By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for External Relations
The Northwestern State football team is seven days away from the first game of the Blaine McCorkle era.
Since McCorkle arrived on campus in late November, the Demons have enjoyed a “night and day” turnaround.
“When we first got here – I took the job Nov. 27 and we had that first team meeting – we had guys stand up and introduce themselves and each other, and they didn’t know each other’s names,” McCorkle said ahead of Thursday’s Northwestern State/Independence Bowl Kickoff Luncheon at Superior’s Steakhouse. “Now when I have individual meetings with them, all they talk about is how close they are as a team. In my opinion as a staff, we still have a long way to go in that category, but they are buying into the team mind-set and putting the team first. In this day and age, that’s kind of a rare thing with NIL and the transfer portal. They’re seeing things big picture.
“They’re a group of guys, right now, that I think are excited to be at Northwestern State. It’s been a fun transformation to watch. If we can continue to build on that, the football piece on the field will come.”
The on-field transformation will be on display for the first time when Northwestern opens its 2024 season at Tulsa on Aug. 29. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
With fall camp in the rearview mirror, the Demons have moved into preparation for their first Thursday night season opener since beginning the 2019 campaign under the Thursday night lights at UT Martin.
McCorkle and his staff, which includes one holdover assistant coach, struck a near perfect balance in terms of roster construction.
“We have 107 guys on the roster,” McCorkle said. “Fifty-four of them are brand new. Fifty-three are returners, so right at 50 percent were not on the roster last year. It’s been neat to see the culture come together and blend both of those groups. I’m excited about where we are. As a coaching staff, we pinched ourselves a couple of times during preseason because it went so smoothly. Things are going well. The guys worked hard and had a good attitude, and I think they’re ready to play football again. Our football team hasn’t played a game since mid-October, so we’re on the longest break in the country.”
During that break and throughout his nine or so months on campus, McCorkle along with his staff has built a trust that has permeated throughout the roster – one McCorkle hopes will continue to multiply throughout the season.
“They knew there were a lot of things within the department, within the locker room and within themselves they had to change to get it right,” he said. “It’s been neat to watch and see guys find what they have to do personally to make it right, because it starts with you individually. They’re buying into it. They’re believing it. As we go down the roster, there are very few guys we say aren’t there yet, speaking from a buy-in and cultural standpoint. We’ve come a long way in a short time. We’re not there yet by any means, but it’s been encouraging to watch.”