Cajun tailgating, and parking upgraded
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — UL is currently implementing new procedures for football parking and gameday tailgating.
The new limestone areas on the west side of the stadium will be relegated to parking only. Tents and tailgating areas are being extended to the grassy areas along Reinhardt Drive.
All gates will be closed and locked at 7 p.m. on the Friday evenings which precede game days. Gate 1, at the corner of Reinhardt Drive and Bertrand Drive, will reopen Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. All other gates will open at noon.
These parking and tailgating changes are being implemented to improve safety and traffic flow while increasing utilization of the parking and tailgating areas.<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/html/7D5A9754-B0A2-4180-B377-C60D6F2D5649.shtml">The source of the story</a>
questions about Tech game
Hello, Cajun fans! I have a few questions about this weekend's game, so if anyone can help me out, I greatly appreciate it.
How is the tailgating atmosphere? About what time should I arrive in order to avoid any traffic problems?
If I wait until Saturday to buy a ticket, will I be able to get a decent seat, or should I try to buy one as soon as possible?
What is ULL's average attendance? Doesn't Cajun Field seat about 30-35K?
Good luck to both teams. Hopefully it will be an exciting game.
Mike Flanagan
Louisiana Tech
Class of 1949
Pictures from Tuesday's practice
<h3><center><p><a href="https://forumeus.com/images/albums/2003-04-football-practice-d.htm">Practice Pictures from Tuesday (group 1)</a>
<center><p><a href="https://forumeus.com/images/albums/2003-04-football-practice-e.htm">Practice Pictures from Tuesday (group 2)</a></h3>
Cajuns pick up the pace with Tech up next
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. — Halfway to Saturday’s home opener against Louisiana Tech, Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns were forced indoors by rain on Wednesday.
Coach Rickey Bustle and his staff used the practice at Blackham Coliseum as a mental preparation day.
“The pace is definitely quicker,” defensive coordinator Brent Pry said. “We had extra days to prepare for South Carolina. The newcomers aren’t used to the large amount of information thrown at them so quickly. They’ve been a little overwhelmed, but we’ll use Thursday and Friday to reassure them.”
Pry’s defense will be tested by a Tech offense sure to throw the ball in the battle of old rivals.
“With it being an in-state game, and then add on to it that it’s a conference game and our home opener, there is a lot of meaning in this game,” Pry said. “The guys are really looking forward to it and understand the weight and magnitude.
“South Carolina’s quarterback didn’t challenge us like Tech’s will. We are facing a great passing attack and a top-ranked offense. They have an arsenal of veteran receivers and a veteran quarterback.
“There is a lot of chemistry on their offense and they work well together.”
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/html/1F4D1619-F211-42E9-9BD3-BC7FD0531176.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
Tech, which was undone by three return touchdowns by Miami in an opening 48-9 loss last week, is confident in that potent aerial game.
“They are going to spread the field and do a lot of things through the air,” Pry said. “They’ve been doing just that for a long time and are pretty good at it. We are going to be challenged.”
The secondary is confident after breaking up 10 passes in the 14-7 loss at South Carolina.
“Part of the credit goes to the guys preparing and their coaches really making sure they understood the schemes,” Pry said. “The players did a good job making sure they ran the coverages that were called.”
If that secondary needs a barometer of its progress, the players can expect senior Fred Stamps to provide it — often at the risk of their confidence.
“Fred Stamps frustrates our defense,” Pry said. “You can have great coverage and he’ll still make the catch.
“We’ve learned to fight the pocket and try to get the ball out. Even when it looks like the catch is made, you have to finish off and try to punch the pocket.
“We did a good job at South Carolina, knocking the ball out before the play was done.”
The Cajuns operated without veteran safety Jamal Smith (ankle) and could be again this week.
“Jamal Smith is missed,” Pry said. “There were some plays at South Carolina that we couldn’t get to that I’ve seen him make a dozen times. He’s a smart football player and a lot of our adjustments were initiated through him.
“We get a boost with C.C. Brown coming into the lineup and then you have James Roberts who gained a ton of experience last week. Jarrett Jones can make some plays as well. I feel confident in those three players getting the job done while Jamal is out.”
Getting defensive tackle Ken Haynes (knee) back will be a plus.
“We’re glad to have Ken Haynes back,” Pry said. “He’s big and athletic, but he’s missed a lot of practice and his fundamentals are not where they need to be because of it.”
If quarterback Jerry Babb and the Cajun offense can control the clock on Saturday, that would be a boost for Pry’s unit.
“When you can run the ball effectively you can control the ball and it gives the defense more time to rest,” said Pry. “It was nice on Saturday, we were fortunate to control the ball, but also the defense was able to roll a bunch of people.
“We played five linebackers, five corners, six safeties and 12 defensive linemen. There are a lot of guys that can step in and do the job and it allows guys to rest.”
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Smothers finds rainbow at end of journey
<blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA La. -- Don't ask Travis Smothers to explain the circumstances that led to his arrival last month at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
The story is complicated, much like the events that have impacted the fabric of Smothers' life.
In 1993, his mother, Baton Rouge police officer Betty Smothers, a single parent of six, was gunned down while helping a grocery store manager make a night deposit at a Jefferson Highway bank.
After Betty Smothers' death, the family eventually separated. The three youngest siblings moved to Tampa, Fla., to live with older brother Warrick Dunn, the former Catholic High and Florida State standout who was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dunn is now with the Atlanta Falcons.
Smothers said he attended Catholich High and Redemptorist before playing football and running track at Tampa Catholic High.
Stints at Hinds and Jones County Community Colleges in Mississippi followed. However, rules limiting the number of out-of-state football players made Smothers a track only competitor.
Last year Smothers attended Hillsborough Junior College in Tampa for a semester, but did not participate in athletics.
<center><p><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/090403/spo_smothers001.shtml">The rest of the story</a>
By BOBBY ARDOIN
Special to The Advocate <!--
As a younger brother of Dunn, Smothers has dealt with the inevitable comparisons.
When Smothers arrived at UL four days after the varsity reported for the 2003 season, Smothers expected to play wide receiver and remain somewhat anonymous.
Instead, Smothers was immediately asked to play tailback and against South Carolina Saturday, Smothers responded, carrying for 113 yards on 19 carries.
UL officials said Dunn watched from the team's sidelines at South Carolina's Williams-Brice Stadium as Smothers became the first Cajuns' running back since 2001 to run for over 100 yards.
That success provides Smothers with a notable highlight from what is now a 10-year odyssey. One of the rainbows separating the clouds in Smothers' life have come at UL, where he is listed as the starter at tailback after less than a month of practices.
Smothers unusual path to backfield starter after not playing football for several years, is perhaps a reward for perserverance.
Through it all, he thinks of his mother, who died at 36 after working two jobs to support a large family.
"I've told myself I will probably never have the strength that she had," Smothers said. "But I do think the Lord has a plan for me and I'm going to try to live up to whatever that is. Fortunately, I've always been a member of a close family that has taken care of each other.
"My mother's death and that tragedy and the publicity that went along with it is something that I wake up to every day and face the facts."
Smothers said it was always his intention to play college football, but the chance never came until he contacted the UL staff.
"It's a long story how I got here, one that's too long to tell. The short side of it went something like the friend of a friend got in touch with UL (UL running backs' coach Brian Jenkins)," Smothers said. "They talked to me about coming down here to walk on. That's basically how it all started."
As a track sprinter, Smothers said his natural position is at receiver, but he accepted the switch to play running back as the pathway to the field.
"I was just trying to go some place to play some football, and if I was going to take advantage of the opportunity, than I would play running back," Smothers said.
Smothers estimates he has learned about 70 percent of the Cajuns' offensive plays. What he doesn't know yet is explained to him by other members of the offense.
Jenkins said the addition of Smothers, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound junior, gives the UL backfield a different dimension.
"(Smothers) is a little quicker than the other running backs. Along with that, he has a little toughness about him," Jenkins said. "That position was lacking a little speed and he showed that against South Carolina.
"I thought (Smothers) was able to get in there and make some plays for us. He gives us a different kind of back."
Smothers said he hopes one day to let his accomplishments stand on their own, instead of having them possibly compared to those of his older brother.
"I would like at one point for people to look at what I do and say that Betty's son has arrived," Smothers said.
"This year I would also like to come in and contribute and do anything that it takes to help this team win.
"I want to run the ball, but helping this program become a winner would be great," he said.
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