Cowboys wrap preseason with situational scrimmage

LAKE CHARLES – McNeese officially put an end to preseason football camp on Saturday morning with its final scrimmage, focusing mostly on third-down and red zone situations.

The roughly 90-play scrimmage included about 60 live plays where both sides of the ball displayed some good things.

“I thought we did some better things on offense,” said head coach Lance Guidry. “But we’re still not where we need to be. Defensively, I think we’re very close.”

The Cowboys’ DWA led the nation in four statistical categories last year, including rushing and third-down defense, and if the last two scrimmages are any indication, all signs are there for the unit to be on top again.

“We’re really fast (on defense),” said Guidry. “We had an excellent third-down and long and third-down and short period. I think we have a chance to be really good on defense.”

The first two defensive teams recorded four sacks in the first six non-live plays of the scrimmage but the offense came back two series later with the No. 3 unit scoring on a 55-yard TD pass-catch by quarterback Cam Smith to Tre Roberts. The play was whistled dead before it ended but Roberts easily would’ve reached the end zone.

“When the offense starts prepping for an opponent and not have to worry about installing, they’ll play a lot better,” said Guidry.

“We could’ve done a lot better all around,” said quarterback James Tabary. “We came out slow and didn’t execute well. But that’s my job. I have to get the drive started not matter if we’re running or passing the ball. We can’t start slow like that.”

In three third-and-1 live situation series, a total of nine plays, the offense picked up first downs on four plays behind the running of David Hamm and J’Cobi Skinner.

Hamm had several hard runs on the day, including one with the ball on the 2-yard line working out, the all-conference back was hit in the end zone after taking the hand off, bounced off the tackle, and bulled forward to turn what looked to be a safety into a nice gain.

But on the next play, the DWA got revenge when defensive end Marcus Foster knocked the ball loose from Hamm on a 6-yard pick-up and defensive back John Blunt recovered to force the first turnover of the scrimmage for the defense.

Others that stood out on the defensive side of the ball were Chris Livings who collected two sacks and numerous tackles for a loss, and Cody Roscoe who had a sack, giving him five in the two scrimmages.

The No. 2 offense found the end zone for the second time of the day but the first in live action when Smith connected with Cyron Sutton on the sideline as Sutton turned it into a 30-yard touchdown. That was set up by some nice running by Skinner who ran for 22 yards on four carries in the series, including a 19-yard trot that helped set up the score.

The scrimmage closed out with each unit conducting a red zone series, one non-live and one live.

In the non-live, the defense held the offense out of the end all three series while allowing field goals of 21 and 22 yards.

On the first play of the No. 2 series, defensive back Andre Sam ripped the ball away from receiver Quincy Cage for the defense’s only interception on the day.

In live action, the offense retaliated with touchdowns for the Nos. 2 and 3 units. The first score came on a Smith scramble from three yards out for the TD but that was made possible by a catch and run by all-American tight end Lawayne Ross who hauled in the pass from Smith and rumbled 16 yards to the 4-yard line as it took five defenders to bring him down.

The 3s got a 7-yard touchdown by receiver Sa’lan Weber on an end-around play, then made good on a two-point conversion to end the scrimmage. Running back Braeden James carried the ball four times in the series to lead up to the score.

The Cowboys will return to the practice field on Tuesday as it gets ready for the Sept. 1 season opener at Northern Colorado.