Demons wrap up spring with 29th Delaney Bowl

NATCHITOCHES – Round Three went to … the Demons.

Northwestern State’s first spring practice under new head coach Brad Laird wrapped up Saturday at Turpin Stadium with the Demons’ third extended scrimmage, the 29th Annual Joe Delaney Bowl spring game, with highlights on both sides of the ball for the first time in 2018.

The offense dominated the March 29 scrimmage, scoring nine times and rolling up 694 yards. In the next scrimmage last Saturday, the Purple Swarm defense snagged five interceptions and carved about 250 yards off its yield.

Saturday in front of about 1,000 sun-splashed supporters including dozens of former players, there were lots of offensive high points, plenty of impressive defense and star-caliber performances from Delaney Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player Bryson Bourque and Defensive MVP Zak Krolczyk.

The contest wrapped up 15 spring practices as NSU installed new schemes in each phase, and the Demons ended on a high note, said Krolczyk.

“We made a lot of progress, with everyone learning and getting hold of things,” he said. “Both sides produced, and it’s been pretty good.”

The scoreboard gave Saturday’s decision to the White-clad defense, 87-70, in a very modified scoring system where points were awarded for a variety of superlatives along with conventional touchdowns, field goals and extra points.

“I saw a lot of great competition on both sides of the ball,” said Laird. “We talked about going into practice one on March 6, we wanted to be much better after practice 15, and when we go back and evaluate this tape as coaches, I know that’s what we’re going to see.

“We wanted to see consistency with each position group, and I thought we saw that. I’m very excited with today’s performance, and the 15 days of work, and now we’ll go to work in the next phase of preparing for the 2018 season,” he said.

Four quarterbacks threw to 11 receivers for 458 yards and five touchdowns, two apiece from Shelton Eppler (8-12, 143 yards) and Clay Holgorsen (7-10, 70 yards). Kenny Sears (8-11-1, 109 yards) added the other TD pass. Kaleb Fletcher (10-14-1, 136 yards) led the game’s first scoring drive, a 57-yarder capped by a 14-yard scamper from Jared West (who ran for a game-high 120 yards on 10 carries).

The Demons posted 687 total yards (229 rushing on 50 carries) on 109 snaps, a 6.3 average per play. Bourque was the most productive player with 151 yards receiving, including a 57-yard scoring strike from Eppler, piled up on his six catches.

“(Receivers) coach (Alvin) Slaughter always preaches if your number gets called, you have to make those plays, and in our offense, it can be any of us,” said Bourque, a former walk-on from New Iberia. “I just was fortunate to be one who got a lot of chances to make plays today.”

Interceptions were made by Deshon Ficklin and Blake Stephenson, with Rashuad Powell recovering a fumble. Linebacker Dez Gray had a game-high seven tackles, just ahead of the 6 ½ from Krolczyk including a sack and a batted-down pass.

“The scheme that (defensive coordinator) coach (Mike) Lucas brought in is pretty simple and sets us up to use our athleticism to make plays,” said Krolczyk.

The defense collected seven sacks – including on four consecutive plays in the closing moments of the first half – scoring three points on each. The secondary broke up seven of the 16 incomplete passes, and batted away two more.

Austyn Fendrick nailed a 44-yard field goal shortly after West’s early touchdown, starting a collection of eight scoring plays from the offense. Holgorsen hooked up with McKane Kinchen on a 9-yard TD before Bourque’s bomb from Eppler. Stadford Anderson rolled 24 yards for the fourth touchdown, followed by Holgorsen’s 11-yarder to Jazz Ferguson, a 56-yard strike down the middle from Sears to Gavin Landry, and a last-minute 6-yard flip by Eppler to Da’Von Smith, who ran for 98 yards on a game-high 15 carries.

With Lucas and new offensive coordinator Brad Smiley helping Laird set the tone, Bourque said the players have been rejuvenated this spring.

“They brought in a new atmosphere that we needed. The previous years just didn’t go the way we wanted,” he said, “and everybody really loves the energy they’ve brought.”

NSU opens its 2018 season at Texas A&M on Aug. 30, then hosts Grambling Sept. 8 at Turpin Stadium.