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The Louisiana Ragin' Cajun football team has kept things within the family in obtaining its first verbal commitment for the 2006 recruiting class.
Catholic-New Iberia fullback Matt Desormeaux, a 6-foot-1, 210-pounder and a two-time All-District 6-3A selection, gave UL head coach Rickey Bustle a verbal pledge Tuesday evening.
"It was so close to home, that was the big thing," said Desormeaux, who helped lead the Panthers to a 9-1 regular-season mark and the 6-3A title. "I wanted to stay close to home. It's nice to be able to get home when you want to."
Carrying more weight in his decision, though, was having older brother Michael Desormeaux already on the UL squad. Michael, a redshirt freshman quarterback this year, started four games and saw significant action when returning starter Jerry Babb injured his shoulder, and the older Desormeaux finished as the Cajuns' second-leading rusher.
"I've wanted to play with him again ever since the Parkview Baptist game his senior year," said the younger Desormeaux, who was a sophomore in Michael's senior year at CHNI. "It'll be amazing. He told me to go where I felt I should go and do what felt right."
"He's very different from his brother," said Catholic head coach David Comeaux. "Michael is such a great athlete and has such a great mind for the game at the quarterback position. Matt is more of the animal type, a pure football player, very physical and very aggressive. He's got more heart than just about any player I've ever coached."
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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com
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Desormeaux rushed for just under 700 yards and averaged 6.5 yards per carry. He rushed for 627 yards as a junior in earning his first all-league honor. He had played defense as a sophomore.
"Fullback is key in what we do and we needed him there," Comeaux said. "He bugged me all year to be on the kickoff team. He was one of our wedge busters and every time we kicked off he was on the tackle. It was incredible to watch."
"I just want to play," said Desormeaux, who chose UL over heavy recruitment by UL Monroe. "I don't care if it's offense or defense. I just love playing."
Desormeaux was Class 3A's state champion powerlifter in the 220-pound class last year and has bests of 510 squat, 330 bench press and 540 dead lift.
"I think he will add 20-30 pounds on his frame," Comeaux said. "He's just willing to outwork everybody. They got a good one because before it's over he's going to be bleeding red and white. He's that kind of a player."
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