This may sound crazy but I think we will be competitive next time we play.
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This may sound crazy but I think we will be competitive next time we play.
10 carries, 61 yds
Yes, you are sounding arrogant. Luckily we met some real nice folks that treated us well. No arrogance just amicable folks that hoped we would have a good game and that both teams would suffer no major injuries. So don't worry about us. We will be okay in a couple of years..~. .~.
hmmmmmmmm
with 6.1 yperc I wonder why just 10 carries?
Is that the same as YPC?Quote:
Originally posted by Chuck
6.1 yperc
<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Just the Cajuns’ luck — FIU hits its stride </b>
LOUISIANA La. — Just their luck.
Louisiana's Ragin’ Cajuns have had a hard enough time of things this season, falling to 2-8 on the year with last Saturday’s 48-3 thumping at Southern Mississippi.
Now comes Florida International, a Sun Belt Conference member competing in Division 1-AA in football which has caught fire just in time for next Saturday’s visit to Cajun Field.
True, the Golden Panthers are 2-7 on the campaign, but they hammered Jacksonville 55-12 last Thursday night and the Cajuns haven’t hammered anyone in a long time.
It was 41-0 at halftime before FIU pulled back on the reins, but the Panthers still finished with 391 yards rushing and 642 yards of total offense.
Both Adam Gorman (19-138-1) and Diamante Demerritt (9-121-1) rushed for over 100 yards, while Josh Padrick hit 10-of-14 passes for 232 yards and three scores to Cory McKinney (3-90-1) and Harold Leath (3-69-2).
Jacksonville had 303 total yards, but much of that came after the issue was decided.
Coach Rickey Bustle’s Cajuns, on the other hand, are anything but hot. They played the Jacksonville role for Southern Mississippi, falling behind 24-0 and generally failing to compete with the Golden Eagles.
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It was a sobering end to a brief two-game win streak for the Cajuns.
“We gave them the momentum from the get-go,” said quarterback Jerry Babb, whose interception on the first UL series started the avalanche. “They capitalized on our errors.
“We knew they were going to move around a lot (on defense), and they’re a good football team.”
Now the Cajuns must regroup for Saturday’s Senior Day game, to be followed by the season finale at fellow struggling Sun Belt member Middle Tennessee.
“We have tried a lot of different things to try and change things around here,” Babb said. “I think we just have to try and get players in here who know how to win, and also maybe get a big win somewhere.
“We can’t sit around here and wait for someone else to do it. We have to do it ourselves.”
That hasn’t been easy to do all year, and now one of the games that looked like a relatively easy one in August looks like yet another challenge for UL.
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<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. -- The very thing Rickey Bustle hoped would not happen Saturday did.
Bustle's University of Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns turned the football over on only their third offensive play of the game, giving Southern Mississippi an early scoring opportunity and igniting a 21-point first-quarter onslaught by the Golden Eagles.
Sparked by the early success, the Eagles went on to a 48-3 victory.
"The very thing we didn't want to happen happened on that first series," said Bustle, whose team (2-8) saw its two-game winning streak snapped by the lopsided loss. "We knew we couldn't give them turnovers.
"They're a very good football team and when we spotted them 21 points, we knew it was going to be a tough night."
Tough indeed.
The Cajuns, now 1-21 in games against the Eagles in Hattiesburg, were outgained 550-200 in total offense and 26-8 in first downs. In addition, the Cajuns converted only 3 of 16 on third-down attempts.
"It looked pretty darn bad Saturday out on the field and the film wasn't much different today," said Bustle. "We just left our defense out on the field too long, we allowed too many big plays and we missed a lot of tackles.
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"And offensively, we never really got anything going."
Offensively, the Cajuns managed only 94 yards rushing and 106 passing. Quarterback Jerry Babb completed 11 of 17 passes and was intercepted once. Backup Matt Lane was 3 of 6 for 18 yards. Dwight Lindon led ULL rushers with 61 yards on 10 carries.
Bustle said the thing that disappointed him the most was that when the Cajuns found themselves trailing 21-0, they did not compete at the level he felt they could have or should have.
"When you look at the film, you don't see guys quitting or loafing; that's not what I mean," he said. "We just didn't seem to have the intensity that we should have."
Compounding things for the Cajuns was the loss of three defensive players during the game.
Defensive end Antonio Floyd and defensive back Jarrett Jones both left early with shoulder injuries and linebacker Ross Brupbacher limped off the field with an ankle injury late in the game.
Only Jones is doubtful for this weekend's home finale against Florida International.
"Antonio has been one of our steadiest players all year and it was tough to lose him early in the game," said Bustle. "But we had some young players who got some valuable experience. And we had a couple of other players who really played well.
"(Defensive tackle) Darryl Blappert had probably his best game of the season and Daniel Taylor played well, too. And I thought our special teams played well."
It simply wasn't good enough against USM (5-3) which has not allowed an offensive touchdown the last two games and had shut out the Cajuns in Hattiesburg four straight times before Saturday.
"I thought Southern Miss was the most athletic team we'd faced this year and I said that on (last) Monday. I thought they were very talented."
The competition level for the Cajuns drops off substantially this week (Florida International) and next (Middle Tennessee) as they wrap up their season.
"We've still got a corral them back up and get another win this week and next," said Bustle. "We still have a chance to win two of our last three and four of our last five.
"If we could do that with all we've been through, it would leave us feeling pretty good about ourselves going into the offseason."
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that's what happens when you fall behind early big guy.
<center><b>Louisiana's 2003 Seniors</b><TABLE border=1 cellPadding=0 cellSpacing=0><TBODY><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><b>No.</b></TD><td><font size="2"><b>Name</b></TD><td><font size="2"><b>Pos.</b></TD><td><font size="2"><b>Exp.</b></TD><td><font size="2"><b>Hometown</b></TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">93</TD><td><font size="2">Darryl Blappert</TD><td><font size="2">DT</TD><td><font size="2">1L</TD><td><font size="2">Slidell, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">79</TD><td><font size="2">Chris Perrone</TD><td><font size="2">OL</TD><td><font size="2">1L</TD><td><font size="2">Covington, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">23</TD><td><font size="2">Jamaal Sanders</TD><td><font size="2">LB</TD><td><font size="2">2L</TD><td><font size="2">Bradenton, FL</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">27</TD><td><font size="2">Patrick Lamy</TD><td><font size="2">WS</TD><td><font size="2">2L</TD><td><font size="2">New Orleans, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">50</TD><td><font size="2">Shawn Williams</TD><td><font size="2">OL</TD><td><font size="2">2L</TD><td><font size="2">St. Martinville, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">44</TD><td><font size="2">Wayne Stein</TD><td><font size="2">FB</TD><td><font size="2">3L</TD><td><font size="2">Garyville, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">54</TD><td><font size="2">Dallas Charles</TD><td><font size="2">DE</TD><td><font size="2">3L</TD><td><font size="2">Lake Charles, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">55</TD><td><font size="2">Derace James</TD><td><font size="2">DE</TD><td><font size="2">3L</TD><td><font size="2">Patterson, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">2</TD><td><font size="2">Frederick Stamps</TD><td><font size="2">WR</TD><td><font size="2">4L</TD><td><font size="2">New Orleans, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">8</TD><td><font size="2">Ricky Calais</TD><td><font size="2">LB</TD><td><font size="2">4L</TD><td><font size="2">Lafayette, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">39</TD><td><font size="2">Grant Autrey</TD><td><font size="2">P</TD><td><font size="2">4L</TD><td><font size="2">Morgan City, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">47</TD><td><font size="2">Antonio Floyd</TD><td><font size="2">DE</TD><td><font size="2">4L</TD><td><font size="1">St. Francisville, LA </TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">59</TD><td><font size="2">Ross Brupbacher</TD><td><font size="2">LB</TD><td><font size="2">4L</TD><td><font size="2">Lafayette, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">61</TD><td><font size="2">D'Anthony Batiste</TD><td><font size="2">OT</TD><td><font size="2">4L</TD><td><font size="2">Marksville, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">63</TD><td><font size="2">Daniel Taylor</TD><td><font size="2">DT</TD><td><font size="2">4L</TD><td><font size="2">Sulphur, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">87</TD><td><font size="2">Josh Joerg</TD><td><font size="2">TE</TD><td><font size="2">4L</TD><td><font size="2">Ruston, LA</TD><TR ALIGN=CENTER><td><font size="2">22</TD><td><font size="2">Eric Bartel</TD><td><font size="2">WR</TD><td><font size="2">4L</TD><td><font size="2">Friendswood, TX</TD></TR></TABLE>
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — With the 2003 football season entering the final stages, the Sun Belt Conference still looks like it did in August.
North Texas remains the banner carrier for the league at 6-3, ready for a third straight title and another spot in the New Orleans Bowl.
After that, UL and the other SBC members are a combined 15-49. No team has a winning record, and five schools have two or fewer victories apiece.
“North Texas is at the pinnacle of our conference,” Ragin’ Cajun coach Rickey Bustle said on Monday. “I do believe we will continue to close that gap, and that we will be able to compete at the top level in our conference.
“Next year we’ll have eight conference games, instead of having six big ones where you get beat down. I want to play in games we have a chance to win, and then see where we stack up.”
Bustle’s Cajuns, 2-8 after last Saturday’s 48-3 loss at Southern Mississippi, earlier played South Carolina, La. Tech, Houston, Minnesota and Oklahoma State in non-league games.
They played within seven points of USC (14-7) and Houston (21-14), but lost to the others (including USM) by a combined 186-to-23.
“In the Mid-America Conference, they play one or two of those big games, and anything can happen,” Bustle said. “But when you have to do it six times, it’s tougher.”
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The Cajuns and Southern Miss used to be on similar footing in their programs, but the Golden Eagles have clearly left UL behind.
“They’ve continued to improve and to have a commitment to their program,” Bustle said. “We’re trying to do that now. I always thought they had a heck of a program.”
One way to fight back and eventually approach that level will be for the Cajuns to defeat Florida International this Saturday and finish with a Sun Belt win at Middle Tennessee.
“We’ve asked the seniors to give us two more great weeks,” Bustle said. “We have a chance to win three of our last four games, and then a chance to win four of five. After the (0-7) start we had, that would be extremely exciting for us.
“That’s what we’ve asked the seniors to leave with us, give us something to build on.”
Bustle’s Cajuns fell behind Southern Miss 24-0 and never recovered last week, and have to quickly get past that debacle and focus on FIU, a Sun Belt member but a 1-AA football program.
“After practice today, the seniors will meet to see what the attitude is on the team,” said defensive end Antonio Floyd, one of 22 players making their Cajun Field finales.
“We need to prepare for Florida International as if they are a ranked team. If you start to sleep on the smaller teams, they stay close to you and pull an upset.”
“Antonio’s right about that,” Bustle said. “If you don’t get ready for a team like this, they’ll hang around, make it a close game and you lose. They’re playing hard. They (earlier) lost 21-10 to Troy State.
“I told the players that I wasn’t going to lose sleep over that (USM) game. We dug a hole, and from then on they just whipped us. I was disappointed that, once we got down 21-0, we didn’t compete as hard as we have been.
“I don’t think anybody quit. We just weren’t as wild-eyed. We weren’t out there clawing and scratching on every play.”
That’s the only way for the Cajuns to get where North Texas already is.
CAJUN CLIPPINGS — The La. Tech and FIU games count as Sun Belt contests for the Cajuns this fall ... Bustle said more recruits want to know UL’s conference future than their current record, adding, “The sooner it’s settled, the better.” ... The last time UL played a 1-AA team was a 20-0 win over Nicholls State in the 2001 season opener.
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<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — There is life after football.
It may be hard to realize that, especially in the heat of battle, but some players prepare for that day.
Louisiana senior defensive end Antonio Floyd is one of several Ragin’ Cajuns who already have a degree and are taking more classes to better anticipate their future.
“I graduated in the spring,” Floyd said, “and I’m working on a second degree. I want to take football as far as I can take it, but you’ve got to have a backup plan.
“I’ve met a lot of important people while I’ve been at UL, and I want to be ready when I won’t be playing anymore.”
It is also Floyd’s hope that underclassmen will view his blueprint and learn from it.
“We (the degreed Cajuns) encourage younger players to do the same thing,” Floyd said. “I started working on (getting) my degree when I was redshirted, and other players can do the same thing.
“And, if they’re Props (Proposition 48 players), they can earn that extra prop year back.”
Floyd is one of 22 seniors who will be playing their final home game when the Cajuns host Florida International this Saturday at Cajun Field.
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The St. Francisville product will have played two years each under Jerry Baldwin and current coach Rickey Bustle, blossoming under Bustle with 39 tackles (14 for losses of 42 yards) in 2002 and recording 28 stops (7 for losses of 69 yards) this year.
He and other seniors have been invaluable to Bustle in carrying the coach’s wishes to the squad.
“We are his speaker sometimes,” Floyd said. “Sometimes you need the seniors to step in. The message may sound repetitive coming from the coaches, and you have to have another voice. We try to lead the team on a positive note, get them headed in the right direction.”
That may be even more important in the hard times than good. Teams usually have plenty of leaders when victories are coming easily, but fewer in a 2-8 season like the Cajuns have endured.
“Inside, it does take you down a little bit (to lose),” Floyd said, “but it does prepare you for life. Things aren’t always going to go like you’d like them to go.”
If Bustle’s teaching takes hold, the Cajuns aren’t always going to be waiting for next year and the program will record its first winning season since 1995. Some of the pieces are in place.
“We have more depth,” Floyd said. “There are more people fighting for positions on the team. But it’s not going to come together until we all believe in what the coaches are putting in.
“Some of them believe it for a minute or two, but they start to pull away when things don’t go well.”
Bustle and his staff appreciate the example set by Floyd and other seniors. That’s one reason why a first-half injury to Floyd was hard to take in last week’s 48-3 loss at Southern Mississippi. That was a situation crying out for leadership.
“It was tough losing Antonio so early in that game,” Bustle said. “He’s one who has picked up on what we’re trying to do on defense. And (senior linebacker) Ross Brupbacher limped around for most of the game and finally came out.
“Sometimes you get immune to it,” Bustle said of injuries, “but when you look and you’ve got six people out of there who had been starting for us, it’s tough.”
Floyd, who is expected to recover for the home finale, has designs on playing professionally while preparing for his non-football life.
The recent ascension to the NFL of teammates Brad Franklin, Charles Tillman and Ike Taylor is an encouraging sign, but has also brought NFL scouts to the Cajun practice field.
“There’s a new scout every week,” Floyd said. “Peanut (Tillman), Ike and Brad gave us exposure. That helps. Ike always said he would make it.”
Floyd might make it, too, but he’s smart enough to be ready for whatever the future holds.
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<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. – Each week Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns football coaching staff honors players for their individual effort in game performances. The UL coaching staff would like to thank Hooters for sponsoring the Cajuns weekly and spring football awards.
This week, running back Dwight Lindon was named Hooters Offensive Player of the Game. Lindon had 10 carries for 61 yards and two catches for 27 yards, including a career-best 24-yard reception.
No selection was made for Hooters Defensive Player of the Game.
Senior punter Grant Autrey was named Hooters Special Forces Player of the Game. Autrey blasted 10 punts for a 38.9 average. It was the second Hooters selection for Autrey this season.
Butch Roussel and Mark Risher were named Offensive and Defensive Scout Team Players of the Week, respectively. It marked the third time both players received the award.
The Thumper, Hammer and Kuhuna Awards were not awarded this week. Fred Stamps and Eric Bartel will serve as offensive captains for the Cajuns next week, while Daniel Taylor and Antonio Floyd will serve as defensive captains.
Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns football team will face Florida International at 4 p.m. on Saturday in the final home game of the 2003 season at Cajun Field.
Seniors will be honored before the game in ppreciation for their dedication to the Ragin’ Cajuns football program. Also, Saturday is “Second Chance Night”. All season ticket holders can redeem any unused tickets for this weekend’s game all week at the Cajundome Box Office.<hr><b>PREVIOUS HOOTERS WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS</b>
Game 1 at South Carolina
Offensive: Travis Smothers
Defensive: Pat Lamy
Special Forces: Michael Adams
O-Scout: Butch Roussel
D-Scout: Mark Risher
Game 2 vs. Louisiana Tech
Offensive: No Award Given
Defensive: Ross Brupbacher
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Mike Moore
D-Scout: Kade Wildbur
Game 3 vs. Houston
Offensive: Ronnie Harvey
Defensive: Antonio Floyd
Special Forces: Grant Autrey
O-Scout: Bruce Taylor
D-Scout: Hershell Robinson
Game 4 at Minnesota
Offensive: Eric Rekieta
Defensive: No Award Given
Special Forces: Eric Bartel
O-Scout: Jordan Jackson
D-Scout: Jacob Junkin
Game 5 at North Texas
Offensive: Josh Joerg
Defensive: C.C. Brown
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Bruce Taylor
D-Scout: Derek Morel
Game 6 at Oklahoma State
Offensive: Fred Stamps
Defensive: Daniel Taylor
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Jordan Jackson
D-Scout: Julian Harris
Game 7 vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Offensive: Eric Rekieta
Defensive: Antonio Floyd
Special Forces: David Prater
O-Scout: Butch Roussel
D-Scout: Mark Risher
Game 8 vs. New Mexico State
Offensive: Jerry Babb
Defensive: Terryl Fenton
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Ronald Vaughn
D-Scout: Johnny Felders
Game 9 vs. Idaho
Offensive: Chester Johnson
Defensive: C.C. Brown
Special Forces: Justin Venable
O-Scout: David Schexnayder
D-Scout: Julian Harris
Game 10 at Southern Mississippi
Offensive: Dwight Lindon
Defensive: No Award Given
Special Forces: Grant Autrey
O-Scout: Butch Roussel
D-Scout: Mark Risher
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — The best thing to do with last Saturday’s 48-3 loss at Southern Mississippi was to leave it in the past, and that’s what Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns have been doing this week.
Sun Belt Conference member Florida International, a Division 1-AA program intent on stepping up to Division 1-A soon, will be at Cajun Field for Saturday’s 4 p.m. home finale.
The game counts in UL’s Sun Belt standings, but just as important will be the salute to 23 seniors.
“The only thing these players are promised is 12 football games,” Cajun offensive line coach Mike Gibson said. “This is one of 12 and the guys should be just as excited as South Carolina or Louisiana Monroe. Once the ball is snapped and people get hit I believe that everyone forgets about family a little bit and concentrates more on football.”
Gibson is not fooled by FIU’s 1-AA status.
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“They play hard,” Gibson said. “When you play an opponent that plays hard, you’d better match their intensity. I think that’s the biggest thing that impresses me.
“It doesn’t matter what the score is or whether it’s the first play or the 60th, FIU is going to play hard.”
Gibson’s oft-injured offensive linemen will have to prepare for a Panthers defense that used a 5-2 look for much of the season before having success with a 4-3 last week.
“It seems like they change schemes weekly,” Gibson said. “We’ve seen them in a 5-2 and then last week they come out in a 4-3. We don’t know what they’ll play this week.
“If they can make that big of a change in one week then they can certainly change again. We have to practice against a little bit of everything.
“We have gotten better as a football team. Our run blocking is better, our quarterbacks have matured and all of our receivers have improved. The process of building a program takes time and I want to see us improve week to week.”
Injury Update
Jamal Smith, ankle surgery (out for season), David Kirkley, knee surgery (out for season), Greg Hodges, knee (out for season), Ricky Thomas, foot (out for season), Eric Rekieta, collarbone (out for season), Lamar Morgan, knee surgery (out for season), Jarvis Murchison, wrist surgery (out for season), Wes Simon, shoulder surgery (out for season, George Benson, ankle (out), Ross Brupbacher, ankle (probable), Travis Ferguson, ankle/knee (probable), Antonio Floyd, shoulder (probable), Jarrett Jones, shoulder (probable), G.W. Rudick, knee (probable).
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<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Infection takes ULL defensive tackle down rough road</b>
LOUISIANA LA. -- Darryl Blappert's narrow window of college eligibility almost closed prematurely several months ago when he mysteriously began losing excessive weight.
Blappert, a senior University of Louisiana at Lafayette defensive tackle, weighed almost as much as a running back at the start of his first and probably last Division I-A season.
Normally Blappert carried 275 pounds on his 6-foot-7 frame, but as preseason August practices continued, his weight dipped sometimes as low as 235.
"It got so bad that the coaches would keep me inside, away from the heat and off the field until it was absolutely necessary and then I would run out and practice a little bit," said Blappert, a junior college transfer. "Standing out in the sun and sweating so much would make the weight just drip off me."
Physicians eventually diagnosed Blappert with an intestinal infection that caused his body's metabolism to accelerate about 57 percent more than normal.
"Actually what I have isn't so abnormal and it's not life threatening," Blappert said. "What is does is make my body run faster and burns up weight at an extremely high level.
"With the medication, the infection should run its course, but it has helped turn what I hoped would be a great year into one that's been pretty tough."
Blappert, who started the past several weeks at one defensive tackle, has had what even he concedes a unique college football career.
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After graduating from Slidell's Salmen High, Blappert signed a football scholarship at Tulane, but never played there.
He left college after a year and worked as a bouncer in New Orleans at Bourbon Street bars and also as an interior house construction laborer specializing in counter top design.
The 22-year-old Blappert started playing football again at Mississippi's Pearl River Junior College, where he was an honorable mention JC All-American.
In February, he signed at ULL and underwent spring drills on the defensive side.
After it became evident during the preseason that Blappert was too light to play on the interior defensive line, the ULL coaches switched him to tight end behind four-year starter Josh Joerg.
The move never was a perfect fit for Blappert and by mid-season, he was back at defensive tackle, despite weighing 245 pounds.
"I was used to being a starter in junior college on defense and here I was standing on the sideline," he said. "The coaches felt they needed a backup tight end and they moved me there because of a need and the fact that they were also trying to get me on the field as much as possible.
"That was all right, but I love playing defense," he said. "I like mixing it up. I play the game with an angry attitude and on offense you can't do that."
Blappert played about 15 snaps and failed to catch a pass at tight end before the coaching staff moved him to a backup defensive tackle.
ULL defensive line coach Shawn Quinn said after moving back to tackle, it was obvious that Blappert rediscovered his niche.
"Darryl's a throwback to those football players like a ~~~~ Butkus or Jack Lambert, who are not happy unless they're hitting somebody," Quinn said. "His attitude on the field is magnetic. He helped motivate the younger guys who saw how he worked. Darryl's just a fun guy to coach."
Blappert played some in ULL's loss at Oklahoma State and then played more during the ensuing weeks against UL-Monroe, New Mexico State and Idaho State.
Quinn said Blappert had probably his best game of the season Saturday at Southern Mississippi.
It was also Blappert's first start and he had four solo tackles and an assist.
"That was a great game for me because I was playing close to where I played in junior college and I knew some of the players from Southern Miss," Blappert said. "My grandparents live in Bay St. Louis and they were also at the game. I played 40 snaps and I did pretty well."
Quinn said it's disappointing that Blappert's college career might be ending just as he seems to be developing.
"Right now Darryl's playing at a pretty high level alongside Daniel Taylor," Quinn said. "He's a very intelligent guy, who's picked up quickly on what we are teaching."
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I would like to know why I never saw any article like that in the Sadvitiser.
Good Luck Darryl.
I am hoping for a win over FIU this weekend, so why do I call this Saturday "Separation Saturday"?
<li>It's not because Bustle can match Baldwin’s best single season win total with a win on Saturday. He did that in year one. This would simply be two in a row.
<li>Bustle's Cajuns have played twice as many top 30 teams in the country in his first 2 years, as Baldwin played in 3, so superior strength of schedule is not the reason. The Bustle Led Cajuns have this one hands down.
<li>It’s not hinging on whether his record is 1-0 or 0-1 after two years against D1aa schools. I mean there is really no possible comparison in this regard. By this time in Baldwin’s second year he had tied 1 D1aa school in regulation, and lost to 3 others.
<li>It has nothing to do with 2 year win totals. Bustle matched Baldwin's two year win total on November 9th 2002 when his overall record was 3-7. For comparison sake Baldwin reached his third win on November 4th 2000 with an overall record of 3-17. Bustle reached 3 wins 10 games faster than Baldwin, so obviously this year’s record is not why I call this separation Saturday.
<li>For clarification (of the previous), it's not separation Saturday based on a win against FIU giving Bustle 6 wins or double the number of wins in Baldwin’s first 2 years. That could be used, but for this page it is not the criteria. But we are getting warmer.
<li>For me it is separation Saturday because a win on Saturday will give UL fans a winning record at home over the last two years. A win would make <b>Louisiana 6-5</b> for the games personally witnessed by fans at the Swamp and confirm that a winning tradition has been started under Bustle. It would also tie for the second year in a row the number of home wins with Jake Delhomme’s last season.
<li>Finally and this is a big one for me. A win on Saturday will move UL to .500 in Conference play and position the Ragin' Cajuns for a winning record in the SunBelt.
Separation Saturday, is less about Baldwin vs. Bustle, and instead is a marking point of separation between the past and the future.
Been thinking about football at all today, Turb? :)
This is a perfect example why we should not recruit junior college players. His tenure is already done. If we would have recruited a high school player instead, he would still be around.
I beleive the word is called rebuilding. We need guys with experience right now. If Blappert were a high school recruit, he probably would not have played as much and had the impact he did. I have faith that Coach Bustle and staff know exactly what they are doing when it comes to recruiting. Just my 2 cents.Quote:
Originally posted by cajun tom
This is a perfect example why we should not recruit junior college players. His tenure is already done. If we would have recruited a high school player instead, he would still be around.
A little.;)Quote:
Originally posted by ATXCajun
Been thinking about football at all today, Turb? :)
The thing is Bustle did not sacrifice high school recruits in order to sign JC kids.Quote:
Originally posted by cajun tom
This is a perfect example why we should not recruit junior college players. His tenure is already done. If we would have recruited a high school player instead, he would still be around.
ATX, my man Turbine is always thinking. He has got some brains;) .~. .~. .~. .~.
<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Cajun fans wave bye to 22 seniors vs. FIU Panthers today.</b>
LOUISIANA La. — Today is Senior Day at Cajun Field, with 22 players taking a final bow as Louisiana hosts Florida International at 4 p.m. in the last home game of the season.
But it’s more than a little symbolic that redshirt freshman Jerry Babb is the starting quarterback for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Senior Eric Rekieta will finish his two-year Cajun career on the sidelines with a broken collarbone suffered four games ago against New Mexico State.
Rekieta had hit 99-of-165 passes for 1,090 yards and 7 touchdowns before the injury, including a school-record 473 yards against UL Monroe.
He finishes just a shade outside of the career Top 10 for yardage at UL with 1,742 (No. 10 James Freeman had 1,760) and has served as a valuable bridge between Jon Van Cleave and Babb.
Babb (88-of-167, 860 yards, 2 TD; 51-146-3 rushing) stepped in to direct wins over NMSU and Idaho before faltering in last week’s 48-3 loss at Southern Mississippi.
His mistakes have mirrored the Cajuns’ growing pains in the second year under coach Rickey Bustle, a year which still has a chance to finish on a high note.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/html/AA8F5B04-1152-479D-AB90-FFFF01DC3921.shtml">The rest of the story</a>
Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com <!--
The Cajuns are 2-8 overall but have won two of the last three and could win four of the last five by topping FIU today and Middle Tennessee on the road in the finale.
“Patience is part of it,” Bustle said of his reclamation project. “I probably don’t have enough of it. I want to win now.
“We’ve asked the seniors to leave us something to build on. We still have a chance to win four of the last five.”
Sure to be a pivotal part of today’s effort is senior wide receiver Fred Stamps, who has caught a pass in all 42 of his collegiate games and is among Cajun career leaders with 164 receptions for 2,551 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Stamps is headed toward another All-Sun Belt Conference finish with a team-high 46 catches for 735 yards and 4 scores.
Other senior starters on offense include tight end Josh Joerg (9-84-1), fullback Wayne Stein, wide receiver Eric Bartel (18-159-0) and guard D’Anthony Batiste.
Defensively, front-liners include defensive ends Antonio Floyd (28 tackles) and Derace James (22), defensive tackles Daniel Taylor (20) and Darryl Blappert (6), linebackers Ross Brupbacher (54) and Ricky Calais (17) and safety Patrick Lamy (40).
Punter Grant Autrey (39.7-yard average) is also a senior.
Floyd, Brupbacher and Calais already have their degrees and are working on further academic progress.
The Cajuns have gone 6-4 in their last 10 Senior Days at Cajun Field, and the last time they hosted a Division 1-AA team (such as FIU) they beat Nicholls State 20-0 in the 2001 season opener.
But the 2-7 Panthers of coach Don Strock have won their last two games, scoring 89 points in the process.
“The worst mistake you can make is thinking they’re 1-AA and you won’t have any trouble,” Bustle said. “I know we’d better be ready to play.”
Strock, a former Virginia Tech star and Miami Dolphins quarterback, has former Dolphins Bruce Hardy and Tony Nathan on his coaching staff.
“Against certain teams, NFL experience is an advantage,” Strock said, “but it’s a disadvantage when we play veer and option teams. You don’t see that a lot in the NFL.”
The Cajuns and Panthers may see a lot of each other in the near future.
Today’s game counts as one of UL’s Sun Belt games this season, and Sun Belt member FIU is aiming to step up to Division 1-A soon.
CAJUN CLIPPINGS — Sean Comiskey has made 9-of-12 field goals. No Cajun kicker has made more than 10 in a season since Mike Shafer was 14-of-14 in 1994 ... it’s been 56 games and 235 runbacks since the Cajuns returned a kickoff for a touchdown ... the Cajuns have been outgained in every game this year.
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Turb,
I'll have my collection of old Athlon mags and a few other Cajun football historical items in the trunk today. Look for me there by the Bookstore's set up at D2.
DC
Great job seniors.