The Book: 2003 Football

<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — Now that she’s taken the Women’s Football Clinic, Nancy Johnson hopes she’ll be better able to find her son on Cajun Field.

“He plays offense, second team, tight end. I learned where his position falls most of the times, and I think it will help me follow him on the field,” she said.

Johnson was one of about 80 women who took the clinic at Cajun Field on Saturday, which Rickey Bustle, Louisiana head football coach, started last year.

The day began with lectures from coaches at Angelle Hall on the Louisiana campus, followed by tours of the Cajuns’ locker room, weight room and training rooms, as well as Cajun Field.

The final part of the day-long event had the women running onto the field in groups while the loudspeaker proclaimed them to be different teams of the NFL. On the field, some women suited up in pads, jerseys and helmets; some tried kicking field goals; and others threw the football through a target.

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Beverly Corbell
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After she made a successful lob through the target, Candice Saltzman, 23, said she came to the clinic because she wanted to learn more, partly because her husband encouraged her, and partly because it will help her as head girls’ softball coach at Church Point High.

Others want to please their football-fan spouses.

“My husband wanted me to go because he’s hoping I’ll develop a love for football,” said Toni Young, 40, of Lafayette. “I learned a lot, and I think I’ll enjoy the games more.”

C.J. Caldwell came from Baton Rouge to the clinic for the second year. She said she and her husband are season ticket holders, but sometimes she has trouble concentrating on the plays.

“Now, maybe I’ll pay more attention,” she said. “I learned a lot about penalties and how many yards they get for different things.”

The clinic didn’t just hit the basics, but went into great detail about types of offense and defense the Cajuns use. Defensive coach Brent Pry was one of several morning speakers and took the women into the Ragin’ Cajuns’ playbook, as he explained different line-ups and pressure plays.

Katie Ortego, 20, of Lafayette, and Sarah Jones, 20, of New Iberia had another reason for attending the conference. Both are members of the Ragin’ Peppers, a group of Louisiana students who help recruit senior high school football players. They give the players a tour of campus when they come for interviews, take them to dinner and go with them to the games.

“The clinic gives us a connection to the coaches and then we can relate to the players more,” Jones said.

“It’s a good idea,” said Ortego. “It’s a chance for the coaches to actually come down from their technical level and instill a little Ragin’ Cajun pride.”

Pam Grist, 40, of Youngsville came to the clinic because her daughter is a student, and she wants to support the team and learn more about the game.

“I’m excited about coach Bustle, and the clinic was a blast,” she said. “It was hysterical at times, and they made it fun.”
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I'll say 2 years.

Quote:

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Originally posted by CajunsFan11
How long til the Cajuns make it to the big one in the Big Easy?

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Why not! Lets go this year.

I am for that! If our offensive line can produce I believe we have a shot!!!!!

<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Rickey Bustle focused on steady upgrade for Cajuns in 2003.</b>

NEW ORLEANS — Rickey Bustle doesn’t throw around a lot of statistics.

He knows they’re there, but he’s a bottom line kind of football coach.

“The statistic that concerns me most is 3-and-9,” Bustle said Tuesday at Sun Belt Conference media day activities.

UL hasn’t had a winning season since 1995, and Bustle isn’t sure if his second year will provide that kind of positive reinforcement to players and fans who have gotten behind his enthusiasm.

He is certain, though, that the Cajuns will be improved in 2003.

“There’s no question we’re better,” Bustle said. “Now, does that mean over .500? Just under .500? I don’t know where that measuring stick is.”

By any measure, this fall is more settled than 2002.

“When we let the seniors go after our last game, I was looking at 46 kids on scholarship in the room,” Bustle said. “That’s not a lot of people.

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Bruce Brown
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“We brought in a dozen junior college kids at mid-semester and in recruiting. Six of the 12 were able to join us for the spring, and that helps.

“We’ll have a good nucleus. We need to find out where the JC kids fit in.

Competition will be the best thing about this team. Last year, we pretty much played with what we had. A year ago we were teaching everything.

“We were a better team in the spring than we were in the fall.”

Although the Cajuns won just a quarter of their games in 2002, they came within a late interception of upsetting SEC West champion Arkansas on the road before losing 24-17 in the penultimate game of the campaign.

“We kept coaching the same way,” Bustle said. “We played one of the best teams in the country, Arkansas, right to the end. We weren’t able to get it done, but we did have that chance.”

Bustle’s Cajuns also went from being the most penalized team in the Sun Belt to the least penalized in one year.

“That comes back to being disciplined as a team,” he said.

UL also landed 20 players on the Sun Belt academic honor roll list, indicating better attention to the college experience.

“We’re not just teaching football,” Bustle said.

When the Cajuns report for fall drills on Aug. 3, much of the focus will be on the quarterback position.

That’s true of many programs, but the Cajuns have redshirt freshman Jerry Babb of St. Thomas More running first team after spring, backed by fellow STM product Matt Lane.

Senior Eric Rekeita, who hit 65-of-113 passes for 652 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2002, missed the spring with elbow surgery and Jon Van Cleave (2,081 yards) left the program.

“Quarterback is going to be interesting,” Bustle said. “Eric had Tommy John surgery and wasn’t able to participate in the spring. He was out there every day, but couldn’t throw, so Babb got all of the snaps.

“Jerry is athletic. He’s going to learn and feel his way some. I have no problem with competition at any position, but Jerry is No. 1 coming out of spring. I’d like to settle on one, but we have two quarterbacks who are so different this year we could do different things. We’ll let it play out.

“Your quarterback ought to be one of the most competitive people on your team, one who finds a way to win.”

Which brings us back to Bustle’s bottom-line search for victories in 2003.-->

<blockquote><p align=justify>CAJUN CLIPPINGS — Defensive end Justin Venable is back after a medical redshirt in 2002. “Justin has played here about four or five years already, and somehow he got another three years,” Bustle said. “Don’t ask me how that happened. He might have his PhD before he’s through playing.” ... Bustle said it is in freshman quarterback Devin Williams’ best interest to redshirt in 2003 while he absorbs the offense.

<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Bustle hopes second year pays dividends for ULL</b>

NEW ORLEANS -- Rickey Bustle has a one-year head start on Charlie Weatherbie, but both face the same challenge.

Bustle is in his second year as coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Weatherbie is in his first at UL-Monroe. Both are trying to improve on records of 3-9 overall and 2-4 in Sun Belt Conference play last season.

"There's no question we're a better football team," Bustle said at the Sun Belt Media Day Tuesday afternoon. "Are we good enough to be .500 or better? I don't know what the measuring stick is.

"The biggest difference from last year is the players understand what the coaches' expectations of them are," Bustle said. "Whenever you're a first-year head coach the players are going to question everything that you do. They might not come out and say it, but they're going to wonder if you know what you're doing. We kept coaching the same way and our personalities didn't change."

Bustle said the Ragin' Cajuns' improvement from being the most penalized team in the Sun Belt two years ago to the least penalized last year shows improved discipline and that the players are "buying into what we're doing."

When Bustle said good-bye to his seniors after last season he was left with just 46 scholarship players.

"After our last meeting," Bustle recalled, "I told them we're getting ready to make our biggest commitment to this program. If you think you've worked hard and committed yourself, you haven't seen anything yet.

"We have a decent nucleus," Bustle said. "We had a heck of a recruiting class (including 12 junior-college players, half of which enrolled in time to participate in spring practice). We have to find out where our junior-college players fit in. We've got to find our chemistry with so many new faces."

UL has made great strides in adding quality depth and generating competition for playing time, Bustle said.

"We were a better team in the spring than we were last fall," Bustle said. "It was fun in the spring from the standpoint of the players knowing where to go to lineup. Last year we had to teach everything. I'm excited about what's getting ready to happen with this football team."

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By LES EAST
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Weatherbie is excited about just getting to see his team practice for the first time. He was hired May 7, after spring practice concluded, so all he's seen of his team is on film from last season and the spring.

"Come August 6," Weatherbie said, "I'm going to be like a kid opening Christmas gifts when I'm going to be able to watch this team live."

Weatherbie tried to maintain some continuity in the wake of Bobby Keasler quitting as head coach after four games last season and then his replacement, Mike Collins, resigning in April.

Weatherbie kept seven assistant coaches, including both coordinators.

"They've made for a pretty easy transition," Weatherbie said. "They've given me some insight into the young men I'm going to be working with and they've also given me the latitude to make up my own mind. It's been fast and furious, but I think this is an opportune situation."

Weatherbie, who was previously a head coach at Utah State (15-19 in three seasons) and (Navy 30-45 in seven seasons), said he thinks the Indians can contend right away it what he sees as a very balanced Sun Belt.

"I noted during my job interview that this was a schedule that gives you an opportunity to be successful with the parity in the conference," Weatherbie said. "I think this is an opportunity to come into a program and be successful in a hurry.

"I believe we have an opportunity to compete for the championship," Weatherbie said. "Our goals are like everyone else's -- to win the conference and win the New Orleans Bowl (to which the Sun Belt champion automatically is invited). The opportunity is there. I believe timing is everything, and the timing is great this year for the University of Louisiana-Monroe."

UL-Monroe opens the season against LSU on Aug. 30 in Tiger Stadium and meets UL-Lafayette on Oct. 11 in Lafayette.
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Going over my calendar I notice we have a Thursday game. Has UL ever had a Thursday game before?

We've never played on Thursday, but under coach Baldwin we've had some games where we didn't show up until the following Thursday.....

WR Fred Stamps named to preseason 2003 SBC team at the New Orleans football media meetings. The Cajuns were picked to finish 5th in conference behind

North Texas
New Mexico St
Middle Tennessee
Arkansas State

and ahead of

Utah State
Idaho
ULM

LINK

<blockquote><p align=justify>The Sun Belt preseason rankings selected by a voting panel of head coaches, media relations directors and media. Each line includes the team’s number of points and, in parentheses, first-place votes:

1. North Texas, 186 (20)

2. New Mexico State, 160 (2)

3. Middle Tennessee, 131 (1)

4. Arkansas State, 112

5. <b>Louisiana</b>, 98

6. Utah State, 75

7. Idaho <i>[at Moscow]</i>, 59 (1)

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2003 Sun Belt Conference Football Preseason All-Conference Team:

Offensive Line: Trevor Hutton, Utah State; Kimani Jones, Arkansas State; Jake Scott, Idaho; Brandon Westbrook, Middle Tennessee; Nick Zuniga, North Texas

Tight End: Chris Cooley, Utah State

Wide Receivers: Fred Stamps, University of Louisiana <i>[at Lafayette}</i>; Mack Vincent, ULM

Quarterback: Brian Lindgren, Idaho

Running Backs: Patrick Cobbs, North Texas; Eric Higgins, New Mexico State.

Defensive Line: Jon Bradley, Arkansas State; Brandon Kennedy, North Texas; Joe Olivo, New Mexico State; Corey Williams, Arkansas State.

Linebackers: Taylor Casey, North Texas; Maurice Sonnier, UL Monroe; Cody Spencer, North Texas

Defensive Backs: Jonas Buckles, North Texas; Jonathan Burke, Arkansas State; Chris Harris, UL Monroe; Craig Jones, North Texas Special Teams

Kicker: Dario Aguiniga, New Mexico State

Punter: Robert Billings, Middle Tennessee

Return Specialist: JaMel Branch, North Texas

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Patrick Cobbs, Jr., RB, North Texas.

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Brandon Kennedy, Sr., DT, North Texas.
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<blockquote><p align=justify>NEW ORLEANS -- The University of North Texas dominated the Sun Belt Conference's preseason picks as the league concluded its Media Days on Wednesday.

Now all the Mean Green have to do is live up to the expectations when they start the season Aug. 30 at Oklahoma.

North Texas, which has won the league's first two titles, was picked to repeat as league champion. Mean Green defensive tackle Brandon Kennedy was selected Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and teammate and running back Patrick Cobbs received that honor on offense.

"Preseason is preseason," NTSU coach Darrell ____ey said. "Both these guys know what's most important is what is said at the end of the year.

. . .

<!-- "Last year's team won the league but this is a totally new group of players and different variables go into whether this team will be able to do that or not. This team has to be at its best week in and week out."

The Mean Green was 8-5 overall last season, finishing 6-0 in the Sun Belt and defeating Cincinnati in the New Orleans Bowl. New Mexico State, runner-up a year ago, was picked to finish second again, followed by Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Utah State (which makes its Sun Belt debut this season), Idaho and Louisiana-Monroe.

Kennedy, a 5-foot-11, 315-pound senior, was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year after last season when he was third in the nation with 24 tackles for loss and led the league with 10 sacks.

"Thankfully for me his only drawback in a lot of people's eyes is he's not tall enough," ____ey said, "and if he were tall enough he probably wouldn't be at North Texas.

"When we recruited him I told my defensive coaches that when I watch their drills they always tell the players to stay low, that the low man wins. This guy can't help but be low. So we signed him and we're very fortunate that we did. We've got a wonderful football player."

Cobbs, a 5-9, 198-pound junior, was a bit of a surprise pick. He backed up senior Kevin Galbreath last season, though he still managed 761 yards and eight touchdowns on 159 carries, making him the league's top returning rusher.

"As long as he stays healthy this year Patrick will get a lot more of the workload," ____ey said. "Our offense is built around someone back there running the ball quite a bit."

UNT also led the way with eight players selected to the Preseason All-Conference team. Arkansas State was next with four, followed by ULM and New Mexico State with three each.

The Indians' representatives were linebacker Maurice Sonnier, defensive back Chris Harris and wide receiver Mack Vincent.

Sonnier, a senior from Port Barre, was the Sun Belt Preseason Defensive Player of the Year last year before a broken ankle ended his season in week four.

"Sonnier has a chance to play on the next level," ULM coach Charlie Weatherbie said. "We hope he can stay healthy. He's a leader in terms of discipline on and off the field. He's a very good student and he has his priorities in the right place. He's a guy that a lot of players can look up to on our football team." -->
Louisiana's <font size="1"><i>[at Lafayette]</i> </font size="1"> lone pick on the all-conference team was wide receiver Fred Stamps, a senior from New Orleans who was a first-team all-Sun Belt selection last season after catching 54 passes for 1,002 yards and eight touchdowns.

"Fred Stamps could play anywhere in the country," Ragin' Cajuns' coach Rickey Bustle said. "I was at Virginia Tech and he could have been one of our tops guys. He has really been working to win. He's getting better every day."

UL is the first team to get a crack at North Texas (Sept. 27 in Denton, Texas). The Mean Green have played their best football after the start of conference play the last two seasons, winning their last 11 league games after losing their Sun Belt debut against ULM two years ago.
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"The great thing that Darrell has been able to do is keep his players' heads up," Idaho coach Tom Cable said.

"The key is keeping smiles on your kids faces in good times and bad times and coming through September with your head held high and being healthy going into conference play. I admire what he's been able to do."
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