2023 Northwestern State Demons football team
2023 Northwestern State Demons football | |
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Conference | Southland Conference |
Record | 0–6 (0–2 Southland) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Beau Blair (2nd season) |
Offensive scheme | Spread |
Defensive coordinator | Weston Glaser (2nd season) |
Base defense | 3–3–5 |
Home stadium | Harry Turpin Stadium |
Seasons |
| Conf | Overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nicholls $^ | 7 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 22 Incarnate Word | 6 | – | 1 | 8 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lamar | 5 | – | 2 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Houston Christian | 4 | – | 3 | 5 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Southeastern Louisiana | 3 | – | 4 | 3 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Texas A&M–Commerce * | 2 | – | 5 | 1 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
McNeese | 1 | – | 6 | 0 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northwestern State ** | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2023 Northwestern State Demons football team represented Northwestern State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Brad Laird, the Demons played their home games at Harry Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches, Louisiana. On October 26, Laird announced that he had resigned and the remainder of the season would be cancelled due to the death of Ronnie Caldwell.
Death of Ronnie Caldwell
On the morning of October 12, junior safety Ronnie Caldwell died after having been shot multiple times.[1] The Demons' following game, against Nicholls, was cancelled in response.[2] On October 26, the university announced that Laird had resigned and the remainder of the season would be cancelled.[3]
The day following the murder, Caldwell's roommate, John McIntosh, was arrested by Natchitoches police for possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance. At the time, police did not say if McIntosh was involved in Caldwell's death but did confirm that McIntosh had previously been arrested for attempted second-degree murder.[4] On October 20, defensive tackle Maurice Campbell was arrested in connection to Caldwell's death. Campbell was cited for obstruction of justice, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance.[5]
On November 5, Caldwell's parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Quad Apartment Complex, where Caldwell lived and where the shooting occurred, and Laird.[6] According to the lawsuit, Caldwell was placed in an apartment with McIntosh, who was not attending college and had a history of legal trouble, after mold was found in Caldwell's original apartment.[7] The lawsuit also alleges that McIntosh pulled a gun on Caldwell three days before the shooting occurred. Caldwell then notified his father, Ronald, of the incident who then alerted Laird. Laird called Ronald, assuring him that he would immediately place Ronnie in a safe location.[8]
Preseason
Preseason poll
The Southland Conference released their preseason poll on July 24, 2023. The Demons were picked to finish fifth in the conference.[9]
Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
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1 | Southeastern Louisiana | 93 (9) |
2 | Incarnate Word | 91 (7) |
3 | McNeese | 65 |
4 | Nicholls | 62 |
5 | Northwestern State | 52 |
6 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 33 |
7 | Lamar | 28 |
8 | Houston Christian | 24 |
Preseason All–Southland Teams
The Southland Conference announced the 2023 preseason all-conference football team selections on July 21, 2023. NSU had a total of 6 players selected.[10]
Offense 1st Team
2nd Team
| Defense 1st Team
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Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 2 | 7:30 p.m. | at Louisiana* | ESPN+ | L 13–38 | 18,186 | |
September 9 | 6:00 p.m. | at Louisiana Tech* | ESPN+ | L 21–51 | 19,152 | |
September 16 | 6:00 p.m. | Stephen F. Austin* | ESPN+ | L 7–41 | 6,486 | |
September 30 | 6:00 p.m. | Eastern Illinois* |
| ESPN+ | L 10–19 | 6,021 |
October 7 | 3:00 p.m. | at Lamar | ESPN+ | L 13–27 | 5,263 | |
October 14 | 3:00 p.m. | at Nicholls | ESPN+ | Cancelled | ||
October 19 | 7:00 p.m. | Southeastern Louisiana |
| ESPN+ | L 20–37 | 2,237 |
October 28 | 7:00 p.m. | at McNeese | ESPN+ | Cancelled | ||
November 4 | 2:00 p.m. | Houston Christian![]() |
| ESPN+ | Cancelled | |
November 11 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 16 Incarnate Word | ESPN+ | Cancelled | ||
November 18 | 2:00 p.m. | Texas A&M–Commerce |
| ESPN+ | Cancelled | |
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[11][12][13][14]
Personnel
2023 Northwestern State Demons football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
| Defense
| Special teams
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Roster |
Game summaries
At Louisiana
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Demons | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
Ragin' Cajuns | 7 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 38 |
Game information |
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Statistics | NWST | UL |
---|---|---|
First downs | 8 | 20 |
Total yards | 187 | 429 |
Rushing yards | 77 | 206 |
Passing yards | 110 | 223 |
Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
Time of possession | 32:58 | 27:02 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Northwestern State | Passing | Tyler Vander Waal | 12/28, 110 yards, TD |
Rushing | Scooter Adams | 8 rushes, 33 yards | |
Receiving | Scooter Adams | 2 receptions, 48 yards, TD | |
Louisiana | Passing | Ben Wooldridge | 14/32, 223 yards, 3 TD, INT |
Rushing | Drelyn Washington | 8 rushes, 88 yards, TD | |
Receiving | Peter LeBlanc | 2 receptions, 58 yards, TD |
At Louisiana Tech
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Demons | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
Bulldogs | 10 | 21 | 20 | 0 | 51 |
at Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, Louisiana
- Date: September 9
- Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 85 °F (29 °C)
- Game attendance: 19,152
- Referee: Ed Ardito
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Lyn Rollins, Chris Mykoskie, and Madison Kaufman
- Box score, Recap
Game information |
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Statistics | NWST | LT |
---|---|---|
First downs | 20 | 22 |
Total yards | 324 | 478 |
Rushing yards | 185 | 367 |
Passing yards | 139 | 111 |
Turnovers | 3 | 2 |
Time of possession | 31:41 | 28:19 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Northwestern State | Passing | Tyler Vander Waal | 10/24, 134 yards, TD, 3 INT |
Rushing | Kolbe Burrell | 11 rushes, 56 yards, TD | |
Receiving | Jaren Mitchell | 4 receptions, 60 yards | |
Louisiana Tech | Passing | Hank Bachmeier | 9/18, 110 yards, TD |
Rushing | Keith Willis Jr. | 13 rushes, 188 yards, 2 TD | |
Receiving | Kyle Maxwell | 1 reception, 42 yards |
Stephen F. Austin
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lumberjacks | 21 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 41 |
Demons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Harry Turpin Stadium, Natchitoches, Louisiana
- Date: September 16
- Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 88 °F (31 °C)
- Game attendance: 6,486
- Referee: James Brookhart
- TV: ESPN+
- Box score, Recap
Game information |
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Statistics | SFA | NWST |
---|---|---|
First downs | 18 | 11 |
Total yards | 454 | 208 |
Rushing yards | 186 | 84 |
Passing yards | 268 | 124 |
Turnovers | 1 | 6 |
Time of possession | 35:00 | 25:00 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Stephen F. Austin | Passing | Brian Maurer | 12/22, 199 yards, 3 TD, INT |
Rushing | Jerrell Wimbley | 16 rushes, 115 yards | |
Receiving | Anthony Williams | 2 receptions, 103 yards, 2 TD | |
Northwestern State | Passing | Quaterius Hawkins | 7/19, 62 yards, TD, 2 INT |
Rushing | Scooter Adams | 9 rushes, 65 yards | |
Receiving | Jaren Mitchell | 3 receptions, 35 yards, TD |
Eastern Illinois
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Panthers | 3 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 19 |
Demons | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at Harry Turpin Stadium, Natchitoches, Louisiana
- Date: September 30
- Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 91 °F (33 °C)
- Game attendance: 6,021
- Referee: Gary Leeper
- TV: ESPN+
- Box score, Recap
Game information |
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
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Statistics | EIU | NWST |
---|---|---|
First downs | 18 | 19 |
Total yards | 349 | 350 |
Rushing yards | 75 | 69 |
Passing yards | 274 | 281 |
Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
Time of possession | 28:25 | 31:35 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Eastern Illinois | Passing | Pierce Holley | 19/37, 274 yards, TD |
Rushing | M. J. Flowers | 15 rushes, 48 yards | |
Receiving | Justin Bowick | 4 receptions, 130 yards, TD | |
Northwestern State | Passing | Quaterius Hawkins | 27/44, 281 yards, INT |
Rushing | Scooter Adams | 9 rushes, 29 yards | |
Receiving | Zach Patterson | 7 receptions, 74 yards |
At Lamar
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Demons | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 13 |
Cardinals | 7 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 27 |
at Provost Umphrey Stadium, Beaumont, Texas
- Date: October 7
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 80 °F (27 °C)
- Game attendance: 5,263
- Referee: Matt Beck
- TV: ESPN+
- Box score, Recap
Game information |
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Statistics | NWST | LAM |
---|---|---|
First downs | 16 | 15 |
Total yards | 221 | 265 |
Rushing yards | 81 | 122 |
Passing yards | 140 | 143 |
Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
Time of possession | 29:52 | 30:08 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Northwestern State | Passing | Quaterius Hawkins | 20/33, 140 yards, INT |
Rushing | Kennieth Lacy | 6 rushes, 28 yards | |
Receiving | Zach Patterson | 4 receptions, 42 yards | |
Lamar | Passing | Robert Coleman | 9/20, 143 yards, TD |
Rushing | Khalan Griffin | 18 rushes, 93 yards, TD | |
Receiving | Andre Dennis | 3 receptions, 78 yards, TD |
Southeastern Louisiana
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lions | 14 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 37 |
Demons | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
at Harry Turpin Stadium, Natchitoches, Louisiana
- Date: October 19
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Clear, 76 °F (24 °C)
- Game attendance: 2,237
- Referee: Matt Back
- TV: ESPN+
- Box score, Recap
Game information |
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
Statistics | SELA | NWST |
---|---|---|
First downs | 18 | 25 |
Total yards | 539 | 396 |
Rushing yards | 219 | 97 |
Passing yards | 320 | 299 |
Turnovers | 3 | 2 |
Time of possession | 28:42 | 31:18 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
---|---|---|---|
Southeastern Louisiana | Passing | Zachary Clement | 12/18, 192 yards, INT |
Rushing | Deantre Jackson | 6 rushes, 119 yards, TD | |
Receiving | Darius Lewis | 6 receptions, 109 yards | |
Northwestern State | Passing | Tyler Vander Waal | 27/43, 249 yards, TD, 2 INT |
Rushing | Kolbe Burrell | 11 rushes, 49 yards | |
Receiving | T. J. Johnson | 3 receptions, 57 yards |
References
- ^ "Northwestern State's Ronnie Caldwell dies in shooting". ESPN. October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ Carroll, Metia (October 12, 2023). "Northwestern-Nicholls State game canceled after shooting that killed Northwestern State player". WDSU. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
- ^ Kasabian, Paul (October 26, 2023). "Northwestern State Cancels Football Season, HC Resigns After Ronnie Caldwell's Death". Bleacher Report. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ Domangue, Dylan (October 16, 2023). "New info revealed about roommate of NSU student killed in shooting". KALB-TV. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ "Police arrest NSU student in Ronnie Caldwell homicide case". KALB-TV. October 20, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ "Parents of killed Northwestern State player Ronnie Caldwell files lawsuit against former coach and Quad Apartment Complex". KTRK-TV. November 5, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ Desselle, Sherman (October 27, 2023). "Northwestern State University faces legal action after death of football player Ronnie Caldwell, Jr". KRIV. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ Henderson, Cydney (November 4, 2023). "Ronnie Caldwell Jr.: Parents of NSU player file wrongful death lawsuit". USA Today. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ "Southeastern Voted Top Spot in 2023 Southland Football Preseason Poll". www.southland.org. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
- ^ "Southland Announces 2023 All-Conference Team". www.southland.org. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Northwestern State Demons Football Schedule". FBSchedules. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
- ^ "Northwestern State Demons Schedule 2023". ESPN Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Demon Football Schedule". Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ Pugh, Jason (October 16, 2023). "NSU-SLU football game moved to Thursday night". Northwestern State Demons. Retrieved October 17, 2023.