NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State will likely be without standout senior safety Bert White, who has made the Watch List to be considered for an invitation to the 2014 Reese's Senior Bowl, when the Demons open their season Thursday night at Missouri State.

The 5-10, 203-pound Baton Rouge-Redemptorist product, who had 59 tackles last season, is recovering from a sprained knee sustained in the first preseason practice of the month. The former Louisiana Class 3A Defensive Most Valuable Player has 114 career tackles with the Demons.
 
He is among only 40 FCS players included on the initial 400-man watch list which will ultimately be narrowed down to 110 players invited to take part in the Reese's Senior Bowl  Jan. 25 in Mobile, Ala.
 
The watch list included three other Louisiana FCS players:  Southern wide receiver Lee Doss, and two Southeastern Louisiana standouts, linebacker Cqulin Hubert and defensive back Todd Washington. NSU plays host to Southern on Sept. 7, and SLU on Oct. 19, in two of six home games at Turpin Stadium.
 
White is not listed on the Demons' defensive depth chart released Saturday. He has been going through portions of practice recently, said head coach Jay Thomas.
 
Sunday, NSU worked out for 90 minutes, spending significant time on special teams. The Demons will practice Monday afternoon at 3:30 on the first day of classes for the fall semester on campus.