How to build a contender: Grambling, Southern offer different methods to roster construction

NEW ORLEANS -- Southern and Grambling will meet Saturday on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome turf with a postseason berth on the line, marking the third time in the past four seasons the Bayou Classic will decide the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Western Division title.

The two programs have achieved a desirable level of consistency under coaches Dawson Odums and Broderick Fobbs. Not counting their matchups against each other, the two programs have combined to go 55-5 against SWAC competition since Fobbs took over at Grambling in 2014.

“In (2016), they didn’t lose a conference game; we lost one,” said Odums, Southern's coach. “You look at this year, they haven’t lost a game, we lost one. You figure that during that stretch, if you were to take the conference teams and rank them top to bottom, we would probably be No. 2.”

But the two programs have taken different routes on their ascent to the SWAC peak, and it is evidenced by their rosters this season.

Two of Grambling’s most important players started their college careers elsewhere.

Quarterback Devante Kincade, the SWAC's reigning offensive player of the year, came to Grambling after two years at Ole Miss. He currently leads the SWAC in yards passing (2,238) and touchdowns (18) and has thrown only three interceptions in 278 attempts.



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