Blane Morgan doesn’t know what it’s like to have a typical offseason as a head coach. 

He took over at Lamar following the 2019 season. Unfortunately, his first attempt at a normal offseason went to ruins when the CoVID-19 pandemic ravaged the country, which eventually canceled the Cardinals’ fall 2020 campaign and led to a six-game spring season in 2021. 

Morgan and the Cardinals finally began a typical offseason following a 2-9 season in the fall of 2021.

"It's crazy that this is the first spring practice and first full offseason, the first full recruiting cycle, and it feels good,” Morgan said. “It feels like things are getting back to normal. Unfortunately, it's been two years, but we'll take it."

Nevertheless, Morgan and his staff were able to turn the unusual nature of their first two years at Lamar into a few positives.

"With the players given an opt-out, we learned which players we inherited loved playing football and competing. That was made clear during the pandemic and was a good thing for us,” Morgan said. "Another positive was being able to dial in and focus on recruiting. We said we're going to recruit and develop high school players, and that's a slower road to success, but we think it will be more sustainable in the future."

True to his word, Morgan and his staff brought in more than 50 new players to the program in his first two seasons and signed another 29 new players during the 2022 recruiting cycle.

"It can be a painful process because you have to play a lot of young guys early, and we're finding that a lot of guys didn't have to compete to earn a spot, so now we're having to go back and create a competitive edge,” Morgan said. “We're backtracking slightly by having a full offseason."

To help build competition, Morgan signed four transfers to this year’s recruiting class.

"We're looking to fill in some gaps, which every program in the country is looking to do the same,” Morgan said. “We're just looking for a specific kind of person that fits who we're going to be as a program, which may be a bit different from the other programs in the state and the country.

"We're still looking around the transfer portal for some guys who might enter in May that can add depth over the summer. There are probably quite a few teams in the same boat. We will be patient because we feel like we've recruited well."

Jalen Dummett is a perfect example of the type of person Morgan and his staff is trying the find. Dummett was a member of Morgan’s first recruiting class and saw his role in the offense change last fall. The senior started six games at quarterback before seeing time at receiver and running back.

Morgan plans to maximize Dummett’s versatility again this year.

"Jalen is the standard when it comes to work ethic. So, we've tried to push him to the front and bring the other guys up to his standard,” Morgan said. “He's good with the ball in his hands, and he’s developing as a pass catcher. We will try to be creative with him because he's so explosive. He'll be a fun guy to follow this fall."

With Dummett playing multiple positions, sophomore Mike Chandler and UTEP transfer Jakolby Longino will battle for the starting quarterback position during fall camp. Both quarterbacks split time during the spring game.

"It's a little unfair to Jakolby because he had to jump in and start throwing the ball less than a month from getting the offensive playbook,” Morgan said. “We're going to be patient with him, and we're excited about the progress he made in the spring.

"It's a healthy competition, and every healthy team has that going on right now and throughout their fall camp. So, we're not quite there yet, but I think a year from now, we'll have competition in every single position room, and that's when we will know we're ready to take the next step as a program."

Morgan believes his team will significantly improve along the offensive and defensive line with a year of maturity and an entire offseason in the weight room.

"Starting on the front, we had a bunch of 18 and 19-year-olds that will be a year older, and we hope they've grown up physically during the offseason on both sides of the ball so we can just be more efficient in the run game,” Morgan said. “We don't expect to be at the top of the country this year, but we want to take strides towards being better.

"For us, it all starts with the running game, and if you can't run the ball or stop the run, then we will struggle. But we feel like we can get more into our identity and who we're going to be going forward this year."

The 2021 Cardinals took a huge step forward, and Morgan hopes to see his team take the next step in his rebuilding plan this year.

"We were in a lot of games at the half last year, and now we hope that our bodies have matured to where we can start finding ways to win those games in the fourth quarter,” Morgan said. “That's the next step, and that's where we're headed."

Quick Facts
2021 Record: 2-9
Head coach: Blane Morgan, third season

Grading The Offense

OL - C+

RB - B

WR/TE - C

QB - C-

Grading The Defense

DL - C+

LB - C

DB - C-

ST - B-

Top 5 Players

1. QB Jalen Dummett - He leads the Cardinals with his unselfish demeanor and willingness to change positions to help the team win.

2. RB Damashja Harris - The dynamic sophomore showcased his athleticism in the spring game leading all running backs with 128 yards rushing.

3. DE Jaymond Jackson - The sophomore from Lindale High School led Lamar in sacks last year and will need to provide consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

4. RB Khalan Griffin - The Rice transfer impressed the coaching staff during the spring, including a 74-yard touchdown run in the spring game.

5. QB Jakolby Longino - The former three-star recruit and UTEP transfer could stabilize the quarterback position for the next few years.