The Book: 2002-03 Louisiana Football season

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Louisiana's 2002 Football Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site
Aug. 31	at Texas A&M	College Station, TX	L 0-1
Sept. 7	MINNESOTA (Herbert Heymann Football Classic)	The Swamp	L 0-2
Sept. 14	at Houston	Houston, Texas	L 0-3
Sept. 21	ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM	CAJUN BASIN	W 1-3
Sept. 28	Open Date
Oct. 5	at Louisiana State	Baton Rouge, La.	L 1-4
Oct. 12	* at New Mexico State	Las Cruces, N.M.	L 1-5
Oct. 19	* at Middle Tennessee	Murfreesboro, Tenn.	11 a.m.
Oct. 26	* NORTH TEXAS	CAJUN BASIN	4 p.m.
Nov. 2	* IDAHO (Homecoming)	CAJUN BASIN	4 p.m.
Nov. 9	* ARKANSAS STATE (Senior Day)	CAJUN BASIN	4 p.m.
Nov. 16	at Arkansas	Fayetteville, Ark.	1 p.m.
Nov. 23	* at Louisiana-Monroe	Monroe, La.	6 p.m.
All times are Central time.
Home games at Cajun Field (31,000), Louisiana-Lafayette campus, Lafayette, La.
* -- Denotes Sun Belt Conference Game

[Turbine]

What do you think of this minor tweek?

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FanStop Excerpt

Louisiana Ragin Cajun’s

Anticipation is high in Lafayette. First, they are now simply Louisiana. Second, and most importantly, Ricky Bustle, the offensive coordinator for Michael Vick and Virginia Tech, is the new head man for the Ragin Cajuns, and his arrival has sent shockwaves through the Sun Belt and renewed optimism for a program no stranger to creating noise in the college football rounds.

Biggest Question Mark

The biggest concern for the Ragin Cajuns as they head out of spring football, is can they maintain the excitement they have of the season after spending some time away from football. They will face another solid schedule this season, but can they maintain the momentum created from an impressive spring practice.
Smallest Worry

The QB position is nothing much to worry about for the Cajuns. Jon Van Cleave returns in 2002 after throwing for almost 2,500 yards, and he had a very impressive spring practice.

Key Position Battle

The best battle for the Ragin Cajuns will be out offensive guard, where a pair of redshirt freshman will tangle for the spot. Corey Glover is listed at the spot, and he is quicker than Mike Moore, though Moore has the size advantage.

FanStop, by: evcajun12

[Turbine]

Street & Smiths College Football 2002
Lindy's 2002 National College Football
Athlon Sports Southeastern College Football Edition

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Here is their projected finish
Athlon: UL 6th
Lindi's: Louisiana 4th
Street and Smith: Louisiana Là 3rd

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Here are their Pre-Season All-Sunbelt Players
Offense
WR Nick Dugas - Lindi's 1st Team, Athlons 1st Team
QB Jon Van Cleave - Lindi's 2nd Team, Athlons 1st Team
RB Jerome Coleman - Lindi's 2nd team
OL Jonathan Raush - Lindi's 2nd team
PK Jonathan Knott - Lindi's 2nd team

Defense
DB Charles Tillman - Street & Smith Top player in the league, Athlons 2nd Team
DL Walter Sampson - Lindi's 2nd team
LB Ross Brubacker - Lindi's 1st team, Athlons 2nd Team

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Advertiser Bustle's Cajuns are three weeks away
Bruce Brown
Posted on July 14, 2002

LAFAYETTE - If it seems like the college football season is just around the corner, it is.

Three weeks from today, head coach Rickey Bustle will put freshman prospects through their first workouts at (Louisiana) as the Ragin' Cajuns begin the countdown to the 2002 season opener Aug. 31 at Texas A&M.

Check-in and physicals are Saturday, Aug. 3 for new members of the program, with the first practice the next day.

Bustle gets a light-hearted early start on the campaign next Saturday with his football clinic for women at Cajun Field, before turning his attention to the Cajuns and their bid for a Sun Belt Conference championship and berth in the New Orleans Bowl.

Returning squad members report on Tuesday, Aug. 6, with photo and press day one day later and practices for the full team to begin Aug. 8.

Fan Day at Cajun Field will be held from 6:30-7:15 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11, two-a-days wrap up on Aug. 17 and the fall semester begins on Monday, Aug. 19.

Bustle is in his first year guiding the Cajun program, joining (Louisiana) last Dec. 13 and replacing Jerry Baldwin after a record-setting stay as the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech went to bowl games every year the 48-year old Bustle was offensive coordinator, and that will be the aim for the Cajuns this season as well although Middle Tennessee State is the favorite to win the league title in 2002 after tying for the crown in 2001.

The key for the Cajuns will be emerging from the first five games as an improved team, despite a challenging pre-Sun Belt slate.

The opener at A&M is followed by the home opener Sept. 7 against Minnesota in the second annual Herbert Heymann Football Classic at Cajun Field.

(Louisiana) follows that with a trip to Houston Sept. 14, a home game with Alabama-Birmingham on the 21st and an open date before the much-anticipated Oct. 5 date with LSU in Tiger Stadium.

That sets the stage for an Oct. 12 road game at New Mexico State which begins the conference schedule. Six of the final seven games will be against Sun Belt foes, with only the No. 15 game at Arkansas interrupting the SBC focus for Bustle's squad.

Offensive coordinator Rob Christophel has built the Cajun attack around junior quarterback Jon Van Cleave, who hit 224-of-407 passes for 2,499 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2001 and suffered just 10 interceptions.

He operates behind a line anchored by three-year starting tackle Jonathon Raush, a line which also clears space for Jerome Coleman (625 yards, 10 touchdowns) on the ground.

Versatile senior Nick Dugas, who has played quarterback and wide receiver (60-616-3 last year) for the Cajuns as well as punt returner, was moved to the backfield late in the spring to add speed to the rushing game.

The often-spectacular Frederick Stamps (43-663-4) is the focal point of the Cajuns' aerial game, which averaged 244.2 yards per game in 2001 despite a 3-8 finish.

Linebackers Marrous Berry (44 solo tackles) and Ross Brupbacher (42 tackles), All-Sun Belt Conference cornerback Charles Tillman and nose tackle Walter Sampson will be key to the defense of coordinator Brent Pry.

The rest of the story

[Turbine]

During the spring, Coach Bustle's exposed the fact that he has some classy football players.

Looks like Bustle and Robe are on the same page.

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Advertiser-Jonas Breaux
Bustle, UL program hosts inaugrual Women''s Football Clinic


"Geaux Cajuns"          Photo by Brad Kemp

LAFAYETTE - Their cheeks were red and their clothing was drenched with perspiration, but they were all smiles.

No. It's not the first weekend for University of Louisiana at Lafayette freshmen football players to report for fall drills. But it was a first for the Ragin' Cajun grid program, as new head coach Rickey Bustle held his inaugural "Women's Football Clinic" Saturday at the UL athletic complex.

"Coach Bustle has taken it upon himself to get people in the stands, no matter what it takes," said Sharee Broussard, UL alumni director who participated in Saturday's clinic.

"He's reached out to women and other non-traditional groups, and shown he will go anywhere, at anytime, to ask people to come to the games."

Almost 200 women, ranging in age from teen-agers to grandmothers, participated in the female-only event. During the morning session the participants viewed film and were given instruction about the game of football.

The REST of the story.

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Advocate-BOBBY ARDOIN

LAFAYETTE -- Tamika Guillory's first attempt at wearing a football uniform took considerable time and the help of several others Saturday.

Once she fastened the shoulder pads and buckled her (University of Louisiana) helmet, Guillory almost imagined herself a player.

"I feel so powerful. Now that I have on the uniform, I really don't want to take it off," said Guillory, a (Louisiana) speech pathology major from Lake Charles.

She and about 200 others took part in the inaugural (UL)-hosted football clinic for women.

Participants spent several hours at Angelle Hall on the (UL) campus learning aspects of the game from (Louisiana) football coach Ricky Bustle and several of his assistants.

During the afternoon, the women toured (UL's) weight room, training room and videotaping facilities before running through the tunnel onto Cajun Field for kicking, passing and pre-game drills.

The REST of the Story

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Marty Mulé-Times-Picayune

The question Rickey Bustle gets at every gathering is "What kind of offense will you run?"

The reply: "One that scores."

No doubt.

Bustle, who is about to embark on his maiden voyage as head coach at Louisiana-Lafayette, is known as an offensive guru. In nine years as the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech, the Hokies fielded seven of the eight highest-scoring teams in school history. In 1999, when Virginia Tech lost in the national championship game, the Hokies averaged 41.4 points, which was the NCAA's best. As Virginia Tech's quarterback coach, Bustle helped develop NFL quarterbacks Jim Druckenmiller and Michael Vick.

Bustle inherits a wealth of offensive talent, starting with quarterback Jon Van Cleave and receiver Nick Dugas, which could be the best pass-and-catch combo in the Sun Belt Conference. Van Cleave, a 6-foot-4 junior, passed for 2,499 yards, leading the Sun Belt with 298.5 yards per game, and 14 touchdowns.

Dugas, with 60 receptions, was his favorite target.

Bustle is excited at the thought of refining the skills of his quarterback -- and retooling the offense, which averaged 338 yards last season, 424 in Sun Belt games.

"Jon has the potential to be an NFL-type player," Bustle said at the league's Media Day on Wednesday. "He reminds me of Druckenmiller. Jon can be an exciting talent."

Still, at a moribund program that hasn't finished better than .500 in six seasons, and where his predecessor didn't reach double-digit victories (9-27) in three years, he has a tough road ahead.

Bustle won't know if Van Cleave will be with the Ragin' Cajuns until the first week of August. Van Cleave's eligibility depends on the grades he earned during the summer.

"We're hoping he's there," Bustle said.

Van Cleave's presence would help Bustle put his stamp on a floundering program that seems to have lost some of its fan base the past few seasons. The program has suffered defeats to programs such as North Alabama, Sam Houston State and Jacksonville State.

The apex of Louisiana-Lafayette football was reached in 1996 when the Ragin' Cajuns beat 25th-ranked Texas A&M 29-22, the only time in its 93-year football history ULL defeated a ranked opponent.

The rest of the story

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From: www.RaginCajuns.com
July 28, 2002

Rickey Bustle Era Begins Next Saturday As Freshmen Report

LAFAYETTE – Next Saturday will officially mark the beginning of football season for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Aug. 3 will also mark the beginning of the Rickey Bustle era for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Freshman report Saturday morning and will meet at Cajun Field at 2:30 p.m. for a team meeting, followed by physicals. The first practice of the fall will commence on Sunday from 4-5:45 p.m.

Varsity players are scheduled to report on Tuesday, Aug. 6, receiving their equipment at 2 p.m. and taking physicals at 6 p.m.

The Cajuns will take their team pictures on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Cajun Field. Media Day will begin immediately after team pictures.

Two-a-day practices begin for the entire team on Thursday, Aug. 8 with 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. sessions. The Cajuns will alternate two-a-day practices, working out just once at 4 p.m. on odd numbered days.

Rickey Bustle will open all practices to the public and welcomes all fans to attend. Practices are subject to be closed at any time.

The team will hold “Fan Day” at Cajun Field on Sunday, Aug. 11 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.



-Ragin’ Cajuns-



Ragin’ Cajuns Fall Football Practice Schedule

Saturday, Aug. 3 2:30 p.m. Freshman Report – Meeting at Cajun Field
2:45-5:00 p.m. Freshman Physicals, Equipment Issued

Sunday, Aug. 4 4-5:45 p.m. Freshman Practice

Monday, Aug. 5 8:00-9:45am Freshman Practice
4:00-5:45am Freshman Practice

Tuesday, Aug. 6 2 p.m. Varsity Report – Equipment Issued
6:30 p.m. Varsity Physicals

Wednesday, Aug 7 10:30 a.m. Team Photos – Cajun Field
10:45-Noon Media Day (Players Available)
Noon-1 p.m. Media Day (Coaches Available)

Aug. 8/10/12/14/16 8-10:15 a.m. Practice
4-6:15 p.m. Practice

Aug. 9/13/15/17 4-6:15 p.m. Practice
Sunday, Aug. 11 6:30-7:30 p.m. Fan Day – Cajun Field

All times are subject to change.