Big vision: Cowboy offensive trio seek season without limits

Published 3:46 pm Friday, August 1, 2025

Curtis Deville and Tre’Vonte Citizen came home last season hoping to restart their careers and thrill local fans.

Each was a big-time prep star from the Lake Charles area who went off to play at major college programs.

Deville, a star wide receiver at Iowa High School, signed to play at Purdue. Citizen was a five-star running back from Lake Charles College Prep who went to Miami.

After a couple of years, each found their way back to town as they both transferred to McNeese in 2024. However, last season didn’t work out the way either wanted.

The same can be said for Coleby Hamm, also a running back. Hamm isn’t from Lake Charles, but his last two years at McNeese haven’t worked out perfectly.

Each of the trio suffered injuries that limited their production.

“It is laser important that I stay healthy this year,” said Citizen. “It is the most important thing for me.”

Citizen played in just half the games for McNeese, finishing with 30 carries for 107 yards. Hamm got in eight games and picked up 199 yards on 46 attempts and a touchdown.

“I have had some injury problems since I got here,” said Hamm. “That’s been frustrating. Now this is my last fall, and I want to make it one to remember.”

Deville played in nine games but managed just eight catches for 106 yards.

That is not close to the type of season he came back home for.

“I still got a lot to prove,” said Deville. “Eight catches, that’s not close to what I can do.”

McNeese will be looking for all three to not only stay healthy but have big bounce-back years as Matt Viator returns as the Cowboys’ head coach.

“They have to stay on the field,” said Viator. “They are three of the guys who we haven’t seen a lot of because they have been coming back from injuries. They have worked hard in their rehab.”

Viator is anxious to see how they react in full practices, as he is with several other players who missed the spring and summer while getting healthy.

“We have a lot of guys who missed some time,” said Viator. “That’s why I said, we don’t know yet what we really got and won’t until we see them in camp.”

Hamm, Deville and Citizen believe that if this offense can stay healthy, it can take a big jump up in the Southland Conference standings.

“When we are healthy, we can be as good as we want to be; we have that much talent,” said Hamm. “We have to do whatever we can to stay healthy.”

Some of that is luck, of course. Football is a game of attrition, and the players know it more than anybody.

“Injuries are a big part of the game,” said Hamm.

The pressure is on the senior to have a big year.

“This is my last chance, so I want to make the most of it,” said Hamm. “I came here to help McNeese get back to where it used to be. Now I think we have the chance.”

The pressure is different for Deville and Citizen. They saw firsthand the Cowboys in their glory days growing up and experienced the stories of a Saturday night in “The Hole”. That’s part of the reason they transferred to McNeese.

It also made last year’s issues more troubling,

“I heard from a lot of people about being hurt last year,” said Deville. “I feel like I let everybody down. I want to make it all up this year.

“I get to play in front of home fans and friends. That is exciting.”

Citizen admitted last year had more downs than ups. The 6-foot-3, 233-pounder is known for punishing tacklers, not sitting on the sidelines.

“It’s always tough not to be able to play,” said Citizen. “I wanted to be out there for my teammates and our fans.

“You can get down on yourself when you are hurt.”

Now, all three say they are healthy and looking forward, not back.

If they can stay on the field, McNeese will have three weapons motivated to make this fall memorable.