2023 was a year of frustration and disappointment for Gary Goff and the McNeese Cowboys.
McNeese was winless last season except for a forfeit by Northwestern State after one of their players was tragically killed with just three games remaining.
Nine of the 10 games the Cowboys played were decided by 10 or more points with the lone exception being the 31-28 loss to Eastern Illinois as the Pokes blew a 28-14 fourth quarter lead.
However, despite the hardships of 2023, Goff and the Cowboys look to start 2024 on the right foot when they travel to take on Tarleton State on Saturday during college football’s Week 0. The matchup will be played at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2 as one of the biggest games in that time slot.
“We’re excited here,” head coach Gary Goff said this week. “It’s been a long camp, so we’re excited to get out there and compete against somebody else. These guys have hit the wall. They’re tired of hitting each other and we’re excited with where we’re at right now, and everybody’s healthy and ready to get started.”
McNeese will look to Clifton McDowell to lead the offense a year after he led Montana to an appearance in the FCS National Championship. McDowell, a Mississippi native who started his career with the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns, threw for 2,026 yards, 13 touchdowns, and four interceptions while adding 932 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
“It’s nice to have a quarterback that has played a lot of football,” Goff said about McDowell. “Being a sixth year senior, he’s seen a lot and obviously had a great run last year and did some great things. He brings some confidence and some calmness to the offensive side, and he’s a competitor too, so he also has a lot of fire to him, which is much needed for us at times. He’s a guy that can make every throw, he can extend plays with his legs and I expect him to do some great things for us this season.”
Behind him will be Harvey native Joshon Barbie as well as Lake Charles native and Miami transfer Trevonte Citizen, who returns home to play for Goff and his hometown Cowboys. At wide receiver, the Pokes have tons of talents with Curtis Deville, Jessie Campbell, Jer’Michael Carter, and Matthew McCallister just to name a few.
McNeese will also feature veteran depth in the trenches as the offensive line is highlighted by three seniors including Cole Leclair, who was all-conference a year ago. Defensively, Welland Williams and Masey Lewis are the two key pieces of this group with starting experience from 2023.
The linebackers will be led by Micah Davey, who has had a standout career in blue and gold. The Baton Rouge native led the FCS in tackles a year ago and is on the Buchanan Award watch list for the 2024 season. His 15.3 tackles per game set a program record. Also, McNeese added ULM transfer Tristan Driggers, who was one of the defensive leaders for the Warhawks.
Levi Wyatt will be a key piece in the secondary for Goff’s team as the junior from Byram, Mississippi was named to the preseason All-Southland team. Boogsie Silvera and Thomas Miles are the two starting safeties for Saturday’s contest.
Tarleton State comes into this Week 0 matchup ranked 18th in the preseason FCS poll after a really strong 2023 season. To add to their success, all 11 starters from a season ago are back on offense, including Darius Cooper who was named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl watchlist.
After a winless season in 2023, can McNeese head to a ranked opponent on national television and get a signature win in the Gary Goff era? The first college football game played on American soil in 2024 will kick off at 2:30 and play on ESPN2.