Gary Goff said he’s expecting 110 players when McNeese State opens football camp today.

Of those, 57 are new to the roster from last November when the Cowboys closed the books on a third consecutive losing season.

Lack of depth and talent forced Goff to simplify his playbook and eventually turn the roster over in the offseason.

Now Goff says he’s hoping the numbers add up to not only a winning season but a run to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, a place the Cowboys haven’t been since 2015.

“One thing we knew at the end of last year is we needed to get more talent,” he said. “We also needed to get more physical.”

The Cowboys who are back and appear larger after spending the offseason hitting the weights and working on their overall conditioning.

“We are a lot different team,” said linebacker Brayden Adams, one of four seniors in camp. “Having our coaches back and being in a routine, it is a big difference. We are ready to go.”

Goff isn’t ready to proclaim the program all the way back, but says the Cowboys are on the right track,

“We know what our goals are and we know what the expectations are,” the second-year coach said. “We are light-years ahead of where we were last year.”

Still, as camp opens, there are more than a few questions to answer before the season opens on Sept. 2 against Tarleton State in Lake Charles.

Four areas to watch during camp:

Quarterback

The race for the starting job comes down to Tre’ Simmons and Nick Glantz, two transfers who took different paths to McNeese.

Simmons had big numbers on the Division II level last fall while Glantz was a star in junior college two seasons before playing at Iowa State in 2022.

“The competition between the two has been great,” Goff said.

Still, one will have to emerge as the starter and leader of Goff’s offense, which the coach hopes returns to the air.

The fact is the Cowboys were in the same position last year, and we know how that worked out. So watching this position develop and somebody become the starter is undoubtedly the most important thing in this camp.

Wide Receiver

Thirteen new players were brought in to catch the football with nine of them being awarded scholarships. The group varies from big and physical, to fast and furious.

But the Cowboys seem to be looking for someone to make big plays and tough catches.

“We still have work to do to find that guy or guys,” Goff said. “We won’t really know until we put the pads on and see how guys play then.”

Goff and his staff searched the country for receivers, getting them from both the NCAA transfer portal and high schools. If they can develop the right combination then it will be worth it.

Culture Change

Last year there were more than a few players let go for several reasons as Goff began the job of changing the Cowboys from the inside.

Goff said he expects to see the difference on the field, particularly during practices as everybody knows what to expect and what the expectations are.

“The players themselves have taken over more of the leadership roles and holding each other accountable,” Goff said. “That is what you want to see.”

Cowboys culture was a hidden mess as hurricanes and coaching changes allowed it to slip through the cracks.

Cleaning that up is a must. Having it turn into a more disciplined team on the field is the next step.

Same Page

With so many new faces from new places, chemistry is going to be a key to the season. Camp is where that must be moved from off the field to on it.

This is especially important when one factors in the age difference between the 22 transfers, many coming from junior college, and the true freshmen.

“I am pleased with the way we have become a team,” Goff said. “We are very excited to get going, but every program is excited this time of year.

“We have to stay focused and stay together.”

There are a lot of new moving parts and a lot of jobs up for grabs as camp begins. McNeese could start as few as six players total who were starters last fall.

How those position battles play out and how players accept their playing time might be the biggest question of all.