Since taking McNeese’s placekicking duties from Trent Manuel, Gunnar Raborn has made four straight field goals. He has not missed an extra point, either, nailing all 22 attempts across the Cowboys’ first eight games.
Monday, he was named with the Southland Conference’s special teams player of the week following a 7-for-7 evening in the Cowboys’ 48-27 victory against Northwestern State on Saturday. Raborn made five extra points and both of his field goal attempts from inside 30 yards.
“He’s kicked really well,” Cowboys coach Lance Guidry said. “He’s done what we asked him to do and I think he’ll continue to get better.”
Guidry has an idea why.
“He likes it at McNeese already better than Alabama because he says I put a lot less pressure on him than (Crimson Tide coach Nick) Saban did,” the McNeese coach said at his Monday press luncheon. “Maybe that’s why he’s kicking better. I wouldn’t want to be a kicker for Coach Saban, I’ll tell you that. If I was a good one, I would, but if I missed one every now and then I imagine that’s horrible.”
Manuel missed two kicks against Stephen F. Austin, a game McNeese lost 28-24, and was sidelined with a groin injury in the team’s following two games. Raborn, the former St. Thomas More product and Alabama transfer who joined the Cowboys a week before their season-opener against Tarleton State, assumed the duties and has not missed a kick since.
As a true freshman at Alabama, Raborn made two of three field goal attempts and nine of 10 extra points while starting one game. He was arrested for DUI in September of 2015 and suspended indefinitely before transferring to McNeese.
Raborn’s brother, Bailey, who was a preferred walk-on punter at LSU to begin this season, has also transferred to McNeese.
Isaiah intends to score
The season-long quest to get defensive tackle Isaiah Golden in the end zone took another hit Saturday.
With the game tied at seven, Golden was in the backfield as part of McNeese’s “heavy set” package. Cowboys quarterback James Tabary rolled out to find a wide-open Dylan Long for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal.
“Of course he was mad because Dylan Long got the touchdown and we’d been working that heavy set with him catching a pass,” Guidry laughed. “He said ‘Coach, I’m not going to run it now?’”
Golden, who strained his lower back last week and did not practice leading up to the Northwestern game, did not start but contributed snaps at defensive tackle. Jake Grode got the start in his place.
“He ought to be able to go this week,” Guidry said. “I anticipate him being able to go this week and ought to be able to be healthier this week than last.”
Sam Houston kickoff set
McNeese’s showdown next week with No. 1 Sam Houston State will kick off at 6 p.m. the Southland Conference announced Monday.
The game, a rematch of last season’s second-round playoff game at Cowboy Stadium, will be televised exclusively on ESPN3.
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