Northwestern State Football – Don’t give up!

About five months ago, we reviewed the unfolding tragedies within Louisiana’s Northwestern State University Demons football program in Natchitoches. One of the team’s starting players, junior defensive back Ronnie Caldwell, was shot several times and killed at about 1AM on Thursday, October 12, 2023 at his off-campus apartment complex located near the school. The local police arrested a 22-year old Northwestern State student from Memphis, Tennessee in connection with the murder.  That particular suspect was also a former NSU football player and no longer on the team.  Caldwell’s 27-year old roommate from Natchitoches (who did not attend the school) was also arrested for possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance. The Northwestern State University football program literally imploded within two weeks of this tragedy. This was happening smack-dab in the middle of the 2023 football season, too. The players were devastated from the loss of one of their teammates.  The football coaches had to deal with their own feelings about this sad event and provide emotional counsel more than 100 grieving players on the roster, too. Two days after Ronnie Caldwell’s death, Northwestern State’s football game at Nicholls State University was cancelled.  Just a few days following the funeral services were held for Ronnie Caldwell, the winless Demons football team suited up for a home game against Southland Conference foe Southeastern Louisiana. On Thursday night October 19, 2023, Northwestern State lost 37-20 to the SLU Lions and dropped to 0-6 (plus a forfeit at Nicholls State). That’s when the wheels fell off the entire football program  The team’s head football coach, Brad Laird, abruptly resigned. Laird was a former quarterback at the school and was halfway through his fifth season as Northwestern State’s head coach. The football team itself became sharply divided, too.  Some players were still grieving and did not want to continue practicing.  Others were ready to move ahead and honor their friend by continuing to play ball and finish the 2023 football season.