By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Athletic Media Relations
SHREVEPORT — Standing at the podium inside Superior’s Steakhouse, second-year Northwestern State football coach Blaine McCorkle reiterated just how deep his ties run with the Independence Bowl.
“Last year, I wore both of my (Independence Bowl) rings, but today I only wore mine from 1995,” McCorkle said during Thursday’s Northwestern State/Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Kickoff Luncheon. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years, but you guys do a wonderful job in a great bowl and there are a lot of great memories here.”
McCorkle then turned his attention to his current team – the 2025 Demons – which opens the season next Thursday at 7 p.m. against Alcorn State in Turpin Stadium.
That group of Demons will be loaded with in-state products – most directly from high school while others have found their way back to their home state via the transfer portal.
In his 21 months since taking over the Demon program, McCorkle has placed a premium on recruiting in-state talent.
“Our staff has now been through two full cycles of recruiting and 82 percent of the high school signees that we’ve signed are from the state of Louisiana,” McCorkle said. “That’s more than any of the other 13 Division I football-playing schools in Louisiana and that’s more than quite a few of them combined. This state right here has some of the best talent in the country. Everybody sitting in this room knows that. The numbers back it up. We’re going to stay close to home, and we’re going to stay homegrown.
“We brought in four freshmen from right here (Shreveport-Bossier City) this year. We got two from Airline (Ben Taylor and Ben Jump) and and two from Huntington (Nehemiah Barrett and Tyler Welch), and we got one from Ruston (Sam Nations), so we’re really excited about the inroads we’ve made specifically in this area.”
With family members of some Northwestern players in attendance, McCorkle expounded upon his reasons – beyond the quality of football played in the area – for keeping recruiting close to the geographic vest.
“We’re going to grow them and develop them, and the more you do that – the more grandma and friends and family can see you play – it makes you want play harder,” McCorkle said. “It makes you want to stay. It makes you not want to go four states away. We’re trying to bring in kids who want to call it home and want to be Northwestern State graduates and good alums when they leave.
“So far, I feel like we’re on track with it. We have to watch some of those guys grow up, but we like the progress they’re making.”
That progress will be seen on the field, but it already has shown up throughout training camp, which came to a conclusion this past Saturday in a place McCorkle has called home for nearly two years.
McCorkle said there is not a day that passes where he does not pull up to the Donald G. Kelly Athletic Complex and see a packed Turpin Stadium in his mind.
“Natchitoches is a special place,” he said. “My wife (Gina) and son (Sammy) and I have been here for 21 months and have really fallen in love with this town. It’s unique. It’s special. There are a lot of small college towns out there, but I think there is a special connection with our town and this university and this athletic department and this football team. Last year, we had a bad season and finished second in the conference in attendance.
“That is rare and unheard of, so just imagine what that thing is going to turn into when we start stacking the Ws together. It’s going to be special.”
Contact Jason at @pughj@nsula.edu
