Struggling through a historically bad start, the Cowboys hope to find answers this week in their first of three trips to the state of Texas.

McNeese State (0-5, 0-1 in Southland Conference) will take on another winless team, (0-4) Texas A&M-Commerce Saturday night. For the Lions, it will be their league opener.

Strangely enough, it will be the Pokes’ second straight game against a winless opponent and third in four weeks. McNeese’s start of five straight losses to open a season is the worst since 1954. 

The Cowboys are looking to avoid becoming the first-ever McNeese team to begin a season with six straight defeats. That isn’t a concern to head coach Gary Goff who is just looking for a victory.

“We just want a win of any kind,” said Goff. “The guys in that locker room are hurting I can tell you that.”

The young Cowboys are getting even younger with each passing week as more and more freshmen are getting their chance to play. That youth showed last week in a home loss to Nicholls, as McNeese committed four turnovers that led to 24 Colonel points in a 31-10 defeat. 

McNeese also was flagged 10 times for 99 yards, both tops for the Cowboys under Goff. Those miscues washed away a Poke advantage in total yards.

“We did not play clean football,” said Goff. “We have to do better than that. We gave Nichalls a lot. Give them their credit, they took advantage of our mistakes.

“We have to be disciplined. We have to be better under control.”

There were times in last week’s game when McNeese had three freshmen playing at the receiver spots and two at linebacker.

The Cowboy roster continues to be a work in progress. Last week starting cornerback Twillie Lovette left the team.

“We have had some guys who have chosen not to be there and that is O.K.,” said Goff. “We want guys who want to be here.”

During the offseason Goff flipped the roster with 57 newcomers, getting them from the portal, junior college, and high school. With the poor start more and more younger players, especially freshmen, are getting their shot.

When asked if he expected more changes Monday Goff said; “There are not a whole lot more changes we can make.”

One place where there will be no change is at starting quarterback. Nate Glatz threw for 199 yards against Nicholls, his most as a Cowboy. Glantz threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Jon McCall, the third time in the last two games the pair have hooked up. 

“Nate is my guy,” Goff reiterated. “If anything he cares too much and tries too hard to make something happen. You can’t be greedy and have to take what the defense gives you.”

Glantz had two interceptions against the Colonels, one that was returned for a touchdown.

Goff said that playing two quarterbacks, something he talked about earlier in the season with backup Tre’ Simmons getting some time, is now “off the table.”

When asked if Simmons was still the backup, Goff replied, “We will see how the first part of this week goes.”

One area where the Cowboys are getting production from young players is at receiver. True freshman Makhi Paris is now second on the team in catches (12) and yards (147), only trailing McCall, himself just a sophomore.

“I like that room right now,” Goff said of his receivers. “They are working hard to get better.”

The Cowboys will face a Commerce team that knocked them off 40-15 last year in Lake Charles. It was the Lions’ first season in the Southland, but they have also undergone big changes since then.

“They are very similar to us,” said Goff. “They are playing a lot of young guys too,”

And like the Cowboys Commerce is looking for that first win of the year.