BEAUMONT, Texas – Approximately 90 football players reported to the Dauphin Complex on the Lamar University campus for a team meeting officially kicking off the start of preseason camp Thursday afternoon.
 
"With everyone officially reporting, it's go time," said junior running back Kade Harrington. "We brought in a large group of guys who can play, so we're all excited to step out on the field. With the talent we have returning, the incoming freshmen and the overall depth I believe we are going to have a really successful season."
 
Thursday is the calm before the storm which begins Friday evening at Provost Umphrey Stadium. Following the meeting, several players finished their physicals, and will step on the field Friday for their first, of 16 scheduled workouts, before they begin game week preparations. The helmets-only practice will begin at 7 p.m. The team will be on the field for workouts every Monday – Friday beginning at 7 p.m., with the one exception being a 9 a.m. workout Thursday, Aug. 20.
 
The Cardinals have two scrimmages planned prior to the start of game week preparation – Saturday, Aug. 15 (9 a.m.) and Saturday, Aug. 22 (7 p.m.).
 
The Cardinals enter the 2015 campaign in a unique situation. For the first time since the program's rebirth, Big Red is coming off a winning campaign. In fact, LU tied a school record for wins in a season last year with eight knocking off rival, and nationally ranked, McNeese State in the season finale.
 
The record-setting numbers put up in 2014 did not transition into respect from the preseason pollsters at the Southland Media Days. According to the league head coaches and media relations directors, LU is expected to finish eighth in the conference this season despite finishing third last year. The lack of respect is something the players have come to expect.
 
"The same was said of us last year, " said senior receiver, and preseason All-SLC selection Reggie Begelon. "Folks didn't expect us to do much last year and we surprised everyone by finishing third. I think we could have won conference last season and we still would've been picked the same this year. Until we beat everyone in our conference on a regular basis we will be picked low in the standings. We just have to continue to prove ourselves on the field."
 
Despite a lack of respect from the prognosticators, the Cardinals open the season with several players named to the preseason All-Southland squad. Begelton garnered first-team honors, and he was joined on the offensive side of the ball by running back Harrington and offensive lineman Justin Brock (senior) and juniors Xavier Bethany (safety) and Omar Tebo (defensive line) on defense.
 
Every team, at the beginning of each season, has question marks that have to be answered. In Beaumont, most fans will be focusing on the battle for the starting quarterback spot which began during the spring, and will be renewed with Friday's workout. The two primary candidates vying for the starting nod are both transfers – one from the junior college level and one from Southland rival Stephen F. Austin.
 
Carson Earp comes by way of Navarro Junior College, while Minden comes to Beaumont with only a year of eligibility after spending three seasons at rival Stephen F. Austin. Earp earned the starting role at Navarro as a rookie and never looked back throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns. Minden was a three-star athlete coming out of high school where he completed 63 percent of his passes for nearly 3,500 yards as a senior at Coppell High School. He completed 63 percent of his passes for more than 1,200 yards and five scores at SFA.
 
Regardless of who wins the starting nod at quarterback, he will have plenty of weapons at his disposal. Begelton is a first-team preseason all-conference selection, and enters his final season on pace to become the school's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches. In addition to Begelton, the Cardinals also return veterans like Gee Gladney, Michael Handy and Jayce Nelson, while adding Georgia transfer Brendan Langley. Junior Kade Harrington returns in the backfield after a sophomore season that saw him overcome injuries to be one of the Southland's leading rushers.
 
The LU defense is loaded with returning talent from last year's record-setting campaign. Led by Bethany and Tebo, the Cardinals appear to have one of the league's strongest defenses again this season. Bethany anchors a secondary that returns every starter from 2014. The Cards' linebacking corps is just as loaded with talent including Ronnie Jones, Jr., who led the team in tackles last season. Tebo will be the leader on a defensive line that will be relatively young. A preseason all-conference selection, Tebo should lock up the middle of the line again this year, and be bookended by a couple of former Nederland High School stars in Koby Couron and Corbin Carr.
 
LU opens regular-season play Saturday, Sept. 5, against Bacone College. The game against the Warriors is slated to begin at 7 p.m. from Provost Umphrey Stadium. Football tickets can be purchased by calling (409) 880-1715, or by logging onto LamarCardinals.com.
 
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