our team in the right direction. The fans will have a lot to be excited about in the upcoming season.”
Under the direction of defensive coordinator Steve Ellis, the Colonels defense is still strong and is steadily improving to become prepared for the upcoming season.
In 2006, the Colonels defense boasted strong statistics and finished the season ranked first in the Southland in the areas of scoring and pass defense.
Ellis has been instilling one word into his defensive players’ minds since the start of spring practice: “improvement.”
“Spring practice has come along well so far. Every day we try to improve and keep taking steps forward. It is necessary that we keep becoming better every day. We look at what areas we are weak in, and improve on that weakness,” Ellis said.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Colonels triple option attack will return in the 2007 season. Offensive coordinator H.T. Kinney said the players are working hard and he is pleased with their performances.
“One thing that has helped the team is that coach Thomas has us getting in five practices a week, so there seems to be more carry over than the traditional four,” Kinney said.
For the past three years, the Colonels have led the Southland Conference in the area of rushing offense. Last season the Colonels compiled 2,573 yards on the ground with an average of 234 yards a game and 4.7 yards per carry.
According to ESPN, an Astroturf surface can greatly increase a player’s speed opposed to a natural grass surface. Seeing that the triple option has speed as one of it’s main components, this is an added positive dimension for the Colonels offense.
The location for the annual spring game usually held in John L. Guidry Stadium is still pending due to the installation of the Puregrass field by Astroturf. The construction for the field is scheduled to begin in late March.
The schedule for the 2007 season has yet to be announced.
