I'm guessing Desormeaux will redshirt, barring any injury to Babb and Sniewski. Agreed?????
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I'm guessing Desormeaux will redshirt, barring any injury to Babb and Sniewski. Agreed?????
Agreed.
What nobody is saying is that Matt Lane is VERY adept at running this offense.
I believe we could win as many games with either of the first 3 QB's.
<blockquote><p align=justify><b> Prater leaving Cajuns </b>
LOUISIANA La. — David Prater, the safety from Wylie, Texas, who led UL in tackles in 2003 with 68, left the team on Friday.
Prater, a senior, was facing a battle for a starting position from Lamar Morgan and redshirt freshman Torres Kingsby for the upcoming campaign.
“David Prater just fell out of love with football,” said Cajun coach Rickey Bustle, who had a heart-to-heart talk with Prater on the field after the Cajuns had their first full-gear workout of the season on Friday.
“We've got some depth there, with Lamar coming back from injury, and I hope we can work things out.”
The Cajuns are missing some other faces as they turn their focus to the Sept. 4 season opener, with freshman defensive tackle Clay Bridges of White Oak, Texas, a no-show to camp and junior college fullback Marcus McCall an academic casualty.
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Bruce Brown
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Also, wide receiver signee Frank Johnson of Carver High School will enroll for the spring semester.
“Bridges is a big, good-looking kid,” Bustle said, “but he decided he wanted to raise horses and raise dogs. He grew up around horses, and has some beautiful ones. He decided that's what he wanted to do.
“I think on one of his recruiting trips, coach (Gary) Bartel said the kid rode up to school on a horse. We should have known something was up.”
Bridges finally met with the coaches during the summer and told them of his decision.
“He let us know a couple of weeks ago,” said Bustle. “I could tell he wasn't coming.”
The Cajuns who are on the field literally made some noise on Friday.
“It was deafening out here for the middle drill,” Bustle said. “Guys got to jawing at each other. What I'm so pleased about has been the enthusiasm.
“Of course, we've got nice, cool weather right now. Check back next week when it's hot again and see how we're doing.”
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<blockquote><p align=justify><b> Chances to improve high for University of Louisiana </b>
LOUISIANA La. — They’ve heard it. They know it’s out there. They just hope it lasts beyond two-a-day practices.
University of Louisiana, Ragin’ Cajuns know fans are thinking big after their team won four of its last five games in the 2003 season.
The Cajuns admit the strong finish put some pep in their step during offseason work, but they also remember starting that season 0-7.
So when fans start talking about an 8-3 or a 9-2 record in 2004, the Cajuns are smart enough to know it won’t come easily.
“I’m happy how fans are showing us some love,” safety C.C. Brown said. “I hope it stays like that.”
The Cajuns had their first full-pads workout of the preseason on Friday and they stage their first scrimmage next Wednesday. There is still plenty of work to do before the Sept. 4 opener against Northwestern State at Cajun Field.
“It’s a good thing that they have confidence in us,” running back Dwight Lindon said of UL fans. “But, it all boils down to you doing it. It’s important for us to get through camp healthy and focus on that first game.”
Sophomore quarterback Jerry Babb, the leader of that late-season surge in 2003, is also looking at the opener.
“It’s nice to finally have fan support,” Babb said. “It gives us a little confidence boost. But we know we’re going into the Northwestern State game with a clean slate.
“They’re ranked in the Top 20 in Division 1-AA and are picked to win the Southland Conference. We know they’re a tough team.”
Defensive end Eugene Kwarteng echoed that caution.
“I’m definitely excited about the enthusiasm,” Kwarteng said. “It seems to grow every year. But what is past stays in the past. It’s all about the program moving forward.”
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Bruce Brown
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“It’s still so far away from the season, before we play our first game,” defensive coordinator Brent Pry said. “It’s hard. You have to catch yourself. We’ve only had four practices. If you have a bad day or two, then you have questions again.
“I hope we reach that level of consistency we need. I think we can get there, but I don’t know that.”
“It feels good to know the fans are behind us,” said linebacker Stanley Smith. “In the past there wasn’t anybody there. Now when we do good, they can help keep us motivated.”
“I think the schedule is more fair,” Babb said. “There aren’t as many ‘money’ games. But my focus is on Northwestern. I can’t be looking ahead to Kansas State or Louisiana Tech. I’d like to fast-forward it about a week and a half.”
“It looks like a more level playing field,” Lindon said. “That’s not necessarily dangerous. The teams we have on the schedule are just as good as some other teams. The difference is the hype the other teams have behind them.
“The key will be how we prepare in the mental aspect of the game.”
“It’s great to see the community backing up the university,” said linebacker Mark Risher, like Babb a St. Thomas More product. “It’s good to see heads turn.
“It gives us something to look forward to. But we know we have to work. We know it’s not something that just happens.”
Head coach Rickey Bustle knows how far his team has come after 3-9 and 4-8 finishes in his first two years, and he also knows how hard it will be to take the next steps to have a winning season, let alone 9-2 or 8-3.
“There’s no question that we’re a better team,” Bustle said. “I like to think we’re closing the gap some. We’ve got better-looking players. We’re more athletic. We’re bigger. There are more faces here who’ve been around for a couple of years.
“They came back focused and excited about starting practice. But we’ve got to build on that. We can’t rely on what’s happened in the past.”
--><i>Bruce Brown interviews Eugene Kwarteng
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. -- Third-year University of Louisiana football coach Rickey Bustle wasn't about to fall into the trap.
When told of the innocent banter bouncing around town this summer, that supporters of the program envision a team worthy of a 9-2 or 8-3 record, Bustle didn't flinch. Especially, not with a program that's endured eight consecutive losing seasons, the last two under his direction.
"If you can tell me what your adolescent is going to be doing on Sept. 4 (home opener against Northwestern State) at 6:30 and how they're doing, I'll be able to give you a prediction," Bustle said. "But I don't know that."
Bustle did concede one thing during Friday's Media Day activities ... that he will field his best team in three years. Just how that will translate into more victories remains a mystery.
"There's no question in my mind right now that we're a better football team," Bustle said. "How do you compare in your conference? You don't know until you get out there.
"Everybody else is supposed to be better," Bustle said. "I like to think we're closing the gap. Obviously (defending Sun Belt Conference champion) North Texas is the kingpin of the conference."
UL concluded the 2003 season with a 4-8 record -- including four wins in its final five games. Maybe more importantly, the Cajuns' finish came on the heels of an 0-7 start that included three losses by a touchdown or less.
"We won four out of five and we carried that into the offseason, and spring, and it gave us a lot of confidence," UL-Lafayette quarterback Jerry Babb said. "But it doesn't matter what we did last year. We can't count on what we did last year to help us this year. We have to go and get the job done."
Senior running back Dwight Lindon said last season's near misses was a catalyst for the entire team during the offseason.
"Looking at last year there were a lot of games that we should have won, but we came up short in," he said. "I think a lot of guys took that into consideration, tried to turn that around and learn from it. That's why there were so many guys committed to the weight room. Everybody's working harder and harder each day."
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By WILLIAM WEATHERS
wweathers@theadvocate.com
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It didn't take Bustle very long to notice a difference in this year's team, a group of 11 returning starters and 41 letter winners that have gone through five practices and begin twice-a-day workouts today.
"Looking at them the first week of practice, I think we're a better looking football team than we've been," he said. "We're more athletic, we're bigger. There are more faces that have been around a couple of years than we've had previously."
Babb, a life-long Lafayette resident, said there's been an unmistakable buzz emanating from fans since the conclusion of last season. The message is clear and to the point: they believe the program is on the verge of a breakthrough season.
"I've never seen this much excitement about this program and I've been living here all my life," Babb said. "We've kind of been on a honeymoon the past two years with new coaches and new everything.
"But the pressure's going to be on us to win," Babb said. "There's lot of excitement with everything going on. We're going to have to perform and it starts with Northwestern. We need to get off on the right foot."
mþNOTES: Former Parkview Baptist linebacker Brenton Burkhalter, who wore No. 37 throughout his high school career, wore No. 64 for Friday's team picture. "I asked them if they had any other number," said Burkhalter, who is currently running third team at middle linebacker. Fellow Parkview graduate, offensive lineman Bobby Fails, is up five pounds to 280 pounds and is running third team at right tackle. "It's a challenge," Fails said. "But it's nothing that I'm not up to." ... Bustle said last year's leading tackler, free safety David Prater, opted not to return for his senior season. Prater, a native of Wylie, Texas, led the Cajuns with 68 tackles. "He went through spring, showed up one day in the offseason and that was it. I guess he fell out of love with football." He also confirmed that redshirt freshman wide receiver Bruce Taylor of Miami, Fla., has also left the team. ... Wide receiver Bill Sampy, defensive back Jerrell Carter, center Ronnie Harvey and running back Dwight Lindon, all of whom were academically ineligible as freshman, are all on course to regain a year of eligibility and return next season, Bustle said.
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William Weathers interviews UL Fullback Dwight Lindon<br>
who is ull?
They seem to have a stuttering problem in Refineryville, must be the fumes. Gllen Guillbeau does it all the time.
<blockquote><p align=justify> LOUISIANA La. — If given an option, UL safety C.C. Brown would be seen and rarely heard off the football field.
On the field is another matter entirely.
Either with pre-snap chatter or delivering a big hit from his safety position, Brown always makes his presence known.
“I’m speaking more now on the field,” Brown said. “Around here (seated inside the UL athletic complex) I’m quiet, back to my old self.”
Brown is careful to preserve his energy for the field, especially on game days on the road.
“When we get in and get something to eat, I’ll just watch TV to take my mind off the next day,” Brown said. “Then on game day, we’ll have breakfast and I’ll go back to the room and watch TV to take my focus off the game so I won’t be nervous.
“But when we get to the stadium, my personality totally changes. It’s more like an attack mode. I’m generally laid back, but once the game starts I transform into something else.”
That transformation paid handsomely in 2003 for the junior college transfer, who started 11 games after missing the season opener at South Carolina.
Brown finished with 67 tackles and a team-best 6.1 stops per game, notching five or more tackles in nine of his last 10 games.
He became the first Cajun to earn Defensive Player of the Week in the Sun Belt Conference with three tackles and a pair of interceptions against Idaho.
Also, the Greenwood, Miss. product had 11 tackles at Southern Miss, 10 each against Houston and UL Monroe and was third on the team with 7 1/2 tackles for losses.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder was a big reason the Cajuns won four of their last five games in 2003 as he became familiar with UL’s defensive scheme.
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“After a couple of games, I got a feel for things,” Brown said. “Toward the end of the season I felt like I was in grad school. I knew the ropes.
“I’m still learning. Now I can take advantage of what I know.”
Brown was a second-team All-Sun Belt Conference performer last season and has been named to the preseason All-Sun Belt Team for 2004, but he remains unimpressed.
“That doesn’t describe how I play,” he said. “I’m hard on myself. That’s how I judge.”
Helping with that daily evaluation is safeties coach Tim Rebowe, the newest addition to the UL staff.
“He has shown me some of the little things I’m not doing,” Brown said. “We’re still trying to feel things out.”
A revised defensive scheme will take fewer chances than in 2003 in an attempt to get the most out of the talent on hand, and Brown’s role has been slightly altered.
“Last year, I was mostly (used) against the run,” he said. “This year it’s more balanced. I’m more of a hitter, but a pick (interception) is nice, too.
“I don’t care. Whatever it takes to get a win.”
“We’re going to be improved,” defensive coordinator Brent Pry said. “Even if we were running the same scheme, I think we’d have a chance to be better.
“We’re better on the back row (secondary) than we’ve been. We’re practicing and performing at a level we haven’t had here, other than (with current Chicago Bears star) Charles Tillman.”
Practicing and performing is what Brown is all about.
“I try to picture it as another game each practice,” Brown said. “Like we’re going against a different team, and I’m trying to get something accomplished.”
It’s a transformation that can only help the Cajuns.
--><p> <i>CC Brown demonstrating his trademark pose from 2003
<center><img src="https://forumeus.com/images/people/cc-brown-trademark-01-(500).jpg"><p>
<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Demons' Pittman dislocates elbow</b>
NATCHITOCHES - Preseason All-America cornerback David Pittman suffered a dislocated right elbow Saturday afternoon midway through the first full-contact practice of preseason for the Northwestern State football team.
Pittman, a 6-foot junior from Lutcher who had 55 tackles and 4 interceptions along with 7 pass breakups a year ago, was injured while colliding with two other defenders as they tried to break up a pass to sophomore flanker Derrick Doyle. Pittman may miss three weeks or could be out indefinitely, depending on the severity of the injury, said NSU athletic trainer Ed Evans.
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Posted on August 15, 2004<!--
"It's a big loss for us. David is a guy who will be playing on Sundays one day. Right now all we can do is hope for the best, that he's not hurt too badly, and be supportive of him," said NSU coach Scott Stoker. "We have a lot of good young talent at cornerback. Now some of those guys will have to step up and they'll get the opportunity to develop faster than we anticipated."
Pittman's injury overshadowed one of a series of sensational catches by Doyle during an hour-long controlled scrimmage marking the first full-contact practice of preseason by Northwestern, which opens its season in three weeks at Louisiana-Lafayette.
Redshirt freshman tight end Clayton Broyles, who was hospitalized Friday after suffering a seizure following a position meeting, attended practice but is out indefinitely while his condition is evaluated, said Stoker.
Broyles is challenging senior starter Mark Morris for the No. 1 tight end spot.
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"CC Brown demonstrating his trademark pose from 2003"
Can I get a reference?