Coming from a tradition of winning, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Chris Lorden hopes to elevate the Colonel defense in his first season of play for Nicholls.
Lorden played defensive line for the John Curtis Patriots where he helped the Patriots reach 57 wins in 4 years. He managed to rack up 18 sacks his senior year and 2 state titles over the course of his career. He came in as a linebacker for the Colonels, but the coaching staff decided to move him back to his natural position at defensive line. The six-foot-two 245-pound Lorden talked about how he personally wants to help the Colonels find a winning formula this year.
Q: What offers did you have coming out of high school?
A: To be honest, no schools offered me. I guess because I was undersized playing defensive line.
Q: Why Nicholls?
A: Nicholls was the only school that saw potential in me and was willing to give me a chance. Walking on was never an option. Nicholls wanted me, so I felt like I was coming to another family.
Q: How has the transition been going back to defensive line?
A: It hasn’t been too hard because I understand the techniques from playing defensive line in high school. The only major change is that guys are bigger.
Q: What do you bring personally?
A: Leadership because I came from a great program. I bring speed off the edge to get after the Quarterbacks.
Q: How did you adjust to the change from a conditioning stand point?
A: I was always fairly quick so conditioning and getting in shape was never a big issue for me.

Q: You were part of 57 wins in high school. Nicholls had 1 win last year, so how do you stay focused?
A: Stay focused on the positives, and work on the negatives. Sometimes you can’t worry about the past; you need to adjust and get better. That is what we are doing here.

Q: Being a redshirt, you have four years left. What do you want teammates to say about you when it comes time for you to finish your career?
A: I want my teammates to say that I was a leader on the field, that I was a good person to be around that made everyone better and that was that guy who could change the game and get pressure on Quarterbacks.

Q: You have been declared somewhat of a sleeper; what do you say to that?
A: I like it because being undersized gives me the chance to show what I can do and take some people by surprise.