Figuring out how to fix the struggling Cowboys offense seems easy. Doing it might prove more difficult.

Gary Goff’s offense has been stuck in neutral for the opening two weeks of the college football season in part because of the level of competition but also because of itself.

Oftentimes McNeese State has been its own worst enemy, with seven turnovers the prime culprit.

“We have to play better,” Goff said. “Our best players did not execute.”

The Cowboys look to improve their execution of Goff’s offense this week when they play Alcorn State in their home opener. The Braves are also 0-2 and looking to find a consistent offense.

The Cowboys believe they are getting closer to turning their fortunes around.

“We are really close to breaking out of it,” said wide receiver Mason Pierce. “You can see things at times and we just miss. It is a new system we are learning but we are trying to find out rhythm.”

The run game hasn’t been all that bad for McNeese. The Cowboys have gained 434 yards on the ground discounting the lost yards in sacks, which in college goes against the run game.

That includes touchdown runs of 62 yards by Deonta McMahon and 75 from D’Angelo Durham. The big plays show the offensive line has improved enough to possibly be a force.

“You have to give the O-line the credit,” McMahon said. “It all falls back on the line and how hard they work.”

But you can’t just count on running the ball in today’s college game.

“We have to have a balanced attack,” Goff said. “Our line has battled and held up pretty well physically. But you have to be able to throw the ball.”

McNeese has had trouble with that. The two quarterbacks, Knox Kadum and Cam Ransom, have struggled.

“We have got to get better quarterback play,” Goff said. “We have had too many self-inflicted wounds.”

The two quarterbacks have combined to go 20 of 44 for 236 yards and one TD along with the four interceptions. They have also been sacked 10 times for 71 yards in losses.

There have also been some open receivers missed. Three times in the first two weeks Pierce was open on crossing routes over the middle and would have likely scored but the passed missed their connections.

“It’s frustrating but you have to keep working,” Pierce said. “We have to get better each day. It will come together.”

Goff said he sees the same thing when he goes over the game tapes.

“I feel we are not that far off,” he said. “There are lessons to be learned. Part of this is trust in the system.”

Goff went so far as to call them growing pains, but has admitted it is frustrating to him as well.

With that, he said he plans to give Kadum the majority of this week’s snaps in practice.

“He has to see the big picture and trust what he sees,” Goff said.

NOTES: Preseason all-Southland Conference offensive lineman Caron Coleman hasn’t been cleared to play this season. He suffered two concussions during camp and hopes to be cleared later this week. … McNeese has cleaned up one area from last season, committing four penalties in the first two games.