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LU web site does their last look at the football team, not including the special teams with the defensive backs. This is the area with the biggest question mark and for me its hard to pick between it and the o-line for the position group that needs to step up the most compared to last year.

It doesn't look like anyone believes Lamar will deliver an upset, and with that I think the opportunity is can the offense move the ball against Texas States first team defense and can the Lamar defense avoid giving up the big play. I'm looking for Lamar to keep it at a three score defict.

It's game week. Looks like Texas State is picked first in the west division of the Sunbelt Conference. What should the expectations be for Lamar? Any chance of a win?

Week 0 game between Tarleton State and McNeese shows McNeese appears to be much improved. McNeese has a total of fifty-nine new players on its roster including a transfer QB who started for FCS runner-up Montana last season and several FBS to FCS transfers. The QB transferred to a lower tier FBS school for the spring semester and then to McNeese over the summer.

Five total intra=conference games this season, with three involving Tarleton and one against each Central Arkansas and Abilene Christian. UCA is picked to win their conference with Tarleton tabbed for second place. UCA starts the season ranked eleventh while Tarleton State is ranked twenty-first. UIW is the highest ranked SLC school at number fourteen with Nicholls sitting at twenty-three.

McNeese came back against Tarleton to make it a close game, missing a potential game tying field goal as time ran out. McNeese has a transfer quarterback who started for Montana last year in the FCS playoffs and a total of 59 new players this year.

The SLC and UAC are probably second tier FCS conferences in football. They have some head to head games in the non-conference, so how will that turn out. First up is Week 0 Tarleton State versus McNeese St. McNeese went winless in games played last year including an opening loss to Tarleton. Tarleton finished the year 8-3 including three wins against current year SLC schools. Lamar will play Central Arkansas in a few weeks, not sure how many other head to head games are on the schedules.

With the posting of both the Women's and Men's non-conference schedules the full schedules are complete. Both have some challenging games in the non-conference, but there are still lower division teams on the schedules beyond the exhibition games. If both the men and the women can continue to improve maybe that will change over the next few years.

Defense Shines in Midweek Scrimmage - Lamar University Athletics (lamarcardinals.com) Glad to see the defense step up. The doubter in me says yeah, but it was against the Lamar offense and though I don't know how the time of possessions compared to true game conditions and how many of the interceptions were with the backups playing the stats and completion average doesn't inspire competence.

A Look at the Cards 2024 Offensive Line - Lamar University Athletics (lamarcardinals.com) Critical part of team for improvement. Per the article Lamar has quite a bit of experience especially compared to a few years ago. Looking at last years results this may be the offensive group that really needs to step up. The other offensive groups seemed to have reasonably successful stats last year but total yards per game wasn't enough in my opinion. Thinking back on last year all groups had room to improve, but it starts in the trenches and the difference between say four and six yards per carry is not allowing penetration into the backfield and getting down field blocks. The difference between thirteen yards per catch and eighteen are more is protecting the quarterback so he can find the longer routes. I'm optimistic but need to see results.

Cards fall in their opening match versus A&M 5-0. Lamar was outshot 25-6.

The receivers A Look at the Cards 2024 Receivers/Tight Ends - Lamar University Athletics (lamarcardinals.com) Here's hoping for improvement. Something doesn't really add up for me. The total catches and yards don't seem like enough for they reported quality of receivers. Maybe it was short passes.

A Look at the Cards 2024 Quarterbacks - Lamar University Athletics (lamarcardinals.com) Interesting take on the quarterbacks. While I believe Coleman's performance last year was a solid improvement compared to Lamar's Qbs the previous couple of years, sadly I don't believe it was enough. Where Lamar ranked in passing offense wasn't necessarily on the quarterback, the receivers, offensive line pass blocking and the general offensive strategy all played a part. The positive I see is the potential of the red shirt freshman and the incoming freshman to push both Coleman and Longino.

I think every position needs to improve to the next level compared to last year. I think for the running backs improved production from Griffin is crucial.

Team checked in for meetings today and will hit the field tomorrow. Cardinals Land in Beaumont - Lamar University Athletics (lamarcardinals.com)

When do the players report. I saw a few of the FBS power conference teams have started practice.

Cards finished last year at 6-5. Although two of the four non-conference opponents were FCS playoff schools, this year's overall schedule may be tougher besides having a twelfth game. Lamar doesn't play HCU this year, play SFA instead as the conference made adjustments to bring SFA back. With that change alone the conference schedule is a little tougher. I think that 7-5 is the low expectation and anything above is a real improvement.

Lamar picked fourth in preseason conference poll. Nicholls, UIW and Southeastern are ahead of Lamar. I guess the rest of the conference thinks Lamar defeating Southeastern last year was a fluke. I think Lamar can get to the playoffs this year.

Didn't find anything, but according to lamarcardinals.com football has 12 preseason all conference selections. Five first team selections. Lamar University Athletics - Official Athletics Website (lamarcardinals.com)

I hope that is true that the SLC will play a full twenty-two game full round robin beginning next year assuming there is no more conference alignment changes. Hopefully all of the conference will commit to not playing more than one less than D-1 opponents and with the minimum number of non-conference games everyone can make that happen.

Both men and women will play twenty conference games this year. Cards will only play UNO and Southeastern La. once each. The conference will not be divided into divisions. For tie-breaking purposes the once only games will be important. Since it is difficult to get quality non-conference home games is it better to play more conference games and if so, why not play a full round robin of twenty-two games.

Amazing what a little time can do. Up to three or maybe four years ago most were ready to run him off. He probably won't stay at Lamar for life but he is developing into an excellent head coach.

Per the announcement from the school, his experience looks promising, but he hasn't stayed anywhere very long. Hopefully he will find the Beaumont area to his liking and stay awhile.

I look forward to the competition, and I understand that travel costs should be considered when making such a move, especially for FCS and group of five schools, but it didn't seem to matter to those that are in the new power conferences. Does it make any sense for UCLA to travel to Rutgers or for Cal to travel to North Carolina. It doesn't without the big money payout from ESPN, but whether or not their fans can make the trip didn't seem to matter in the decision.

See that Tate is also going to the trials on the men's side.