Mcneese State Defense To Give Vandals Challenge There’s A Good Reason Cowboys Are Ranked No. 1 In Division I-Aa
OK, you may recall reading in Wednesday’s paper that McNeese State’s speedy offense gives Idaho defensive coordinator Nick Holt migraines.
Today, we tell you the biggest reason McNeese State is undefeated and ranked No. 1 in Division I-AA football:
The Cowboys’ defense.
McNeese State, which entertains Idaho in the opening round of the playoffs on Saturday night in Lake Charles, La., has allowed 12 touchdowns this season. Only 10 were scored on the Cowboys’ defense, meaning that unit doesn’t even allow a touchdown per game on average.
The Cowboys are No. 1 nationally against the run (60 yards per game) and in scoring defense (8.9 points).
Even enemy field goal kickers have struggled (5 of 15).
Most impressive of all is that the Cowboys are playing without their best player, senior linebacker Vincent Landrum, who has been out since midseason with a broken vertebrae in his neck. He is doubtful for Saturday.
Landrum was the Southland Conference defensive player of the year in 1994 and was on his way to repeating this season.
“We still start eight seniors on defense (minus Landrum),” McNeese State coach Bobby Keasler said. “We play a lot of people on defense and we’ve got some people with experience.”
The Cowboys habitually take top recruits, namely running backs and wide receivers, and move them to the defense.
McNeese emphasizes speed over bulk. Interior linemen are in the 250-pound range. The secondary, led by Zack Bronson, can fly.
“Our scrimmages (No. 1 offense vs. No. 1 defense) get pretty interesting,” McNeese quarterback Kerry Joseph said.
The Cowboys line up in a base 4-3 set, or a 4-2-5, with five defensive backs.
“A lot of teams have to play eight-man fronts to stop the run,” UI coach Chris Tormey said. “They’re able to stop the run in six- and seven-man fronts. They can play their safeties deep, so they don’t give up any big plays.”
Tormey looks at McNeese’s defense and sees a lot of “Barry Mitchell-looking guys.” Mitchell is UI’s swift, 245-pound junior defensive end.
Idaho senior receiver Dwight McKinzie, who caught four passes in last year’s 38-21 loss to McNeese State, recalled that the Cowboys’ “were very fast. Their front seven was real nice. They weren’t afraid to hit.”
But McKinzie believes UI can move the ball this time.
“We didn’t spread them out at all,” he said. “I think we can throw the ball and we’ll run better than people think.
“There are a lot of things we can do to attack them. Watching films, a couple of teams did things throwing against them.”
UI must have had the McNeese-James Madison tape. James Madison was the only McNeese opponent to score more than 16 points. James Madison scored 24, and had some success passing out of its one-back set, which is similar to Idaho’s. The disclaimer: McNeese shut out James Madison in the second half and rallied from a 24-6 deficit to win 30-24.
“I give them all the respect in the world,” said McKinzie, “but the way we’re playing right now … if they go out there and shut us down, then I’ll say it. Until then, I won’t.”
UI has won five of its last six games.
Notes
It’s spelled McNeese, but everyone in Lake Charles pronounces it MACK-neese State …
McNeese believes it has an all-American candidate in defensive end Kavika Pittman, who had 12 sacks and seven tackles for loss. He runs 40 yards in 4.6 seconds and stands 6-5 and 245 pounds …
McNeese State was ranked No. 2 in the preseason, but has been at No. 1 since the first regular-season poll.
, DataTimes