A lot can happen in one year.

Over the last 12 months, the Cowboys have gone from an afterthought to a possible contender in the eyes of Southland Conference officials.

McNeese State was picked by the league’s coaches and sports information directors for third in the preseason poll released Monday during Media Day. That despite the Pokes coming off three straight losing seasons.

“It’s great that you are ranked anywhere but we aren’t worried about that,” said Gary Goff, who enters his second season as head coach of McNeese.

“We want to have a lot higher expectations but we aren’t concerned about where we are picked. We want to finish a lot higher. What we are more concerned about is where we are at the end of the season.”

Defending league champ Southeastern, with 17 players named to the preseason all-conference squads, was picked first with 95 points and nine of the 16 first-place votes. Incarnate Word, which tied for the title with SELA but lost the head-to-head, is coming off a 12-2 campaign and a trip to the FCS playoff semifinals. The Cardinals, despite having a new head coach, are picked for second with 91 points and seven top votes.

This is the third straight season SELA has been the preseason favorite.

McNeese finished with 65 points followed closely by Nicholls with 62. Northwestern State, Texas A&M-Commerce, Lamar, and Houston Christian rounded out the poll in that order.

Of course, little of that matters in a league that has four new head coaches and likely seven or eight fresh starting quarterbacks.

The league’s rankings didn’t impress the frontrunners.

“Preseason polls don’t mean anything,” said Southeastern head coach Frank Scelfo. “If those were right I would go to Vegas right now.”

With so many moving parts in the league, nothing can be predicted.

“There are so many changes in this league it is hard to figure out where anybody is going to finish,” said Goff. “The conference can be flipped from top to bottom.”

McNeese is hoping to flip its recent past and get back to its winning roots.

“We are not that far away,” said Goff. “We were close a lot last year. We just didn’t make enough big plays.”

Goff also had to go through growing pains in his first season, setting a new standard for the program. That included having to kick a few players off the team for various reasons.

But through the tough times, the Cowboys say a new team has emerged.

“There is a lot more belief now,” said senior linebacker Breydan Adams. “We have a new culture, trust in our coaches. Guys have bought in.”

Adams is one of just four graduating seniors on the revamped McNeese roster. Last season when the Cowboys left spring camp they had just 56 players on the team. As of now, there are 57 new players in town from January, and 110 are expected in camp next week.

“What a difference a year makes,” said Goff. “It’s lightyears different.”

McNeese also benefits from having a “normal” offseason.

“We have been through a lot over the past few years,” said Adams. “It has been great to have the same coaching staff. “Without a routine, it is hard to get anything done.”

For McNeese, this was the first “normal” offseason in six years. No COVID, no hurricanes, and no coaching change have given a sense of routine to the program.

“Same coaches back and we have more trust this year,” said Adams.

There are still a lot of questions as Goff hopes to be able to open up his offense this season. D’angelo Durham returns at running back after a fast start last fall was derailed by a severe injury that forced him to miss the final seven games. Healthy again Durham said he is ready to go.

“I’m excited and can’t wait,” Durham said. “I learned a lot last year watching. I learned how to be a leader and see what some guys can do and could not.

“And I take no moment for granted.”

The Cowboys will have lots of competition for playing time this year as only 33 of the 110 are returning lettermen.

“We’re gonna be a team but that’s not always bad,” said Goff. “Sometimes being a young team is a dangerous thing.”

Cowboy fans are counting on that to be the case.