By Brad Welborn, Northwestern Stste Assistant Sports Information Director; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
BEAUMONT, Texas – Northwestern State has spent the past two weeks showing it can compete within the Southland Conference, despite the final scores. On Saturday, the Demons will get another opportunity to turn those flashes into four quarters of football.
The Demons (0-5, 0-2) make their first trip to Beaumont in three years to face No. 13 Lamar (3-1, 1-0) at 6 p.m., weather permitting, on Saturday at Provost Umphrey Stadium. The game will air on ESPN+, with the NSU radio broadcast available locally on 100.7 FM KZBL.
NSU has fallen behind by 21 points before the end of the first quarter in each of the past two games, but have continued to show the ability to respond. That resilience will be tested against a Lamar team that scored 28 points in the opening 15 minutes of its 49-18 win at Nicholls this past week.
“I think one of the main things we showed was resiliency,” linebacker KB Anderson-Dale said about the past two weeks. “We got down early but despite that deficit we showed that we can play with anybody. But it takes a four-quarter game to do that. I do like where we’re headed. We have the pieces. We have the talent. More than that we have the opportunity to do it again this week. If we can focus on the finer details.”
Those details have become increasingly important as Northwestern State’s offense has begun to find its rhythm.
Quarterback Zach Wilcke has thrown for more than 250 yards and three touchdowns in each of the past two games, becoming the first Demon quarterback to accomplish that since 2022. Over those two games, Wilcke has produced the most total offense and passing yards in the Southland Conference and the second-most passing touchdowns in the league.
“We’re getting better but we still have a long way to go,” head coach Blaine McCorkle said. “We want to keep getting better every week and we’re making some strides right now for sure, which is encouraging to see. We’ve known for a long time that we have the ability to do what we’re doing but still need to find that balance. We’ve got some good young playmakers that are starting to grow up a little bit.”
Wilcke has made the most of the weapons around him. Brendan Webb has a touchdown catch and at least 50 receiving yards in each of the past two games, while Camryn Davis became the first Demon receiver since 2022 to catch two touchdown passes in a game when he did so against Southeastern.
“It takes all 11 people on offense to do their jobs and that’s what we’ve been doing,” Davis said. “When everyone on the field does that good things happen. When the line blocks well, the quarterback can make a good throw, which allows us to make plays as receivers, running backs, whoever. It’s all one accord.”
Running back Zay Davis has also provided a consistent threat, leading the Southland with 105.2 all-purpose yards per game. He is one of three players in the conference averaging more than 100 all-purpose yards per game.
The challenge Saturday will be maintaining that offensive progress while avoiding the slow starts that have put the Demons in early holes.
Lamar enters the game with plenty of momentum of its own. The Cardinals ran for a season-high 193 yards in their win at Nicholls and feature one of the Southland’s top receiving threats in tight end Davin Driskell.
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Driskell leads the conference and ranks ninth nationally with four touchdown receptions. He has topped 50 receiving yards and scored a touchdown in each of Lamar’s past two games, including a four-catch, 110-yard performance against Nicholls.
“They do a lot to make you earn it,” McCorkle said. “You’re not going to be given anything that’s for sure. We’ve got our work cut out for us and this is hands-down the best team we’ve played so far. No knock on Southeastern, but when you turn on the film it’s different. If you’re a competitor you ought to want to play the best and we’re going to this week.”
For the Demons, the opportunity is another chance to prove the progress they have made can translate into a complete performance.
“It’s about discipline from start to finish, but really what it all comes down to is belief,” Anderson-Dale said. “Do we believe that we are going to go out there and not just compete but dominate and play the game we know we can play? I believe everyone in this program knows that we can compete with anyone. We have the chance to prove to ourselves against a good opponent.”
McCorkle has emphasized that same belief throughout the week, while stressing the importance of staying focused on the process rather than the outcome.
“I’ve been really proud of the guys for being really process-focused,” he said. “Just going through our process, being the best version of us that we can be on those practice days and, even though it’s cliché, let the process continue to outweigh the event. Saturdays are a big deal but we have to continue to focus on being the best version of Northwestern State we can be and Saturdays will take care of themselves. We’ve been preparing throughout the weeks as maturely and as well as we have which is a good sign.”
That process, McCorkle believes, extends beyond the practice field.
“Energy is real. And negative energy is real,” he said. “Everywhere our guys go they seem to fall into that a little bit. People need to realize that. These guys are fighting their tail off and they’re tough, resilient, proving that they can play and getting better. So positive energy and encouragement is real. Words have power.”