UIW dominated the Southland Conference last year, earning the program’s third conference title in the previous four seasons and its first undefeated conference season. However, the Cardinals will have plenty of challenges if they plan to repeat with SFA, Lamar, Southeastern, and McNeese as the main threats to dethrone UIW. 

Unfortunately, we were unable to schedule interviews with Nicholls and McNeese for this year’s summer magazine, so they are not reflected in these notes.

Note: These interviews were conducted before the transfer portal window closed, and some players mentioned may have entered the portal.

East Texas A&M

Offense

• ETAMU returns most of its offensive starters, but head coach Clint Dolezel says a couple of players entered the portal seeking more playing time.
• Dolezel believes the Lions added another six or seven players who will contribute immediately on offense, and said the offense will have the most depth of his tenure.
• The Lions have an experienced and deep offensive line, with every starter expected to return. Dolezel said they’ve added another three or four offensive linemen during the offseason, with two or three pushing for a starting position.
• Ron Peace will be the starting quarterback, and Will Madonna will head into fall camp as the backup. Dolezel said last year’s opening week starter, Eric Rodriguez, is returning to health and will compete for the backup role.

Defense

• The Lions lost nine starters on defense. Six starters were lost to graduation, while the remainder entered the transfer portal.
• Kyree Anderson, who played the Will linebacker position, returns, along with Lavon Williams, who played rover for the Lions.
• Dolezel said he’s not “totally comfortable” with his defense and wants to add through the portal. His primary concern is a lack of depth on that side of the ball.

Houston Christian

Offense

• Miami (OH) transfer Maddox Kopp, who has spent time at Houston and Colorado, and Trinity Valley transfer Diego Tello are competing for the starting quarterback position. Cisco transfer Landon Vessel was in the battle during the spring before re-entering the portal and returning to the Wranglers.
• Head coach Jason Bachtel believes the offensive line is better now and has even upgraded in a few spots, despite losing a couple of starters to the transfer portal. He also noted the line will have more depth than in previous years.
• Bachtel said the running back room will be electric and led by returners Champ Dozier and Darryle Evans. Still, expect Xai’Shaun Edwards, who Bachtel said has shown flashes during the spring that excite them about his future, to receive playing time in 2025.
• Trinity Valley transfer Keith Wheeler and Navarro transfer Braylon Finney will combine with returning wide receivers Deuce McMillan and Adrian Green to form a dynamic receiving corps.

Defense

• Defensive tackle Byron Mathis had a great spring, and Bachtel believes he will be a force along the defensive line if he remains healthy. North Texas transfer Marcus Moore is another defensive tackle to watch for HCU. Bachtel said EDGE Ravonte Blowe had a terrific spring and is expected to wreak havoc on the opposition.
• Bachtel said linebacker TJ Smith is meeting the expectations of being a three-star recruit in the 2024 class. HCU added Blinn College transfer Jadon Ducos, who is expected to compete for a starting position.
• According to Bachtel, the safety room is the deepest. The Huskies focused on finding guys who could cover and fit their defensive system. North Texas transfer Jayven Anderson and Navarro transfer Matai Tomas were brought in to fill those roles.

Lamar 

Offense

• Head coach Pete Rossomando said the Cardinals will have a strong offensive line this year, led by veterans who have played “a lot of football.” He said they were playing at a high level together during the spring.
• Lamar has a deep tight end room, with four players capable of rotating through the offense. 
• It’s not easy to replace Khalan Griffin, and the Cardinals will use a running back by committee approach in 2025. Rossomando believes returners Damien Moore and 2022 Mr. Texas Football Major Bowden will “shoulder most of the load.”
• Wide receiver Kyndon Fuselier is a dependable player who the offense will count on to make plays on the perimeter. Izaha Jones missed spring while recovering from offseason surgery, but is expected to be ready for fall camp.
• Rossomando is close to naming a starting quarterback but noted that Jakolby Longino and Aiden McCown battled tremendously throughout spring practice, with Longino receiving the majority of snaps with the first-team offense.

Defense

• Rossomando said he feels “way better” about the defense this year than at this same point last spring. He noted the secondary is one area where the Cardinals are looking to add depth through the transfer portal.
• Lamar has a lot of depth at the inside linebacker position, led by three-year starter Brayden Faulkner, along with Robert Bonar, Dillon Dixon, and C.J. Miller. Houston Christian transfer Andrew Huff and Alexandre Dedieu are expected to be the outside linebackers.
• The Cardinals' defensive line only lost one member of the 2024 rotation. Rossomando said the line, led by Peyton Christian, Royce Maloles, Kei’Trone Simpson, and Christian Booker, is bigger and more physical and will surprise people this year.

Northwestern State

Offense

• Head coach Blaine McCorkle said the offensive line is the most improved position group this spring. He admits it was “atrocious” last year. The starting offensive line heading into fall camp consists of two redshirt freshmen, two sophomores, and one junior.
• McCorkle considers the running back room to be the deepest on the offense, with Zay Davis returning. The Demons added Furman transfer Myion Hicks, who brings a different dynamic to the offense, during the offseason.
• Abram Johnston will be the starting quarterback heading into fall camp, but Mississippi College transfer Eli Anderson is expected to push Johnston for the starting role.
• Joseph Moreland returns to lead a tight end room that was bolstered by transfers Luke Carter (North Texas) and George “Tyler” Siddons (Central Arkansas). 
• Texas State transfer wide receiver Dylan Rhodes had a terrific spring, and McCorkle said Kody Finley improved as much as anyone on the team during the offseason. Other returning receivers to watch at wide receiver are Camryn Davis and Amaaz Eugene.

Defense

• 6-foot-2, 360-pound defensive tackle Johnny Mitchell returns and will be a force against the run. Ke’shawn Reed and Cam George round out the expected starting defensive line.
• McCorkle said the Demons are trying to add more depth at linebacker. Danny Sears returns but will play a different position at middle linebacker, and had a good spring.
• Caesar Magee III has been turning heads during the spring after transitioning from wide receiver to defensive back. McCorkle believes Magee could be an NFL Draft selection in 2026. Antonio Hall and Christian Williams are expected to start in the secondary, and the final spot will be decided during fall camp.

Stephen F. Austin

Offense

• Head coach Colby Carthel expects nine or 10 starters from last year to return, including quarterback Sam Vidlak, who completed 67.7 percent of his pass attempts for 2,387 yards with 27 touchdowns and only four interceptions last year.
• The Lumberjacks' receiving corps is loaded in 2025. More importantly, Jordan Nabors, Blaine Green, Rohan Fluellen, and Clayton Wayland are healthy after missing time toward the end of the 2024 campaign.
• SFA returns all five starting offensive linemen from last year, and Carthel said they exhibited tremendous cohesion during spring practice.
• The running back room is also loaded with the return of Jaylen Jenkins, Jerrell Wimbley, and Anthony Williams.

Defense

• The entire defensive line returns from last season and will be the strength of the Jacks' defense in 2025. 
• Charles Demmings and Mike Patterson return at cornerback for SFA. Carthel said he feels good about his corners and noted that Patterson had a great spring. 
• The areas hit hardest by graduation were at linebacker and safety. Carthel said Aaron Sears and Jaydon Southard are expected to be ready for fall camp after undergoing surgery during the offseason.

Southeastern

Offense

• Head coach Frank Scelfo believes the strength of the Lions' offense will once again be the offensive line. He noted that many guys have been recruited, developed, and grown within their system.
• Scelfo said SLU signed three players from the transfer portal last summer, and all three were starters when the season opened. “You can’t sit on your hands and think you’re done,” Scelfo said. “You always have to look and see who’s available.”
• Wide receiver Jaylon Domingeaux is expected to have a big year.

Defense

• Scelfo expects the defensive line to be the strength of his defense in 2025. He notes the Lions have good depth and athleticism along the line of scrimmage.
• Scelfo singled out linebacker KK Reno, defensive back Ian Conerly-Goodly, and defensive tackle Kaleb Proctor as guys he expects to have a good season.

UIW 

Offense

• Richard Torres and Richie Munoz were battling for the starting quarterback position in the spring. Head coach Clint Killough said Torres held a slight edge after spring due to his experience in the system, but that was enough to convince Munoz to re-enter the transfer portal. 
• Killough said the Cardinals were banged up this spring from offseason surgeries and the effects of having played so much football the last few years. Those injuries ultimately led UIW to cancel its spring game.
• On a positive note, the newcomers got more repetitions during the spring, and Killough believes that has raised the floor of the entire team heading into 2025.
• UIW took a hit to its offensive line depth in the spring portal, but Killough remains confident in that group, led by returners Caleb Flores, Shontrail Key, and Lawson Petty, who Killough said had a tremendous spring. Transfers Narado “Mike” Stoker (TCU) and Cameron Foster (Southern) are competing to start at one of the tackle positions.

Defense

• Dune Smith was granted a seventh year of eligibility by the NCAA and returns after finishing second on the team in tackles (80), including 11.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.
• Killough said Rhode Island transfer Declan Williams “is going to be a stud” at mike linebacker. Killough noted Matt Kordas has improved and adds versatility to the defense.
• Killough said transfers Quinton “Pig” Cage (La. Tech), Tyler Morton (Nicholls), and Jaylen Dotson (Kent State) have meshed well with the roster and are expected to fortify the secondary, along with returners Kendrick Stone, James Tuayemie, and A.J. Tisdale.

UTRGV

Offense

• UTSA transfer Eddie Lee Marburger will be the starting quarterback for the Vaqueros' inaugural season. Head coach Travis Bush said Marburger has exceeded their expectations and is creating explosive plays.
• The offensive line will be young, but the Vaqueros focused on adding some transfers during the offseason to protect Marburger. Gannon Lauer (Garden City), TK Mina (Navarro), and Wes Thompson (East Mississippi) have brought maturity and experience.
• Bush said Tony Diaz is the most dynamic receiver on the roster, and transfers Braden Baize (Oklahoma State) and Xayvion Noland (Texas State) will provide Marburger with quality targets.
• Brennan Carroll, TJ Dement, and Fabian Garcia are the top running backs, but Bush expects to add an experienced back through the portal during the summer.

Defense

• Transfers Nicholas Fernandez (Arizona) and Amari Pouncy (Utah Tech) will anchor the defensive line alongside DaCorien Thompson and D’Andre Harwell.
• Transfers Marcus Heard Jr. (Davidson) and TJ Neal (Independence CC) are projected to play safety. Bush noted the Vaqueros are looking to add some upperclassmen to the cornerback room, which will bolster an inexperienced group of talented young players.
• Jaxson Maynard has been the most solid linebacker and will team with Trey Bright and Spencer Rich (Utah Tech) to solidify the middle of the defense.