There is a different feel to the Cowboys as they begin the final week of preparations for Saturday night’s season opener.

A year ago Gary Goff was trying to figure out just what he had going into his debut as the McNeese State head football coach. He found out the hard way he didn’t have enough of anything.

This year though, Goff is confident he has the pieces for an improved season in place.

“I’m happy where we are at right now,” Goff said Monday at his first official news conference of the new season. “We are healthy and ready to go.

“What we really need is a football game. We are tired of going against each other.”

Goff’s Cowboys will get that wish when they host Tarleton State. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Cowboy Stadium.

“It has been a great camp, a healthy camp,” Goff said. “Both sides of the ball, offense and defense, are way ahead of last year.”

Goff says he is in a better place this year. No longer is he trying to play catchup with a group that was new to him.

His expectations and those of his players are on the same page.

“I am a lot more comfortable this time around,” Goff said. “It comes down to trust.

I trust this team, this team trusts the coaching staff.

“It’s not about who is the new sheriff in town, or why do we have all these new rules and policies? The level of trust from top to bottom takes the end off of things.”

Monday also revealed a few interesting things on the depth chart for the Cowboys. While there was no true No. 1 quarterback listed, Goff continued to say he has made a decision he just wasn’t telling anybody outside the team.