By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Finally, there’s upbeat news expected about the Northwestern State football program.
The Demons are on the verge of hiring a new head coach, with an announcement expected today, according to athletics director Kevin Bostian.
The deal should be done this morning, he said, with an announcement shortly afterward and an introduction of the new coach on campus anticipated Wednesday.
That will be followed Friday morning by groundbreaking for the multi-million dollar David and Sherry Morgan Health Performance Center adjoining NSU’s Donald G. Kelly Athletic Fieldhouse, providing a long-sought modern and spacious strength training and wellness facility. NSU’s weightroom has remained the same size since the fieldhouse opened in 1979, just as women’s athletics was beginning to emerge and when football squad sizes were half of the 115-man rosters today.
While the Morgans made the lead gift of $1.5 million in spring 2022, it’s taken a while to blend state funding and related processes to reach the groundbreaking milepost.
It has officially been just over a month since NSU entered the market for a new football coach. NSU president Dr. Marcus Jones and Bostian announced Oct. 26 that the final four games of the 2023 season were cancelled and sixth-year head coach Brad Laird had resigned in the wake of the Oct. 12 shooting death of junior safety Ronnie Caldwell Jr. at a nearby off-campus apartment complex.
Northwestern, as it has done under Jones beginning with the search ending with Bostian’s hiring in January 2022, contracted with Dallas-based Bowlsby Sports Advisors to identify and vet candidates for the coaching post.
“The search process was exhaustive and thus far productive. We had a deep, talented pool of applicants from across the country,” said Bostian. “We have whittled down the number of applicants to those we felt would best fit what our next head football coach should be.
“After gauging and vetting all candidates’ interest, it became clear to us how we needed to proceed and brought us to where we are now. Our goal is to have this wrapped up by Tuesday morning.”
While some former NSU assistant coaches were interviewed for the post, the new coach appears to have no prior ties to the Demons’ program, sources said. Bostian declined to address specifics of the search on Monday.
It’s been just under seven weeks since Caldwell’s death, which remains under investigation by the Natchitoches Police Department. Two people have been arrested on drug and weapons charges related to the probe, officials said, but no charge has been filed for the slaying.
Caldwell’s parents filed a lawsuit for unspecified damages on Oct. 27 against the university, Laird and The Quad apartment complex, where the shooting occurred. There were no witnesses, authorities confirmed.
The Demons’ Oct. 14 game at Nicholls was cancelled, but the team played Oct. 19 at home in a 37-20 loss to Southeastern Louisiana. The rest of the season was surprisingly cancelled the following Thursday, Oct. 26, two days before NSU was to visit old rival McNeese for the Cowboys’ homecoming.
Jones cited mental health concerns for Caldwell’s teammates as the reason for the unprecedented move. It ended a winless six-game season.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com
