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  Full-contact practices are always risky just before games, but the University of Louisiana football team survived Tuesday's final full-pads practice before the season opener with minimal damage.

The Cajuns, prepping for Saturday's 7 p.m. battle with LSU in Baton Rouge, worked out for over two hours Tuesday in full gear. Included in that workout was a 10-minute middle drill during the heart of practice.

"We had a hard workout today," said Cajun coach Rickey Bustle, "but we had to do that. We didn't have that much work outside last week, and there were things we had to get accomplished."

Tight end Erik Jones and center/tackle Brad Bryant both picked up minor injuries during Tuesday's session, but Bustle was still confident that the only regular who will miss Saturday's opener is linebacker Joseph Hadnot with an ankle injury.

"We had several guys cramp up," Bustle said, "but we've gotta fight through that. You could tell we haven't gotten out a lot from last week. It was good early, but then a few people starting getting tired and we made a lot of mental mistakes."

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com