BEAUMONT, Texas – It hardly seems possible that nearly four months have passed since Lamar University's second run to the NCAA FCS Playoffs in program history, but the Cardinals were back on the practice field Tuesday afternoon for the first of 13 official workouts that will extend into April.
 
"I feel like this is a reset," said head coach Pete Rossomando. "This gives us a chance to really get our boots in the ground and get really good at the technical part of the game. We're not looking to put in a whole lot offensively and defensively. We want to let these guys block and tackle."
 
Preparing for his fourth season at the helm, the Cardinals have been on an upward trajectory since Rossomando's arrival. Taking over for a program that had won just one game in the year prior to his arrival, Rossomando, and his charges, proceeded by recording the nation's four-largest single season turnaround (in year one), posted three-straight winning season – each season an improvement upon the last – for the first time since the mid 1960s, land in the top 25 polls each of the past two years and obviously a postseason berth in 2025.
 
Lamar's coaching staff no longer recruits on a hope of things to come, but on proof of what is being built. Lamar has ceased being the date on the schedule that every team looks forward to and has become a game where a battle is at hand. After three years of increased win totals, a record number of all-conference and player of the week selections and the past two seasons of being in the national rankings, the nation's best talent is coming to Beaumont.
 
The Cardinals added 40 players between Early and National Signing Day during the most recent recruiting cycle. Among the newcomers, 23 are transfers with 19^th of those via the portal. Lamar's most recent portal class was named as the top transfer class in the Southland and third nationally (at the FCS level) by AthLinkd.
 
What does it all mean? How many wins does that guarantee Big Red when the season arrives? Those questions are yet to be determined, and there is time to worry about that at a later date. For now, it's time to sit back and enjoy the fact that football is back in Beaumont, and it appears the future is even brighter.