Sophomore receiver Lemay quickly becoming go-to guy for Colonels football team

Despite assurances earlier in the week during practice, Neno Lemay was not sure if he would be the target of Nicholls’ first touchdown in the Colonels’ 31-10 win last week at McNeese State.

The Colonels were on the McNeese 2-yard line early in the game. Running back Collin Guggenheim, a quarterback in high school, lined up in the wildcat formation. Running the read option, Guggenheim passed to the sophomore receiver for a quick score and the Colonels would never look back for their first win of the season in the Southland Conference opener.

“The crazy thing is, in practice we were running it, and he (Guggenheim) was like, ‘if you go and get open, I will throw it to you.’ But in the game, I wasn’t sure if he was going to throw it. I ran the jet sweep and by the time I turned around, it was coming,” Lemay recalled.

“We knew it was man-to-man when we just flipped it out to him. He made a little side-step. He really made it look easy. He’s so hard to tackle in the open field, and he wasn’t even going full speed right there. I think the (defensive back) knew he was behind the eight ball and kind of lunged a little bit,” Nicholls coach Tim Rebowe said.

Another key catch by Lemay came in the fourth quarter. Facing third down deep in McNeese territory and Nicholls leading 24-10, he made a catch extending his arms and remaining in bounds for a first down at the 2-yard line. On the next play, Jaylon Spears ran in for a touchdown, enabling the Colonels to secure the win.

“It was a bubble. Our quarterback (Pat McQuaide), he got on the move on the scramble. He came to me. I like how he trusted me to throw the ball to me and move the sticks,” said Lemay.

“It was supposed to be a little bubble play and it kind of got messed up a little bit and Pat continued…I think that’s one of the things where him and Pat are on the same page right now is when a play breaks down, Neno is still working, and Pat is still looking for him. I think that’s where they connected a couple of times,” said Rebowe.

The connection between McQuaide and Lemay began early in their acquaintance.

“When he first got here, we were trying to get him comfortable the first few weeks. As we worked throughout the practice, we started to connect, and it got even better. It’s only going to get better,” said Lemay.

“It’s funny, because when a quarterback has confidence in you, he’s definitely going to look at you and go to you. I think that’s where he’s at with Pat (McQuaide),” Rebowe said.

As a true freshman a year ago out of West Feliciana High School, Lemay played in all 11 games, starting four. He ended up with 21 catches for 291 yards and a touchdown.

Through four games this season, Lemay has equaled or surpassed his numbers from a year ago. So far in 2023, he has 23 catches for 241 yards and two touchdowns and has quickly developed into a go-to receiver for the Colonels.

“I just think the word for him is ‘maturity.’ He’s really grown up over the summer. It was probably about the first week into fall camp when kind of like the light went off for him. He started picking everything up. I think his work ethic even got better. Now, he’s just playing with a lot of confidence,” Rebowe said.

Lemay agreed with his coach’s assessment.

“The switch got kicked on. I really started to learn the playbook. As I learned the playbook, it was easier. Every day at practice, I’m coming like it’s a game. I got to play, practice, just like a game. When the game comes, it will be slower and way easier.”

The practice-the-way-you-play approach, Lemay said, has helped him develop into a go-to receiver.

“Take practice like a game. Everything 100 percent. When you catch the ball, finish. The main thing when the ball comes to you, catch the ball. You catch the ball, you get trust from the quarterback, and he will come to you,” Lemay said.

Lemay’s quick success should come as little surprise. He was considered a three-star recruit by Rivals coming out of West Feliciana.

“We knew the coach (Hudson Fuller) over who was at West Feliciana at the time. He helped us. Neno’s parents were big when they came on a visit. It was about family and being close to be able to see him play. It was a big get for us,” said Rebowe.

“When I came to a visit, they played McNeese. I came to the game and after I was really liking the atmosphere. Coach Rebowe, I liked what he was going to do when I got here. I had to work up the depth chart, but I’m here now. That’s all that matters,” Lemay said.

Nicholls got off to a 0-3 start against one of the toughest schedules in the country for a Football Championship Subdivision school. After getting a win on the road to start SLC play, the Colonels now get the next two games at home.

“I’m really thankful for the first three games. It put us in position for how we are playing now in the conference,” Lemay said. “We have Houston Christian coming in and Northwestern State. I feel, and everybody else feels the same way – we should go on a run in the conference. The only team we will really have to worry about is UIW and we should be 5-0 the week before we play them in conference.”