Lucas: Lions can’t dwell on close defeat

• By ROB DEARMOND
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Oct 28, 2009 - Page: 4C

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HAMMOND — Southeastern Louisiana University coach Mike Lucas has been through enough Southland Conference football battles to know that the Lions don’t have time to dwell on last week’s 36-35 loss to McNeese State, especially not with Central Arkansas up next on the schedule.

The Cowboys used a 5-yard touchdown pass from Derrick Fourroux to Richard Connor with 39.7 seconds to play to overcome an 11-point deficit for Saturday night’s thrilling win.

“I think we were really down in that locker room after the game,” Lucas said Tuesday at his weekly media luncheon on the Southeastern campus. “We were very, very low, which is a good thing. We feel like we are good enough that we should have won that football game. Our kids had no doubt that if we would have made a play here or a play there, we should have won that football game. And that’s good.”

But Lucas is also hoping the physical nature of last week’s game helps the Lions (4-3, 2-1) in Saturday’s 2 p.m. game at Strawberry Stadium against the No. 15 Bears (5-2, 2-1).

“… It was a very, very physical football game, and our kids have to learn that’s what it’s going to be,” Lucas said. “If we’re going to get up in the upper echelon of this league and we’re going to be playing every week where every week’s ballgame means you’re either in it or you’re not in it, these are the kind of games we’re going to face.

“It’s going to be the same thing this week. Central Arkansas has got one conference loss, and you don’t want to fall into a situation where you’ve got two conference losses — especially as well as (SLC leader) Stephen F. (Austin) is playing.”

Lions banged up

Southeastern Louisiana had several players exit the McNeese State game, including wide receivers Simmie Yarborough and Merrick Lanaux, tight end Cole Wardell (all with ankle injuries), running back Jasper Ducksworth (hip) and strong safety Curtis Strong (shoulder), which Lucas said will lead to a busy week in the training room.

“Hopefully we’ll get everybody back except Cole Wardell,” Lucas said. “That’s the plan right now. And we’ll need all hands on deck when it comes to Central Arkansas.”

Quarterback Brian Babin also had to briefly come out of the McNeese game after taking a hard hit on Southeastern’s opening drive.

“I know he’s just got an overall body soreness right now,” Lucas said of Babin. “He took some shots, and that’s going to happen again this week.”

Technical difficulties

Lucas said the SLU coaching staff was hamstrung during parts of the McNeese State game because some of the team’s headsets weren’t working, resulting in offensive line coach Allen Rudolph calling some plays for offensive coordinator Tommy Condell.