Early scrimmage start for Cowboys

Cowboy fans will get their first look at the now 58 newcomers and the entirely rebuilt offense Saturday.

But to do so they will have to get up early.

McNeese State will hold its first scrimmage today inside Cowboy Stadium. The workout begins at 7 a.m. with each group expected to get about 35 plays according to head coach Gary Goff.

“This is big for us to see how they perform under pressure and in-game conditions,” said Goff.

The scrimmage will end the second week of training camp as McNeese got off to an early start thanks to moving its season opener against Tarleton State to Week Zero on Aug. 24.

The game will be a rematch of last season’s opener, which Tartelon won behind a big second half, 52-34. The game was tied at the break at 17.

In the offseason, McNeese made a complete overhaul of its roster in hopes of a quick turnaround. With 20 seniors and 21 FBS transfers, the Cowboys have done just that on paper.

Now the public can see just how the team looks as they close to within three weeks of the opening game.

“We have to see how the pieces fit,” said Goff. “You never know what you have until they start playing for real.”

The Cowboys are still in the meshing process, as they learn to play together.

“We are coming together,” said running back Joshon Barbie. “We did a lot of team-building things during the summer.”

McNeese fans will get their first look at new quarterback Clifton McDowell, the Montana transfer who has looked sharp in spots during camp while learning the offense. He is one of many players looking to make their mark this fall.

McDowell, who took Montana to the FCS title game in January, has said he wants to help McNeese get back to the top of the Southland Conference.

The most interesting of battles should be between the offensive and defensive lines. Last fall both struggled but thanks to changes each group is looking for improved play thanks in large part to greater depth.

Linebacker Micah Davey continues to add to accolades. On Friday he was named to his third All-American preseason team.

The junior linebacker who led the country in tackles per game at 15.3 last fall, was named to the Phil Steele First Team. He has already been selected to Stats Perform and FCS Football Central’s first teams.

Davey was also named the Phil Steele Preseason SLC Defensive Player of the Year, earning first-team All-SLC honors by the organization.

Davey, who was named to the Buck Buchanan Award watch list for the top defensive player in FCS last week, was not the only Cowboy named to the All-SLC team.

Two new linebackers, transfers Marques White and Tristan Driggers were picked for second and third-team honors respectively. White was a two-time All-Ivy League pick while at Dartmouth. Driggers started the last two years at Louisiana-Monroe.

Three McNeese offensive linemen, senior guards Cole Leclair (first team), Dylan Dauzart (second team), and tackle Hayes Creel (third team) were named by the Steele organization.

All three started for McNeese last season.

Two other Cowboys, defensive back Levi Wyatt and transfer punter Finn Lappin, were selected for the third team, giving McNeese eight players on the All-SLC Steele squad.