Quote from UL-Monroe's head coach
<blockquote><p align=justify>..."I know they're the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, we're the University of Louisiana-Monroe. So who is the University of Louisiana, is it Monroe or is it Lafayette? We're fixing to find out here in a couple of days."...<center><p><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/100903/spo_special001.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
UL-MONROE: In Monroe, for the University of Louisiana at Monroe players, this week's matchup with winless University of Louisiana at Lafayette means more than a chance for the Indians to notch their first win of the season. It's a rivalry game, and that would make victory all the sweeter.
"It's a big game, its the Battle on the Bayou," said ULM cornerback Cash Mouton, who hails from Carencro, during Wednesday's weekly football press conference.
"It's two Louisiana teams going at it. If we come out victorious it will help us out a lot in recruiting and a lot of other aspects for the University," he said.
It will be the first "Battle on the Bayou" for first-year Indians' head coach Charlie Weatherbie, but he said he realizes the game's importance.
"I know an opportunity to win an instate rivalry game, to win an instate game, it helps in recruiting. I believe it helps in the overall feeling of the university and our program," Weatherbie said.
"I know they're the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, we're the University of Louisiana-Monroe. So who is the University of Louisiana, is it Monroe or is it Lafayette? We're fixing to find out here in a couple of days."
Despite the tough start, linebacker Maurice Sonnier said the Indians are still upbeat, particularly with five Sun Belt Conference games remaining.
"Our morale is still up because they (the players) know the type of talent that we do have on this team," Sonnier said. "They know we can compete in the Sun Belt if we play the way we need to play. I think everybody is ready and anxious to get that first victory."
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0-6 Cajuns, Indians sport talent
<blockquote><p align=justify>Louisiana La. — Despite the matchup of winless teams in Saturday’s homecoming game at Cajun Field, both Louisiana La. and UL Monroe have players who could make the contest enjoyable.
Judging by last week’s near-miss 44-41 loss to Arkansas State, ULM’s Indians are capable of putting up points in a hurry at the midway point of the season.
The breakout star for coach Charlie Weatherbie is redshirt freshman running back Kevin Payne, a 208-pounder from Junction City, Ark. , who is 24th in the nation in rushing at 96.3 yards per game.
Payne rushed 25 times for 169 yards — the 14th-highest single-game total in ULM history — against ASU. He also scored on a 55-yard screen pass and totaled 227 rushing and receiving yards.
Another new face is freshman wide receiver RoShon Jacobs, who had nine catches for 85 yards and TD grabs of 20 and 9 yards from Steven Jyles. Just a sophomore himself, Jyles has hit 109-of-196 passes for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns in 2003.
ULM’s top aerial target remains All-Sun Belt wide receiver Mack Vincent (31-325-3). The senior from Marrero has 172 career receptions for 2,298 yards for the Indians.
ULM rolled to 538 yards of offense last week — 208 rushing, 330 passing.
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Bruce Brown
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The defense also has impact players including senior linebacker Maurice Sonnier, a Port Barre product who leads the Indians with 52 tackles in six games including three for losses and a pair of sacks.
Other Acadiana area products like punter Joel Stelly (Cecilia, 44.6 yards per punt) and strong safety Travin Moore (Abbeville, 33 tackles) are also prominent.
Coach Rickey Bustle’s Cajuns continue to rely on senior wide receiver Fred Stamps, who paired with ULM’s Vincent as the receivers on the 2002 All-Sun Belt team.
Stamps, who had a breakout 5-for-118 game last week at Oklahoma State, has a catch in all 38 of his college games and is at 142 for 2,202 yards and 13 touchdowns in his sterling Cajun career.
In last year’s finale at ULM, Stamps’ 74 yards receiving put him over 1,000 yards for the season (1,002), only the second receiver at the school to do that.
While the Indians have Payne to carry the ball, the Cajuns have put together a backfield-by-committee so far. But junior college transfer Travis Smothers ran for 109 in the season opener at SEC member South Carolina and has big-play potential.
Senior quarterback Eric Rekieta hit 13 of his first 14 passes at Oklahoma State last week, and is clicking on over 60 percent (60.8; 59-of-97) for 558 yards and three touchdowns.
With Rekieta as the starter the last three weeks against a trio of 2002 bowl champions, the Cajuns have totaled 208, 227 and 347 yards of offense.
Redshirt freshman Jerry Babb (46-of-101, 451 yards) is still in the rotation at the position.
Sophomore Sean Comiskey hit three field goals at North Texas and is at 5-of-8 on the year.
One kicking number that is too big is Grant Autrey’s 42 punts, which puts him on a pace for 84 by season’s end. That would break his 11-game school record of 81 set in 2000.
The Cajun defense has been hit by injuries, with leading tackler Patrick Lamy (33 stops) on the list this week. Close behind is senior linebacker Ross Brupbacher (32).
The Cajuns, 34-21-2 all-time in homecoming games, are 4-3 against the Indians for homecoming including a classic 40-26 comeback in 1982. In a series tied at 19 wins apiece, ULL leads 7-4 at Cajun Field.
Saturday’s winner has a chance to re-start a disappointing campaign. Chances are, one of the above players will have a crucial role in that revival.
CAJUN CLIPPINGS — The Cajuns are 59th in the nation in turnover margin at plus 0.17, while the Indians are 113th at minus 2.0 per game ... Four other teams in ULL history have started a season 0-6 ... The last Cajun to return a kickoff for a touchdown was Brad Franklin in the 1998 finale against Western Kentucky, 52 games ago.
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