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LOUISIANA La. -- University of Louisiana defensive coordinator Brent Pry doesn't have a son, but Cajuns linebacker Tyler Norman might seem like one.
When Pry coached at Western Carolina, he recruited Norman, who started there as a freshman.
A year later, Norman followed Pry to UL, where in his final season Norman is the Cajuns' leading tackler.
Norman will start at weakside linebacker at 6 p.m. Saturday when the Cajuns host Florida International in a key Sun Belt Conference game at Cajun Field.
The relationship between Pry and Norman has become close, almost like family.
"I recruited Tyler (at Duluth High near Atlanta) in the spring of his junior year in high school and since then, I have become real close to his family," Pry said.
"It won't seem the same around here next year when I look around and he's not there in the defensive player meetings."
Norman, named the Southern Conference's Freshman Player of the Week at Western Carolina, said he's always liked Pry's coaching style.
"He's kind of loud, exciting and enthusiastic," Norman said. "When I played for him as a freshman, I had a lot of fun. I came (to ULL) because it was an opportunity to go to Division I, even though it meant sitting out a year and redshirting."
Pry said Norman's road from Western Carolina to ULL wasn't exactly lined with roses.
"There were some conditions, because I didn't want to steal him from Western Carolina," Pry said.
"Tyler was going to have to walk on to this team and earn a scholarship. That meant while he was here in his first season, he had to play on the scout squad like some of the other walk-ons.
"He agreed to do that and when he was in practices with the other scout-teamers, his aggressive style really came out.
"The other condition for coming here was that he was going to have to keep his grades right. Now he's down to his final few games and I think he's playing up now to his capability."
Norman said his main job on the weak side is stopping the run.
"At the position I'm playing now, I just go to the ball and get the tackle," Norman said.
Norman has a team-leading 57 tackles. He and linebackers Mark Risher and Brenton Burkhalter have combined for 158 tackles, 12 behind the line of scrimmage.
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By BOBBY ARDOIN
Special to The Advocate
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The Cajuns' current three-game winning streak -- ULL's first since 1995 -- has come since the three have started as a unit.
In Saturday's 31-28 win at North Texas, Norman also contributed on special teams, blocking a first-half field-goal attempt.
"We worked on it in practice the Wednesday before the game," Norman said. "Coach Pry told me to get in there and jump over the center and block a field-goal attempt. When I did it again in the game, I came in and we called a "31 block" and I just made the best of my chance."
The ULL-FIU game is significant for the Cajuns, who are tied with Arkansas State and Troy for second place behind SBC leader Louisiana-Monroe.
At one point ULL was 1-5. Now the Cajuns (4-5, 3-2) have a chance to finish with a winning season for the first time since 1995 and possibly obtain at least a share of the conference championship.
Norman said despite losing five of the first six, the Cajuns never stopped listening to coach Rickey Bustle.
"We were at a pretty low point at one stage, but we still kept our heads up and believing," Norman said. "We decided we would keep fighting. That was the message coach Bustle had for us and looking back, it was one we didn't question."
The turning point came three weeks ago when ULL traveled to Middle Tennessee.
In that game the Cajuns defense played a key role, limiting an opponent to the fewest points of the season, winning 13-10.
"In the game the defense started playing as a unit and our (defensive) line all played together," Norman said. "The offense gave the team a chance to win and the defense finally got its confidence that day."
Norman said ULL's season of contrasts has been almost surreal.
"It probably seems that way, but we felt when we were 1-5 that we had to believe," he said. "I don't know really how to describe it, but to feel like that is built on emotion, believing that you can do something.
"Now we've beaten three of the top three teams in the conference. It's become a matter of learning how to win and playing with confidence and I think we have that now."
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