The Book: 2003 Football

[RedBug58]

Looking forward to next year!!

[CajunCharlie]

Don't hold me to this but I seem to recall he had 13 receptions for 201 yards, and 2 touchdowns.

[CajunCharlie]

Count me in as a member of the frothing party.

[CajunCharlie]

Rash, believe it or not the answer is No. I can't remember the exact yardage - it was 600+, and I can't remember against whom. Perhaps Turbine can help us out here.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by RedBug58
How did Stamps end up as far as his career stats? Number of catches, yardage, etc??

If I added correctly he has
2789 Yards recieving (2nd recievers) (7th all positions)
180 Receptions (2nd)
19 Touchdowns (3rd)

[Turbine]

Stamps 201 recieving today ranks second to Willie Culpeppers 220

[RedBug58]

And he accomplished this through some rough years.

Fred, we'll be watching you on Sundays...

[CajunKate]

We went to Lake Charles tonight to watch McNeese take on Northwestern. 107.9 went out on us just as we were nearing the Chuck at the beginning of the fourth quarter. We were finally able to get in touch with my brother back in Lafayette who informed us of the win and the incredible finish. What a relief! Wish I could have heard the ending. Can't wait for next season. Geaux Cajuns!

[NewsCopy]

Cajuns finish in style with four OT win

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The ball stayed up in the air, spinning, beckoning, for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, safety David Prater made a diving interception to end a four-overtime marathon and secure a 57-51 Louisiana victory over Middle Tennesse before 4,311 fans Saturday at Floyd Stadium.

The dramatic win, the first on the road in two years under coach Rickey Bustle, also finished off a 4-8 campaign for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

On the clinching play, MT’s Josh Harris hit Jerrin Holt with a short pass on second-and-15 from the Cajun 30-yard line. Holt was spun around and hit by the Cajun defense, which pried the ball loose.

Prater, who led the Cajuns with 11 tackles, then claimed the ball out of the air.

“I was rushing the passer on the play,” senior defensive end Derace James said. “I turned the corner and saw him throw the ball. I looked, and saw the ball hit the receiver’s hands.

“We hit him and it popped up in the air. When it got up in the air, I knew we had a lot of players around the ball and I started saying, ‘We’re going to win! We’re going to win!’ ”

The Cajuns had surged ahead one final time on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by redshirt freshman Jerry Babb, who came of age by hitting 8-of-9 passes on a gritty 84-yard drive at the end of regulation to force OT and was brilliant in the extra stanzas.

By game’s end, the St. Thomas More product has hit 37-of-56 passes (8-of-11 in OT) for 435 yards and four touchdowns, obliterating his previous career highs in all categories.

“Jerry came in there and said, ‘We’re going to score,’ ” said senior receiver Fred Stamps, who dashed through the MT secondary for 13 catches, 201 yards and 3 touchdowns.

“You could see it in the linemen’s eyes, in the receivers’ eyes, in the running backs’ eyes. We had that Ragin’ Cajun fire.”

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Louisiana’s seniors didn’t want to leave the field, which is a bit surprising since they had just survived a four-overtime battle with Middle Tennessee.

“It was the best experience I’ve ever had in football,” said wide receiver Fred Stamps, who set new personal records with 13 catches for 201 yards and three scores.

“The best experience, since I was six years old — ever.”

“It was a great way to go out as seniors,” defensive end Derace James said. “Going extra quarters ... I wouldn’t have wanted to go out any other way.

“Once we got rolling in the overtimes, I said we’re going to do this all night.”

James and Stamps were able to help give coach Rickey Bustle a special gift in their final contest — Bustle’s first, long-awaited victory away from Cajun Field.

“We were able to get a road win for coach Bustle and his staff,” James said. “It gives us something to build on. It took everything out of me that I thought I had in me.

“We asked the team to play their hardest for the seniors, and they did that.”

It took that kind of effort to pull out a game which the Cajuns controlled early, then saw slipping away. Ahead 17-3 in the second quarter, the visitors fell behind 24-20, 31-27 and 34-27 before staging a pressure-packed 84-yard drive in the final two minutes to force overtime.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

NCAA Game Summary - UL-Lafayette at Middle Tennessee State

Final Score: UL-Lafayette 57, Middle Tennessee State 51 (4OT)

Murfreesboro, TN (Sports Network) - Jerry Babb scored on a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth-overtime session as Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns outlasted the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders, 57-51, in a Sun Belt Conference battle at Floyd Stadium.

Babb completed 37-of-56 passes for 435 yards, with four touchdown passes, a rushing score and an interception.

Fred Stamps was the top Ragin' Cajun (4-8, 3-3 SBC) receiver with 13 catches for 201 yards and three touchdowns.

The Blue Raiders (3-8, 3-3) were led by Josh Harris who completed 23-of-36 pass attempts for 284 yards, with four touchdowns and an interception. Harris also had a rushing touchdown in the contest.

Middle Tennessee State showed a lot of heart by scoring 14-straight points to open the fourth quarter scoring. Harris threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Wardell Alsup and Harris threw a 35-yard scoring pass to Pedro Holiday to give the Blue Raiders a 24-20 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

The rest of the story

[Turbine]

Interesting stat

Red-Zone Scores-Chances 7-7