NATCHITOCHES – Prior to the 2018 season, the NCAA instituted a new rule for football student-athletes that allows them to retain a redshirt season while playing in four or fewer games.
 
In each of the two seasons that rule has been in existence, it has benefited Northwestern State. In the rule's initial season, it was offensive lineman Chris Zirkle whom the Demons got back from injury in the final four weeks of the season.
 
The 2019 version of Zirkle is linebacker Blake Stephenson, who collected four tackles in his 2019 debut this past Saturday at McNeese. Stephenson's return continued the Demons defense's return to health.
 
"You can add a couple of guys to Blake Stephenson's name," second-year head coach Brad Laird said. "You get him back, Hayden Bourgeois, a healthy O'Shea Jackson, Damian Thompson, Shemar Bartholomew, get those guys back and it shows. I felt our defense played the best 60 minutes of the season (at McNeese)."
 
Stephenson played just 20 snaps against the Cowboys as he works his way back from shoulder surgery, which he underwent in the spring. A 6-foot-1, 212-pound senior from Deer Park, Texas, Stephenson leaned on Zirkle while rehabbing his injury.
 
"I was texting him the whole time," Stephenson said. "We were going back and forth about what he did after the surgery. It meant a lot, and I really appreciate it."
 
Stephenson was Northwestern State's fourth-leading tackler in 2018, his first season after transferring from Trinity Valley Community College where he played for current NSU offensive coordinator Brad Smiley.
 
As Northwestern State's starting middle linebacker, Stephenson collected 60 tackles, six tackles for loss, four sacks and recovered a fumble for a touchdown, earning a reputation for being around the football. Rehabbing was tough on Stephenson but spending fall camp filming the Demons' workouts was even more frustrating.
 
"It was tougher having to watch and not being able to be out there with my brothers every day," he said. "I didn't get here until fall camp. I would wake up and work out at 5 (a.m.) then film practices. I was rehabbing as well. You don't realize how fun it is until you're not out there with them."
 
Laird said he expects Stephenson's playing time to increase, beginning with Saturday's 6:30 p.m. Southland Conference matchup against Lamar in Turpin Stadium, which marks Stephenson's first appearance at home since the Demons' 37-34 double overtime win against McNeese on Nov. 10, 2018.
 
"What he brings is a mind-set to get better that day," Laird said. "He understands that what you do on Tuesday is just as important as what you do on Saturday. What you do in practice reflects what you do in the game. The impact may not come on play one. It may not come on play 20. It may come in that 89-second stretch like we had at McNeese where we went from being up 20-9 to being down 24-20."
 
Stephenson said he felt a little rusty at McNeese, but it did not take him long to get back into the groove as part of a defense that limited the Cowboys to 117 yards rushing on an average of 2.3 yards per carry and forced two more turnovers, giving NSU nine in the past three games.
 
For Stephenson, the time spent rehabbing and looking at the game through a different prism helped grow his confidence even though he was away from the game he loves while deepening his passion and appreciation for the game.
 
"I noticed how much the little things – steps, alignment, hand placement – play a role and how it can take your game to another level," he said. "You really don't understand how blessed you are to play this game until it's taken away from you."