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UL coach Mark Hudspeth prefers to play at least one major-conference opponent later in the year, as opposed to the season’s first or second week, which was the case this time around, when the Ragin’ Cajuns opened 2013 with visits to both Arkansas of the SEC and Kansas State of the Big 12.
The reason: He’d rather face those types when his own team is peaking, not when it’s just getting going.
Take last season.
UL played Florida on Nov. 10 of last year, and the Cajuns very nearly knocked off the nationally ranked Gators.
Now November is right around the corner, and the Cajuns are playing their best ball of the year with seven games under their belts.
UL (5-2) takes a five-game win streak into its final non-conference game of the regular season, Saturday’s visit to Cajun Field from 1-7 independent New Mexico State.
Compared to Week 1’s 34-14 loss at Arkansas State back in late August, Hudspeth said he feels his club is “way ahead.”
“Different team right now,” he said. “Way more confident than we were.”
Hudspeth is not a bit surprised by that, either.
“Kids are way more confident in what we’re doing defensively, because they’ve been on the job now for about eight or nine weeks,” he said.
“Your first day on the job, no matter where you’re working – at the convenience store, or if you’re working at Walmart, or if you’re working in the oil field – you’re not gonna be as good Day 1 as you’re gonna be Week 8.
“So our guys are just naturally getting better with experience. They’re working hard, and it’s showing defensively,” Hudspeth added. “Offensively, I think we’re continuing to improve there. We’re being more efficient.”
With a victory Saturday, UL can match its longest winning streak since it won six in a row early in the 2011 season – Hudspeth’s first as head coach of the Cajuns.
“I like the direction that our team is going,” said Hudspeth, whose teams are 12-1 at Cajun Field.
“I think we’ve been pretty physical all year long. … But they’re getting more physical, more confident with what we’re doing.”
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