Derace James has a hand in Cajun offensive woes
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — Louisiana’s offense lost its sharpness late in Sunday afternoon’s practice that wrapped up week one of the Ragin’ Cajuns’ preseason football camp.
Head coach Rickey Bustle said the heat had something to do with that.
But Derace James had a hand in those problems, too.
The senior defensive end was on the field for only three plays in a seven-minute offense-vs.-defense period, and personally blew up two of those plays for a Cajun defense that dominated play once again.
“Every time we compete against the offense, our goal is to come out on top,” said defensive coordinator Brent Pry. “We want to play at an extremely high mode when we go against those guys, and our execution and tempo was good again today.”
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In six first-down plays against the top two defenses, the offense managed positive yardage only twice and did not have a play of more than five yards.
James, in particular, stuffed a draw play and batted down a pass in the flat on back-to-back snaps, drawing raves from a staff that had previously lauded his record-setting performances (415 bench press, 450 squat) in summer weight workouts.
“He made a lot of plays today,” said defensive line coach Shawn Quinn. “We’ve had a lot of guys step up on the defensive front, and he’s been one that’s done that right from the start.”
“From the first week of camp he’s been a pleasant surprise,” said Pry. “He’s one of our most gifted players, and we hope that he’s ready to play to his potential. He did some good things all summer, and now he’s carried that over into preseason camp.”
Bustle was less than happy with the offensive unit, especially in the final two periods of the one-hour, 50-minute practice.
Fumbles against scout-team competition on three of the session’s last five plays — including the last two — prompted a series of grass drills even before post-practice conditioning sets.
“The heat got to some of the offensive guys today,” Bustle said. “We gave in to it and started laying the ball on the ground. We lost focus at the end.”
The Cajuns, prepping for the Aug. 30 opener at South Carolina with their seventh day of fall drills, hit the field more than an hour earlier than normal Sunday because of evening Fan Day activities. That meant that conditions at the close of drills were pretty much the same as the 93-degree, 60 percent humidity marks from the start of practice.
“We hadn’t practiced this time of day,” Bustle said. “It was hotter for longer and some didn’t handle it as well.”
The squad will likely get another chance at those conditions Wednesday when the Cajuns hold their first full-scale fall scrimmage. That session was scheduled for 4 p.m. but Bustle hopes to move up 90 minutes to avoid weather problems.
CAJUN CLIPPINGS:
The squad returns to two-a-day work today with practices at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ... Wednesday’s scrimmage is scripted for 76 total snaps — 60 offense against defense and 16 special-teams situations ... For the third straight day, Bustle was packing during practice. A derringer-sized water gun from Friday was replaced by a water-squirting grenade on Saturday. Sunday, his water weapon of choice was an orange-&-yellow mock German Luger which he used to squirt players and practice watchers. “Just part of my arsenal,” he said. “People were giving me a hard time about the little one. This one holds more and goes farther.”
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Scoreboard--Answers to your request
<p align=justify>Thanks for all of the great input...
These ideas are great..
Here are a few thoughts...
ON CREATING GAME BY GAME ANIMATIONS:
to create the animations require time and manpower... unfortunately, we have a dedicated production budget that is closely adhered to. We update generic game animation every year..head shots game announcements, stat pages, score pages and the opening sequence all fall into this budget.
The custom, specific animation that presently is played is sponsored commercially and therefore a separate budget.. usually as per the commercial request..
THE SCREEN’S COMMERCIAL APPEAL:
The screen in essence is driven and should be driven by outside commercial interest. However, we must balance this with the collegiate college football atmosphere... Band Breaks.. Etc..The University would rather maintain the atmosphere and not bombard the fans with commercials..
PROGRAMMING WITH A LOCAL FLAVOR:
I really like your ideas to "localize" the season animations.. we are presently trying to do that.. look for some improvements in that area..
AUDIO CLIPS
We are limited by time constraints with stadium PA Announcements, The band.. etc for the use of the Stadium audio PA.. we do not have control over that audio... so to play any video with audio.. it must be scheduled a week in advance into the game script... ( a University function) and if during the game, time is not available.. we may get bumped... So all or most of our programming must be without audio...
LIVE SBC FEEDS:
This would be outstanding, however with limited budgets, and the equipment needed for this .. This idea would be tough..Updating scores we can do.. And usually we do during half or at breaks...
BORN ON THE BAYOU:
what an excellent idea.. I would like to incorporate this song with another request showing older highlights of Mitchell, Delhomme, etc... as a history piece... for a pre game airing... as for the entrance song.. Coach Bustle wants something , fast paced.. High energy... this song “beat counts” do not fulfill those criteria.. However.. We may use it in a retro piece as mentioned before...
PEPPER PILE ON:
Great idea ..our creative staff loved this idea... we will try to work on it... it is doable without much production... since the pepper is already produced...
Hope this explains some of the aspects we work with... thanks for your input.. and send us more..
GO CAJUNS
Grey Goose
South Carolina's new uniforms
Re: Scoreboard--Answers to your request
Quote:
Originally posted by Grey Goose
<p align=justify>
BORN ON THE BAYOU:
what an excellent idea.. I would like to incorporate this song with another request showing older highlights of Mitchell, Delhomme, etc... as a history piece... for a pre game airing... as for the entrance song.. Coach Bustle wants something , fast paced.. High energy... this song “beat counts” do not fulfill those criteria.. However.. We may use it in a retro piece as mentioned before...
What up tempo songs are you considering? :confused:
Cajuns hold mini-scrimmage
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — The first true scrimmage won’t happen until Wednesday, but Louisiana head football coach Rickey Bustle wanted to give his squad a taste of what to expect.
Bustle and the Ragin’ Cajun staff put the squad through an 18-play mini-scrimmage at the end of Monday’s morning practice, and the staff liked what they saw.
“That was a pretty good session,” Bustle said. “The offensive kids worked hard and the defense flew to the ball. We didn’t have many snaps, and we just lined up in base offense and defense and got us something to look at on film.”
The Cajuns worked out for just over two hours in Monday’s morning session and just under two hours in the afternoon in their second two-a-day activity of fall drills. The squad is alternating two-a-days and once-daily workouts in accordance with NCAA rules.
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The scrimmage session gave a different look to the morning session, and Bustle said the brief live drill gave his staff a chance to make corrections before Wednesday’s full-tilt scrimmage.
The 18 plays included six with the first offense against the second defense, six pitting the second offense against the first defense, and six matching the number three units.
“We wanted to get in six pops with each group,” Bustle said. “It just knocked the edge off, and maybe we can get some things fixed so we don’t have to find out on Wednesday. But the kids all really got up for that thing.”
The two top offensive units held their own through that session, after the defense had controlled tempo in team work over the previous two days.
“We’re getting there slowly,” said Cajun offensive coordinator Rob Christophel after Monday’s late session. “We’ve installed a lot every day, and it usually takes a while to start sinking in.”
Monday’s two sessions brought the workout total to 10 in eight days, and the physical toll is starting to show with nearly a dozen players limited in Monday’s drills and two others out with illnesses. Projected offensive line starters Corey Glover (minor concussion) and Greg Hodges (illness) have been sidelined for two days.
Because of the offensive line absences, some of the tight end corps moved inside for Monday’s drills, and 6-foot-7 defensive tackle Darryl Blappert shifted over to tight end and went through Monday’s two sessions in that position.
Bustle is hoping that most of his injured corps can return for Wednesday’s scrimmage, which is scheduled to begin at approximately 3 p.m. after a brief morning session.
“When you try to pull back and not go full speed, that’s when you get hurt,” Bustle said. “We went full speed 18 plays this morning for the first time and nobody even got a bump.”
CAJUN CLIPPINGS: The squad worked out in full gear Monday morning and worked in shoulder pads and shorts during the afternoon ... The afternoon practice was moved up an hour from its scheduled 4 p.m. start to try to dodge showers which were forecast but never came ... Both Monday practices were held under overcast skies that helped provide the two lowest temperatures for practice sessions so far this fall ... Today’s Cajun practice is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the practice fields ... Quarterback Eric Rekieta connected with wide receiver B. J. Crist for a 40-yard touchdown in the right corner of the end zone Monday afternoon during the six-play “team-vs.-varsity” period ... Wednesday’s scrimmage will include 18 special-teams plays followed by 60 snaps.
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Another weapon (Bill Sampy)
<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Bill Sampy is confident that he’s improved enough to make impact.</b>
LOUISIANA La. — UL has the kind of receiver corps that can give defensive backs nightmares.
Senior Fred Stamps is clearly the leader of the Cajuns’ aerial attack, coming off a 1,000-yard season, but he’s not the only threat.
There’s also senior Bill Sampy of Carencro, a sleek, swift athlete who was third on the team with 30 catches for 327 yards in 2002 behind Stamps and Andre George.
There’s senior Eric Bartel (10-130-1), who has sneaky-fast speed, and dependable B.J. Crist.
Then there’s a group of newcomers that includes junior college transfer Kemmie Lewis, who had an excellent spring, and freshmen like Jarvis Murchison (4.29 40-yard dash) and 6-6 Jordan Jackson of Bunkie.
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Bruce Brown
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“We’ve got some big-time targets,” Sampy said. “I think we’re the focal point of the offense.”
All of the holdovers from spring were regulars on the Cajun practice fields during the summer as they worked with quarterbacks Jerry Babb, Eric Rekieta and Matt Lane on sharpening their skills.
“I’ve gotten faster and quicker,” Sampy said. “My (pass) routes have gotten sharper. I got some experience last year going against top-notch teams, and I’m ready for the season to jump off.
“That first day in pads (Friday), you’ve got to adjust and catch the ball. That doesn’t take that long.”
Each member of the receiver corps is convinced he can make a difference in any of the Cajuns’ games this fall, but Sampy isn’t concerned about individual numbers.
“I’m just worried about winning,” Sampy said. “I’m running behind Fred on one side right now, but I know we’ll run a lot of three- and four-wide receiver sets.
“I know the plays. We’ve got a couple of new things going in, things we’re going to learn during two-a-days. But, really, it’s a matter of winning.”
Sampy was accustomed to winning at Carencro High. Although he didn’t see many passes thrown his way, he always had fans on their feet with the ball in his hands.
He led the Cajuns in kickoff returns in 2002 with 376 yards and figures to be a fixture on special teams again this season in addition to his rotation in the offense.
“I’m a full speed player, on and off the field,” Sampy said. “I’m full speed on special teams, too. I’ll be returning kicks, and I’m also going to return punts and I’ve been working on blocking kicks. Whatever it takes to win.
“Last year we didn’t play together, offense and defense. That’s something we need to do this year.”
It’s not unusual to see Sampy and Stamps neck-and-neck on the gassers at the end of practice, a clear sign that they are focused for the challenge ahead.
“It’s hot out there,” Sampy said. “But we’ve got to stay focused. We’re going to play games in the heat, and you’ve got to be a man in the fourth quarter.”
CAJUN CLIPPINGS — Off the field, Sampy is proud of his comeback from Proposition 48 status when he first signed with the Cajuns.
“I’ve picked it up in my books since I got here,” he said.
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