After all the adversity this football program has been through over the last five years, what’s a little rain anyway.

For the third straight day, the Cowboys were forced to dodge raindrops and delay their workout. Friday, it was three and a half hours of flipping the practice script before they finally got on the field for their morning workout.

Through it all, McNeese State has been able to get its first three workouts completed in full and under relatively good conditions. No hot weather stoppages as the cooler-than-normal temperatures have helped lead to high energy from players.

“It has been nice,” said linebacker Marques White, a grad transfer from Dartmouth. “We know the heat is coming so we have to enjoy this now.”

White should know about hot weather as he played high school football at powerhouse Brophy Prep in Phoenix.

“I’m used to hot,” White said. “It’s 120 in Phoenix but it is dry.”

It has been anything but a dry start to this Cowboy camp. Not only are the players working through the rain but they also hear workers building the press box above Cowboy Stadium.

The wet weather has forced McNeese to practice on their home turf instead of the practice fields. None of that matters to head coach Gary Goff, who likes what he has seen in the early going.

“We have had good energy on both sides of the ball,” Goff said. “We still have a lot of work to do, but we are getting our work in.”

Both offense and defense made big plays during the workout that lasted roughly two hours before the Cowboys broke for lunch.

Local product Jammal Levi, a redshirt freshman from down the road at Barbe High, made the biggest play of the workout. The speedy receiver hauled in a long touchdown pass toward the end of practice.

Not to be outdone, the day ended when Shyaub Brinkley picked off a pass and raced to the end zone. Brinkley is a junior transfer defensive back from Delaware.

It shows that this team will be a combination of new and old this fall.

“We had big plays from both sides of the ball,” said Goff. “The defense is a little ahead of the offense, which is to be expected early in the year. But the defense made some big plays as well.”

New quarterback Clifton McDowell had some nice throws early for big gains. The Montana transfer hit tight end Logan Mauldin down the seam and running back Joshon Barbie out of the backfield in the flat.

“We have a lot of toys on both sides of the ball,” said Goff. “It is fun learning what guys can do and working that into our system.”

The Cowboys wore just helmets and shoulder pads Friday and will do the same Saturday. They will be in full pads for the first time on Monday.

While the weather is still expected to be iffy early next week one thing is for sure, McNeese is going to get its work in.

“We are going to get it in for sure,” said Goff. “I don’t care if we have to stay here until midnight.”

Four weeks from Saturday the Cowboys will open the season at Tarleton State in Texas.

“It is going to be here soon,” said White. “We will be ready.”