2018 College Football Team Previews: Northwestern State Demons
Northwestern State Demons
Location: Natchitoches, LA
Coach: Brad Laird (0-0) First Year as Head Coach
Stadium: Harry Turpin Stadium (Capacity: 15,971)
CSJ Projections:
7th: Southland
11th: Louisiana
82nd: FCS
212th: Division I
2017 In A Sentence: For a ninth consecutive season, the Demons were unable to finish above .500, though their 4-7 campaign did end with a resounding 38-21 win over archrival Stephen F. Austin in the “Battle for Chief Caddo”.
Biggest Shoes to Fill: Versatile RB Chris Jones (786 yards rushing, 186 yards receiving, 5 TDs) was the most productive back out of the Demons backfield
Key Player: New head coach Brad Laird is going to be installing a new high-octane offense in Natchitoches this season, with four QBs on the roster competing for the top spot. That means senior WR Jaylen Watson will be a critical piece in the establishment of that new offense. The Demons’ top receiver last year, he caught 31 passes for 484 yards and 4 TDs last year.
Fearless Prediction: Crashing through the Southland’s glass ceiling to compete with the Central Arkansas’ and Sam Houston State’s is not easy, and it seems unlikely with a new QB and a new staff that this is a year that the Demons will break through, especially with another brutal schedule. Still, an over .500 record is achievable as coach Laird’s system gets put into place.
Chuck has been writing about Lehigh football since the dawn of the internet, or perhaps it only seems like it. He’s executive editor of the College Sports Journal and has also written a book, The Rivalry: How Two Schools Started the Most Played College Football Series.
Reach him at: this email or click below:
