LAKE CHARLES – Second-year McNeese football head coach Gary Goff, senior linebacker Brayden Adams and junior running back D'Angelo Durham took part in Monday's 2023 Southland Conference Football Media Day event.
 
The virtual meeting with the media was hosted by former Cowboy football player and sports personality Butch Alsandor, and FOX Sports College Football Analyst Spencer Tillman and broadcast on ESPN+.
 
McNeese, who has been picked for a third-place finish in the league's preseason poll voted on by head coaches and sports information directors, returns just four seniors and 34 lettermen from last year's squad that posted a 4-7 overall record.
 
"We're going to be a young team," said Goff. "But sometimes being a young team is a dangerous thing."
 
Although the Cowboys might be young, they won't lack any experience.
 
Goff and his staff brought in 57 newcomers, 22 which are juniors that will help balance out a roster that includes just four seniors.
 
"It's a light year's difference from a year ago," commented Goff. "I thought my staff did a great job and went out and got some talent, some talent with playing experience. We went out this offseason and focused on bring in transfers with playing experience."
 
Two of those transfers will battle it out for the No. 1 quarterback spot in Nate Glantz (Iowa State, JUCO National Player of the Year) and Tre Simmons (Tusculum) who each have proven stats at the collegiate level.
 
Before being a backup at Iowa State last season, Glantz earned junior college all-American honors as well as being named the JUCO Player of the Year after throwing for over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns in leading his team to a national title.
 
Simmons was just as productive at Tusculum where he threw for 21 touchdowns and 2,384 yards and had over 3,100 yards passing and 29 TDs in his two seasons.
 
"We're excited to have these two competing back there," said Goff. "The team has really embraced them. They picked up on our values and culture immediately."
 
The Cowboys will be a much bigger team heading into fall camp next week. A total of 21 linemen (eight on defense, 13 on offense) tip the scale at 300 pounds or more. Thirteen linebackers and defensive backs have bulked up to 200 pounds or more, and eight receivers weigh 190 or more. Last season, McNeese had only one player on defensive that wasn't a lineman, weigh over 200 pounds.
 
"We've had a really good summer program," commented Goff. "The guys worked really hard and put in the time to get better. Most of our guys hit their PRs when maxing out in the weights on their final day of the summer last week.
 
"I'm excited about the season," said Durham who averaged 85 rushing yards per game in four outings before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. "I'm excited about our offense and the guys we have returning and the new ones that are here."
 
Adams, one of the Cowboy Tag holders (team captains) said the newcomers are adjusting and fitting in nicely.
 
"We're pretty close to gelling as a team," said Adams, one of the four seniors on the squad. "The older guys have set the standards and set examples to the young guys and they have picked it up pretty quick."
 
"We're excited for the season. We're only worried about us and taking it one day at a time," said Goff.
 
Last year's champion, Southeastern Louisiana, has been picked to repeat as the title holder, garnering 93 points. UIW picked up 91 points for second followed by McNeese (65), Nicholls (62), Northwestern State (52), Texas A&M-Commerce (33), Lamar (28), and HCU (24).
 
The Cowboys will report to fall camp on Sunday, July 30, with their first practice slated for Wednesday morning on August 2.