Demon Football Traditions

John Stephens Demons in the NFL Draft

There have been 36 Northwestern State players chosen in the NFL Draft, including 10 in the last 14 seasons. Three Demons have gone in the top five rounds since 2002 (Craig Nall, 2002, 5th round, Packers; Terrence McGee, 2003, 4th round, Bills; David Pittman, 2006, 3rd round, Ravens). NSU’s highest pick: RB John Stephens, 1988, 17th overall. The Demons’ first-ever draft pick: OG Walter Ledet, Eagles, 2nd round, 1939; The busiest round for NSU players: 2nd, with 7 Demons selected. The busiest year: 1999, when 3 Demons were picked (cornerbacks Kenny Wright and Jermaine Jones, defensive end Robert Daniel). Defensive tackle Deon Simon was the latest Demon taken in the draft - selected in the 7th round by the New York Jets in 2015.

Rookies of the Year

Two Demon greats have won pro Rookie of the Year awards. Tailback Joe Delaney was the 1981 AFC Rookie of the Year when he earned a trip to the Pro Bowl and was named Chiefs MVP after establishing a then-franchise record with 1,121 rushing yards, leading Kansas City to its first winning season since 1973. Seven years later, after breaking Delaney’s Demon career rushing record, tailback John Stephens won the Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honor after running for 1,168 yards for New England.

Demons with NFL Longevity

Among the dozens of former Demons to play pro ball, there are an elite group whose careers stretched for many years. Topping the list is Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Jackie Smith, who played 16 years (1963-78). Pro Bowl quarterback Bobby Hebert played in the NFL from 1985-96 (11 seasons) after three years starring in the USFL, getting a total of 14 pro seasons. All-Pro receiver Mark Duper spent 11 seasons in the NFL (1982-1992), as did offensive lineman Marcus Spears (1995-2005). Receiver Floyd Turner got in 10 seasons (1989-1998) as did safety Mike Green (2000-2009). Linebacker Gary Reasons played 9 years (1984-1992), as did cornerback Randy Hilliard (1990-1998). Receiver Al Dodd (1967-74) had 8 NFL seasons, a long with offensive guard Petey Perot (1979-85), cornerback Kenny Wright (1999-2008). All-time AFL greats Charlie Hennigan and Charlie Tolar starred for the Houston Oilers for 7 years (1960-66), and Terrence McGee played 10 years (2003-12).

The Cajun Cannon, Bobby Hebert

He came to Northwestern in 1978 as a T-formation quarterback with a difficult-to-understand, thick Cajun accent. At the end of his redshirt sophomore year, Bobby Hebert was an honorable mention All-America. Injuries slowed him in his final two seasons, but he went from NSU to the fledgling USFL and became an instant star, winning the championship game MVP award for the Michigan Panthers. That launched an incredible 14-year pro career highlighted by eight seasons when he led the New Orleans Saints to their greatest success. Hebert was 49-26 (.653) as the Saints starting QB, leading the club to its only division title and its best ever record. Today, he co-hosts the Big 870, WWL AM weeknights Sports Talk show in New Orleans and keeps close watch on his alma mater.

NFL Focused on NSU in the 1999 Draft

The 1998 Demons had three players (Kenny Wright, Jermaine Jones, Robert Daniel) chosen in the 1999 NFL Draft – more than were chosen from six of the Associated Press Top 25 major college teams, and as many or more than 12 of the AP Top 25, such as Penn State and UCLA. NSU led all Division FCS programs and Louisiana institutions with three selections. No other college in the country, at any level, had both starting cornerbacks selected.

Joe Delaney

Marcus Spears

Bobby Hebert

Legends of the AFL, Hennigan and Tolar

When the American Football League was created in 1960, former Demon track star and football player Charlie Hennigan was teaching biology and coaching at Jonesboro-Hodge High School, having been cut by the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos. Demon All-America fullback Charlie Tolar was drafted by Pittsburgh, but cut in 1959. They were among 160 hopefuls who participated in an AFL tryout camp for the Houston franchise, and both beat the odds to make the team. Each became instant All-AFL stars who made the Oilers’ All-Time Team in the mid-1990s, voted by fans. Hennigan set pro records with 1,746 receiving yards in 1961 and 101 catches in 1964, marks that remained for 20-plus years. The 1,746 receiving yards still is third all-time, topped only by Jerry Rice and Isaac Bruce. Hennigan holds NFL records for consecutive 100-yard receiving games (7) and most 200-yard receiving games (3) in a season, and ranks second all-time with 10 100-yard receiving games in a season and four 200-yard career games. Tolar’s 5-6, 220-pound frame earned him nicknames like “Tank” and “The Human Bowling Ball” and his bullish style made him a hero to future NFL star Larry Csonka while earning him a pair of All-AFL honors. His colorful lifestyle earned him a line in a Willie Nelson song: “Men like Charlie Tolar, when they made him, they broke the mold.”

Big Red, Jackie Smith

For a track standout whose hurdling skills made him most attractive to the Demons coming out of Kentwood High School, Jackie Smith made the most of his opportunity at NSU from 1959-62. His stats in football were modest in the run-based offenses of the early 1960s, but his size and speed interested pro scouts. Few 10th-round draft picks have worked out so spectacularly. Smith’s rugged style, combined with his speed and athleticism, redefined the positon of tight end in the NFL in the late 1960s. He made five straight Pro Bowl appearances for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1966-70 and retired after the 1978 season as the NFL’s all-time leading tight end with 480 career catches for 7,918 yards. He played in 121 consecutive games. In 1994, Kentwood came to Canton. “Big Red” was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Last But Not Least, Mr. Irrelevant

Among the 34 Demons chosen in the NFL Draft, two hold a special distinction – they were the last players chosen in that year’s draft. Receiver Mike Almond was the 330th and last selection in 1979, going to the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Safety Mike Green went as the 248th choice in the 2000 draft, to Chicago. They were each the guests of honor for the “Irrelevant Week” celebration in Newport Beach, Calif., in June, making NSU the only program to have two “Mr. Irrelevants” in the history of the festivities. Almond made it to the last cut but the Steelers had receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, both in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Green not only made the Bears’ roster, he was their second-leading tackler over his last six seasons and he was traded to NFC champion Seattle, where he played for two more years.

Rookie Star, Veteran Style

Along with winning the 1988 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, former NSU tailback John Stephens was awarded the first Gale Sayers Humanitarian Citation in 1988. Stephens was the choice of a committee headed by Sayers, the Hall of Fame running back who starred for the Chicago Bears. The award is given to the National Football League rookie demonstrating the most outstanding commitment of time and effort toward a personally designated charitable organization, which in Stephens’ case was the Roxbury (Mass.) Comprehensive Community Health Center.

The Turtle, All-Pro Terrence McGee

The Turtle came out of his shell in a big way. Cornerback Terrence McGee earned the nickname “Turtle” because of the way he wore his shoulder pads around his head until the last possible moment before preseason practices, to keep his head in the shade. McGee became a starter as a true freshman, and became a star a year later. He ran three punts back for touchdowns, broke the NCAA single-season record for punt return yardage and today stands as the Division I-AA all-time record holder for best career punt return average (17.6, 1999-2002). In his second pro season, 2004, he made the Pro Bowl as a return specialist and emerged as one of the NFL’s better cover cornerbacks for Buffalo, in a 10-year NFL career.

Demons on the SI Cover

For musicians, it’s the cover of the Rolling Stone. For athletes, being a Sports Illustrated cover boy is the ultimate. Three Demon greats have been there. All-Pro Mark Duper was the subject for the Nov. 19, 1984 issue showcasing the unbeaten Miami Dolphins, In the Oct. 7, 1991 edition, Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert was on the cover illustrating the “Saints Alive” story saluting their best start ever. Prior to his second straight Super Bowl appearance, cornerback Jeremy Lane was part of the Seattle defensive backfield nicknamed the “Legion of Boom” that graced the Feb. 2, 2015, cover. NSU products Jackie Smith, Joe Delaney and Hebert have been profiled inside the magazine, and in 2005, Marcus Spears provided the “Best Joke I Can Tell in Public” for SI readers.

Track and Football, a Demon Tradition

Dating to the 1930s, football and track have been intertwined at Northwestern. The Demons’ first football All-American, Walter Ledet, was a track stalwart who became one of the great track coaches in state history, earning him a place in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. His powerhouse track programs attracted future pro greats Charlie Hennigan and Jackie Smith to Northwestern. Since then, many outstanding Demon football players have been two-sport stars, including track All-Americans and future pro players Joe Delaney, Mark Duper, Victor Oatis, Al Edwards and Ronnie Powell. Duper had never played football until Delaney and Oatis teased and prodded him into giving it a try for his junior season, 1980. Two years later, Duper was a second-round NFL Draft pick on the way to three Pro Bowls. In 1981, Delaney, Oatis, and Duper ran on the NCAA Division I champion 4x100 meter relay team. NSU remains the only FCS program ever to win an NCAA relay championship men or women indoors or outdoors.

Jackie Smth

Mike Green

Terrence McGee

All-Americans

In 116 seasons of intercollegiate football, 44 Northwestern players have earned first or second-team All-America honors. Offensive guard Walter “Cajun” Ledet, later a highly-successful Demon track and field coach and assistant football coach, was the school’s first All-American in 1938. Only nine players — safety Al Dodd in 1965-66, tailback Joe Delaney in 1979-80, linebacker Gary Reasons in 1981-83, offensive tackle Marcus Spears in 1992-93, center William Broussard in 1998-99, safety Mike Green also in 1998-99, linebacker Jamall Johnson in 2003-04, defensive tackle Tory Collins in 2005-06, and linebacker Derek Rose 2010 and 2011 — won All-America honors in more than one season. Reasons became the first three-time All-American in Division I-AA history. In 1993, Marcus Spears became only the second I-AA player ever (along with Jerry Rice) to make the Football Writers Association of America All-America team. William Broussard and Mike Green, members of the memorable 1998 team which advanced to the national semi-finals for the first time in the program’s history, are the only two teammates at Northwestern to earn All-America status in consecutive seasons.

Chief Caddo

At 7 feet, 6-inches tall and 320 pounds, Chief Caddo is the biggest trophy in college football. The wooden Indian statue was awarded to the winner of each year’s Northwestern vs. Stephen F. Austin game. The stately Chief is symbolic of the kinship between the cities of Natchitoches and Nacogdoches, home of SFA. He was named “Chief Caddo” to honor the Indian tribe that not only first settled the two communities, but provided safety for the early white settlers in the area. The statue originated in 1960, when Northwestern and SFA decided the loser of their 1961 game would have a tree chopped down from its nearby forest to be sent to the winning school, who would have a statue carved. The Demons won that 1961 matchup 35-19 and SFA delivered a 2,000-pound black gum log to Northwestern. Harold Green of Logansport spent over 230 hours carving the statue.

Since the Demons and Lumberjacks have been playing for Chief Caddo, Northwestern holds a 31-20-1 advantage in the series. In the 55 years of the Chief’s life, he’s spent 37 in Natchitoches. The two teams did not play each other from 1965-68, in 1973 and since 2019.

To those who know the Chief best, that comes as no surprise. Even an SFA coach admitted a few years ago that the Chief seemed to like Natchitoches, blaming it on meat pies and Cajun cooking. But veteran Northwestern followers know his allegiance goes even deeper. After all, if you were a wooden statue, would you want to spend time around a bunch of Lumberjacks?

Flaming N logo

The distinctive Northwestern State athletic logo was designed in 1983 at new football coach Sam Goodwin’s request, in a collaboration between former kicker Dale Quickel, former defensive back J.P. Dunbar and former Miss Northwestern Cheryl Purcell, an art teacher. The outline of Louisiana was added in 1999 at the suggestion of Demon baseball coach John Cohen.

Conference champions

Since World War II, the Demons have won or shared 11 conference titles. Northwestern won Gulf States Conference crowns outright in 1953, 1962 and 1966 and shared the title in 1957-58. The Demons won the Gulf South crown in 1972, then shared the Gulf Star Conference championship in 1984. Northwestern won the Southland Conference title in 1988 with a 20-17 victory at No. 1-ranked Stephen F. Austin in the final game of the regular season. In 1997, the Demons shared the title with McNeese State. In 1998, NSU made it back-to-back championships winning the title outright with a 6-1 conference mark and in 2004, NSU shared the title with Sam Houston State after posting a 4-1 league mark.

The Delaney Memorial

The Demons’ spring practice ends each year with the Delaney Bowl, honoring the memory of heroic two-sport All-American Joe Delaney. It’s one of several ways NSU honors his memory. There is a display underneath the west side of Turpin Stadium. His No. 44 jersey was retired at halftime of his final game as a Demon. The players elected as permanent team captains by their teammates receive the Joe Delaney Memorial Leadership Awards. Displays in the football offices on the Big John Evans Walk of Honor list those captains and showcase Delaney’s achievements and impact. Each spring since 2012, the Delaney Distinguished Supporter Award is presented to an individual whose involvement with NSU athletics is dynamic.

Demon dressing room etiquette

Whatever you do, when visiting the Demon locker room, watch where you walk. Don’t dare step on the white Demon head in the center of the room on the plush purple carpet. If you do, you risk the rath of the entire senior class.

The George Doherty Wing

The Demon football offices, as well as the offices for the track and baseball coaching staffs, are located on the second floor of the NSU Fieldhouse. On June 8, 1991, the area was named “The George Doherty Wing” in memory of the former Demon head coach and athletic director, who spearheaded planning of the ultramodern facility.

Fight song

When Jeff Matthews’ Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band plays it, the music is called “Trio to British Eighth March” but the lyrics lend a distinct Demon flair:

Go, ye Demons, take the field Northwestern Demons never yield So fight Demons, win tonight Victory is on our side

Purple and White shall ever reign Filling the air with battle strain So Demons forever stand And fight for dear old Demonland!

All Northwestern players learn the fight song during their first week of preseason practice as Demons. The team sings the song after each win.

How we became the Demons

In 1923, when Northwestern was known as Louisiana Normal College, President V.L. Roy and Coach H. Lee Prather held a contest, open to students, to choose a nickname for Normal’s athletic teams. A $10 prize, donated by the athletic department, was on the line. Names suggested included the Gridiron Knights, Daredevils, Boosters, Sharks, Cannons, Deers, Muskateers, Invicibles, Ground Hogs, Royalists, Cyclops, Bloodhounds, Professors, Cannon Balls, Wasps, and Rattlesnakes. A committee tabbed two: Braves and Demons. After a vote of the students, Aileen Ritter and Truett Scarborough split the $10 because each had suggested “Demons.”

College Football Trophies

Chief Caddo (NSU vs. SFA)..................................................................................................7-foot-6, 320 lbs Cannon (Purdue vs. Illinois) ...................................................................................2 foot by 1 foot, 15 lbs Ol’ Mountain Jug (App. St vs. W. Caro.)...............................................................................................25 lbs Govenor’s Cup (Kentucky vs. Louisville)........................................................................2-foot-9, 110 lbs Old Oaken Bucket (Purdue vs. Louisville) ....................................................2 feet tall, approx., 15 lbs The Apple Cup (Washington vs. Washington St.) ..................................................30 inches, 8-10 lbs Other Sport Trophies

The Stanley Cup............................................................................................................35.25-inches,34.5 lbs Lombardi Trophy ..................................................................................................................... 22 inches, 7 lbs NBA’s Larry O’Brien Trophy.................................................................................................. 2 feet tall, 16lbs Wimbeldon men’s championship....................................................................................2-foot-9, 110 lbs British Open Claret Jug.........................................................................19 inches in diameter, 2 feet tall

Stadium namesakes

At least four Demon coaches have stadiums named after them. NSU’s Turpin Stadium for football honors 22-year head coach Harry “Rags” Turpin. NSU’s Ledet Track Complex pays tribute to head track and assistant football coach Walter Ledet. NSU’s Brown-Stroud Field baseball stadium pays tribute, in part, to longtime assistant football and head baseball coach Alvin “Cracker” Brown. Louisiana Tech’s Aillet Stadium honors longtime head coach Joe Aillet, who grew up in Natchitoches, played for the Demons and was an assistant coach on the 1939 undefeated team before being hired as head coach of the rival Bulldogs. Brown replaced him on Turpin’s staff, which also included Ledet.

Retired jerseys

Hundreds of players have worn the Purple and White in the nine decades of Northwestern football, but only five have had their jersey numbers permanently retired. Al Dodd (41), an All-American on the unbeaten 1966 team, was the first to receive this honor. Joe Delaney’s No. 44 was retired at halftime of his final game in 1981. Gary Reasons’ No. 34 was set aside after his career ended in 1983. Jackie Smith’s No. 80 was retired at homecoming 1994. In 1997, the familiar No. 12 jersey worn by Bobby Hebert was retired during halftime ceremonies of homecoming.

The State Fair Classic

Gone, but not forgotten. For 40 years, old rivals Northwestern and Louisiana Tech played in Shreveport during the first weekend of the Louisiana State Fair. After the game, players and fans from both teams often made their way down the midway, enjoying the rides and carnival games. The series ended when Louisiana Tech withdrew after the 1987 meeting, halting what at the time was the South’s oldest active Division I-AA rivalry. The teams played for “The Rag,” a banner displaying names and colors of both schools which hung in the Student Union of the winning team for the next year.

Trident Test

Each spring and before fall practice, the Demon players go through a series of strength, speed and conditioning tests. Since three aspects of athleticism are being tested, they were named “Trident Tests” by the coaching staff. Each player is awarded an overall grade based on his combined ranking among all team members in every test. The winner receives the Kirt Straughter Memorial Award, named in honor of the 1989 Trident Test winner who drowned that year.

Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band

Nearly 300 strong, the dynamic Northwestern band has never lost a halftime show under the direction of director Bill Brent. The band’s enthusiasm was a major factor, said Coach Sam Goodwin, as Northwestern’s “Road Warriors” won key SLC games at North Texas and Stephen F. Austin to capture the 1988 SLC title. At home games, it’s a treat to watch Brent’s game day rehearsals, now led by Brent’s successor Jeff Matthews.

How Vic became Vic

On September 22, 1984, the Demon mascot received his official name by means of another contest, sponsored by the Athletic Department. The contest was open to faculty, staff, and students. The objective to find a name for the Demon. Over 300 entries were submitted to the committee. The grand prize was an all expense paid weekend at the Louisiana State Fair Classic. Ray Carney, an alum of the University, was the official winner with “Vic” which is short for “Victory.”

Vic the Demon 1, Chief Brave Spirit 0

Few events in Southland Conference history attracted as much attention as the Oct. 24, 1992, spontaneous scrap between Northwestern’s mascot, Vic the Demon, and Northeast’s Chief Brave Spirit. “The Tussle in Turpin” happened midway through the second quarter of the Homecoming game. KTBS-TV’s Sam Schachter made it his “Play of the Day” and the footage was picked up by ESPN -- who declared Vic the victor. Even Monroe’s News-Star newspaper and KNOE-TV conceded the decision to Vic, who rallied after the Chief knocked off his head. Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle called it “the fight of the year” and wrote, “Vic won a unanimous decision. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a fight where someone’s head actually gets ripped off -- and yet he rallies to win!” The footage made its way around the country, appearing on CNN Sports Tonight, ESPN College Gameday, NBC’s Today Show, KNBC in Los Angeles, WUSA in Washington, D.C., and many other TV outlets. USA TODAY featured the mascot melee in its Oct. 28, 1992 issue. At year’s end, the fight was named -- by viewer vote -- fourth on CNN’s Plays of the Year” show. The frisky mascots met again, with plenty of fanfare but no altercation, when NLU visited for a Jan. 30 basketball game. Shane Clabaugh, the senior social work major who served as Vic, explained: “After he tore my head off, that was it. That goes against the code of ethics for mascots.” Clabaugh said he won: “I scored a takedown. I was mad because he knocked my head off. I wanted to take off his head -- his real one.”