The Book: 2003 Football

All week I have seen the signs the sayings all of them saying that the best is yet to come and it hit me the first day that i saw it that it could not be futher from the truth. See all the fans see is what happens in the games, they dont see the behind the scenes if you will all the things the team goes through during the week. Four 2-2 1/2 hour practices a week, school, and not to mention tons of meetings. every week for the past 6 weeks I have seen the distraught, anger, and dissappointment that has been on my teammates and coaches faces, and trust me they are tired of losing too. I wont lie ULM is a good team and although both teams are 0-6 ULL will win this "battle on the bayou" we need this winn more than some can imagine and I feel that once we get this win fans will see what lafayette is made of and what is to come and they will realize who the real university of louisiana is, UL !

Practice went ok for the cajuns again this week we just need to figure a way to carry it over to 4 quarters of football!

<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — Someone’s got to win.

Louisiana is 0-6 on the season and 0-2 in Sun Belt Conference play.

UL Monroe also is 0-6 on the season and 0-2 in the Sun Belt.

When the Ragin’ Cajuns host the Indians at 4 p.m. today for homecoming at Cajun Field, someone has to emerge victorious.

There are far more glamorous matchups in the nation today, but none that means as much to the two combatants.

“We’re looking forward to the weekend,” said first-year ULM coach Charlie Weatherbie, whose team nearly broke into the win column with last week’s 44-41 loss to Arkansas State.

“I know Lafayette is in the same situation we are. We both have perfect records like we are. It’s the Battle of the Bayou in their backyard, and I know both teams will be ready to play.”

<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/html/0CDC9678-F913-47B7-A3F7-22F63380A316.shtml">The rest of the story</a>

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com <!--

Some of Weatherbie’s Indians will have extra motivation, a homecoming of their own.

Linebacker Maurice Sonnier (Port Barre), safeties Travin Moore (Abbeville) and Shaune Maynard (Jennings), cornerback Cash Mouton (Carencro), punter Joel Stelly (Cecilia), nose tackle Corey Conde (Iota), fullback Joey Trappey (New Iberia) and offensive tackles Desi Edwards (Franklin) and Bruce Hampton (NISH) are all Acadiana area products.

There are other connections to consider, not uncommon for in-state rivals.

“I have a lot of family members coming to this game,” said ULM defender Brandon Guillory, a product of Abramson High. “I know Fred (Cajun receiver Fred Stamps). He went to Carver and I played against him in high school.”

ULM is 12 points from being 3-3, adding near-misses against Stephen F. Austin (23-21) and Northwestern State (14-10) to the ASU game.

Coach Rickey Bustle’s Cajuns have had close calls of their own. They opened with a 14-7 loss at SEC member South Carolina and also played Houston within a 21-14 game, but have been blistered by a combined 139 points in the other four defeats.

In that scenario, veterans become crucial to the squad’s revival.

“We have a good group of seniors who believe in the coaches and believe in what we’re doing,” Bustle said. “They’re mature enough. They can look at the film and see the mistakes we’re making.

“With the schedule we’ve played so far, every time the ball has been in someone’s hands, you’re talking about a pretty good ball player.”

In last Saturday’s 56-3 loss at Oklahoma State, the Cajuns out-gained their hosts 131-33 in the first period but only had a Sean Comiskey field goal to show for it. Once the Cowboys hit their stride, they steamrolled UL with 49 points in the middle two quarters in preparation for today’s Big 12 battle with Kansas State.

A 68-yard run and 78-yard punt return just before halftime turned a reasonable 14-3 game into a 28-3 runaway.

“We gave up some big plays in the second quarter,” Bustle said. “We had an opportunity early to get some momentum and create a little havoc.

“If we had gotten out of there (the half) down 21-3 or 21-10, we’d have still been hanging around. When you make mistakes against a good football team, that’s what’s going to happen.”

Neither the Indians nor the Cajuns will be taken for a good team, but thoughts of the schedule easing up for Bustle are halted by ULM’s 34-10 win in last year’s finale in Monroe.

“They flat-out outplayed us,” said Bustle, who sees no reason his team can’t flip-flop its record if it can gain some momentum today.

“I really hope we get a great crowd,” Bustle said. “We’re trying to show that we are doing the right thing.”

The only way for either squad to experience positive reinforcement for all its hard work will be a victory today. Both are long overdue.
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Why can't the university give tickets away?

"Easing up a bit " I say never ease up!

Cajuns fall to 0-7 vs. ULM. Our defense really sucks right now. How many years in a row have they sucked now? At least the offense came up big tonight, just not big enough. What is that now, 4 games in a row giving up 40+ points. All of the rationalizing about our tough early season schedule just went out the window. I am proud of the heart our team showed, but they have to find a way to win! Losing sucks, especially at home to a team that has already lost to 2 D1-AA teams this season. Our special teams had a very mixed night, blocking a punt, but continually giving up long returns. I am a very unhappy less-than-Ragin' Cajun tonight. If our defense is that beat up & short of talent, I don't know who we can beat the rest of the season.

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

I am too derpessed to even talk about the game :(

:( :o

"Cajuns fall to 0-7 vs. ULM. Our defense really sucks right now. How many years in a row have they sucked now? At least the offense came up big tonight, just not big enough. What is that now, 4 games in a row giving up 40+ points. All of the rationalizing about our tough early season schedule just went out the window. I am proud of the heart our team showed, but they have to find a way to win! Losing sucks, especially at home to a team that has already lost to 2 D1-AA teams this season. Our special teams had a very mixed night, blocking a punt, but continually giving up long returns. I am a very unhappy less-than-Ragin' Cajun tonight. If our defense is that beat up & short of talent, I don't know who we can beat the rest of the season."


Good post RaginFan2, I could not have said it any better. I don't think this defense is any better then what we watched during the Baldwin era. And special teams have gotten worse during the season. If anything, you should see improvement in your defense and special teams as you add talent to your program. With the exception of Jamal Smith and Thomas, everyone played tonight. Jerrel Carter and Stanley Smith both played. There is no excuses for tonights results. This staff really needs to look in the mirror and make some changes in the defensive scheme. The only positive tonight was the fact the players never quit.

Quote:

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Originally posted by NewsCopy
<blockquote><p align=justify><b>INJURY UPDATE</b>
<li>Jamal Smith, ankle surgery
<li>David Kirkley, knee surgery
<li>Greg Hodges, knee
<li>Wes Simon, shoulder
<li>Ricky Thomas, foot
<li>D'Anthony Batiste, ankle
<li>Pat Lamy, shoulder
<li>Tyler Norman, leg
<li>Jerrell Carter, shoulder
<li>Stanley Smith, knee

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INJURY UPDATE


Jamal Smith, ankle surgery

David Kirkley, knee surgery

Greg Hodges, knee

Wes Simon, shoulder

Ricky Thomas, foot

D'Anthony Batiste, ankle

Pat Lamy, shoulder

Tyler Norman, leg

Jerrell Carter, shoulder

Stanley Smith, knee

Again Turbine, Stanley smith and Jerrel Carter both played tonight. The only starters that were missing tonight were Jamal Smith and Thomas. The offense does miss Batiste and Hodges, but they scored enough points to win. The rest of those guys are not starters! No excuses tonight!