2006 Football Previews

[Boomer]

Good post Clutch, I did not get to see any of the spring practices or the game so it is nice to hear a breakdown. I think we have a nice blend of youth and experience on offense and FINALLY have some QUALITY depth at all positions. What the ragincajuns.com depth chart does not show is that at many positions we are actually 3 deep not just 2. As far as Brad Bryant weighing only 255, I find that hard to believe. When he signed with us in February 2005 he was listed as weighing 255 then, so either that was not true then or his weight listed now is not correct. After almost 18 months in the weight training program he should at least be 270-275 which is still light but better than 255.

I am upset that Hargroder is gone----Thought we would get the 2 from OLe Miss and we wind up losing 1----Ahhhhhhh!!!

[Hammer58]

Sounds a little biased to me! LOL!

Just wait until he gives his prediction on the band.

[mickzat]

Clutch,

I see a future for you in sports journilism.

Keep up th great work!

[Clutch0364]

Just wait until he gives his prediction on the band.

Well our band lost a lot of key Sr. but they got a lot of young talent. I don't think it will take long for them to get back to what they once were :-)

[Clutch0364]

Clutch,

I see a future for you in sports journilism.

Keep up th great work!

Thanks I appreciate the kind words

[BabbForHeisman]

Clutch,

I see a future for you in sports journilism.

Keep up th great work!

[UL_Cajuns]

Awesome!

Man Bustle has built a team!

If you build it, we will win!!!!

I am hyped for this year!

[Clutch0364]

2006 Defense ... return to PART I

DE
1. Anthony Hills – The last 2 years you could see the improvements in his game. Last year his improvement got him honorable mention all-conference and I don’t think his continued improvement will stop this year. I look for him to improve upon his 4 sacks from a year ago.
2. Rodney Hardeway – He takes over as a starter in place of a very good DE in Eugene Kwartang but I believe we will be just fine with Hardeway. Hardeway had 3 sacks last year and hopefully he can improve on that and pressure the QB and if he can do that then we will be improved at this position.
3. Hall Davis – Yet another red-shirt freshman in a backup role. He is a smaller guy at 6’4 215 but with that he also has great speed off the corner. If he uses that speed correctly he should be able to pressure the QB and cause a lot of bad passes.
4. Greg Hathorn – A JUCO transfer who I think we be a big contributor to our defense. He is an athletic guy who should be able to pressure the QB. Playing JUCO gave him game experience that should get him plenty of playing time with the youth that we have at the position.
5. Chris Lanaux – We are seeing a trend with red-shirt freshman in backup positions. He should get plenty of playing time and get valuable experience. I look for him and Hall Davis to get a lot of time to develop without being rushed into anything but they will defiantly get playing time to show what they can do.
Position Grade – C+ I really like Anthony Hills and believe he will have a big year but if not for him the grade for the ends would be much lower.
DT
1. Korey Raymond – The biggest signing in this recruiting class in my opinion. A lot of us have been hoping to get a big DT who can control the line and if Korey is able to do what he has always done then we will have exactly that. He signed with Auburn out of high school and had committed to Ole Miss before deciding to go to UL, which says a lot with the defenses the SEC produces every year. I look for him to be looked at as a candidate for defensive player of the year.
2. Marshal Delesdernier – He is not the biggest defensive lineman but he has more heart than anyone on our defense. He has been a big contributor on the defense for going on 3 years and I have not seen him take a play off yet.
3. Travis Ferguson – Well the last 2 years I have been high on Travis only to be disappointed when the season starts. He has so much potential yet has not lived up to any of it but I’m hoping that this year it finally clicks that with his size he has pro potential with a great year.
4. Joe Bradley – Is an explosive guy off the line and I think he will give a lot of depth at tackle and at end. He is an undersized DT but when he goes out at end he is just the right size. He had a solid year in this type of role last year so hopefully he will continue to improve and give us the depth that we need.
Position Grade – C+ With the addition of Korey Raymond and the belief I have that Travis Ferguson will finally get his act together I think they have the potential to play much better than this grade.
LB
1. Mark Risher – Started off last year as an ILB but when put back on the outside he played great. He was our 2nd leading tackler last year and this year I look at him as someone who should be our leading tackler this year. With the experience Risher has had over the last 3 years I feel he should become one of the better LB’s in the conference.
2. Brenton Burkhalter – He was very impressive last year and he was only a red-shirt freshman. He was out 3rd leading tackler and he was tied with 3 other players for the team lead in sacks with 4. He didn’t play as much at the beginning of the season as he did at the end and our defense played better towards the end of the season so need I say more? I look for him to have another big year and battle with Risher for the team lead in tackles all year long.
3. Tre Green – He brings a lot of athletic ability to the table but he still has a problem at times tackling a man in the open field like many of our back 7 did last year. He has shown that he can make plays but consistency has been a problem but if he becomes consistent he will add a lot to our defense.
4. Mack Fair – I enjoyed the fire and intensity that Mack brought to the field last year. If he brings that fire to the field this year I think his numbers should increase a lot with the Cajuns loss of Tyler Norman. Just like Tre he needs to show more consistency but with the increase in playing time that he should get he will have more than enough time to prove himself.
5. Wes Simon – A guy who I feel plays with a lot of heart but he is undersized and gets engulfed by the much bigger guys who are blocking him. He is never afraid to get in there and make a tackle and although I love this about him I get worried when the ball is run to his side. Hopefully he can stay healthy this year and prove me and a lot of other people wrong about his ability.
6. Joseph Hadnot – Well because of injury I have not been able to see him play much but from what I have seen he is probably the most athletic LB on the roster. He is undersized but hopefully he can use his athletic ability to get into the backfield and make some plays.
Position Grade – C- I love the combination of Risher and Burkhalter but the rest of the LB’s have to step up and make some plays to make this group better.
SS
1. Johnny Felders – Was 4th on the team in tackles last year, which is pretty typical of a UL SS because they are never afraid to come up to the line and make plays. He will be a solid starter and be very dependable but I think that the freshman we have coming in such as McCoy and Rolle they will press him for playing time.
2. Derik Keyes – He played very well on special teams last year and I think this year will be no different for him. He adds quality depth at the safety position but he is a much better special teams player than safety.
Position Grade – C- This group has the potential to be good but at first glance I just can’t get excited about them.
FS
1. Lamar Morgan – I have heard a lot of people being hard on Morgan but I really like this kid. A lot of people forget he was coming back from major knee surgery last year and that is hard for any player. I feel this will be his breakout year for the Cajuns and become the next in a long line of great Cajun DB’s.
2. Gerren Blount – I will be honest I have only see him play once and that was during one of the Texas high school all star games from his Sr. year. I watched the spring game but I don’t remember seeing him. In that all-star game he played CB and not safety which I think is a good move for him. He was beat deep on a play during that game which to me shows he will be better playing deep in that FS position. He is a young guy who should gain valuable PT this year and that experience will help him in the long run.
Position Grade – C+ I think this is Lamar Morgan’s year to break out. He had the knee injury that I think took him mentally longer to recover from than physically but last year I seen something that made me feel his would be his year.

CB
1. Kyle Ward – The one play that sticks out in my mind about Kyle was his interception against ULM. He has tremendous speed and just like that ULM game if he picks it off watch because he will make something happen.

2. Michael Adams – He is my favorite player to watch on our defense because he puts his head down and gets at people legs. A spark plug for our defense and I know that a lot of his tackles last year brought us fans to our feet. Although he is a smaller corner he plays much bigger than the 5’8 he is listed at and I can’t wait for a RB to get that toss sweep to his side so he can explode through their legs.

3. Jemarcus Smith – A guy that I really like. I was listening to the game against Arkansas State last year because it was not on TV and Jay described him make a play to deflect a ball on a play and it sticks out to me every time I think about him. I have been expecting him to make a jump and become one of our better DB’s and I am still waiting to see an explosion because he does have the potential to.

4. Torres Kingsby – He has made some nice plays in the time he has been on the field but I still view him as more of special teams guy. If continues to improve as he has the last few years he has the ability to be a solid performer in our back 4.
Position Grade – C+ Kyle Ward played big last year and Michael Adams is a guy who could really become a top corner in this league. Jemarcus Smith is also his way up and I really see this group getting better throughout this year. The first 2 games will be real test but look for them to rebound well during the conference season.

A look at the schedule…

]September 2 – at LSU – Well every year we have a money game and this one is just that. Although they are not as good as the Texas team that beat us last year they are a very good team, who in every poll I have viewed is ranked in the preseason top 10. They do have a few question marks however at QB and at HB. They say Jemarcus Russell will start but Ryan Perilloux and Matt Flynn will push for time. Flynn played great in the Peach Bowl last year and Perilloux is one of the most heralded athletes LSU has ever signed. They lost a lot in their front 7 on defense but the one guy they will miss more than any in my opinion is Kyle Williams because he brought a lot of heart and leadership to the field. A lot of people are expecting a blowout and I think it very well could be but I look for it to be a 14 or 21 point game because neither team will play the starters the whole game. Just like Texas last year we will use this as a game to get a lot of players playing time in a hostile environment.

September 9 – at Texas A&M – Well A&M lost a lot of off last years team with the biggest loss being Reggie McNeal but they still will have a really good squad. They do have a very capable QB however in sophomore Stephan McGee. A lot of people might remember him because he is the guy who almost led them to victory against Texas last year. He is a very mobile guy whose passing will get better throughout the year so its good that we play them early. The thing that’s sticks out if you look at their depth chart is the amount of sophomores and juniors that are starting and youth and inexperience can be a key in us upsetting them. I think this will be a closer game than the experts will say it will be because of UL’s experience and A&M’s youth. If all the chips fall into place in this game we might be able to celebrate the biggest win of the Bustle era.

September 16 – As of right now we do not know who our opponent will be this week but regardless if it is McNeese, Nevada, or San Jose St. it will be a winnable game.

September 23 – Open

September 30 – Eastern Michigan – They lost their starting QB Matt Bohnet off of last years team but they have a very good WR in Eric Deslauriers. This game was embarrassing last year and I am hoping for a little redemption. With them coming own here I think the heat for a 4pm kick off will have a lot of effect in the 2nd half for them. We overlooked them last year but I don’t think that will happen again this year. I look for us to win this game but if we make the stupid mistakes we did during last years game it could be another disappointing game.

October 7 – at Houston – For me this is the most anticipated game on the schedule. They return a lot of very good players and they are picked to finish towards the top of conference USA because of the amount of starters they have coming back. I compare them to us in a lot of ways because they have a 4 year starter at QB who is very mobile and they spread the field. They run a 3-4 defense the guy to watch is Will Gulley who sat out all last year with an injury. The linebackers are big and athletic but last year they still gave up 177 rushing yards per game which was better than the year before. This game should be a shootout that could go either way. I look for a close game in the lower 30’s.

October 14 – Open

October 18 – at Florida Atlantic – This game will be a big one in the Sunbelt race. It will be on ESPN 2 on a Wednesday night and we have to get pay back for a horrible loss last year. Last year they started a lot of freshman and sophomores wish can only mean good things for their future. Howard Schnellenberger has this team going in the right direction and he has them playing very tough schedules which is good but also bad because they are beat up for the start of conference play. The QB will go to either Sean Clayton, a transfer from Michigan State or McKinson Souverain, who if I remember right is the cousin of either Derek Smith or Jason Cherry I can’t remember which on. McKinson is an athletic guy who is probably the best athlete on FAU and Clayton is a pure pocket passer, regardless of who gets the job they will have a hard time replacing Danny Embick form last year.

October 28 – Middle Tennessee – They have a new coach who was schooled under Steve Spurrier and who they say is one of the best recruiters in the country. They had the best defense in the Sunbelt last year but they lost almost that entire defense including the Sunbelt Defensive player of the year in Jeff Littlejohn but they do return Eugene Gross who was a 2nd team all sunbelt pick at RB. With the new coaching staff in place I don’t want to say to much about them because at this time I do not know what kind of offense or defense they will be running but I do believe once the new coach Stockstill gets his guys in there they will be a a force in the Belt.

November 4 - at Troy – Well Troy lost a lot of key players on the defense but defense never seems to be a problem at Troy. They have a great defensive coaching staff and they know how to get the most out of them. Year in and year out they will be at the top of the Belt in defense but the offense has been what has held them back from great things happening. Their offense will be very different this year however with new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin. He brings with him a no huddle spread offense. He coached under Hal Mumme at Kentucky and for anyone that remembers the numbers that they put up were incredible. His offense is similar to what Texas Tech runs and that could be scary for Sunbelt defenses. Omar Haugabook a JUCO transfer is the man to watch because the QB in this system will put up huge numbers. It’s tough to learn a completely different system but if they can get it in the fall Omar will be a candidate for the offensive player of the year.

November 11 – North Texas – Well Patrick Cobbs is gone but Jamario Thomas is still there and if healthy we all know what Jamario can do. North Texas Struggle last year after being the only champ that the Sunbelt had known. I do not expect them to stay down long especially with a healthy Jamario in the backfield. Jamario can’t do everything however and they have had a lot of problems with the QB position and it will probably be what hurts them again this year but they will have another year under their belt and that experience can only make them better. They should compete to be near the top of the Sunbelt but they will have to depend to much on Jamario Thomas. But I could be proved wrong with a solid year from one of the young QB’s.

November 18 – at FIU – I think they are on the verge of something special, even more so than FAU. With 2 of the best defensive players in the conference in Keyonvis Bouie and Antwain Barnes they should be able to be at the top of the Sunbelt but the defensive backfield is young so the front 7 will have to pressure the QB to protect them a little. They also return one of the best QB’s in the Sunbelt in Josh Padrick, who is probably the best passer in the Belt. They finished off last year by winning 4 of its last 5 games and with the talent they have coming back they should start off like they did last year.

November 25 – ASU – I look at this game and I think of revenge and that they took a spot that we should have had in the New Orleans bowl. They lost a lot off of that team including the heart and soul of the team in Nick Noce. They also lost RB Antonio Warren who last year was one of the best RB’s in the conference when he was healthy. With everything they lost however they also gain a lot this year with former Freshman All-American Josh Williams returning after being kicked off the team before last season. Also on defense they return 2 of the best safeties in the conference in SS Tyrell Johnson and FS Khyyam Burns. With the experience they gained last year in the bowl game they should be ready again this season to finish near the top of the conference but not as high as last year.

December 2 – ULM – This team has the pieces in place to be a contender this year but I think the loss of Steven Jyles will hurt them a lot. Jyles is the most obvious loss but they also lost their top WR, DE, and TE. We finally got the monkey off our back last year when we beat them in Monroe and I look for that streak to continue when they come to the Swamp this year but to do that we will have to control a young talented group of skill guys especially in the backfield. They have Calvin Dawson at HB and Kinsmon Lancaster will most likely be put in at QB. People might remember Lancaster at WR last year for ULM. This is a good young group and if we overlook them it could be an upset on the last game of the season.

Well guys here it is I hope it is good and ya'll enjoy. BOP if you read this let me know what you think and what you think I can improve on for future notice.

[Cajun1997]

While not listed on the 2 deep, Waiters, Williams and hopefully Adams will allow Bradley to move out to end for the whole season. This move would make our ends and tackles deeper and allow for IMHO and very good rotation keeping our entire line fresh. Like you, other than Risher and Burkhalter, I am worried about our LB's. I also agree about Morgan. This guy had a great freshman season and hopefully will be 100% this year. If so, watch out. I am concerned about Ward's injury and hope he can come back 100% before the season starts. Despite a subpar season last year, I think we will miss Comiskey much more than we can imagine, at least early on anyway. One thing I always like about Coach Bustle's teams is there always seems to be a surprise player that come out of nowhere to have a good season (i.e. Smothers, Jenkins, Falter). Interesting to see who it will be this year.

[Clutch0364]

While not listed on the 2 deep, Waiters, Williams and hopefully Adams will allow Bradley to move out to end for the whole season. This move would make our ends and tackles deeper and allow for IMHO and very good rotation keeping our entire line fresh. Like you, other than Risher and Burkhalter, I am worried about our LB's. I also agree about Morgan. This guy had a great freshman season and hopefully will be 100% this year. If so, watch out. I am concerned about Ward's injury and hope he can come back 100% before the season starts. Despite a subpar season last year, I think we will miss Comiskey much more than we can imagine, at least early on anyway. One thing I always like about Coach Bustle's teams is there always seems to be a surprise player that come out of nowhere to have a good season (i.e. Smothers, Jenkins, Falter). Interesting to see who it will be this year.

He is listend but also Vance should good give depth at the LB and DE position. Last year he played a lot on special teams and was involved in the play at North Texas that sealed the game on that fumble.

Comisky will be missed but Tyler Albrecht from STM should give us a guy we can depend on for 4 years.

[mickzat]

Thanks Clutch,

This was a real treat. I can't dissagree with anyhting you said.

Great job as always!

[ulforlife]

fabulous, can NOT wait!