BEAUMONT, Texas – The end of February is an odd time to be kicking off a football season. Normally at this time of year, football teams are stepping on the practice field to open spring camp, but a global pandemic which forced football from its traditional fall season back to the spring, and a winter storm which postponed Lamar University's home opener has the Cardinals set to kick off the season Saturday at nationally ranked Nicholls.
 
For the Cardinals, it will be the first time they've stepped on the field for a regular season game since Saturday, Nov. 23, to close out the 2019 campaign. For many of the Cardinals, Saturday will represent their first collegiate football game as LU will field one of the youngest teams in the nation – 51 freshmen. Saturday will also kick off the Blane Morgan era at LU.
 
Morgan was hired as the program's third head coach (since its return to a varsity program in 2010) in December 2019. He is just the 10^th coach in program history since LU transitioned to a four-year institution.
 
Due to the pandemic, Blane Morgan, and his staff, are in the unique position of having already signed two full recruiting classes before coaching their first game with the Cards. Morgan's most recent signing class was ranked 13^th nationally among all NCAA FCS programs.
 
The youthful Cardinals will be tested early as they square off against the nation's ninth-ranked team (STATS FCS Top 25 poll) – Nicholls. In addition to the Colonels having an experience advantage on their side, Nicholls already has a game under its belt this season having played Lincoln University (of Missouri) on Feb. 19^th.
 
Saturday's season opener is slated to kick off at 3 p.m. from Guidry Stadium. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI, and streamed live on ESPN+.