Southeastern running back Jahmon McClendon looks for a hole in the Houston Baptist defense during the first half Saturday at Strawberry Stadium in Hammond.
HAMMOND -- Heading into Saturday’s Southeastern Louisiana- Northwestern State football game, the pressure’s on.
But as far as Lions coach Frank Scelfo is concerned, it’s not on his team, which comes into the contest as the No. 9 team in both FCS polls.
“This is a game that they have to win,” Scelfo said. “They just feel like, as an organization, this is a game to be able to knock us off, to beat us, at their place for homecoming is important for the staff and the team. We’re going to get their best shot, which is good, because they’re going to get our best shot. We’ll be ready to play. We’ll practice well this week, and then we’ll go in there and play, and we’ll see how it turns out. We don’t expect anything different from them.”
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, and in the Hammond area on Kajun 107.1 FM, The Highway 104.7 FM and The Boss 103.7 FM/1400 AM, as well as online at www.kajun107.net.
In March, the Lions scored a 27-24 win over the Demons at Strawberry Stadium after Northwestern State led 24-14 early in the fourth quarter.
“We blocked three field goals to win that game,” Scelfo said. “If we don’t do that, I’m not so sure we win that game. This is a football team that’s hungry for a win, and now we’re going up there.”
“I think they felt really comfortable coming in here last spring and playing as well as they did, and I’m sure they believe they can carry that over this fall,” he continued.
The Lions (5-1, 3-0 Southland) have won four straight, including last week’s 61-24 victory over Houston Baptist.
Southeastern had season highs in points, total yards (634), first downs (34) and rushing yards (238), with nine players carrying the ball against the Huskies. Cephus Johnson III led the Lions with 87 yards on three carries, while Cole Kelley had 11 carries for 42 yards.
Scelfo said establishing the running game will be a focal point this week.
Kelley, who leads the nation in completion percentage (75.6), went 31-for-38 for 396 yards and five touchdowns against HBU. Austin Mitchell had a pair of TD catches while Nick Kovacs, CJ Turner and Gage Larvadain also caught touchdowns as 13 receivers had receptions.
The Demons (1-5, 1-2), who are coming off a 35-17 loss to McNeese, average 16.5 points and 361.2 yards per contest, with Kaleb Fletcher (120-for-187, six TDs, 4 INTs) and Zach Clement (18-30, 220, 0 TDs, 0 INTs) have both been playing quarterback.
“When Fletcher’s back there, he’s more mobile probably,” Scelfo said. “They run a little bit more with him. When Clement’s back there (there are) more passes called, I guess you could say, but both of them are playing. I’m not sure who they feel like who they feel like who they’re comfortable with or in the situation that they’re comfortable with them in. I don’t know. In the spring, they played three guys, so we’ll see how that goes. We expect both of them to play, and we’ll prepare for both of them.”
Running back Scooter Adams, who had 100 yards and a touchdown against the Lions in the spring, has missed the past two games but leads the Demons with 286 rushing yards. Jay Griffin IV (28 catches, 298 yards, 2 TDs) and Kendrick Price Jr. (17-271-2 TDs) are the Demons’ top receivers.
Scelfo said he was impressed with Griffin, a New Mexico transfer.
“You can see he can run, so he’s a guy they’ll take a shot with over the top, so we’ve got to be weary of him,” Scelfo said. “We’ve got to know where he’s at as far from a coverage standpoint. If Scooter Adams plays, he’s a home run guy. We don’t know if he’s going to play or not. He missed the last couple of games, but if he plays, he’s a guy that can take it the distance.”
Linebacker Alexis Ramos (37 tackles) leads a Southeastern defense surrendering 31.7 points and 385.2 yards per game, while the Demons are giving up 30.3 points and 407.8 yards per contest with Jomard Valsin (39 tackles) pacing the team.
“They’re multiple coverages on the back end,” Scelfo said. “They do a lot of stuff, mostly zone, not as much man as say Nicholls. Mostly zone, but a lot of different coverages when we they do that.”
“They’re so multiple, so even preparing for them, you’ve got so many different looks they’ll throw at us from up front and in the secondary,” Scelfo continued. “You’ve got to catch them in a breakdown. You’ve got to catch them with the right play call. They’re one of those defenses that they will make big plays on defense, but they also give up a big play on defense because they’re out of position because they do so many things. We’ve got to really do a good job of that.”
The Lions are back on the road after playing their first home game of the season last week, but for the Lions, it’s all about keeping their momentum going.
“It will be quite a challenge,” Scelfo said. “Back on the road again, but our guys are battle tested, and it’s not something we concern ourselves with. It’s another game.”
