After the worst season in program history, McNeese State has made a major change in its football operations.

The American Press has learned that McNeese hired Aaron Ingram for the position of Chief of Football Operations Tuesday. Ingram will head a still-being-formed recruiting department for Cowboy football.

“This is a big step in the right direction for us,” said McNeese head coach Gary Goff. “This is a pivotal position and a really big addition to our program.”

McNeese will be the third Southland Conference football program to have such a recruiting department. Currently both Incarnate Word and Houston Christian have such departments.

The news comes just one day after McNeese head coach Gary Goff signed 19 new players to his roster, 16 of whom will be on campus for the spring semester.

The hiring of Ingram will be part of a new way McNeese will go about how it recruits. It stands as the biggest change to date on the football staff after the Cowboys finished just 1-10 last season.

“This will really benefit how we go about recruiting,” said Goff. “It will free up our coaches and now we will have somebody who will be in the transfer portal 24 hours a day. That is very important now.”

This is a big year for Goff, who has won just five games over his first two seasons leading the Cowboys. With a new locker room finished last summer and a new weight room coming in 2024, the investment in football continues to grow at McNeese.

Work on the new press box is also showing signs of recovery after the storms of 2020 devastated facilities, adding pressure to winning.

“We need to re-evaluate how we recruit and reorganize our football operations,” said McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer. “We have to do better. With all the investments we are making in football, we have to be relevant in our conference.

“We have not been good enough, there is no other way around it. I believe this is a move that gives us a better chance at competing now and in the future.”

Ingram’s position replaces the old Football Operations Director that opened when Kelsey Curry left that spot to become an Assistant Athletic Director at Montana State at the end of last season.

Ingram served as personnel and recruiting specialist at Ball State out of the Mid-American Conference since 2021. Before that, he was the general manager of USA Football from 2015-2021.

Ingram is considered a very good recruiting coordinator throughout football.

“Aaron has a very good reputation as a recruiter and we are excited to bring him on board,” said Schroyer. “The times have changed in college football with everything that is happening and we need to stay ahead of the game.”

McNeese begins its critical 2024 season at home against Southern University on Aug. 31 before traveling to Texas A&M the following week. Over the first four games, the Cowboys will face three teams with new head coaches.