Antonio Floyd prepared for life after football
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — There is life after football.
It may be hard to realize that, especially in the heat of battle, but some players prepare for that day.
Louisiana senior defensive end Antonio Floyd is one of several Ragin’ Cajuns who already have a degree and are taking more classes to better anticipate their future.
“I graduated in the spring,” Floyd said, “and I’m working on a second degree. I want to take football as far as I can take it, but you’ve got to have a backup plan.
“I’ve met a lot of important people while I’ve been at UL, and I want to be ready when I won’t be playing anymore.”
It is also Floyd’s hope that underclassmen will view his blueprint and learn from it.
“We (the degreed Cajuns) encourage younger players to do the same thing,” Floyd said. “I started working on (getting) my degree when I was redshirted, and other players can do the same thing.
“And, if they’re Props (Proposition 48 players), they can earn that extra prop year back.”
Floyd is one of 22 seniors who will be playing their final home game when the Cajuns host Florida International this Saturday at Cajun Field.
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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com
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The St. Francisville product will have played two years each under Jerry Baldwin and current coach Rickey Bustle, blossoming under Bustle with 39 tackles (14 for losses of 42 yards) in 2002 and recording 28 stops (7 for losses of 69 yards) this year.
He and other seniors have been invaluable to Bustle in carrying the coach’s wishes to the squad.
“We are his speaker sometimes,” Floyd said. “Sometimes you need the seniors to step in. The message may sound repetitive coming from the coaches, and you have to have another voice. We try to lead the team on a positive note, get them headed in the right direction.”
That may be even more important in the hard times than good. Teams usually have plenty of leaders when victories are coming easily, but fewer in a 2-8 season like the Cajuns have endured.
“Inside, it does take you down a little bit (to lose),” Floyd said, “but it does prepare you for life. Things aren’t always going to go like you’d like them to go.”
If Bustle’s teaching takes hold, the Cajuns aren’t always going to be waiting for next year and the program will record its first winning season since 1995. Some of the pieces are in place.
“We have more depth,” Floyd said. “There are more people fighting for positions on the team. But it’s not going to come together until we all believe in what the coaches are putting in.
“Some of them believe it for a minute or two, but they start to pull away when things don’t go well.”
Bustle and his staff appreciate the example set by Floyd and other seniors. That’s one reason why a first-half injury to Floyd was hard to take in last week’s 48-3 loss at Southern Mississippi. That was a situation crying out for leadership.
“It was tough losing Antonio so early in that game,” Bustle said. “He’s one who has picked up on what we’re trying to do on defense. And (senior linebacker) Ross Brupbacher limped around for most of the game and finally came out.
“Sometimes you get immune to it,” Bustle said of injuries, “but when you look and you’ve got six people out of there who had been starting for us, it’s tough.”
Floyd, who is expected to recover for the home finale, has designs on playing professionally while preparing for his non-football life.
The recent ascension to the NFL of teammates Brad Franklin, Charles Tillman and Ike Taylor is an encouraging sign, but has also brought NFL scouts to the Cajun practice field.
“There’s a new scout every week,” Floyd said. “Peanut (Tillman), Ike and Brad gave us exposure. That helps. Ike always said he would make it.”
Floyd might make it, too, but he’s smart enough to be ready for whatever the future holds.
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Cajuns Announce Hooters 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 Dwight Lindon was named Hooters Offensive Player of the Game. Lindon had 10 carries for 61 yards and two catches for 27 yards, including a career-best 24-yard reception.
No selection was made for Hooters Defensive Player of the Game.
Senior punter Grant Autrey was named Hooters Special Forces Player of the Game. Autrey blasted 10 punts for a 38.9 average. It was the second Hooters selection for Autrey this season.
Butch Roussel and Mark Risher were named Offensive and Defensive Scout Team Players of the Week, respectively. It marked the third time both players received the award.
The Thumper, Hammer and Kuhuna Awards were not awarded this week. Fred Stamps and Eric Bartel will serve as offensive captains for the Cajuns next week, while Daniel Taylor and Antonio Floyd will serve as defensive captains.
Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns football team will face Florida International at 4 p.m. on Saturday in the final home game of the 2003 season at Cajun Field.
Seniors will be honored before the game in ppreciation for their dedication to the Ragin’ Cajuns football program. Also, Saturday is “Second Chance Night”. All season ticket holders can redeem any unused tickets for this weekend’s game all week at the Cajundome Box Office.<hr><b>PREVIOUS HOOTERS WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS</b>
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
Game 10 at Southern Mississippi
Offensive: Dwight Lindon
Defensive: No Award Given
Special Forces: Grant Autrey
O-Scout: Butch Roussel
D-Scout: Mark Risher
Cajuns leave last loss in the past
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — The best thing to do with last Saturday’s 48-3 loss at Southern Mississippi was to leave it in the past, and that’s what Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns have been doing this week.
Sun Belt Conference member Florida International, a Division 1-AA program intent on stepping up to Division 1-A soon, will be at Cajun Field for Saturday’s 4 p.m. home finale.
The game counts in UL’s Sun Belt standings, but just as important will be the salute to 23 seniors.
“The only thing these players are promised is 12 football games,” Cajun offensive line coach Mike Gibson said. “This is one of 12 and the guys should be just as excited as South Carolina or Louisiana Monroe. Once the ball is snapped and people get hit I believe that everyone forgets about family a little bit and concentrates more on football.”
Gibson is not fooled by FIU’s 1-AA status.
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“They play hard,” Gibson said. “When you play an opponent that plays hard, you’d better match their intensity. I think that’s the biggest thing that impresses me.
“It doesn’t matter what the score is or whether it’s the first play or the 60th, FIU is going to play hard.”
Gibson’s oft-injured offensive linemen will have to prepare for a Panthers defense that used a 5-2 look for much of the season before having success with a 4-3 last week.
“It seems like they change schemes weekly,” Gibson said. “We’ve seen them in a 5-2 and then last week they come out in a 4-3. We don’t know what they’ll play this week.
“If they can make that big of a change in one week then they can certainly change again. We have to practice against a little bit of everything.
“We have gotten better as a football team. Our run blocking is better, our quarterbacks have matured and all of our receivers have improved. The process of building a program takes time and I want to see us improve week to week.”
Injury Update
Jamal Smith, ankle surgery (out for season), David Kirkley, knee surgery (out for season), Greg Hodges, knee (out for season), Ricky Thomas, foot (out for season), Eric Rekieta, collarbone (out for season), Lamar Morgan, knee surgery (out for season), Jarvis Murchison, wrist surgery (out for season), Wes Simon, shoulder surgery (out for season, George Benson, ankle (out), Ross Brupbacher, ankle (probable), Travis Ferguson, ankle/knee (probable), Antonio Floyd, shoulder (probable), Jarrett Jones, shoulder (probable), G.W. Rudick, knee (probable).
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Blappert battles weighty issue
<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Infection takes ULL defensive tackle down rough road</b>
LOUISIANA LA. -- Darryl Blappert's narrow window of college eligibility almost closed prematurely several months ago when he mysteriously began losing excessive weight.
Blappert, a senior University of Louisiana at Lafayette defensive tackle, weighed almost as much as a running back at the start of his first and probably last Division I-A season.
Normally Blappert carried 275 pounds on his 6-foot-7 frame, but as preseason August practices continued, his weight dipped sometimes as low as 235.
"It got so bad that the coaches would keep me inside, away from the heat and off the field until it was absolutely necessary and then I would run out and practice a little bit," said Blappert, a junior college transfer. "Standing out in the sun and sweating so much would make the weight just drip off me."
Physicians eventually diagnosed Blappert with an intestinal infection that caused his body's metabolism to accelerate about 57 percent more than normal.
"Actually what I have isn't so abnormal and it's not life threatening," Blappert said. "What is does is make my body run faster and burns up weight at an extremely high level.
"With the medication, the infection should run its course, but it has helped turn what I hoped would be a great year into one that's been pretty tough."
Blappert, who started the past several weeks at one defensive tackle, has had what even he concedes a unique college football career.
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After graduating from Slidell's Salmen High, Blappert signed a football scholarship at Tulane, but never played there.
He left college after a year and worked as a bouncer in New Orleans at Bourbon Street bars and also as an interior house construction laborer specializing in counter top design.
The 22-year-old Blappert started playing football again at Mississippi's Pearl River Junior College, where he was an honorable mention JC All-American.
In February, he signed at ULL and underwent spring drills on the defensive side.
After it became evident during the preseason that Blappert was too light to play on the interior defensive line, the ULL coaches switched him to tight end behind four-year starter Josh Joerg.
The move never was a perfect fit for Blappert and by mid-season, he was back at defensive tackle, despite weighing 245 pounds.
"I was used to being a starter in junior college on defense and here I was standing on the sideline," he said. "The coaches felt they needed a backup tight end and they moved me there because of a need and the fact that they were also trying to get me on the field as much as possible.
"That was all right, but I love playing defense," he said. "I like mixing it up. I play the game with an angry attitude and on offense you can't do that."
Blappert played about 15 snaps and failed to catch a pass at tight end before the coaching staff moved him to a backup defensive tackle.
ULL defensive line coach Shawn Quinn said after moving back to tackle, it was obvious that Blappert rediscovered his niche.
"Darryl's a throwback to those football players like a ~~~~ Butkus or Jack Lambert, who are not happy unless they're hitting somebody," Quinn said. "His attitude on the field is magnetic. He helped motivate the younger guys who saw how he worked. Darryl's just a fun guy to coach."
Blappert played some in ULL's loss at Oklahoma State and then played more during the ensuing weeks against UL-Monroe, New Mexico State and Idaho State.
Quinn said Blappert had probably his best game of the season Saturday at Southern Mississippi.
It was also Blappert's first start and he had four solo tackles and an assist.
"That was a great game for me because I was playing close to where I played in junior college and I knew some of the players from Southern Miss," Blappert said. "My grandparents live in Bay St. Louis and they were also at the game. I played 40 snaps and I did pretty well."
Quinn said it's disappointing that Blappert's college career might be ending just as he seems to be developing.
"Right now Darryl's playing at a pretty high level alongside Daniel Taylor," Quinn said. "He's a very intelligent guy, who's picked up quickly on what we are teaching."
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Separation Saturday (Baldwin, Bustle)
I am hoping for a win over FIU this weekend, so why do I call this Saturday "Separation Saturday"?
<li>It's not because Bustle can match Baldwin’s best single season win total with a win on Saturday. He did that in year one. This would simply be two in a row.
<li>Bustle's Cajuns have played twice as many top 30 teams in the country in his first 2 years, as Baldwin played in 3, so superior strength of schedule is not the reason. The Bustle Led Cajuns have this one hands down.
<li>It’s not hinging on whether his record is 1-0 or 0-1 after two years against D1aa schools. I mean there is really no possible comparison in this regard. By this time in Baldwin’s second year he had tied 1 D1aa school in regulation, and lost to 3 others.
<li>It has nothing to do with 2 year win totals. Bustle matched Baldwin's two year win total on November 9th 2002 when his overall record was 3-7. For comparison sake Baldwin reached his third win on November 4th 2000 with an overall record of 3-17. Bustle reached 3 wins 10 games faster than Baldwin, so obviously this year’s record is not why I call this separation Saturday.
<li>For clarification (of the previous), it's not separation Saturday based on a win against FIU giving Bustle 6 wins or double the number of wins in Baldwin’s first 2 years. That could be used, but for this page it is not the criteria. But we are getting warmer.
<li>For me it is separation Saturday because a win on Saturday will give UL fans a winning record at home over the last two years. A win would make <b>Louisiana 6-5</b> for the games personally witnessed by fans at the Swamp and confirm that a winning tradition has been started under Bustle. It would also tie for the second year in a row the number of home wins with Jake Delhomme’s last season.
<li>Finally and this is a big one for me. A win on Saturday will move UL to .500 in Conference play and position the Ragin' Cajuns for a winning record in the SunBelt.
Separation Saturday, is less about Baldwin vs. Bustle, and instead is a marking point of separation between the past and the future.
