C.C. Brown wins Defensive Player of the week honors
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. - Louisiana rover safety C.C. Brown was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his effort this past Saturday versus Idaho.
Brown led the Cajuns with three solo stops and two interceptions, while adding a pass break-up. His first interception came in the Cajuns endzone on the first drive of the game, stopping a Vandals scoring bid and creating a score for Louisiana (the Cajuns went 80 yards to score following the INT, taking a 7-0 lead). Brown's second pick came late in the fourth quarter to stop IU's comeback attempt.
The two interceptions mark the first picks of Brown's career. It is the first multi-interception game by a Cajun since Charles Tillman collected a pair of INT's at Central Florida on Nov. 24, 2001.
The individual Sun Belt weekly honor is the 12th for Louisiana and the first defensive player of the week won by the Cajuns.
<B><I>LOUISIANA SI
Bustle pleased with ULL's play
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. -- Rickey Bustle wishes he could turn back the hands of time.
If he could, his University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, winners of two of their last three games, would be preparing to start the 2003 season instead of approaching the end of it.
In particular, he wishes his team had second chances at teams like South Carolina and Houston. The Cajuns had opportunities to win each of those games before losing by seven points to both.
"To be honest with you, I'd like to take this team I have right now and go back to those two games," Bustle said Monday at his weekly news luncheon. "We weren't playing quite well enough to win then.
"Maybe the way we're playing right now and not having a couple of guys injured like we do, we ... We're a much better football team today."
The Cajuns opened the season losing their first seven games and since have beaten New Mexico State (26-24) and Idaho (31-20) in back-to-back outings. They also came within a field goal of defeating the University of Louisiana at Monroe (45-42), another game Bustle wouldn't mind getting to play over again.
Unfortunately for the Cajuns, the season is winding down to a close. Road games at Southern Mississippi (this Saturday) and Middle Tennessee, along with a home game Nov. 8 against Florida International are all the Cajuns have remaining and Bustle is hoping his team can at least go 2-1 in the final stretch.
Such a finish would leave his team 4-8 for a season that once was tough to get up for each week.
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By GLENN QUEBEDEAUX
Special to The Advocate <!--
"We would have won four of the last five and that's what I had said back when we started this stretch against Monroe," Bustle said. "I said we'd have a chance to win some games. Obviously on paper, there are some you think you have a 50-50 chance at winning and Southern Miss...well, there's probably nobody in Vegas that's going to put money on us this weekend.
"But there are and were some games that I felt like we could feel a lot better about this football team, this football season, this football program if we could win some of those (games) coming down the stretch."
Bustle said the pair of victories over New Mexico State and Idaho has rejuvenated not only the team, his coaches and the community, but also himself.
"There's a couple of Sundays where I didn't want to get out of the bed (after losses), to be honest with you. I didn't know what I was going to say," he said. "In my situation, I don't have anyone to really talk to but my wife and she's great. That's why she has the Phd, she's smarter than I am. She can come up with a few things.
"I felt like I had to find silver linings in the what we were doing because, like I said, these young players could be beat down just so much. And that wasn't going to be my approach.
"And then there were a couple of days when I felt like I had to come in and pump the coaches up too. And that was tough. But I have a resilient staff and football team and we had to find something positive to build on. And we did."
The last three games -- UL-Monroe, New Mexico State and Idaho -- give the Cajuns momentum heading into this week's game at South Mississippi, a place that has seen them lose 20 of 21 games.
But Bustle is optimistic.
"Coming off two wins really helps," he said. "The thing about it is we've had three close football games. We didn't find a way to win the first one -- we found a way to come back and win the second game and, in the third game, we actually had a chance to distance ourselves a little and not let it be so close, but when it got down to crunch time, we came back and made the plays to win.
"And that's all part of believing you can do that. Lord knows those guys are tired of hearing me preaching about taking steps toward winning and making plays to win. But for three games, there's been a lot of plays made in that stadium out there."
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Cajuns Announce Hooters Wk. 9 Award Winners
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. – Each week Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns football coaching staff honors players for their individual effort in game performances. The UL coaching staff would like to thank Hooters for sponsoring the Cajuns weekly and spring football awards.
This week, running back Chester Johnson was named Hooters Offensive Player of the Game. Johnson ran for 153 yards on 31 attempts with three touchdowns.
C.C. Brown was selected Hooters Defensive Player of the Game. Brown finished the game with three tackles, three assisted tackles, one quarterback pressure, one pass break-up, two interceptions and went the extra mile twice. It was the second time Brown received the award. Brown was also honored as the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
Acadiana native Justin Venable was named Hooters Special Forces Player of the Game for his effort on special teams during Saturday’s win over Idaho.
David Schexnayder and Julian Harris were named Offensive and Defensive Scout Team Players of the Week, respectively. It was the second time Harris received the award.
Per player vote, Kemmie Lewis received the Thumper Award for the biggest hit on offense.
Derace James collected the Hammer Award for the biggest hit on defense.
Tony Hills received the Kuhuna Award for the biggest hit on special teams.
Lewis and Venable will serve as offensive captains for the Cajuns next week, while Brown and James will serve as defensive captains.
Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns football team will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to face Southern Mississippi in a 2 p.m. kickoff at M.M. Roberts Stadium on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.
<B><I>LOUISIANA SI
PREVIOUS HOOTERS WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
Game 1 at South Carolina
Offensive: Travis Smothers
Defensive: Pat Lamy
Special Forces: Michael Adams
O-Scout: Butch Roussel
D-Scout: Mark Risher
Game 2 vs. Louisiana Tech
Offensive: No Award Given
Defensive: Ross Brupbacher
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Mike Moore
D-Scout: Kade Wildbur
Game 3 vs. Houston
Offensive: Ronnie Harvey
Defensive: Antonio Floyd
Special Forces: Grant Autrey
O-Scout: Bruce Taylor
D-Scout: Hershell Robinson
Game 4 at Minnesota
Offensive: Eric Rekieta
Defensive: No Award Given
Special Forces: Eric Bartel
O-Scout: Jordan Jackson
D-Scout: Jacob Junkin
Game 5 at North Texas
Offensive: Josh Joerg
Defensive: C.C. Brown
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Bruce Taylor
D-Scout: Derek Morel
Game 6 at Oklahoma State
Offensive: Fred Stamps
Defensive: Daniel Taylor
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Jordan Jackson
D-Scout: Julian Harris
Game 7 vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Offensive: Eric Rekieta
Defensive: Antonio Floyd
Special Forces: David Prater
O-Scout: Butch Roussel
D-Scout: Mark Risher
Game 8 vs. New Mexico State
Offensive: Jerry Babb
Defensive: Terryl Fenton
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Ronald Vaughn
D-Scout: Johnny Felders
Game 9 vs. Idaho
Offensive: Chester Johnson
Defensive: C.C. Brown
Special Forces: Justin Venable
O-Scout: David Schexnayder
D-Scout: Julian Harris
<B><I>LOUISIANA SI
Cajuns' Stamps seals legacy
<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Former Carver star nearing end to record career at Louisiana</b>
LOUISIANA La. -- Carver graduate Fred Stamps has been turning heads during his Louisiana-Lafayette career.
Stamps has more than 2,500 yards receiving and 16 touchdowns. He is third in school history in touchdowns and receptions, and second in career yards. This season he has caught 41 passes for 685 yards and four touchdowns.
Despite the senior's big numbers, the Ragin' Cajuns (2-7, 2-3) are struggling.
"I just want to keep playing hard, and prepare these young guys for next year," Stamps said. "We can't give up. We have to just keep playing hard."
Stamps currently is tied for fourth nationally with at least one reception in 41 consecutive games.
"I just go out and try to play hard every day," he said. "All that other stuff just falls in place."
His play has been a source of motivation for his teammates.
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By Kody Thompson
Contributing Writer <!--
"He's a heck of a leader for us," Coach Rickey Bustle said. "He loves to practice, he loves to play games, and he keeps everybody motivated out here."
The work ethic that Stamps brings to practice can be traced to his prep days at Carver, where Coach Jack Philli helped mold him into the player he is today.
"My high school days were lovely," Stamps said. "My coaches looked out for me and helped me out a lot. They prepared me for college.
"I was recruited by a lot of people. But I chose to come here, and it's been a blessing ever since. I really love being a Ragin' Cajun."
The Cajuns are hoping to give the senior every opportunity to showcase his talents in the last games of his college career, beginning Saturday at Southern Mississippi.
"He really wanted to have a good senior year," Bustle said. "We probably haven't gotten the ball to him early in the year like we would have liked to, but we've been able to get it to him here in the last three or four weeks. He's just a great impact on our players."
Stamps, who played quarterback in middle school, almost had a dream come true two weeks ago against New Mexico State when, on a fake reverse, he fired a pass just over the outstretched hands of receiver Kemmie Lewis.
But if he has any chance to play in the NFL, it will be because of his pass-catching skills.
Last year two ULL players, Charles Tillman and Ivan Taylor, were drafted. Stamps believes that he could be the next Cajun to have that honor.
"I'm feeling pretty good, after seeing the guys from here go last year," he said. "Hopefully everything will go good for the rest of the season, and I'll be ready for the draft and the combine." -->
Jerry Babb was just on SportsNote
He sure is getting comfortable in his leadership role.
