The Book: 2003 Louisiana's Recruiting

[snote]

Eddie McCray...
DE 6' 3" 224 lbs
Baytown, Tx..
Robert E Lee (Ganders) High School

[Turbine]

Yahoo Eddie McCray is UL's latest committment.

6-3,225 DE

Robert E. Lee's head coach Dick Olin’s loves the passing attack but in the article linked above he singled out Eddie McCray for his fine play at defensive end.

[NewsCopy]

Advertisers-Dan McDonald / Staff Writer

LAFAYETTE - Eddie McCray made only one trip to the Louisiana campus this year, but that was enough to convince him to become part of the Ragin' Cajun football program.

The product of Baytown, Texas, and Lee High School gave the Cajun squad a verbal commitment to sign with UL Lafayette this week, becoming the Cajuns' ninth commitment of the recruiting period.

McCray, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound defensive end, visited the campus on Nov. 2 when UL hosted Idaho for Homecoming and took a rain-marred last-second 31-28 win.

"I really liked it," McCray said of that trip. "I took a tour of the area, and it seemed like the people were really nice. I talked to some of the players, and it felt like an environment that I'd be comfortable in."

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[ISUCajunfan]

Looks like my Cajun's beat out my Cyclones for one. Congrats!

[cajun37]

I know everyone is excited that Bustle has gotten a lot of early verbal commitments. What concerns me is that most are from out of state. In my opinion to build a good program the large majority of the recruits should be from in state. Out of state players seem to leave the program faster than in state players. In state players seem to stay and develop in their Soph., Jr. And sr. Years. If you remember when Archer and Hallman were recruiting a lot of out of state players LSU went downhill. I am interested in hearing what you think about UL's recruiting.

[TuffGuy84]

If I had to say a reason, with La Tech, LSU, and Tulane all in the state, it makes recruiting battles in a state with a population like ours that much tougher, when we can recruit players away from the likes of SMU and Houston. UL may not have had a great program over the years, but you cant really say in all honesty that SMU and Houston have had better histories then ours. Besides, recruiting out of other states proves you arent just focusing on the small area of your state. thats my take on it.

Tuffguy

[Turbine]

Originally posted by cajun37
I know everyone is excited that Bustle has gotten a lot of early verbal commitments. What concerns me is that most are from out of state. In my opinion to build a good program the large majority of the recruits should be from in state. Out of state players seem to leave the program faster than in state players. In state players seem to stay and develop in their Soph., Jr. And sr. Years. If you remember when Archer and Hallman were recruiting a lot of out of state players LSU went downhill. I am interested in hearing what you think about UL's recruiting.

When you are reaching for respectability it's like the prophet who goes without honor in his own town but is respected else where.

Currently many local kids don't recognize the jewel that is in their own back yard.

Once they see kids from other states adopting UL as their own, the local kids will want to play for UL just like they did in the late 60's.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by ISUCajunfan
Looks like my Cajun's beat out my Cyclones for one. Congrats!

Thanks. You win both ways. Were you aware tht the Cyclones were interested in Eddie McCray?

[CajunCall]

Relationships with coaches are built up over time. Coach Bartel already has relationships with the texas coaches. Baldwin ignored the local schools and never visited. Louisiana will be a focal point in the next few years.

[1stTake]

Out of state recruits are exactly what UL needs right now.

[Cajun1997]

I do not care where they come from as long as they can play

[NewsCopy]

Advertisers-Dan McDonald

LAFAYETTE - Antoine Spann met Louisiana head football coach Rickey Bustle for the first time two weeks ago.

"He seemed like a cool dude," said Spann, a six-foot, 185-pound defensive back at Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College. "He was honest with me, straight-forward. I liked that."

Spann liked it so much that he gave Bustle and the Ragin' Cajun program a verbal commitment Sunday, becoming the 11th player to commit to the Cajuns and the first junior college commitment.

Spann, a native of Oceanside, Calif., will graduate from the Perkinston, Miss., school in May. He came to the area to attend junior college since his parents are originally from Gulfport and his grandmother still lives there.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast staff and head coach Bill Lee were happy with that decision, since Spann twice earned all-region and all-state junior college honors. His teams went 3-6 his freshman year and 4-5 this past season.

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