Of the 57 newcomers Gary Goff brought to campus this offseason, the 58th may have the most significant impact of all.

He won’t catch a pass, throw a block or even make a tackle, but Roy Roundtree has already put his fingerprints on a group of McNeese State players who use their hands the most.

After last season’s struggles by the receiving corps, Goff brought in 11 new pass catchers, nine by way of scholarships. They came in all shapes and sizes and from all over the country.

Transfers, freshmen, big, small, it didn’t matter. Goff was intently looking for someone who could make a play.

But when receivers coach Felton Huggins left to become the head coach at Kentucky State, Goff went looking for a replacement. He plucked Roy Roundtree from Grand Valley State and the receiving corps has reaped the benefits.

“Coach Tree has instilled discipline and stability into the room,” Goff said. “He has done it and done it at the highest level. They respect Coach Tree and listen.”

Roundtree caught 154 passes for 2,304 yards and 15 touchdowns in four seasons (2008-12) at Michigan. He spent a brief preseason stint with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013 but didn’t appear in a regular-season game, and in 2015 he played professional indoor ball with the Colorado Crush of the Arena Football League.

Those credentials gave him instant credit with the players.

“Coach made plays in big games,” said sophomore Jon McCall. “He knows what he is talking about. He has gotten us to pay attention to the little things. He has made us all better coming in and out of breaks and making sure we make things easier on the quarterbacks.”

Nobody seems to have benefited more than McCall, who has had a breakout camp with four touchdown catches in two scrimmages. However, he is not alone in making strides with Roundtree’s help.

“It is a different room than in the spring,” Roundtree said. “I’m very detail orientated and about their skill sets.

“I’m the type of coach that is going to break you every practice, grade you on every play. If you bring it and show me where you are at, I will work with you to get you to where you need to be.

“I challenge those guys every day to be perfect in their craft so they can go out there during games and know what they have to do to make plays and have fun.”

For Roundtree, who began his coaching career at Michigan, the move to McNeese was one he wanted. He got a chance to see Goff work when Grand Valley State conducted joint practices with Goff’s Valdosta State team.

He saw Goff’s offense up close and used what he learned when he went back home.

“I really got to see how coach runs things and enjoyed the time around him,” Roundtree said. “When this job here opened up, I really wanted to be part of what he is building here. Plus, after spending all those years in the cold, I was ready to get to some warmer weather.”

Goff said Roundtree has made the type of impact he was hoping for.

“He has done a great job developing those guys,” Goff said. “He holds them to a high standard.”

It is all part of what Roundtree learned while playing at Michigan against some of the best players in the country.

“As a former player, I know how important it is to run the right routes, to beat coverage and get open so the quarterback can find you,” Roundtree said. “I want our guys to understand the game and do the things we need them to do and know why they are doing them. I want them to see the big picture and not just focus on their game.”

And Roundtree said he wants his receivers to know they have to play a complete game. No shortcuts are allowed and no plays can be taken off.

“If you don’t block you are not going to play,” McCall said. “We got that message.”

Roundtree also said he wants to make sure his players know it is about them and not his past.

“I am very humble in what I’ve done before, but what I want to do is help make these kids be the best they can,” he said. “This is about them getting the most out of their talents.”

McCall has been his best student.

“He is a completely different dude,” Roundtree said of McCall. “He can be a special one. We have a lot of dudes in that room who can be good.”

Saturday night we will find out just how much of Roundtree has rubbed off and if his teachings lead to game-changing plays.