Ragin Cajuns athletics director Bryan Maggard is leaving Lafayette to return to Missouri as the deputy athletics director and chief operating officer. Maggard, who has served as A-D since 2017, hired football coaches Billy Napier and Michael Desormeaux and oversaw a 65-million dollar renovation to the football stadium. In recent years, Maggard has had to work around budget cuts.
Doug Thornton, who has been in charge of daily operations with the Superdome and the Smoothie King Center since 1997, is stepping down from his current role. Thornton has played a critical role in New Orleans hosting big sporting events.
Cut 14 (09) “…live music events.”
Thornton says one of his biggest career highlights is the reopening of the Superdome in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina. Such an achievement helped put him in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Southland Conference Media Day was held in Houston yesterday. Southeastern Louisiana made the FCS playoffs with a 9-and-3 record last season. Quarterback Kyle Lowe returns to a team that ninth-year coach Frank Scelfo says has conference championship aspirations.
McNeese coach Matt Viator (VEE-uh-tore) enters year two of his second stint in Lake Charles. The Cowboys were 5-and-7 last season. Starting quarterback Jake Strong is back, and Viator says he loves this year’s team.