NATCHITOCHES – Under coordinator Mike Lucas, the Northwestern State defense has made a living forcing turnovers.
 
By that metric, the Purple Swarm seemed to be in proverbial midseason form during Sunday's second scrimmage of fall camp. Safety Kevin Davis Jr. intercepted a pair of passes and fellow safety Donovan Duvernay added another pick as the Demon defense turned in a strong performance in the most game-like conditions the Demons have seen this camp.
 
"Defensively, we came out ready to play," fourth-year head coach Brad Laird said. "I think that was obvious from the first snap. You look at when it was 1s vs. 1s, I think it was five or six straight three-and-outs and then the three interceptions."
 
The NSU offense struck first before the defense settled in, following a similar script from the first scrimmage eight days ago.
 
Sparked by a 12-yard carry by Aubrey Scott, the Demons covered 34 yards in six plays, setting up Eddie Godina's 43-yard field goal.
 
With the Demons treating Sunday's scrimmage as true to a game-like situation as possible, Donovan Duvernay flashed the form that earned him third-team All-Southland Conference honors as a return specialist. Duvernay fielded the kickoff a yard deep in the end zone, cut to the right, split a gap and headed for the end zone.
 
"It felt good going live again, seeing the holes open and the gaps I need to hit," Duvernay said. "I'm ready to return some this fall."
 
Three plays after Duvernay's would-be touchdown, he showed his potential defensively, intercepting a deflected pass for the first of the three turnovers forced by the Purple Swarm.
 
"It's hard to choose," Duvernay said of choosing between the interception and kick return. "I appreciate both of them. I love the stats on defense. I'm not going to life. If I had to choose, I'd probably take the interception, but the return game can change the game in so many ways."
 
Zachary Clement capped the next drive – a nine-play march that was highlighted by a 34-yard Curtis Williams run – with a 1-yard touchdown run. From there, the Purple Swarm locked in.
 
"When the 2s came out offensively, we had a six-play drive and kicked a field goal," Laird said. "Then we had a nine-paly drive and a touchdown. Then it was five or six straight three and outs. When you look at the positives, you look at the mentality some of the guys came out with especially defensively. Offensively, we have to learn to come out with that mentality."
 
Davis delivered what Laird looked for from the first to the second scrimmage.
 
A Beaumont, Texas, product, Davis snared a pair of interceptions, including one that likely would have resulted in a return for a touchdown. Under the scrimmage rules, the ball was blown dead following a turnover.
 
"The first one, I learned from the mistake I made in the first scrimmage," Davis said. "They scored on me on the same play. I took that mistake and brought it to this scrimmage. On the second pick, I saw the gap and waited to see where the quarterback was going, and I made a play."
 
Davis appeared in all six games in the spring in his first collegiate season and has continued to make strides throughout camp.
 
"You saw his maturity for a freshman, coming in and not only handling COVID but learning what to do schematically," Laid said. "You saw it as the season went along and he continued to improve. He's taken that next step. Those opportunities come to you when you work hard each and every day. That's what he does. He comes to work and improve and make plays."

Scoring Plays
Eddie Godina 43 FG
Zachary Clement 1 run (Jesus Bravo kick)
Godina 39 FG
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Curtis Williams 4-42; Bryce Dealey 7-23; Aubrey Scott 2-13; Kevin Perkins 2-9; Trevor Morgan 7-8; Zachary Clement 5-7, TD; Scooter Adams 2-3; Kareame Cotton Jr. 2-2; Mark Salazar 2-(-)7; Kaleb Fletcher 4-(-)12.
PASSING –Salazar 4-7-0 22; Clement 3-8-2 20; Fletcher 3-9-0 9; Cotton 0-3-1 0.
RECEIVING – Gavin Landry 2-15; Jay Griffin IV 2-10; Trevor Morgan 2-6; Gabriel Ernest 1-8; David Fitzwater 1-8; Stanley King 1-5; Scooter Adams 1-(-)1
DEFENSIVE
Ja'Quay Pough 6 tackles, QB hurry; Kyle Moore 4 tackles, 1.5 sacks; Jacob Washington 4 tackles, 1 sack;Adrion Robertson 3 tackles, 1 TFL, QB hurry; Kevin Davis Jr. 3 tackles, 2 INT, PBU; Donovan Green 3 tackles, 2 TFL, QB hurry; Jaeden Ward 3 tackles, 2 TFL, QB hurry; Kendal Harmon 3 tackles; Cedric Anderson 3 tackles, 1 TFL; Keshawn Jackson 1 tackle, 1 sack; Chandler Moncrief 1 tackle, 1 sack; Darius Whitfield 1 tackle, 0.5 sack; Jared Pedraza 2 tackles; Cadillac Rhone 2 tackles; Dante Thomas 2 tackles; Race Moser 1 sack; Tyree Cormier 1 TFL; Donovan Duvernay 1 INT; Shemar Bartholomew 1 tackle; Theron Bellard 1 tackle; AJ Burns 1 tackle; Malik Carey 1 tackle; Coby McGee 1 tackle; Ara Rauls III 1 tackle; Kwame Sarkodie 1 tackle; Tobias Williams II 1 tackle; Trey Williams 1 tackle; JaBralen Yarber 1 tackle.