BEAUMONT, Texas – The 2016 season was a unique one for the Lamar University football team at receiver. It marked the first time in several years the Cards didn't return a known commodity at the position, which is not to say LU was void of talent. The roster was filled with names that were new to most fans. Those players were looking to write their own chapter in the program's history books.
 
The Cardinals didn't put up the same numbers from this position in 2016 that the offense was used to, which can be contributed to inconsistency at quarterback. LU's quarterbacks became one of the biggest revolving doors in the nation last year. It started with former signal caller Carson Earp and then junior Andrew Allen battling out for the starting nod – Earp won the job out of fall camp, but Allen took over the starting position in the third game of the season. Once that was settled is when the Cardinals were plagued with injuries. Allen got hurt forcing Earp back into a starting role. Earp then suffered a season-ending injury just as Allen was cleared only to see Allen hurt the following week. Before seasons' end, the Cardinals had burned two redshirts at the position (in the same game), used every quarterback on the roster and even had to turn to a receiver to fill the position at times. It is easy to see where the receivers would be unable to find their rhythm in the offense.
 
A silver lining that came from that season is the Cardinals were very young at the position and through their youth dealt with a lot of adversity. The majority of the receivers return for this season stronger, with another year of valuable experience under their belt and the coaching staff has added some talented pieces around them through recruiting. Big Red returns four of its top five options from 2016.
 
"We've seen a lot of improvement from the spring until now," said LU receivers coach Kevin Brown. "These guys put in a lot of work over the summer. Fundamentally I think we're a lot better than we were in the spring. The competition level has increased during camp, which will make all of us better. We are still young – only two seniors – so we're a work in progress. These guys know that we still have a long way to go."
 
Sophomore Zae Giles, junior Dewan Thompson and senior Marcus Daggs finished last year as the top three receivers on the team. All three are back after combining for 115 receptions for 1,194 yards (10.4 pc) and nine touchdowns. Giles led the group with 58 catches for 518 yards and four scores. The returning trio is looking to take a huge step forward this season.
 
"Zae is explosive, and anyone who watches him play will tell you that," said Brown. "What most people may not understand is that he is a very tough kid. He is only 160 pounds but he is a competitor, and one of the best blockers we have on the perimeter."
 
Both Thompson and Daggs were new to the team last year but had an immediate impact with the squad. They finished second and third on the squad in receptions and yards respectively, and look to improve upon that this season.
 
"Dewan has been a pleasant surprise," said Brown. "Athletically, he's as good as any of our receivers, but he's been dinged up a bit during camp. Dewan is one of those players that if you throw it to him behind the line of scrimmage you know something is going to happen."
 
One of the biggest highlights of the 2017 season came from Thompson. In the closing seconds against Northwestern State, Thompson outjumped a Demon defender to extend for a catch in the back corner of the end zone for a game-winning score.
 
What Giles and Thompson bring to the offense with their speed, junior Martell Hawthorne and Daggs provide with their length. Standing 6-4, Hawthorne gives the quarterbacks a large target with the ability to stretch the field against opposing defenses.
 
"Martell is a completely different receiver from Giles or Thompson," said Brown. "He has gotten a lot better since the spring. He will provide us with big plays down the field. Daggs also brings added size to our roster at 6-2 nearly 200 pounds. Those two provide the length and Zae gives us the speed which is a pretty good compliment.
 
"Being a senior on this squad, Marcus also provides us with a great deal of leadership. He is the one in the room they all listen to. Marcus is also very consistent. He does what he is coached to do and every scrimmage he grades out the highest," added Brown.
 
Beaumont native Kendrick King is looking to settle into a home during the 2017 season. An athlete from Hamshire-Fannett High School, King was one of the prized recruits from the 2016 class, but due to all of the injuries last season, he was forced to be utilized at several different positions. He played in 10 games during his rookie season recording 35 carries for 98 yards and also caught six passes for 56 yards as a receiver. King also took snaps at quarterback during practice as a freshman due to the overwhelming injuries at the position.
 
The coaching staff also added several pieces to this group during the recruiting process. The 2017 signing class landed four receivers, including two junior college transfers. The high school signees were Kirkland Banks (5-10, 170) and Tanner Douglas (5-10, 175), while the transfers came from Itawamba Community College (Dorian Gaston and Isaiah Howard).
 
Gaston (6-2, 195) hauled in 44 passes for 793 yards and nine touchdown during his sophomore season at Itawamba. He finished his junior college career with 75 catches for more than 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns. Gaston, along with Howard helped guide Itawamba to a top 20 NJCAA ranking last season.
 
A little bit bigger target, Howard (6-4, 210) hauled in 59 passes for 739 yards and four touchdowns in his final junior college season.
 
Both Banks and Douglas look similar in uniform standing 5-10 and 170 pounds, and both bring a speed element to the offense. Banks was ranked as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Louisiana coming out of high school, while Douglas was an all-conference selection from Pennsylvania who traveled south to play college football.
 
The receivers have dealt several dings during the early stages of camp allowing others to step up and get extra snaps. The extra time will be valuable to the younger receivers.
 
"That's just the nature of this sport," said Brown. "This is my fifth year coaching wideouts and it happens every year. We run more than anybody on the field, in my opinion, so you're going to get banged up. We tell every one of our guys you may be a third or fourth stringer but before it's said and done you're going to be playing. That has happened everywhere I've been."
 
The Cardinals were in a unique situation at tight end when new head coach Mike Schultz took over the program. Due to injuries forcing Duncan McVey away from the game, the Cardinals were left with just one player at the position, redshirt freshman Mason Sikes. Although high expectations were placed on Sikes after he signed, you never want to have to count on just one individual. The coaching staff addressed this need through two different avenues during the offseason.
 
The first, and most obvious solution, was to hit the recruiting trail and the coaches didn't have to travel far to find their primary target – Jarod Wood. The son of a high school football coach, Wood (6-3, 225) was a standout for Kilgore College when Schultz and company convinced him to continue his career in Beaumont.
 
"Jarod was with us during the spring, which was a huge advantage," said tight ends coach Bobby Dodd. "He has become more comfortable with the offense and has taken on a leadership role within our group. We needed a guy who could make plays in the passing game and running game and he really fit that profile. He's tough enough to do what we need in the run game, and agile enough for what we need in the pass game."
 
The other addition to the roster really wasn't an addition, but a transition. LU was forced to burn the redshirt of freshman quarterback Case Robinson last season. The coaching staff saw in Robinson a hard-nosed player with good size, speed and athletic ability and thought the move would be a natural fit. When the opportunity to help the team presented itself, Robinson eagerly made the switch.
 
"You wouldn't know just by looking at him, but Case is freakishly strong," said Dodd. "He really gets after it in the weight room. He has an inner drive to get better so it really doesn't take a lot to motivate him. He also loves the contact, so it really wasn't a hard sell getting him to move to tight end."
 
Sikes (6-4, 250) brings the most size to the position, and he gained valuable experience redshirting during his first season on campus.
 
"Mason has some room to grow but he is just entering his second year of college ball and is still a freshman," said Dodd. "With freshman there will always be some mistakes, but he is right where we want him to be at this stage in his career.
 
"Our plan is to be comfortably three deep at tight end by the end of camp. In addition to those three guys we also have a talented walk-on that we're bringing along as well," added Dodd.
 
-LU CARDINALS-