Nicholls State Football has begun its preparations for the 2022 season.

After a 2021 spring and fall season, the Colonels finally had a complete off-season to rest in 2022. Having that recuperation period could be what Nicholls needed to bring a Southland title back to the bayou for the first time since back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019.

The departures of quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr. and now New Orleans Saints wide receiver Dai’Jean Dixon may have left a couple of holes to fill, but with the senior quarterback Kohen Granier and a plethora of talent at the receiver position, the Colonels look to be in good hands.

“The better a program is means every year you’re going to lose good players, and that’s the point where we are, but the good thing is that we have players behind them,” Head Coach Tim Rebowe said.

Running Back Julien Gums will return to the team in 2022 after missing the final seven games of the 2021 fall season due to an injury sustained in the Colonels’ week four win over Houston Baptist. During Gums’ absence, Collin Guggenheim’s come up garnered him the ranking of number 20 on the list of best returning FCS backs, along with Gums who received one of eight honorable mentions on said list, leaving the Colonels with one of the top backfields in the country.

Gums’ return will not only have a big impact on Nicholls’ run game, but also on the offensive side of the ball as a whole.

“Anytime you lose a guy like Dai’Jean, it’s going to be hard to replace him, but getting a guy like Julien [Gumms] back is huge in the run game,” Granier said. “It’ll just open our passing game more.”

The Colonels football team shares the sentiment that they have the ability to compete—and will compete—with the players they have.

“We have high expectations; we want the conference championship, but we really want to get the national championship,” said senior defensive lineman Glenn Thurmond.

The goal for every FCS team to start a season is to get to playoff football in December and on to the eventual National Championship game. The Nicholls State Colonels will start their journey to the playoffs on Sept. 3 at 4:00 PM against the University of South Alabama Jaguars at Hancock Whitney Field in Mobile, AL.

After a stretch of three road games to start the season, Nicholls football will play its home opener against Jacksonville State at 3:00 on, Saturday Sept. 24, Nicholls State’s yearly Family Day. Students will get into games free, but those who do not attend Nicholls can purchase tickets at nichollstickets.universitytickets.com

As always, Geaux Colonels!