BEAUMONT, Texas – Overcoming adversity – if the student-athletes on the Lamar University football roster didn't know how to handle adversity prior to this year they are receiving a crash course in 2016. The Cardinals (3-5/3-3 Southland) enter their Thursday night game at Nicholls trying to end a two-game skid, while at the same time looking to recover from having lost a starter for the season in each of the past four weeks.
 
Adding to that list, the Red and White has lost its starting quarterback in the first quarter each of the past two weeks. In Saturday's setback to Houston Baptist the Cardinals brought true freshman Case Robinson in to replace Andrew Allen, only to bring in another true freshman – Adam Morse – when Robinson got hurt later in the game.
 
If there is a silver lining in this, it is the fact that LU faced a three-game slide to start the season and they responded with some of their best football of the season. The Cards rattled off the longest in-season win streak since the program's return following the 0-3 start. For the Cardinals to start a new win streak Thursday, it will have to come against a very tough Nicholls squad (4-4/4-2 SLC).
 
The Colonels enter the week in a two-way tie for third in the Southland standings trailing only Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas (the Southland's two remaining undefeated teams). Big Red (Tied for sixth) is just a game back of Nicholls in the loss column and enters the week looking to create an even bigger log jam near the top of the conference standings.
 
The Colonels season has been more impressive than the 4-4 (.500) record indicates. Nicholls opened the year with a heartbreaking two-point setback at No. 9 Georgia. After knocking off conference foe Incarnate Word the following week NSU then traveled to FBS opponent South Alabama. The Jaguars opened the season with a one-point win over Mississippi State, but had to score a touchdown in the closing seconds to take Nicholls to overtime. Similar to the game at Georgia, the Colonels were edged out by South Alabama, 41-40.
 
Nicholls hangs its hat on the play of its defense. One of the stronger units in the country, the Colonels are third in Southland in total defense surrendering fewer than 390 yards of offense per game, and fourth in the league giving up 141 rush yards per contest. On the flip side, the Cardinals are averaging nearly 400 yards of total offense and 28 points per game despite having to overcome numerous injuries on the offensive side of the ball.
 
The Cardinals will start true freshman Adam Morse at quarterback – the Cards' third starter in as many weeks at the position. Morse entered Saturday's contest against Houston Baptist late and completed 7-of-14 (.500) passes for 54 yards and a touchdown as he attempted to lead Big Red to a fourth quarter rally.
 
Morse will be joined in the backfield by another local freshman in Austin Krautz. The Nederland, Texas native is coming off his best performance as a Cardinals rushing for 114 yards on 21 carries. Krautz was inserted into the starting lineup after preseason All-America Kade Harrington was lost for the season due to injury.
 
Nicholls like to move the football through the air but they will be facing the league's top pass defense in LU. The Cardinals have surrendered fewer than 170 passing yards per game to its opponents this season. Senior defensive back Brendan Langley is tied for the national lead with six interceptions, while classmate Xavier Bethany is tied for third in the conference with three picks. Langley needs only one more interception to tie the school's single-season record (7 by Jake David in 1965 and David Webb in 1961).
 
Thursday's game will kick off at 6 p.m. from Guidry Stadium, and can be seen live on ESPN3 – the network's online platform. The game can also be heard on Newstalk 560 KLVI.
 
-LU CARDINALS-