5 things to know about Lamar’s season opener at Abilene Christian

Blane Morgan waited until game week to name a starting quarterback, but the Lamar football coach feels confident that he’s found the best man to consistently move the Cardinals offense. 

Morgan said sophomore returner Mike Chandler will take the first snaps under center when the Cardinals travel to Abilene Christian for their season opener on Thursday night.

Chandler, a Converse Judson graduate, appeared in eight games last season at Lamar and will look to build on that brief experience as the Week 1 starter. 

Morgan had plenty more to say ahead of Thursday’s game. Here are five things to know about Lamar’s matchup with Abilene Christian: 

Chandler back as QB1 

Morgan said it was a very competitive camp when it comes to the quarterback decision.

Chandler was briefly sidelined with an undisclosed injury, Morgan said, but still won the starting job over fellow returner Daelyn Williams and UTEP transfer Jakolby Longino. 

All three quarterbacks are quite mobile, which fits into Morgan’s run-heavy offense. The Cardinals coach said he doesn’t plan to use anyone but Chandler under center come Thursday night.

Related: Lamar coach discusses position battles at fall camp

“When you name a starting quarterback, it comes down to who gives your team the best opportunity to move the ball and put it in the end zone,” Morgan said. “Right now, Mike gives our offense the best chance.”

New-look Wildcats

Lamar played the Wildcats twice last season, but that doesn’t mean the Cardinals know anything more than usual about their Week 1 opponent.

ACU hired Keith Patterson as its head coach entering this season. Patterson spent the previous three seasons as Texas Tech’s defensive coordinator.

Morgan said the new ACU coaching staff makes it tough to scout the Wildcats. It doesn’t help that ACU has yet to send over its two-deep roster, as is customary between opponents each week. 

“You have an idea based one where their coaches were last year, but I guess we’ll find out more when we see them on Thursday,” Morgan said. “It will be very important to get in the game and make adjustments.”

Last year’s losses

Lamar didn’t fare very well against ACU in last season’s two meetings in the WAC. The Cardinals suffered a 56-0 loss at home in late September, then lost 24-17 on the road in mid-October.

Chandler started that second game against ACU, but Morgan warned against reading too much into last year’s results.

Two very different teams will take the field on Thursday night in Abilene, including 20 new transfers on the Wildcats roster and likely a completely new defensive scheme. 

Related: Southland prioritizes McNeese-Lamar rivalry during realignment

Even so, Lamar’s players are eager to get another shot at the Wildcats. 

“Yeah, we owe them one,” defensive lineman Jack McCarthy said.

Morgan likes mid-week opener

Lamar has played its fair share of mid-week openers in recent years, and Morgan doesn’t mind it one bit. 

He actually likes playing the Thursday game first because it gives Lamar a “mini-bye week” in the days after. Lamar will have 10 days between the opener and its next game at SMU.

“I really like how it breaks up,” Morgan said. “You never love an eight-hour bus trip (to Abilene), but it’s better to get it out of the way early,” Morgan said. 

Lamar’s home opener against Northern Colorado will be Sept. 17.

The Cardinals’ bye week will be Oct. 15.

Developing depth in non-conference play

Lamar will play three games before beginning its Southland Conference schedule on Sept. 24 at Northwestern State. In non-conference play, Morgan hopes to learn a lot about his Lamar team as he tries to find roster depth.

Finding that depth on the offensive and defensive lines during the early part of the season will be a priority. Morgan knows injuries tend to happen at the line of scrimmage, and he wants his team to be prepared. 

“When those guys go in, they’ve got to play just like the starters,” Morgan said. “That will be the name of the game in college football across the board in Week 1.”

MFaye@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/mattGfaye