McNeese State overcame a slow performance on the ground with one of its most successful nights throwing the ball in program history Saturday night in its dominant win against Nicholls State.
Cowboys quarterback James Tabary finished the night throwing 27 of 44 for 376 yards – the second most passing yards in a single game by a McNeese quarterback in program history – and a pair of touchdowns.
“That’s awesome,” said McNeese senior offensive lineman Mason Martin upon learning of Tabary’s accomplishment. “Any time the guys around us are making plays and looking good, we love that. We’re obviously not going to get the recognition they get as the offensive line. But we’re an extension of them and they’re an extension of us. So any time James is making plays, that’s what we play for.”
He connected with 10 different receivers, allowing McNeese to spread the ball around all night with short and long passes alike.
“That’s just our offense, it’s just a system,” said McNeese head coach Lance Guidry. “You don’t go to one guy. Whoever is in the game, if that guy’s open he throws it to him. As a defensive guy, we’re kind of hard to predict who we’re going to throw to because really who is open. And that’s the beauty of it.”
Running back Ryan Ross emerged as Tabary’s primary target, as the two connected nine times for 110 yards.
Tabary also found an unexpected recurring target in Zach Hetrick, who caught four passes for 59 yards in his most productive game of the season.
“Zach Hetrick had a big night,” Guidry said. “It really wasn’t by big time design. We were doing some things, and they weren’t covering our decoys. So our decoy became a duck all of a sudden.”
McNeese wide receiver Parker Orgeron and Kylon Highshaw celebrated the first touchdowns of the collegiate careers.
Parker Orgeron’s came in the final minute of the first half when Tabary found him in the corner of the end zone from 8 yards away that gave McNeese a 21-3 lead at the halftime break.
“It was a good day for the Orgerons,” Guidry said, referencing LSU’s victory under Parker Orgeron’s father, Ed Orgeron. “I know he’s happy, I know his dad’s happy. Just a good night all around.”
The biggest play of the night came in the fourth quarter when Tabary hit a wide open Kylon Highshaw down the sideline who outran the defense for an 80-yard touchdown reception in McNeese’s final scoring play of the game.
Highshaw got open on a hitch and go route after a Tabary shoulder fake, and the ball hit him in stride for the score.
“We’ve run that before, but it’s not really a big part of our offense,” Guidry said. “It’s hard to throw that route without match protection. You have to make sure you’re going to protect the quarterback because it takes time, but that was a good call by (offensive coordinator Landon Hoefer).
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