Both heck and high water came to Jefferson County. That was just enough for the Lamar football team to divert from a straight journey to Denton, site of Saturday’s season opener against North Texas.

The real reason for that, though, was to get in a practice at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. That didn’t happen either.

Much more than football has been on the Cardinals’ minds, but after two days of fighting floods caused by Tropical Storm Harvey, the team finally left Beaumont and headed east, only to be forced to catch Interstate 45 on the road to Denton.

“I’m really proud of how our guys have handled adversity,” said Mike Schultz, two days before his first game as Lamar’s head coach. “Most of the players we recruit are from areas hurt by Harvey, so they not only have been taken care of themselves but trying to make sure their families are safe as well.”

The players earned the nickname “Minute Men” from Schultz for the way they responded to immediate practice requests in between bands of rain from Harvey.

“Not all of our guys could get here and we told those guys not to risk it and stay home. Our guys have been ready to go at a moment’s notice all week and have done a great job through a very trying time.

“I’ve also been really proud of how they have taken care of each other. They have been getting out on their own to help their teammate’s families and others around them. I couldn’t be more proud of these guys.”

Lamar is taking on a team that got to play in last year’s Heart of Dallas Bowl at the Cotton Bowl despite a 5-7 record and losing four of five going into that game. North Texas earned a bid because of its Academic Progress Rate, which was second among FBS teams, but lost 38-31 to Army in overtime.

This much is known about the Lamar quarterback race: Either senior Andrew Allen or junior transfer Darrel Colbert Jr. will start Saturday. Colbert’s arrival on campus, made official this month, added to a race that included Groves sophomore Adam Morse, who emerged as a starter late last season due to a number of injuries at that position.
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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews