The Book: 2003 Football

Quote:

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Originally posted by Turbine
I am anxious to watch Jerry Babb on O and Michael Zatarain on D.

I am ready.

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Dont be so quick to throw out rekieta. Remember, in his 3 games he started I believe he was either 2-1 or 2-2 as a starter, and as much as I wanna see Babb come along, I think Rekieta deserves the chance to start and prove what he can do when not injured. I mean, he started like 4 games less then JVC and doubled JVC's win total on the season. I believe had he finished the Ark. game w/o injury, we would have won, and if he had been healthy, we coulda won the ULM game as well. Im not sayen that Babb cant win the starting job, but I think some people are having to short of a memory when it comes to rekieta.

Tuffguy

<blockquote><p align=justify>LAFAYETTE — We all know the quarterback gets too much credit when a team wins, and too much blame when it loses.

Still, that position remains the focal point when football fans begin anticipating a season ahead.

In the Sun Belt Conference, quarterback will be an especially intriguing spot to watch as members try to halt the two-year reign of North Texas atop the league standings.

North Texas and New Mexico State were picked to finish 1-2 again, which is not surprising given the riches each program has at quarterback this season.

<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/html/99F22400-C8FD-4BCA-87B5-ED174BAFDFDE.shtml">The rest of the story</a>

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com <!--

At a level where depth can be hard to come by, both the Mean Green and NMSU’s Aggies have two proven winners behind center. That has to give them a decided edge.

<b>North Texas</b>

Scott Hall was at the controls in 2001 when UNT roared back from a 0-5 start to win the Sun Belt and advance to the inaugural New Orleans Bowl.

When Hall went down early last season, freshman Andrew Smith stepped in to guide his team to a second title by hitting 91-of-196 passes for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns.

In the defense-oriented, ball control world of coach Darrell ____ey, Smith played his role well enough to win.

“We have two quarterbacks who have led their team to a conference championship,” ____ey said, “and I’ve never been around that kind of situation before.

“When Scott went out last year, we cut back on what we asked the quarterback to do. Gradually, we opened it up some more for Andrew. We realized, going against New Mexico State, that we couldn’t just run the ball down their throats.

“It was the same thing the next week against Middle Tennessee, then again in the bowl game against Cincinnati. The last three games reflected what he can do. He was asked to do more things and we were a little more wide open.”

Wide open is a relative term for the conservative ____ey, but the Mean Green did ring up 92 points in winning those last three games of 2002.

New Mexico State

NMSU is also loaded at quarterback, with both junior Buck Pierce and 2002 league Freshman of the Year Paul Dombrowski back this season.

Pierce bucked injuries to play in 8 of 12 games last year, hitting 68-of-107 passes for 949 yards and 6 touchdowns, while throwing just one interception. Dombrowksi stepped up, not only with his passing (95-158-5, 1,327, 7 TDs) but with team-leading rushing (189-868-12).

“I think we’re pretty solid at quarterback,” coach Tony Samuel said. “Buck missed some time last year, and Paul did a great job when he was called upon.

“Some people may view it as a quarterback controversy, but I always like to use two quarterbacks during the season. And, they’re both such good athletes, we possibly could use them both in the game at the same time.

“We’ll be able to open it up a little more this year because we have experience at quarterback.”

Middle Tennessee

Blue Raiders senior Andrico Hines was a work in progress in 2002 as a transfer from Southwest Mississippi Community College.

He hit 142-of-243 passes for 1,753 yards and 6 scores and rushed 150 times for 486 yards and 10 TDs. But Middle suffered early injuries around him and finished 4-8.

“Andrico had his good days and his bad days,” coach Andy McCollum said. “But his first three starts were against Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky.

“This year we’re going to be more solid behind him.”

Arkansas State

Junior Elliott Jacobs is the man on the spot for ASU this fall.

Last year, he hit 136-of-258 aerials for 1,751 yards, 7 scores and 7 pickoffs. But he could also turn and hand off to Sun Belt rushing champion Danny Smith (1,390 yards, 14 TDs).

No such ball carrier has separated from others yet, but coach Dave Roberts still likes what he sees in Jacobs.

“Elliott is a leader,” said Roberts, who finished 6-7. “He’s someone who makes the other 10 guys around him better. He’s shown a tremendous amount of poise.”

University of Louisiana

Ragin’ Cajun senior Eric Rekieta will try to come back from Tommy John surgery on his elbow to hold off hard-charging redshirt freshman Jerry Babb, with Matt Lane in the wings should either falter.

“I’m looking for someone who can find a way to win,” coach Rickey Bustle said. “Your quarterback ought to be one of the most competitive guys on your team.

“Our quarterbacks are so different this year in what they can do. I usually like to settle on one quarterback, but I wouldn’t rule out using two.

“We’re going to let it play out.”

Utah State

The Sun Belt newcomers lost record-setting Jose Fuentes, who threw for 3,268 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2002, but coach Mick Dennehy professes faith in junior Travis Cox, backed by redshirt freshman Bryan Black.

“We had some tremendous losses in Jose Fuentes, a three-year starter for us, as well as Kevin Curtis, who may be the best receiver ever to play at Utah State,” Dennehy said.

“But when Travis Cox has had the opportunity, he has done a very good job. In the spring, he showed he can be assertive in a leadership role.”

Idaho

Senior Brian Lindgren hit 240-of-382 passes for 2,763 yards and 19 touchdowns to earn All-Sun Belt Conference honors in 2002, but was done in by a Vandals defense that allowed a generous 428 points.

Now, he expects competition from sophomore Michael Harrington.

“Brian will have a battle with Michael, and that has upped the ante,” coach Tom Cable said. “We’ll go into fall camp to decide the battle.

“We move the ball a little bit on offense. Our issue is defense.”

UL Monroe

Coach Charlie Weatherbie came on board late, taking over the Indians in May, but he’s counting on sophomore Steven Jyles to build on his solid freshman campaign.

Jyles hit 181-of-368 passes for 2,318 yards and 17 scores.

“UL Monroe is known as ‘Quarterback U’, with players like Stan Humphries, Bubby Brister and Doug Pederson playing there before,” Weatherbie said. “We expect Steven to continue to improve over last season.” -->

It's getting closer. Having the Saints in town will be a clear-cut though unofficial start to football season.

I was looking at a poll on this site and it seems the locals agree with Phil Steele. I havent voted yet but if Ross Brupacker can anchor the middle this will make the whole defense that much better.

I read just yesterday that Wright Waters wants to be a BCS Athletic Director. I don't remember what school. I agree with him about all the money being left with airlines. Does anyone know when UL first started flying to games?

Well said Tuffguy, I don't care who starts-as long as it it the best QB we have.

WW needs to keep the piehole shut, at least at first while this coalition gets off the ground. :rolleyes:

Rash, luv that new avatar. :D

July 27, 2003 - Mark your calendars for these important upcoming dates regarding the
2003 football season for Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns:

Sunday, August 3 - Entire team reports, 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Monday, August 4 - First varsity practice, 8 a.m.; First freshmen
practice, 4 p.m.

Thursday, August 7 - First entire team practice - 4 p.m.

***Friday, August 8 - Photo/Press Day - 10:30 a.m. (Cajun
Field/Athletics Complex)

***Sunday, August 10 - Fan Day at Cajun Field - 6 p.m.

Wednesday, August 13 - First scrimmage

Sunday, August 17 - End of "two-a-days" and scrimmage 2

Wednesday, August 20 - Scrimmage 3

***Monday, August 25 - First Rickey Bustle Press Luncheon, 12:30 p.m.
("S" Club Room of the Athletics Complex)

Saturday, August 30 - Season Opener at South Carolina, 6 p.m. (CDT)

Saturday, September 6 - Home Opener vs. Louisiana Tech, 7 p.m.


UL Sports information Department

Contact: Darryl Cetnar


Link

Dude needs to give up some football scoop! Where y'at? :confused:

<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — How excited are Louisiana fans about Rickey Bustle’s second year as Ragin’ Cajun head football coach?

Much of that interest will be gauged by season ticket sales for the six home games at 31,000-seat Cajun Field.

After that, the number of actual filled seats will likely depend on the Cajuns’ success on the field after a 3-9 record in Bustle’s first year.

“We’re right at 75 percent of the total of season tickets we sold last year,” said Kay Dischler, the Cajuns’ assistant athletic director for finance.

“We think it will start to pick up after the Saints game.”

The NFL’s New Orleans Saints will hold their annual Black-Gold Scrimmage at Cajun Field this Saturday, one day before the Cajuns report back to begin their fall drills.

“We just sent out a huge (18,000) mail-out to our alumni and to people in the area,” Dischler added. “We think that will have an impact.”

“I think it will grow as we get closer and people feel the energy of football,” said Eric Maron of the school’s marketing and promotions department. “We’re ahead of this time last year.”

UL officials are counting on Bustle’s charisma to boost what has been sagging interest, a process that began last year.

<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/html/018540AF-D3DB-4543-B0C4-51873451CFDD.shtml">The rest of the story</a>

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com
<!--

The 2002 Cajuns were 3-2 at home, the first winning mark at Cajun Field since 1996, averaging 15,056 fans per game.

That was an increase of 1,733 per game over 2001’s 13,323 average for five contests.

A Sept. 7 visit by Minnesota drew 20,512 fans to Cajun Field, while just 8,413 fans viewed the Cajuns’ 27-0 home loss to Sun Belt Conference champion North Texas on Oct. 26.

Bustle’s Cajuns open the 2003 campaign on the road at SEC member South Carolina, then return for a pair of home games that will be critical to this year’s attendance — Sept. 6 against traditional rival Louisiana Tech and Sept. 13 against Houston.

Those two foes were a combined 9-15 in 2002, with one UH victory coming over the Cajuns, 36-17, in Houston.

The home slate, the first six-game Cajun Field package since 1997, lacks the impact visitor that Minnesota provided in 2002. Still, the Thursday night ESPN regional game against New Mexico State on Oct. 16 should provide an attendance spike.

Beyond that, it’s up to the Cajuns to create interest this fall.
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"“We’re right at 75 percent of the total of season tickets we sold last year,” said Kay Dischler, the Cajuns’ assistant athletic director for finance."

I had asked around and could never find out how many tickets were sold last year. Does anyone know why the secrecy? Seventy-five percent of an unknown number doesn't tell us much