2020 Northwestern State Demons football team

2020 Northwestern State Demons football
Conference	Southland Conference
Record	0–0 (0–0 SLC)
Head coach	Brad Laird (2nd season)
Offensive coordinator	Brad Smiley (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Mike Lucas (2nd season)
Home stadium	Harry Turpin Stadium (Capacity: 15,971)

2020 Southland Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 1 Sam Houston State $^		6	–	0					10	–	0
No. 20 Southeastern Louisiana		4	–	2					4	–	3
No. 23 Nicholls		3	–	3					4	–	3
Incarnate Word		3	–	3					3	–	3
Lamar		2	–	4					2	–	4
McNeese State*		2	–	4					3	–	4
Northwestern State		1	–	5					1	–	5
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant * – Ineligible for FCS postseason play due to NCAA sanctions Note: Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, Houston Baptist, and Stephen F. Austin played only in the fall and opted out of the spring season. Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2020 Northwestern State Demons football team will represent Northwestern State University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Demons will play their home games at Harry Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches, Louisiana, and will compete in the Southland Conference. They will be led by second-year head coach Brad Laird. The Demons will commence the season with a home conference-game against Incarnate Word and will conclude the season at other conference foe Stephen F. Austin.

Previous Season

The Demons finished the 2019 season 3–9, 3–6 in Southland play to finish eighth in Southland play. The Demons were not invited/did not qualify to any postseason play.

Preseason

Recruiting class

Reference(s):

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Scooter Adams Running Back	Hallettsville, TX	Hallettsville HS Kilgore College	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Marquise Bridges Wide Receiver	Brookhaven, MS	Petal HS Mississippi Gulf Coast CC	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	193 lb (88 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Logan Canerdy Offensive Line	Caledonia, MS	Caledonia HS Jones County JC	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	295 lb (134 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Malik Carey Cornerback	Shreveport, LA	Captain Shreve HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN: N/A
Natea "Tay" Coleman Safety	Beaumont, TX	West Brook HS	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Kevin Davis, Jr. Safety	Freeport, TX	Brazosport HS	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Cayden Dunn Running Back	Los Angeles, CA	Bishop Alemany HS College of the Canyons	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Logan Gabriel Running Back	Opelousas, LA	Lafayette Christian Academy	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Eddie Godina Kicker	Whitehouse, TX	Whitehouse HS Trinity Valley CC	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Kendal Harmon Defensive Line	Crowley, LA	Crowley HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	273 lb (124 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
PJ Herrington Defensive Back	Natchez, MS	Natchez HS East Mississippi CC	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Jewell Holmes, III Wide Receiver	New Orleans, LA	Warren Easton HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	188 lb (85 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Monte Johnson Tight End	Burleson, TX	Burleson Centennial HS	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Princeton Malbrue Outside Linebacker	Carencro, LA	Lafayette Christian Academy	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN: N/A
Jordan McClaine Offensive Line	Ruston, LA	Ruston HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	280 lb (130 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Johnny Mitchell, Jr. Defensive Line	Stonewall, LA	North DeSoto HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	310 lb (140 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Jalen Momerelle offensive Line	Houston, TX	Manvel HS Navarro College/Texas State	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	305 lb (138 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Andy Pierre-Antoine Wide Receiver	North Miami, FL	North Miami Sr. HS Reedley College	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Isaiah Robinson Defensive Back	Bossier City, LA	Parkway HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Brayden Staggs Offensive Line	Cypress, TX	Langham Creek HS	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	285 lb (129 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN: N/A
Dante Thomas Defensive Back	Hammond, LA	John Curtis HS	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Jaheim Walters Wide Receiver	New Orleans, LA	St. Augustine HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	184 lb (83 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A
Malik Williams Linebacker	Gilmer, TX	Gilmer HS	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	Feb 5, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN: N/A

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released

Award	Player	Position	Year

Southland coaches poll

The Southland coaches poll will be released sometimes during July 2020.

Offense

1st team

2nd team

Defense

1st team

2nd team

|}

Southland Preseason All-Conference teams

Offense

1st team

2nd team

Defense

1st team

2nd team

|}

Roster

2020 Northwestern State Demons football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class QB 2 Kaleb Fletcher Jr WR 6 Robbie Williams, III  Fr QB 7 Bryce Rivers Jr WR 8 Levar Gumms Jr WR 11 Tanner Ash Jr QB 13 Zachary Clement  Fr WR 14 Coby McGee Jr WR 15 Jalen Willis So TE 17 David Fitzwater Sr WR 18 Kendrick Price Sr WR 19 Curtis Williams So RB 20 Trevor Morgan Jr RB 27 Erik Hart  Fr OL 56 Kenny Sheldon Jr OL 61 Spencer Cody  Fr OL 62 Jake Gore Jr OL 63 Alyzcha Ulufale-Hentz So OL 64 Reggie Young So OL 67 Jordan Cooper  Fr OL 69 Jakob Sell Jr OL 72 Khalil Corbett-Canada Jr OL 78 Cody Coleman  Fr OL 79 Clay Cotten  Fr TE 82 Aaron Howell So WR 83 Jacob Sylvia  Fr WR 84 Gavin Landry Sr WR 85 Gabriel Ernest So WR 86 Patrick Heard So WR 89 McKane Kinchen Jr RB Scooter Adams Jr WR Marquise Bridges Jr OL Logan Canerdy Jr WR Andy Pierre-Antonie Jr	Defense Pos. # Name Class S 1 Tobias Williams So CB 3 Shemar Bartholomew Jr S 4 Cedric Anderson So ILB 5 Jalen Angelle So CB 6 Kunta Hester  Fr LB 10 Ja'Quay Pough Sr OLB 11 Jomard Valsin Jr CB 15 William Hooper Jr CB 16 Fred Lee So ILB 21 Jared Pedraza  Fr ILB 22 Adrion Robertson Sr S 25 Hayden Bourgeois Sr CB 26 Keldrick Ward Jr S 29 Trey Williams Jr ILB 30 Bishop Breaux So CB 31 Jalen Garrison So OLB 32 Landon King Jr ILB 33 Isaiah Longino Jr OLB 35 Kyle Moore Sr OLB 39 Chandler Moncrief So S 40 T. K. Evans So ILB 43 Blake Stephenson Sr S 45 Tyson Ford  Fr CB 46 Ray Johnson  Fr DL 47 Rashaud Powell Jr DE 48 Johnathan Daigle  Fr S 49 Keenan Leechman So ILB 50 Ricky Chatman Sr DT 51 Nathalohn Nanai Jr OLB 54 Matthew Pajinag  Fr DL 71 Devin Gabriel So DE 90 Darius Whitfield Sr DE 93 Ty Cormier So DT/DE 96 Jabralen Yarber So DE 97 John-Alex Perkins Jr DT 98 Tyrus Butler Sr NT 99 Damien Thomas Sr S P. J. Herrington Jr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 37 Daniel Justino Sr K/P 43 Scotty Roblow  Fr LS 55 Evan Gibson So K Eddie Godina Jr	Head coach Brad Laird (Northwestern State) Coordinators/assistant coaches Brad Smiley (Baylor) Offensive Coordinator/TE Mike Lucas (Liberty) Defensive Coordinator/ILB De'Von Lockett (Northwestern State) Assistant Head Coach/DB Ledell Love (Texas Tech) Assistant Head Coach/DL Jake Olsen (Valley City State) Recruiting Coordinator/OLB J Pond (Texas A&M) Video Coordinator/OL Anthony Scelfo (Tulane) Assistant Head Coach/QB Alvin Slaughter (Clarion) Assistant Head Coach/WR Austin Ashcraft (West Texas A&M Administrative Graduate Assistant OL Travon Carter (Eastern Kentucky) Administrative Graduate Assistant DL John Mitchell (Louisiana Tech) Administrative Graduate Assistant WR Jack Witte (Millsaps) Administrative Graduate Assistant LB Elizabeth Holloway Administrative Assistant Dan Korn Director of Football Operations Luis Curiel Administrative Graduate Assistant - Football Operations/Player Personell Nathan Farber Administrative Graduate Assistant - Football Operations/Video Jason Pugh Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Jason Drury Director of Sports Medicine Ashley Leggett Pugh Associate Director of Sports Medicine Hunter Wright Athletic Trainer Dr. James Knecht Team Physician Quantavious Thompkins Graduate Assistant Strength Coach Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: March 23, 2020

Schedule

The 2020 schedule consists of 5 home and 6 away games in the regular season. The Demons will travel to Southland foes Southeastern Louisiana, Central Arkansas, Lamar, and Stephen F. Austin. The Demons will play host to Southland foes Incarnate Word, Nicholls, Houston Baptist, Sam Houston State, and McNeese State.

The Demons non-conference football schedule consists of two away games. They will first travel to Tulsa of the American Athletic Conference in the NCAA Division I FBS and then will go to Prairie View A&M of the SWAC also in the NCAA Division I FCS.

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result
September 3	6:00 p.m.	Incarnate Word	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA
September 12	6:00 p.m.	Nicholls	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA (NSU Challenge)
September 19		at Tulsa*	Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium Tulsa, OK
September 26	6:00 p.m.	Houston Baptist	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA
October 3		at Prairie View A&M*	Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field Prairie View, TX
October 10		at Southeastern Louisiana	Strawberry Stadium Hammond, LA (Rivalry)
October 17	6:00 p.m.	Sam Houston State	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA
October 31		at Central Arkansas	Estes Stadium Conway, AR
November 7		at Lamar	Provost Umphrey Stadium Beaumont, TX
November 14	6:00 p.m.	McNeese State	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA (Rivalry)
November 19		at Stephen F. Austin	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX (Chief Caddo)
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll All times are in Central time

Schedule Source:

Game summaries

Incarnate Word

See also: 2020 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2-2	2019	NSU, 44–41

Statistics	Incarnate Word	Northwestern State
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Incarnate Word at Northwestern State – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Cardinals			0
Demons			0

at Harry Turpin Stadium, Natchitoches, LA

• Date: September 3
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers UIW – NSU – Top rushers UIW – NSU – Top receivers UIW – NSU –

Nicholls

See also: 2020 Nicholls Colonels football team and NSU Challenge

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
28-19	2019	NICH, 35–45

Statistics	Nicholls	Northwestern State
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Nicholls at Northwestern State – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Colonels			0
Demons			0

at Harry Turpin Stadium, Natchitoches, LA

• Date: September 12
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers NICH – NSU – Top rushers NICH – NSU – Top receivers NICH – NSU –

at Tulsa

See also: 2020 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
0-1	1983	TUL, 26–19

Statistics	Northwestern State	Tulsa
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Northwestern State at Tulsa – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Demons			0
Golden Hurricane			0

at Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium, Tulsa, OK

• Date: September 19
• Game time: TBA CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers NSU – TUL – Top rushers NSU – TUL – Top receivers NSU – TUL –

Houston Baptist

See also: 2020 Houston Baptist Huskies football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
2-1	2019	HBU, 21–48

Statistics	Houston Baptist	Northwestern State
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Houston Baptist at Northwestern State – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Huskies			0
Demons			0

at Harry Turpin Stadium, Natchitoches, LA

• Date: September 26
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers HBU – NSU – Top rushers HBU – NSU – Top receivers HBU – NSU –

at Prairie View A&M

See also: 2020 Prairie View A&M Panthers football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
First Meeting

Statistics	Northwestern State	Prairie View A&M
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Northwestern State at Prairie View A&M – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Demons			0
Panthers			0

at Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field, Prairie View, TX

• Date: October 3
• Game time: TBA CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers NSU – PVAMU – Top rushers NSU – PVAMU – Top receivers NSU – PVAMU –

at Southeastern Louisiana

See also: 2020 Southeastern Louisiana Lions football team and Northwestern State–Southeastern Louisiana football rivalry

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
29-34	2019	SELA, 27–44

Statistics	Northwestern State	Southeastern Louisiana
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Northwestern State at Southeastern Louisiana – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Demons			0
Lions			0

at Strawberry Stadium, Hammond, LA

• Date: October 10
• Game time: TBA CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers NSU – SELA – Top rushers NSU – SELA – Top receivers NSU – SELA –

Sam Houston State

See also: 2020 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
21-21	2019	NSU, 31–28

Statistics	Sam Houston State	Northwestern State
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Sam Houston State at Northwestern State – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Bearkats			0
Demons			0

at Harry Turpin Stadium, Natchitoches, LA

• Date: October 17
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers SHSU – NSU – Top rushers SHSU – NSU – Top receivers SHSU – NSU –

at Central Arkansas

See also: 2020 Central Arkansas Bears football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
3-10	2019	UCA, 30–31

Statistics	Northwestern State	Central Arkansas
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Northwestern State at Central Arkansas – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Demons			0
Bears			0

at Estes Stadium, Conway, AR

• Date: October 31
• Game time: TBA CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers NSU – UCA – Top rushers NSU – UCA – Top receivers NSU – UCA –

at Lamar

See also: 2020 Lamar Cardinals football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
13-9-1	2019	NSU, 34–13

Statistics	Northwestern State	Lamar
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Northwestern State at Lamar – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Demons			0
Cardinals			0

at Provost Umphrey Stadium, Beaumont, TX

• Date: November 7
• Game time: TBA CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers NSU – LAM – Top rushers NSU – LAM – Top receivers NSU – LAM –

McNeese State

See also: 2020 McNeese State Demons football team and McNeese State–Northwestern State football rivalry

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
21-47	2019	MCNS, 20–30

Statistics	McNeese State	Northwestern State
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

McNeese State at Northwestern State – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Cowboys			0
Demons			0

at Harry Turpin Stadium, Natchitoches, LA

• Date: November 14
• Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers MCNS – NSU – Top rushers MCNS – NSU – Top receivers MCNS – NSU –

at Stephen F. Austin

See also: 2020 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football team

Overall record	Last meeting	Result
46-27-3	2019	SFA, 20–32

Statistics	Northwestern State	Stephen F. Austin
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Northwestern State at Stephen F. Austin – Game summary

Period	1	2	Total
Demons			0
Lumberjacks			0

at Homer Bryce Stadium, Nacogdoches, TX

• Date: November 19
• Game time: TBA CDT
• Game weather:  
• Game attendance:  
• Referee:  
• TV:  

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers NSU – SFA – Top rushers NSU – SFA – Top receivers NSU – SFA –