What to Expect at McNeese’s Fan Fest and Scrimmage #2

Lake Charles, Louisiana (KNGT-FM) - Football season is fast approaching, and fans will be able to get another pre-season look at the 2025 McNeese Football team on Saturday as the Cowboys will be hosting scrimmage #2, and it will also feature a Fan Fest. We've got everything you need to know...

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As fall camp begins to wind down and game prep will begin to ramp up over the next few weeks, there are a few question marks that still remain for the Cowboys. Before Cowboys fans head out to the Fan Fest and Scrimmage #2 on Saturday, here is a look at my key takeaways from the first scrimmage of fall camp...

In the first scrimmage for McNeese, it was the defense that stole the show early. Now, that is expected since that is the side of the football with the least turnover from the coaching change this offseason. Even though Head Coach Matt Viator stressed that it’s still early, the defense looked faster, more physical, and more aggressive than the offense.

The offense struggled to find its rhythm, and that has pretty much been the case over the first few weeks of fall camp. As we said about the defensive side of the ball, having success was expected; the offensive struggles could also be attributed to the offensive struggles. Even though McNeese does return a plethora of starters from the '24 squad, it is still a whole new system.

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In the end, everything starts and stops with the Quarterback position, even if McNeese plans to run the football more.

The quarterback competition between Jake Strong, Alex Flores, and Devin Lippold remains up for grabs. Last Saturday's scrimmage certainly allowed certain guys to gain a little ground, for a guy like Devin Lippold, who was spectacular in the scrimmage, tossing 2 touchdowns.

SCRIMMAGE #1 STATS

Passing: Jake Strong 7-15, 61 yds, TD, INT; Alex Flores 3-7, 21 yds; Devin Lippold 8-12, 109 yds, 3 TD; Caden DiBetta 0-2, INT. Team Totals: 18-36, 191 yds, 4 TD, 2 INT.

Rushing: Tre’Vonte Citizen 5-16; Bryce Strong 10-40; Jaylen Thompson 8-53; Coleby Hamm 2-6; Marquez Davis 6-20; Devin Lippold 5-32; Alex Flores 1-4; Caden DiBetta 4-10. Team Totals: 41-181.

Receiving: Makhi Paris 3-44, 2 TD; Jalen Wright 3-27, TD; Josh Jackson 2-30; Kameran Senegal 2-17; Ty Stout 1-18, TD; Treymon Echols 1-12; Kevin Rideau 1-11; Jaiden Mitchell 1-9; Tre’Vonte Citizen 1-9; Jessie Campbell 1-6; Jaylen Thompson 1-5; Bryce Strong 1-4.

Now, McNeese will set its sights on scrimmage #2 on Saturday night inside Navarre Stadium, which will also feature a Fan Fest event for Cowboy fans.

The event will begin at 6 PM with a preseason scrimmage and will be followed by a meet and greet with the players and coaches.

While the Cowboys are on the field, families can enjoy plenty of fun throughout the stadium. There will be inflatables, face painting, fun jumps, and sponsor booths with cool giveaways and games. Plus, food trucks and snow cone stands will be serving up tasty local favorites, and you can shop for official Cowboys gear from Outfitters Ink.

READ MORE: McNeese Fan Fest Set For Saturday

THINGS TO WATCH AT MCNEESE SCRIMMAGE #2

1. Everything stops and starts with the QBs. No one really separated themselves from the pack in scrimmage #1, even though Lippold made nice strides.

2. Can the WRs show progress? It was a bit of a struggle catching the football in scrimmage #1. But now with guys starting to get more defined roles, will that improve in scrimmage #2?

3. Does the Defense continue to excel? In Scrimmage #1, everything was dominated by the defensive side of the ball. The Defensive Line looks to be the strongest group. Secondary COULD be one of the best in the conference.