Cajun freshman check in for start of fall drills
Dan McDonald / Staff Writer
Posted on August 4, 2002
LAFAYETTE - He's still a day away from seeing his newest charges in workout gear, but UL Lafayette head coach Rickey Bustle liked what he saw Saturday when the newcomer class checked in for the start of fall football drills.
"They made a pretty good first impression," Bustle said after 27 of the expected 28 first-time participants reported to the campus and the athletic complex for physicals and testing Saturday afternoon. "They look pretty good."
The group of 27 included 11 scholarship signees and 16 walk-on candidates. The one missing player who had been expected to check in prior to the team meeting was Tyler Wheeler, a wide receiver signee from Denham Springs.
Wheeler, one of three signees still awaiting approval from the NCAA Clearinghouse, called the Cajun staff Saturday afternoon to let them know he had been detained and would not be checking in until late Saturday evening.
"That always happens with somebody," Bustle said. "It's no big deal."
Bustle was more excited about the looks of his walk-on delegation. The 16 non-scholarship players in camp were all invited by the Cajun staff, and should put the squad numbers at the NCAA-maximum 105 once the returning squadmen check in Tuesday.
"We worked really hard to bring in some quality walk-on kids," Bustle said. "You can tell a lot of those guys are happy just to get a shot, and I'm anxious to see what some of these guys can do.
"We've got some good looking guys in that group, and I'm expecting some pretty good times from some of them."
The newcomers had their first team meal Saturday evening and returned after dinner to the athletic complex for a team meeting and testing in the 40-yard dash, vertical leap and bench press.
"It's an evaluation," Bustle said. "We'll see how they run, see what kind of explosion they have."
Three members of Saturday's check-in group will be hitting the practice field for the first time in over a year when the newcomers begin drills at 4 p.m. today. Scholarship signees Jerrell Carter, a cornerback from Amite, and Bill Sampy, a wide receiver from Carencro, and walk-on running back Dwight Lindon of Comeaux all sat out last season in restoring academic eligibility.
Today's first practice will precede two sessions on Monday with the newcomer group. Approximately 77 returning squadmen are scheduled to check in Tuesday, with practice sessions for the full squad beginning Thursday.
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Babb emerges as leader among UL freshman group
Dan McDonald / Staff Writer
Posted on August 4, 2002
LAFAYETTE - For someone who says he doesn't ask to be in a leadership role, Jerry Babb looks like a leader in the making.
Players were milling around the lobby of the UL Lafayette athletic complex Saturday, nervously waiting for the start of freshman football practice - many of them milling around wherever Babb was standing.
Babb, for his part, wanted to meet as many of his future teammates as possible.
"I was trying to get to know some of the other freshmen," he said. "We're all in the same situation, trying to see how we'll fit in."
Babb is in a slightly different situation. The former St. Thomas More quarterback, like it or not, is a leader of the newcomer group that begins workouts today.
Consider:
* Babb was the first player to commit to new head coach Rickey Bustle and the Cajun staff, that coming only a few weeks after Bustle was hired;
* He was among the first to get his national letter back to the UL offices on signing day;
* He went through all of the voluntary summer practices with members of the returning varsity squad, one of only a handful of freshmen to do that;
* He's a quarterback first and foremost, despite his ability to play several other positions;
* And, he's even atop the newcomer alphabetical roster.
"I don't ask for that role," he said on Saturday. "But a quarterback's going to be in a leadership role no matter what team you're on."
Babb had success in that role at STM as a senior, helping guide the Cougars to the Class 4A state semifinals and within a few seconds of the school's first-ever trip to the Superdome Classic. He rushed for 96 yards including a 31-yard touchdown against Baker in the semifinals, and also contributed with his arm and with two key kickoff returns.
As a senior, he accounted for 18 touchdowns, throwing for 590 yards and six scores, rushing for 537 yards and seven tallies and catching 15 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns. To no surprise, he earned his way onto all-district, All-Parish and All-Acadiana squads as well as honorable mention All-State.
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