RUSTON – Northwestern State opens its 110^th year of playing football with a visit to its oldest rival, Louisiana Tech, on Saturday evening in Aillet Stadium.
 
Kickoff is 6 p.m. between the Demons and Bulldogs, who met in NSU's first-ever football game in 1907. NSU is hoping to rekindle the magic that unfolded the last time the teams met, a 30-27 Demon comeback win in 2014. That was the first matchup between the nearby rivals in 20 years.
 
Only a handful of players on both sides hit the field in that contest, but it's front and center as a motivational tool for each team in the 2017 season opener.
 
The Demons are intent on casting away the frustrations of a 1-10 record in an injury-riddled 2016 season. Fifth-year head coach Jay Thomas has new offensive (Kyle Manley) and defensive (Brad Laird) coordinators who have 35 letterwinners on their depth charts. They will also start six transfers, four on offense.
 
Senior J.D. Almond will get his seventh career start at quarterback after getting the call in the last three games of 2016. He'll count on an experienced offensive line anchored by junior Chris Zirkle and senior Korliss Johnson.
 
Explosive senior Bobby Chan-Chan, who averaged 19 yards a catch last season, tops the receiving corps. Tight end Lucas Morgan, also a senior, has been a preseason standout.
 
Senior running back Chris Jones and sophomore Jared West will handle the brunt of ballcarrying. Jones is getting his senior year over again after knee surgery.
 
Defensively, senior linebackers Nick Pierotti, Chrishard Buhl and Peyton Guidry are the bedrocks. Up front, junior Zak Krolcyzk and senior Dannie Harmon should set the tone, along with senior Lyn Clark.
The secondary features senior safety Austin Balthazor and junior cornerbacks Ike Warren and Rashaun Croney.
 
Senior kicker and punter Eric Piccione is the cornerstone on special teams. Two freshmen, kick returner Xavier Bell and punt returner Hayden Bourgeois, step into roles previously manned by players who are fighting for jobs in the NFL (Giants receiver Ed Eagan, Rams receiver and returner Shakeir Ryan).
 
Among the impactful newcomers in their first games as Demons should be receivers Jaylen Watson, Marquisian Chapman and Kwan Adkins; defensive linemen Obinna Iheoma and Jalan Sangster; linebacker Isaiah Longino; and Croney.
 
The Demon Sports Network broadcast team of Patrick Netherton, Richard de Vargas and Tony Taglavore will call the game, starting with a 30-minute pregame show at 5:30. The network flagship station is 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches with News Radio 710 KEEL AM in Shreveport, KBUCK 105.5 FM in Alexandria and 103.1 FM KWLA in Leesville-Many as affiliates. Free audio is available at NSUDemons.com.
 
The game will be televised in north and central Louisiana, and available elsewhere online through ESPN3. Shreveport's KPXJ, Alexandria's KBCA and CW Channel 12 in Monroe will have the telecast with NSU alumni Lyn Rollins and Stan Humphries teaming with sideline reporter Tatum Everett.
 
The contest is the first of two straight rides up to Lincoln Parish for the Demons, who visit Grambling next week before opening Southland Conference play at home Sept. 16 against Lamar.