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Year one for Gary Goff at McNeese was a rollercoaster, to say the least.
After starting the season 1-4, the Cowboys went 3-3 after the bye week, including winning the final three games, to finish 4-7 and create some momentum heading into the offseason.
But when you look at the 2022 roster and stat sheet, quarterback was one of the positions with the most movement.
None of the McNeese quarterbacks threw for over 1,000 yards in 2022 and there were more interceptions than touchdown passes.
But when you look at the new depth chart for the Cowboys, the quarterback room looks very bright in 2023.
Nate Glantz
Glantz comes to Lake Charles after being at Iowa State a year ago. Before the Cyclones, Glantz played for two seasons at Iowa Western, one of the top JUCO programs in the country. During that time, he played in 18 games where he completed 57% of his passes for 3,958 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
Now, Glantz looks to be the favorite to land the starting job under Goff. He’s got the most experience of anyone in the room and has the skillset McNeese is looking for in order to be competitive in the Southland Conference.
Obviously, the position is not a lock until the head man names him the starter, but this feels like Glantz’s job to take.
Tre Simmons
Simmons spent two years at Tusculum before coming to the FCS level with McNeese. During his time with the Pioneers, Simmons played in 20 games where he completed 54% of his passes for 3,160 yards for 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
He’s a dual-threat quarterback that’s going to see playing time for the Cowboys. How much depends on how the battle goes over the next month or so. His skill set is impressive and Goff will find a way to implement him into the offense during the 2023 season.
Rest of the field
Ryan Roberts is the only guy in the room that played for McNeese is 2022. He appeared in five games, completing 48% of his passes for 276 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions. He’s a walk-on from Lafayette Christian Academy that will be third-string on the depth chart because of his experience.
Further down the list is a redshirt freshman from Texas named Cameron McAllister who redshirted in 2022 for the Cowboys. Then, you have two newcomers in Davion Wilson from Port Arthur, Texas, and Kamden Sixkiller from Norman, Oklahoma. I wouldn’t be surprised if both of the true freshmen redshirted and just gained experience in 2023.
Gary Goff and the Cowboys open their season at home against Tarleton State on September 2nd. As for who plays quarterback in that game, we’ll wait to find out.