The Book: 2004 FOOTBALL

<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — It’s difficult to have a true rivalry if one foe wins all the time, and that’s the way it’s been lately between Louisiana and Louisiana Tech.

But the longtime series is closer to looking like a rivalry than it has been since the mid 1990’s.

Tech got its sixth straight win over UL last Saturday night in Ruston, but the visiting Ragin’ Cajuns were at the Bulldogs’ 8-yard line at the end of the 24-20 thriller.

“We were dead tired at the end,” UL offensive coordinator Rob Christophel said on Sunday. “We wanted to keep moving, because we were sort of working on jet fuel.

“But for the guys on the other side of the field, there wasn’t a lot left in their tank, either.”

When the two teams trudged off the field, they resembled Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed at the end of their first cinema bout.

There will be rematches in the future, but it might be hard to match the drama of last weekend when the Cajuns fought back from a 17-0 deficit to take a 20-17 lead, only to see Ryan Moats and the Bulldogs get a fourth-period touchdown for the win.

“I was proud of all of them,” Christophel said. “They fought, and that’s the bottom line. In the past, if we’d gotten behind, we might not have done that. And we were going against a team that probably not many people gave us a chance against.

“There are still things that we can work on and things we can get better at.”

The Cajuns were pinned near their own goal line for much of the first half, with UL’s defense halting Tech drives by claiming a trio of turnovers. It wasn’t until just before halftime that the attack got untracked.

“Down there, you’re trying to execute, get hats on everybody and have the running backs find room to run,” Christophel said.

“You don’t usually try something unique that could put you in a bad situation. One time we hit a pass and were able to get out of there.

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Bruce Brown
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“We’re going to have to be able to get the ball out of there, to punch it out. We have to do things to change field position ourselves.”

Jerry Babb’s one-yard touchdown run closed it to 17-7 at the break, and that was a lift the Cajuns sorely needed.

“We had the opportunity to open up the playbook some and score,” Christophel said. “You could feel it among the kids at that point that we can play with these guys.”

The game came down to the final march, begun on UL’s 11 after a punt with 4:18 left, and Babb hit 10 of his 32 completions before running out of chances.

“I wish we had those last 24 seconds back,” said Christophel, who saw Babb need 10 seconds to spike the ball and halt the clock after running for a first down at the Tech 13.

Babb’s final completion went to Dwight Lindon to the 8, and the Cajuns couldn’t get another play off.

“We had used a timeout early in the fourth quarter to try to get some personnel on the field, and those things happen,” Christophel said. “We had some confusion (at the end) about when the clock was starting, and trying to get the ball snapped.

“Jerry did a good job on the drive of not trying to force things, and our running backs and receivers were smart enough to get out of bounds with the ball. We put ourselves in position to win. Unfortunately, Dwight couldn’t get out of bounds at the end.”

The Cajuns are on the road again this week, visiting Big 12 power Kansas State, which was shocked at home by Fresno State 45-21 on Saturday. It was the worst regular-season non-conference loss in 13 years for KSU, which fell out of the Top 25 polls from No. 13 a week ago.

“I think Fresno may have stirred up a hornets’ nest there,” Christophel said. “I know Kansas State was well thought of before the season. I don’t know what’s happened.

“Obviously, they’re talented, and coach (Bill) Snyder is probably not real happy with them right now. They’re probably emphasizing some basic points of how to play the game this week.”

That’s not good news for the Cajuns, but they know they’re a better team today than they were two days ago.

CAJUN CLIPPINGS — UL’s Jerry Babb is 18th in the country in total offense at 276.5 yards per game and 71st in passing with a 114.8 rating ... Bill Sampy is tied for 44th in catches (5.5) and 57th in receiving yardage (75.0) ... UL is 38th in team passing (251.5), 30th in scoring defense (15.5) and 46th in pass defense ... KSU’s Heisman Trophy candidate Darren Sproles is 6th in all-purpose yards (199.50) and 11th in rushing (129.0), despite being held to 37 yards on 11 carries by Fresno.
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<blockquote><p align=justify><b> K-State left wondering what it should fix first </b>

MANHATTAN - In truth, Kansas State's players were more angry about not performing well against Western Kentucky.

Yes, Saturday's 45-21 loss to Fresno State was a far worse outcome than the stumbling opening win over Western Kentucky. But the visiting Bulldogs' victory was so dominant, so complete, the Wildcats were left more dumbfounded than irate.

"I don't think it was a physical issue," right tackle Jeromey Clary said. "And I don't think they just had us schemed."

Well then, what the heck happened?

"I don't know," Clary answered. "It just wasn't our day."

The loss was so decisive, K-State fell from a No. 13 ranking to out of the top 25. And, with only one nonconference tune-up remaining, the Wildcats are being forced to rethink everything.

That applies to players --"A lot of guys need to go home and evaluate themselves," free safety Jesse Tetuan said -- and coaches.

"If it's one side of the ball or the kicking game, I can say, 'OK, that's an issue over there' and we can go fix it," K-State coach Bill Snyder said. "If you're getting beat everywhere, then I've got to look within. That's got to be Bill Snyder."

The Wildcats had some time to think things over before Saturday's game ended. The Bulldogs, who outgained K-State 185-2 in the first quarter and led 31-14 at halftime, put things away early.

"After the second quarter, we knew it was our game," FSU defensive tackle Garrett McIntyre said. "We play physical football."

The implication being, of course, that K-State did not. And who could argue with McIntyre?

K-State's offense couldn't get started because the Bulldogs dominated the line of scrimmage. Take away Dylan Meier's 47-yard touchdown pass to Davin Dennis in the second quarter, and the Wildcats had negative-two yards in the game's first 28 minutes.

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Meier didn't start due to an undisclosed injury and was injured again before halftime. His status for Saturday's home game against Louisiana-Lafayette is still uncertain, Snyder said Sunday.

Starting quarterback Allen Webb was 4 of 13 for 30 yards with an interception, though he was often quickly facing pressure from defenders. So was running back Darren Sproles, who had 11 carries for 37 yards in the game and didn't speak to the media Saturday.

The offensive line, with three returning starters, was perceived as a strength prior to the game, but co-offensive coordinator Del Miller said personnel will be re-evaluated.

The same goes for special teams, where K-State used two punters and had numerous problems in coverage.

"It was a complete bust," Snyder said Sunday. "Yes, there will be personnel changes, but equally as important is the fact that we've got to go back and kind of re-teach that group."

K-State's defense was put in some tough situations, often defending a short field after spending more than 12 minutes of the first quarter in the game.

But poor tackling for the second straight week contributed to the unit's troubles, a situation not helped by the absence of linebacker Ted Sims or the injury to linebacker Maurice Thurmond during the game.

Defensive coordinator Bob Elliott said he'd spend this week looking at possible personnel changes, as well.

"We don't have many options in a lot of places, though," he said. "We're so thin in so many spots, it makes you sick."

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Originally posted by cajuncharlie
Turbine, my fried, I respectfully disagree with you. Babb had taken a shot and was a little wobbly. In my opinion we had no alternative but to go for three points. We should have been able to score a TD with the three snaps from the seven yard line. Had we done this I feel almost certain that we could have sewed up the game at that point. Also,the time clock management by the officials at the end of the game left a lot to be desired. There were a couple of instances where at least seconds could have been added to the clock.It was helluva game, a helluva loss, Moats is a helluva running back, and it was a helluva long ride home, even though I was on the Alumni sponsored bus.

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We are not in disagreement, in fact we are in total agreement, I don't think they should have gone for the TD on 4th down.

It was a timely Tech defensive play on 3rd down that forced the Cajuns to settle for 3, a TD there and UL wins.

imo

The announced attendance at tech was over 22K...what a bunch of ~~~~...almost half the stadium still had empty seats....their stadium holds around 30K..you do the math. I think we need to use the same technology they are using when figuring this out..whatever that is? If all the tickets looked like the two I bought at the game...someone must have thrown in some circus tickets in the box when they counted them...Another thing that is surprising is that how does a small town like Ruston even have a university...Tech is a sunbelt school if they are lucky!

"how does a small town like Ruston even have a university..."

There are LOTS of small towns with universities around the country. You may have heard of some of them: Ole Miss, Auburn, Penn State, etc. Our opponent this week, Kansas State, is in the metropolis of Manhattan, KS. I don't think anyone will mistake that for the big city! When I went to Oxford, MS to see the Cajuns play Ole Miss back in 1986, it reminded me a lot of Ruston. Only with more money! In fact I believe the enrollment at Ole Miss is similar to Tech's, too.

come to think of it...there is nothing in State College, PA either. Ruston is alot smaller though.

:rolleyes: hey gitmo20 are you still afraid, ha,ha,ha,ha,what was your score prediction?????? i was there and i saw your fear, tech has got a good runner but i'm afraid they will ruin him like one of the tech fans said after the game, "that's all we've got." and remember this we did play some young guys at the def end position, oh! and i think you mention something about the passing.....what? THE TIME HAS COME BE..............................................

:) those of you who are able to join the q-back club we would love to have you, i understand that some/most of you cannot make the luncheons but joining does help the football program think about it. I'm about to leave for the luncheon so please help support and promote ragin cajun athletics and i know most if not all of you do. GEAUX CAJUNS

The students side was almost full.....

It was the other side that absolutely pathetic...

I believe they covered the 15K, but the 22K announced?

NO F# way.

Z...O..

I wish Michael Lewis was playing for UL....