In a year full of unknowns and schedule changes in college athletics, it seemed only fitting to Lamar University football coach Blane Morgan that the first game week this spring would start with a snow storm.
Instead of taking the field Monday to start a weeks’ worth of practice, the Cardinals are getting creative with their preparations ahead of Saturday’s season-opener against Northwestern State. That’s because a winter storm Sunday night brought snow and ice, making Lamar’s home field at Provost Umphrey Stadium unusable for the time being.
“We’ve been waiting for this week for a long time, and then you wake up in the morning and it’s the worst snow storm here in a couple decades,” Morgan said. “Only in 2020 leading into 2021, right?”
Lamar likely won’t practice on the field Tuesday, either. Morgan said that’s usually the most important day of preparation, when players can put on the pads and get physical early in the week.
Instead, Lamar will go through teams meetings, zoom calls and indoor walk-throughs while the field is thawing out. Kickoff Saturday is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Beaumont.
“We’ve learned this year to make the most of our situations, and that’s what we’re trying to do again with our football team,” Morgan said. “We’ll certainly adjust and try to overcome that, in addition to a lot of the other things we’ve had to overcome.”
Quarterback question
The biggest question looming over Lamar’s team is who will start at quarterback. The Cardinals didn’t have a viable option returning from last year’s roster, and Morgan said he’s yet to decide which one of the new additions will get the nod Saturday.
It looks to be a three-man race at the position between junior Jalen Dummett, senior Austin Scott and freshman Jake Smith. Dummett is a junior college transfer from California, while Scott appeared in 17 games during his time at FCS program Eastern Kentucky. Smith had a standout career at Bishop Gorman High School before coming to Lamar.
Morgan said he’s seen flashes from all three quarterbacks, but has yet to get the consistency necessary to name a starter going into Saturday.
“You’ll see a couple guys at least…we’ll pick the guy with the hot hand and go with him in the second half,” Morgan said.
Experience discrepancy
Entering his first season at Lamar, Morgan is preaching patience with the program. The Cardinals have 51 true or redshirt freshman on the roster.
That youth is especially evident on the offensive line, where Morgan said Lamar will start “four or five” freshman Saturday against Northwestern State. Conversely, the Demons’ youngest starter on offense is a sophomore.
Morgan said he expects Northwestern State’s offense to lean on its passing game, but that Lamar will have to be ready for creative run schemes, too.
Defensively, the Demons’ experienced front seven likes to mix up its pressures, Morgan said, making it a tough matchup for whoever Lamar starts at quarterback.
“There are no excuses, but that’s just the reality of where our program is right now,” Morgan said of Lamar’s youth. “I think we’re looking forward to competing and seeing what we’ve got.”
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