Here you go.<center>
Printable View
Here you go.<center>
I thought Pat Lamy was outstanding on defense, but it is only my opinion. I am not privy to the game film. Nevertheless, he gets my vote for the defensive player of the game.:confused: .~.
After the Tech game, I sent Coach Bustle an email expressing my support and encouragement. He responded promptly with a "thanks". I think it's important to let the coaching staff and team know we are still behind them 100%. Of course, the best way is to be at the games. But dropping them a line or two encouragement doesn't hurt either.
Geaux Ragin' Cajuns !!!!!
Whip the northern furry rodents!
It's no biggie...i had a great time in Lafeyette...and i knew it was gonna pour for some reason....
I'm sicker than a dog right now from being out in that monsoon for 3 hours straight...i didnt seek shelter...
On Coach Briles radio show yesterday he commented that ____ has some guys that can play and should do well in conference play...
And i tend to agree with him!...this road stretch for you guys is gonna be brutal though...you need more games at home!
I'd like to say that one Cajun fan went out of his way to say hello and was a very gracias guy before the game...asked us what our opinion on who would win, etc and was very nice overall...
Best of luck to you guys and hopefully we can play more often...i was on the UH side and had alot of fun jawing back n forth with the students...all in good fun of course!:)
I think us students did a decent job of of ticking off yer team. They were so worried about what we were doing that when they did well, the players on the sideline would always do something to try to get us to quiet down....of course that didnt work. I thought it was great, when they scored the first TD, they wentby the student with their finger over their mouth going "SHHHHHH"....and when we scored, I think every student around me did the same thing to them. That was some great smack.
Tuffguy
<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Cajuns remind Gophers of tragedy</b>
LOUISIANA La. — Glen Mason barely remembers any preparations his Minnesota football team made prior to last year’s game against UL.
He, his football squad and staff, and the entire university were going through the shock of losing one of their own.
It was only five days before the Gophers headed south to Cajun Field that sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Hall was murdered on a downtown Minneapolis street.
“That was about the toughest week of coaching that I’ve ever had,” Mason said Tuesday. “I’m amazed we won that football game, and I don’t mean to take any credit for that because I really don’t deserve it.
“All I know is that we didn’t work on much football that week.”
Even after last year’s 35-11 win over the Cajuns in UL’s home opener, Mason was still subdued. He and many of the Gophers looked more relieved than joyful on the walk up the Cajun Field tunnel.
“It was a great, great advantage for us to play away that week rather than at home,” he said. “At least when we got on the airplane, we were changing the venue and we knew we were going somewhere else. But that was very tough.
“I’m a grown man, and my mind was certainly elsewhere that night. With everything going around ... you’ve got to remember that these young kids had a lot on their plates.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/html/441A9EED-A19C-4732-ADCF-5CFA64411A29.shtml">The rest of the story</a>
Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com <!--
“But I’m proud of the way they played and the way they handled things.”
Most of those players who regrouped from tragedy and posted a workmanlike victory here last year return on this year’s experienced Minnesota squad which brings a 3-0 mark into Saturday’s 7 p.m. matchup at the Metrodome.
The Gophers are off to their second straight strong start after bounding out to a 7-1 record last year before losing their final four regular-season games.
This year, Minnesota has beaten its first three opponents — Tulsa, Troy State and Ohio — by an average score of 46-12, and the Gophers have nationally-ranked rushers and passers and are in the nation’s top 15 in both total offense and defense.
He’s also got sophomore tailback Marion Barber III, who had his career breakout game two years ago against the Cajuns in the Metrodome when he rushed for 173 yards and two scores in his second collegiate outing.
Barber missed most of the 2002 season with a hamstring injury and got a redshirt year, but came back with abandon last Saturday at Ohio when he scored four touchdowns and had 104 yards in UM’s 42-20 win.
“Marion’s a better back than when he played as a true freshman,” Mason said. “I kept telling people that we were surprised how he played then, but he’s a lot better now. Statistically it might not look it because we’re playing four backs and we have four guys that I think are good enough to play.”
Barber is tied for the national lead in scoring with eight touchdowns in three games, and teams with fifth-year senior quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq to provide the ultimate in a balanced attack. Abdul-Khaliq is the country’s third most efficient passer, completing over 68 percent of his passes for 521 yards and four scores with no interceptions.
Also, the Gopher defense is allowing only 82.4 passing yards, 12.3 points and 266.3 total yards per game to its first three opponents.
“Our focus has been and will be on us trying to get better,” Mason said, “and you can’t help but notice that Lafayette went into South Carolina in front of 82,000 people and played them extremely tough (a 14-7 loss). I really feel we’re going to have to be better than we were last week.”
This time, at least, the week’s worth of preparations will be more normal. And, ironically, Mason and his squad got a form of closure two weeks ago when the man convicted in Hall’s murder, Jermaine Stansberry, was sentenced to more than 35 years in prison.
During the sentencing process, Mason had the opportunity to address presiding judge Pamela Alexander.
“As a college football coach,” he said in court, “you recruit a young man to come to your team, university and community to develop and grow academically, athletically and socially. Brandon Hall was doing that. He was prospering academically and took his road to a degree with determination.
“Brandon was living his dream of playing Big 10 football. It was and is a great tragedy that this young man’s bright future came to a senseless end.”
-->
Well UL's schedule doesn't get any easier this week with the Cajuns playing a top 25 team in the Minnesota Gophers. But just because -to date- this is the toughest game of the year, does not mean the schedule has not been brutal already.
Louisiana has played a very tough schedule this year the opponents have six wins with only three losses combined.
Last weeks opponent plays Mississippi St and could get another win which would make our opponents 7-3 on the season. It should be noted that Miss St's two losses came in shoot-outs, losing last week to Tulane at the very end. So it is not a gimmie for Houston. This would be especially true if they again rack up the penalties and turnovers.
The opponent from 2 weeks ago plays Fresno St. and could walk away with another win which would make our opponents 8-3 on the season.
Louisiana's opening day opponent South Carolina plays Alabama-Birmingham, and unless they are looking ahead to Tennessee they should notch another win which would make UL's opponents 9-3 on the season.
All three of the losses that UL foes have accumulated came against top-10 ranked teams, so it’s not hard to notice that we have played some quality competition. The 0-3 start does not tell the whole story
After you count this weeks top 25 opponents record (and the outcome of the game) the combined record of Ragin' Cajun opponents very well could be 12-4 :D
You shouldn't be counting the games against us. Our opponents are 3-3 looking at it that way.
Good point.Quote:
Originally posted by CDeb
You shouldn't be counting the games against us. Our opponents are 3-3 looking at it that way.
The opponents are 3-3 wth the losses coming against undefeated Miami, undefeated Michigan, and undefeated Georgia.
Two of those undefeated teams finished in the top 10 last year.
Since Bustle has such a tough schedule this year, is it possible next year's schedule will be a little easier? Instead of playing the South Carolina's, Minnesota's and Oklahoma State's, will there be more teams like La Tech and Houston on the schedule? I hate to be continualy looking ahead, but next year's team could be something. Sure, the loss of Stamps, Joerg, Brupbacher and others will hurt, but Babb will be a redshirt Sophomore with experience, Smothers and the other backs will all have more experience, the offensive line pretty much all returns, and the Cajuns are fairly deep at WR. The Defensive line should be alright, and guys like Benson and Haynes will each have a year under the system. Also, the Juco's in the secondary will also have time in the system and be used to playing against good competition. It will be an experienced team and they will have a good chance of beating teams like Houston. I personally think they can make a legitimate run at the Sun Belt title...
"teams like Houston"
Is this game going to be played in a monsoon as well...cause outside of that...you have no shot...if we do play this year it should be at UH, its only fair
Why are you giving up winning the Sun Belt this year? If we go ahead and upset North Texas who knows what happens next?
I guess I shouldn't rule out a North Texas like run, where they started out 0-5 and then all those games in a row and ended up winning the conference.
Any news?
We miss you Greg.
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — Ricky Calais was on the short list of Ragin’ Cajuns who had a few good moments the last time UL visited Minnesota.
The former Lafayette High star was a sophomore in 2001, wide-eyed and eager to prove his mettle against a Big Ten school.
He did that with his first career interception, which he returned 20 yards for a touchdown just before halftime.
He also blocked a Golden Gopher field goal, something the current Cajuns view highly in weekly planning.
And Calais paced the Cajuns in tackles that day with seven stops.
Not much else went right that day, however.
The Gophers steamrolled the UL defense with 31 first downs, 331 yards rushing on 61 tries and 533 yards of total offense.
When the Cajuns got back on the charter flight to head home, they were on the painful end of a 44-14 score that could have been worse.
“That game was exciting for me, because I got my first interception and my first touchdown,” Calais said on Thursday. “It gave us momentum at halftime.”
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/html/629BEEF0-B590-4368-B4C3-D2C663337A50.shtml">The rest of the story</a>
Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com <!--
The theft drew the Cajuns within 20-7 at the break, but they couldn’t sustain the effort for an upset.
“I hope we can go up there this time and change things around,” said Calais, who joins his Cajun teammates for today’s flight to Minneapolis for Saturday’s game at the Metrodome.
Calais was soon shelved by a knee injury in 2001, cutting into a promising season and career. Now he’s a senior who already has his degree and is serving as a role player and role model for younger teammates.
“I’m averaging about 10-12 snaps a game,” Calais said, “so I have to make all the plays I can make while I’m in there.”
Fellow senior Ross Brupbacher starts at one linebacker with junior Stanley Smith, while Calais, sophomore Tyler Norman and freshman Mack Fair are the backups.
They figure to have their hands full with a brawny Gophers offense that is averaging 271 yards per game rushing.
“Our style will be just like it is for every other game,” Calais said. “We’ll rely on speed. Last week, Houston had the biggest offensive line in the country, so we had to use our speed to get around them.”
The Cajuns’ reliance on speed will get a boost from playing in the Metrodome.
“For the players going there for the first time, I tell them that you feel a lot faster on turf,” Calais said. “When we played there before, it was my first time on turf, and I felt fast.”
It will definitely feel different than last week’s game against Houston in heavy rains at Cajun Field.
“That was fun,” Calais said. “It was like playing in your backyard again, like when you were a kid.”
Having fun this week will take hard work, though.
Minnesota tight end Ben Utecht has 10 catches in two previous games against the Cajuns, including 7 for 78 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s 35-11 win at Cajun Field.
He is sure to be a big part of Cajun preparations, along with running back Marion Barber III and quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq.
“Khaliq is a lot more mature now,” said Calais. “He checks off plays at the line and does a good job running their offense.”
The advice from veteran Calais against that kind of challenge?
“Don’t be nervous, just play,” he said, sounding like someone who knows what it’s like to produce big plays on a big stage.
-->
Thanks for your concern. I have been traveling and just got back. Greg has a torn MCL but his ACL was not damaged,that was great news. He has played in every game since he's been at UL,started the last 15. He will be out several weeks and will make some decisions at that time. He is in a straight knee brace and crutches for now and can't drive but is making it to classes with the help of his team mates. Things don't go the way we would like on the field but the team is a very close group. Greg is down right now,he has never missed a game because of injury(UL,HS,JR-H). He gets to do something he loves to do, and knows their are things going on in the world that are bigger than football and lots of people have things much much worse than a torn MCL. Thanks again for your concern.
I saw the thread with you and your parents you make a fine family. I know you can help the team, but if you are not 100% I recommend medical redshirting. Blocking for a sophomore quarterback and a senior running back will be so much more fun next year. Bottom line get well Greg, but at the right pace.
“Our focus has been and will be on us trying to get better,” Mason said, “and you can’t help but notice that Lafayette went into South Carolina in front of 82,000 people and played them extremely tough (a 14-7 loss). I really feel we’re going to have to be better than we were last week.”
Lafayette?
If Williams is eligible next year, my money is on him to be the starter at QB unless we sign a pretty good juco.
"I saw the thread with you and your parents you make a fine family. I know you can help the team, but if you are not 100% I recommend medical redshirting. Blocking for a sophomore quarterback and a senior running back will be so much more fun next year. Bottom line get well Greg, but at the right pace."
I completely agree. I was injured in HS and had to sit out a few games. It was not fun. Tell him to hang in there. Best of luck to Greg for a speedy recovery!..O..
Change that to all 3Quote:
Originally posted by CajunCall
Two of those undefeated teams finished in the top 10 last year.
Yes we do have a tough schedule for a rebuilding year. I've seen next year's schedule somewhere & I remember not seeing as many major schools on the schedule. Just don't remember the schools. If anybody has next year's sch. please post it. Thanks.
GEAUX CAJUNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know if they know what hit em but Minnesota has gotten good in the past few years.
Rekeita shows that sometimes you need to take chances.
But thats OK Babb needs to be able to watch how a Senior takes chances and succeeds.
It's OK if he fails because sometimes if you are overly careful you are asking for failure.
The most frustrating thing to me is the almost complete lack of any semblance of a defense. We've hardly slowed them down! Of course the offense has not done anything either, aside from the one good drive engineered by Rekeita. I think he and Babb need to split time the rest of the year.