Fresh Start
Aug 12, 2026 01:37PM ● By Kelsey Swire
Wiggins running with new fire
By Jim Gazzolo
Omiri Wiggins would rather not talk about last season.
In fact, he would like to forget about it altogether.
After a big sophomore season at Louisiana Tech in 2024, Wiggins had heightened expectations going into last year in Ruston.
He had led the Bulldogs in rushing in 2024 with 527 yards and four touchdowns on 111 carries. Wiggins also had 20 catches for 126 yards and two more scores.
In the 2025 preseason, Wiggins was named to the third-team All-Conference USA squad. However, things didn’t go as planned.
“It was a tough situation,” said Wiggins. “Me and the O.C. (offensive coordinator) didn’t see eye-to-eye.”
Wiggins did finish with 468 yards on 97 carries and four T.D.s, but he had expected more.
“It was a long, slow season,” said Wiggins. “I didn’t play my best. I think about that a lot.”
So at the end of last year Wiggins went looking for a new football home, and the Lafayette product landed on the McNeese State campus thanks to the transfer portal last January.
He hasn’t missed a step since.
“I feel great here,” said Wiggins. “To come here and feel wanted and not just tolerated is great. It’s a fresh start for me.”
Wiggins has had an impressive camp. He ran for 80 yards on 11 carries to lead the Cowboys in their first scrimmage last week.
“He runs hard,” McNeese head coach Matt Viator said of Wiggins. “He runs with an attitude you like to see.”
Wiggins said he gained a lot of perspective from last year’s issues. He said he has matured since then. He also says it gets him going.
“It lit a fire in me like never before,” Wiggins said. “That's why I run hard on every play.
“I also learned I can’t control everything. I can only control what I can control. I can’t express it enough; I’m excited to get going and show everybody, including myself, what I can do.”
The Cowboys are looking forward to that as well.
Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers sports in Southwest Louisiana. He is also the host of Poke Nation, which airs weekly on CBS Lake Charles.