2006 LSU-45 UL-3

[NewsCopy]

University of Louisiana quarterback Jerry Babb said late Saturday night that teams make their biggest improvements between games one and two. His Cajun team's hoping he's right, since the Cajuns are still looking for their first touchdown of the season and will face another team that hasn't given up a touchdown next Saturday. The loss to LSU Saturday night was expected by every one of the 92,362 in attendance. A 45-3 loss wasn't by the Cajun faithful, especially after the way the UL squad ended up its 2005 season. Those games are now a distant memory, and short-term memory looks more like a nightmare. UL defenders watched passes go both over the top and stop underneath, all to wide-open receivers as part of LSU's 299 passing yards. That's more than they allowed in any two of last year's final four games combined, and more than they've allowed to any opponent since pass-happy Idaho in 2002. And the Tigers did that on only 23 pass attempts. But this one was a true team loss. An offense that led the Sun Belt Conference last season and ranked seventh nationally in rushing managed only 176 total yards, 113 of those on the ground. Babb, the most accurate passer in UL history, was pressured constantly in a 7-of-17 performance that included two damaging interceptions. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

For at least the next couple of days, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette football team will pay attention to repairs. What needs fixing? Coaches call the problem mistakes and there were more than enough of those — both mental and physical — for the Ragin’ Cajuns on Saturday in a season-opening 45-3 loss to No. 8 LSU. UL doesn’t have much time for routine maintenance. The Cajuns face another tough opponent this Saturday when they travel to Texas A&M (1-0). In four visits to Kyle Field since 1990, they’ve been outscored 194-28. How much will the LSU loss affect ULL’s preparation for Texas A&M? ULL senior defensive tackle Marshall Delesdernier isn’t so sure. “I guess it depends how we come back and practice,” he said. “It won’t hurt us so much if we see it as a good opportunity to fix our mistakes. The rest of the story By BOB ARDOIN Special To The Advocate

[NewsCopy]

UL sophomore kicker Drew Edmiston is now a footnote in history. It’s not a pretty history, but that’s not his fault. The Ragin’ Cajuns hadn’t scored against LSU’s Tigers in the last nine meetings between the two teams (official records say it was 10 games, but that’s not right ... * ). But Edmiston was responsible for snapping that streak. His 40-yard field goal 11:26 before halftime Saturday night brought the Cajuns within 14-3 at the time. It didn’t turn out to be a factor in the game, with LSU running away with a 45-3 victory, but it did halt that score-deprived struggle. “That one felt great,” the sophomore said of his first collegiate field goal. “I didn’t have to look up at it. I knew I hit it great.” Edmiston, a product of Owasso, Okla., and Owasso High who redshirted in 2004 and didn’t see any action last year, had missed on a 35-yard try with 4:35 left in the first quarter, halting the Cajuns’ deepest penetration of the night. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[RonMexico]

Yeah, I thought we were rather limited on play selection, too. I think once the score got out of hand, Coach decided to go with a minimum on plays to not give away anything for a more winnable game.

Anyone else geeked that we came out of this thing with NO major injuries????

L'Ronte'

[Turbine]

Running back Tyrell Fenroy, who gained over a 1,000 yards as a freshman last season, managed only 52 against LSU.

Come on Bob, at the end of the 1st half Fenroy was on pace for a 1,326 yard season before Bustle called of the T-Train.

Fenroy only had 1 carry in the 2nd half, Bustle gave 7 backs a look.

[Turbine]

That's more than they allowed in any two of last year's final four games combined, and more than they've allowed to any opponent since pass-happy Idaho in 2002. And the Tigers did that on only 23 pass attempts.

This is a no brainer, UL's defensive "Time Machines" were not in the game.

When your starting Defensive Ends Rodney Hardeway, and Anthony Hills are not in the game and thus unable to steal play development time from LSU's QB, the results are not surprising.

With Hardaway and Hills in the game, the first TD never happens . . . at least not like that.

[Cajunfever]

I certainly think Bustle held plays back, in hopes of using it against aTm, thinking UL has a better shot at winning against aTm rather than LSU.

Ex. We were very strong last year with the option and we ran it maybe 4 times the whole game.

Ex. We have a wide reciever with speed under 4.3 and we did not use him deep. Using this reciever deep whether he caught the ball or not would have backed the corners and safety up opening up the short pass and thus opening the running game also.

Just my take,
DaddyCajun

Do you think LSU's pass rush had anything to do with that? For us to go deep, Babb has to have time for the play to develop. I think the reason we did not go deep was because we did not have lots of time to let the play develop.

I do think Babb was told not to run. There were few times that he could of run but did not.

Also, to run the option, you are allowing the defense to really hit the qb, I think that was one of the reasons we did not run the option. The other reason being LSU's team speed on defense.

[evangelinetiger]

I certainly think Bustle held plays back, in hopes of using it against aTm, thinking UL has a better shot at winning against aTm rather than LSU.

Ex. We were very strong last year with the option and we ran it maybe 4 times the whole game.

Ex. We have a wide reciever with speed under 4.3 and we did not use him deep. Using this reciever deep whether he caught the ball or not would have backed the corners and safety up opening up the short pass and thus opening the running game also.

Just my take,
DaddyCajun

or maybe LSU's defense is so much faster than what UL is used to facing Bustle realized the option would be ineffective. remember LSU hanled Chris Leak and Urban Meyers spread option quite effectively. UL should not have been that much of a problem

[evangelinetiger]

I'm not whining. There is a time in every game when you run the clock out. Coaches with class do not keep throwing the ball and calling time outs in the final 2 or 3 minutes of a game that is out of reach. Like I said before, have fun in the Peach Bowl.

see this attitude ____es me off to no end. as a UL fan you would give your left nut for a chance to play in the Peach Bowl, much less smash the U. Stop trying to play down LSU's success in order to compensate for UL's station.

after a scoring gap of 93-3 in the last two meetings, I would think that you would be able to recognize the vast difference in the two programs. I am watching the game on dvr and it was over within the first 5 minutes. UL never really competed to win this game. They showed themselves well and will be an excellent sunbelt team. But the sunbelt is not the SEC and will never be.

It is a good thing for this state to have multiple successful programs, but don't confuse that with UL somehow being LSU's equal or rival. Saturdays game should have proved that.

[cjr3888]

see this attitude peees me off to no end. as a UL fan you would give your left nut for a chance to play in the Peach Bowl, much less smash the U. Stop trying to play down LSU's success in order to compensate for UL's station.

after a scoring gap of 93-3 in the last two meetings, I would think that you would be able to recognize the vast difference in the two programs. I am watching the game on dvr and it was over within the first 5 minutes. UL never really competed to win this game. They showed themselves well and will be an excellent sunbelt team. But the sunbelt is not the SEC and will never be.

It is a good thing for this state to have multiple successful programs, but don't confuse that with UL somehow being LSU's equal or rival. Saturdays game should have proved that.

I am not downplaying LSU's success. The reason I say they will play in the Peach Bowl is because I dont see LSU beating Auburn, Florida, Tennesse, and Arkansas on the road. I see them losing at least 2 of these games, going undefeated at home, and playing in the Peach Bowl. Thats all I was saying.