BEAUMONT — How close has Lamar come to starting 2-0 in the Southland Conference this season?

Had Northwestern State not blocked an extra point and had Southeastern Louisiana failed to execute an onside kick with 33 seconds remaining, the Cardinals (1-3, 0-2 Southland) might have swept an important home stand and gone into No. 15 Nicholls State (2-2, 1-1) with some momentum.

“I think our kids know we’re a better football team,” second-year Cardinals coach Mike Schultz said Monday. “Since my arrival at Lamar University, this is the best we’ve been. That doesn’t do away with the frustration that every single player, every single coach, Lamar nation, our fan base, … they are still frustrated with not winning on Saturday afternoon.”

The Cardinals’ 49-48 loss to Northwestern State and 30-24 defeat to Southeastern Louisiana were both closer than last year’s meetings, which were on the road during a 2-9 overall (1-8 Southland) season. But Saturday’s loss to Southeastern, played before a crowd of 8,017, was the eighth straight among conference games at Provost Umphrey Stadium for the Cards, who last won in Southland play at home against Northwestern State on Oct. 15, 2016.

Two roughing-the-passer penalties on a Southeastern drive going into the fourth quarter did the Cards no favors. Linebacker David Crosley hit Chason Virgil late on an incomplete fourth-and-3 pass, and two plays later, the Lions earned a mulligan when tackle Darien Wilson was penalized on a dropped catch in the end zone. The Lions came away with a go-ahead field goal.

“We had way too many self-inflicted injuries,” Schultz said. “… Some of those led to points, and we did it in every phase of the game.”

Even after the Southeastern game, impact newcomers like fullback A.J. Walker, who rushed nine times for 88 yards, and cornerback Tyler Rios (two fumble recoveries, one forced) found positives in Lamar.

“We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing,” Walker said. “I think we’re improving a whole lot. I just got here, but everybody’s saying we’re doing much better. I can see it, too, for me just getting here.”

Said Rios: “We really invoked a play-for-each-other mindset. We showed how much passion we played with tonight.”

Schultz cited a positive review from senior cornerback Rodney Randle, a hometown guy who began his collegiate career under Ray Woodard.

“He said, coach, this is the best we’ve been in a long time,” Schultz said. “And he said, we’ve just got to go finish some games and win some games.”

 

FIRST LOOK AT NICHOLLS

The Colonels moved up three spots in the latest STATS FCS Top 25 poll after a 27-7 win over national semifinalist Sam Houston State, which dived from 11th.

It’s not the first time the Colonels, who made the NCAA Division I playoffs last season, have earned a statement victory this season. They opened the season with a 26-23 win at Kansas, which had won two straight before a 26-7 loss at Baylor to begin Big 12 play.

Junior quarterback Chase Fourcade, a preseason first-team All-Southland choice, has thrown for 835 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions, completing a career-high 55.5 percent of his passes (66 for 119). He’s already 77 rushing yards shy of breaking his total from last year.

Fourth-year head coach Tim Rebowe has turned a program that went 0-12 before his arrival into a Southland contender. The Colonels earned a strong bounce-back from a 20-10 loss at McNeese State by dominating SHSU.

 

INJURY REPORT

Schultz’s injury list grew from two to 10 in one week.

Running back Myles Wanza and defensive end Dedrick Garner did not play Saturday after being listed day-to-day with respective shoulder and ankle injuries. Schultz indicated injuries for each player, a departure from his recent practice of not doing so.
Offensive linemen Stephon Cooper (ankle), Aires Gilmore-Gardner (hyperextended elbow) and Hayden Kaaiohelo (wrist); defensive backs Rodney Randle (ankle) and Caleb Abrom (ankle); tight end Mason Sykes; linebacker Chaston Brooks and Isaiah Spencer; Wanza and Garner were listed with injuries. Abrom is considered “extremely questionable” for the Nicholls State game.

Schultz gave a short answer when asked if he’s ever seen as long an injury list as he gave Monday.

“No,” he said, straight-faced. “Next question?” he continued, with a laugh.

Then, he elaborated.

“Here’s the deal. I’m sure there are other teams facing this. When you have this situation happen, all you do is close reins and move on. We have a great athletic training staff. They’re doing everything … we’re working around the clock, literally around the clock. We open up that place at 6 in the morning and we’ll go to 8, 9 o’clock. We’ve got kids coming in for three to four treatments a day that are trying to fight their way to get back on the field.”

When Schultz asks injured players on the sideline if they can play, they tend to say “Yes,” he said.

“Then, I’ll look at them and say, can you play to win? That’s a whole new different deal,” Schultz said. “Being able to go back in and playing to win is a little different. Sometimes they may have to think about that — ‘Mmm, maybe coach has a point here’ — because they are playing with what I call some hurts and pains.

“I will never ask a kid to play with an injury. I will never. Sometimes, if it’s a bruise or a nick, we’re expected to go back and play through the pain a little bit. And some kids can do that better than others.”

 

NATIONAL RANKINGS

McNeese is the highest-ranked Southland team in the STATS FCS Top 25 at No. 10. Defending Southland champion Central Arkansas is 13th, Nicholls is 15th and SHSU 21st.

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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews