Colonels football began last year’s season 5-1, including a monumental victory over Division 1-A Rice, but the team only accumulated one win in its final five games finishing the year 6-5. The team began preparation for this season Aug. 4. Head coach Jay Thomas returns four starters on offense and four on defense. New players will be expected to replace the lost starters.
“We have a lot of shoes to fill and not only on the offensive side but the defensive side,” Thomas said.
The kicking game will be a new set having lost punter Sean Comeaux and kicker Alex Romero.
Offensively, quarterbacks Vincent Montgomery and Chris Bunch will lead the Colonels. Montgomery started last year but suffered an ankle injury during the final game of the 2007 season, which sidelined him for spring drills. Bunch was the leadering quarterback in spring drills and has had significant playing experience.
The Colonels are expected to continue the tradition of a dominant running game. The team will need to replace the school’s second all-time runner in Broderick Cole. Returning runners Montgomery and Issa Hines will continue the strong running attack along with the new players.
This year, a more frequent passing attack led by wide receiver Patrick Gordon may occur.
“We have a nice group of transfers and freshmen at wide receiver so we are looking to throw the ball a little more,” Montgomery said.
Defensively the Colonels are led by last year’s Southland Conference newcomer of the year Lardarius Webb. Webb and the defense are looking to continue its success having led the conference in total defense in 2007.
“We have new faces in a lot of spaces on defense, and we’re gelling together and getting better as we continue to practice with one another,” Webb said. Nicholls will lose All-Conference safety Kareem Moore who was selected in the NFL Draft to the Washington Redskins, and is replacing him with senior Andrew Edie.
“If we play the way we’ve been practicing we’ll be fine,” Thomas said. Despite the new faces, expect the Colonels to compete in 2008.
