BEAUMONT — About the only thing that Lamar can count on for its homecoming football game today is that the opponent has a losing record.
Lamar coach Ray Woodard, though, holds Nicholls coach Tim Rebowe in high praise for the job he’s doing.
“Coach Rebowe came into a tough situation and took over a team that hadn’t had much success,” Woodard said. “He’s probably a player or two away from what he wants to be, depth-wise. Their quarterback runs around and he’s a really good athlete.”
Rebowe, in his first year in Thibodaux, Louisiana, guided the Colonels to their first win since Oct. 12, 2013, when they beat Northwestern State 33-21 at home under coach Charlie Stubbs. The 23-game losing streak ended at home this past Oct. 17 when Nicholls (1-7, 1-5 Southland) beat Houston Baptist 38-17.
Since, the Colonels have dropped two in a row, albeit to ninth-ranked Sam Houston State and resurging Northwestern State. But Lamar (4-4, 3-3) isn’t looking to get sucked into the trap of thinking it has a sure win tonight.
“I think it’s a little special playing on homecoming,” Woodard said. “Obviously, it’s a big game for everyone involved in our program, but it’s that way every week, and everyone had better bring their A-game as well.”
In recent weeks, a new campaign has gained traction in social media. Lamar’s sports information department launched a movement to try and bring national attention to junior running back Kade Harrington for consideration of national awards, such as the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year award.
Lamar officials created the handle #TheArKADE in reference to Harrington’s “video game-type numbers,” according to a tweet posted by sports information director James Dixon.
Take it all in: This season alone, Harrington averages 223.9 all-purpose yards and 193.8 rushing yards per game, 8.3 yards a carry and has totaled 1,550 rushing yards. He ranks first in each category, while finding himself in a back-and-forth race with Fordham sophomore Chase Edmonds (1,444), who matched Harrington’s career high 347 yards in a win over Lehigh on Oct. 24. The total is the highest for rushing yards in any Division I game this season and easily broke respective conference records for both players.
Edmonds rushed for 1,838 yards in 14 games last year and has 41 career touchdowns. For his career, Harrington had 3,170 rushing yards, 112 shy of Edmonds’ total, and 36 touchdowns.
The ArKADE’s Twitter presence has overshadowed worries of whom Lamar will start at quarterback. Carson Earp returned to action for the first time in 30 days last Saturday in relief of starter Joe Minden, who enjoyed a bounce-back performance against Houston Baptist.
At halftime tonight, the 1965 Cardinal football team will be honored. That was the second of three straight conference championship teams at what is now LU.