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LAFAYETTE — The University of Louisiana apparently found the appropriate remedy for a 30-point, season-opening loss.
UL completed three consecutive days of practices Saturday morning during an open week that precedes the Cajuns’ Sept. 13 contest at Illinois.
“It was a good three days, just what the doctor ordered,” said UL coach Rickey Bustle.
Bustle said Hurricane Gustav altered the original schedule that had the Cajuns resuming practices Tuesday.
UL’s players were free to make their own arrangements for the storm following last Saturday’s 51-21 defeat at Southern Mississippi.
The Cajuns experienced no problems from the storm, said Bustle.
<center><p><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/27961519.html?showAll=y&c=y" target="_blank">The rest of the story</a>
By BOB ARDOIN
Special to The Advocate
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“All of the players did a good job of staying in touch. We knew where they were and they were calling us,” he said.
Bustle said the rearranged practice agenda had the Cajuns returning to the practice field on Thursday.
“(The open date) came at the right time. It really helped us focus and we spent the last three days just on us.
“We didn’t spend time worrying about Illinois,” Bustle said.
Southern Miss shredded the Cajuns’ defense for more than 600 total yards, but Bustle said the errors his team made are correctible.
“Defensively, we missed some assignments, there were times we weren’t playing the right gaps,” he said.
“A lot of guys on our defensive line were playing their first complete games. Most of them played last year, but they were our backups.”
Offensively, ULL was hampered by four turnovers.
“That was the biggest thing offensively. We were moving the ball on (USM) after the first quarter, but those turnovers killed some drives,” Bustle said.
Bustle said opening the season with a lopsided loss was disappointing.
“We didn’t stop giving a great effort. We just didn’t play that well.
“I was just disappointed in the way we executed. We weren’t as sharp as we needed to be,” he said.
The Cajuns did some contact work on Thursday and Friday, while on Saturday, ULL practiced for over two hours in walk-through drills.
Two notable injuries that are pending for Illinois are running back Tyrell Fenroy and wide receiver Derrick Smith.
Fenroy suffered an apparent head injury against USM and did not play the full game.
Bustle said on Saturday that the extent of Fenroy’s injury is still unclear.
“I really don’t know how serious it is. I know the tests we did on him came back OK, but the doctor will do another exam on Monday,” he said.
“(Fenroy) was out here for practices this week. He was running around, but we didn’t hit him.”
Smith, also a senior, has an ankle problem that Bustle said might be more of a concern.
“He brought the injury with him into the (USM) game and it’s continued to bother him,” said Bustle.
Senior linebacker Brenton Burkhalter still has academic issues from summer school that have prevented him from playing, Bustle said.
“I know that (Burkhalter) has done all that he is supposed to do. We’re just waiting on the teacher.”
Bustle said he doesn’t know that many details about Illinois, which entered Saturday’s game with Eastern Illinois (0-1).
“I know they are an explosive team with great speed an size,” he said.
“The only tape I’ve seen is the television copy and you can’t get too much from watching that.”
Bustle said the Cajuns will begin exclusive preparations for Illinois tonight at 6:30 p.m., take Monday off and then return to practice on Tuesday afternoon.
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