A high school prospect’s journey to McNeese State begins on film. The tape, obtained by the player’s area recruiter and first reviewed by a position coach, then goes to the coordinator, who passes to his boss, head coach Lance Guidry.
The player is recruited if, and only if, all four men approve the prospect. All four go in home on visits, too, cycling in one after the other. Professors and even athletic director Bruce Hemphill get involved during official visits, illustrating the familial feel Guidry wants for his program.
“If one guy is recruiting him,” Guidry said Wednesday, “then you’re not really doing service to your school.”
Guidry’s first full class as a head coach, unveiled Wednesday morning at the Jack Doland Field House, was defensive heavy bunch — no small feat considering he presently does not employ a defensive coordinator.
Tommy Restivo stepped down to pursue other opportunities Jan. 17, the beginning of recruiting’s most hectic three weeks, putting the onus on Guidry’s defensive pedigree and that “all in the family” vibe to hold a class brimming with five defensive backs and four defensive linemen together amidst uncertainty.
“As a head coach, you better have a relationship with every kid you’re recruiting, because when coaches leave, you better have the relationship,” Guidry said while introducing his 17-man class. “If an area coach leaves and that kid flips, that means you haven’t done your job in recruiting."
Even with the staff shakeup, Guidry and recruiting coordinator Eman Naghavi assembled an athletic, versatile group. The staff sought to address depth issues at cornerback while beefing up the interior offensive line with veteran players who can create running lanes and hope to improve last season’s mediocre running game.
The class’ jewel is Hanif Muhammad, a three-star cornerback whom Guidry called the highest recruited player in McNeese history. Muhammad committed to the Cowboys early in his recruitment before backing off as Football Bowl Subdivision schools pounced on the 6-foot-1 Houston native who was clocked by laser at 4.4 seconds in his 40-yard dash and vertical jumps 38 inches.
Swayed by an official visit two weekends before signing day, Muhammad kept his pledge, something Guidry again attributes to the program’s closeness.
“Big 12, SEC, Pac-10, whatever. A guy’s getting offers from those places and he decides to come to McNeese, that doesn’t happen today,” Guidry said. “We’ve been talking to him a long time. We felt that it was family here with all the coaches that are McNeese guys and the other coaches that are a part of the McNeese family now. We all did our job.”
Joining Muhammad is 6-foot-2 Colby Richardson, a quarterback, receiver and cornerback from McMain High School — a team with little notoriety or success this season — whom Guidry marveled at on film and labeled a “steal” at cornerback.
Florida native Enos Lewis, “the most natural defensive football player” Guidry saw all recruiting cycle, pledged following a late push from McNeese tight ends coach Paul Marin.
Welsh linebacker Garrick Gray, a two-way player in high school who was the only linebacker Guidry said the staff pursued, and Carencro safety Kordell Williams add to the haul.
“We felt we had to sign a bunch of corner-type guys, a bunch of nickel guys, guys that can run and can tackle and do all those things,” Guidry said. “And a lot of times, you have to find them on the offensive side of the ball because the way the game is today, there are no overthrown balls. You have to have guys that can play the football as well.”
Isaiah Golden’s departure for professional football, coupled with the looming departure of rising seniors Jammerio Gross, Anthony Yruegas and Kurt Viges, forced Guidry to bolster his depth on the defensive line.
Tyrique Gibson — a player Guidry projected to have an instant impact — flipped from UL-Lafayette to the Cowboys while two-star end Cody Roscoe, Camron Peterson and Navarro College transfer Harris Tafah represent a different body type than the staff is accustomed to recruiting.
“We took a lot of body types that we thought could be defensive ends but possibly could move them inside as well. We went after more length this year than probably we have,” Guidry said. “Some guys are going to grow into some defensive linemen, we really feel good about the guys we got, we beat some big programs out for them and that’s always good.”
Even on the line, versatility is key. It’s what Guidry targeted with this class, his first as head coach of his alma mater — one he’s happy to be rounding into the family he envisions.
“It shouldn’t just be about (one coach), it should be about McNeese,” Guidry said. “We have to make it about McNeese so when a kid says it’s family, that’s what he’s talking about.”
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