By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for External Relations; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
TULSA, Oklahoma – When kickoff arrives for Northwestern State’s 2024 season opener at Tulsa, it will mark nine months to the day since first-year head coach Blaine McCorkle stood in the Stroud Room and introduced himself to the Demon fan base.
It took much longer than nine months for McCorkle to ascend to his current position – a journey that hits another milepost at 7 p.m. Thursday when the Demons begin their 117thseason of football at Tulsa on ESPN+.
“I’ll have my emotions on game day and be excited for it, because nine months ago (Thursday), we were standing in this room when I took this job,” McCorkle said. “I mentioned this has been a 26-year journey for me to get to a Division I program in the state of Louisiana, and here we are. I’m very thankful and grateful for that. It will be special, but we came here for these kids.
“To see them go out and play and do what they came here to do, I’ll be more excited for that. I’ve had my day and done that. It’s their turn, and I’m blessed to be the one to lead them out there.”
Thursday’s matchup marks the second all-time meeting between Northwestern and Tulsa – the first in 41 years. For the current Demon roster, it stands as the first time it hits the field since Oct. 19, 2023.
The Demons, to a man, are more than ready to see a different opponent across the line.
“We’re very eager,” junior linebacker Cadillac Rhone said. “It was a long offseason – a lot of weight training sessions and running, spring practice and fall camp. We’ve been hitting each other a long time. We definitely are eager to face somebody else.”
McCorkle’s addition – and that of most of his staff – isn’t the only change within the program.
Rhone, a Many High School product who led the Football Championship Subdivision in forced fumbles at 0.5 per game, has moved to linebacker in new defensive coordinator Matt Conner’s system.
That also includes a roster that is nearly split down the middle in terms of returning players and newcomers.
The Demons open the McCorkle era by facing a Tulsa team that enters its second season under head coach Kevin Wilson after posting a 4-8 mark in 2023.
“They are very similar to us but at a different level,” McCorkle said. “They have a pile of new players themselves. You look at the two-deep and the film and you can pick out a few guys who you know are going to be there, but the majority of their team will be a guessing game.
“They are doing it at the FBS level, and we’re at the FCS level. It’s a little different animal we’re dealing with. Like coach Conner says, they’re not going to eat us, so let’s play ball.”
For the Demons’ group of seniors, playing ball again has been a long time coming.
Now that it has arrived, the plan for the 12 regular-season games on the schedule is simple.
“I’m soaking in every moment we have right now,” tight end Chance Newman said. “I’m going to go out and enjoy every bit of it. That’s the goal for me – go out, have fun, be physical and try to get this win. If we can go out and execute, we’ll put ourselves in position to play a good football game and build confidence for these guys.”