The Book: 2003 Football

[CajunKate]

I truly, truly fail to see the point of you posting a message that is clearly intended merely to inflame the tempers of others, make them dislike you intensely, and just, in general, put a bad taste in our mouths about the fans of your particular university. If tasteless and classless was what you were shooting for with your post, let me be the first to salute you. You hit the bullseye on that one, chief.

[CajunRebel]

YEAH!! What she said!

[LatvianCajun]

Yeah what he said about what she said.

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. -- The University of Louisiana returns to Cajun Field this week and no one is happier about that than Rickey Bustle.

"We're very glad to be coming home, finally," Bustle said Sunday. "Hopefully we'll have a good crowd on hand to support us. It's a chance for us to show our fans we haven't given up.

"It's been a long, hard road."

That it has been.

The Cajuns (0-6) lost at Oklahoma State Saturday night, 56-3, to go 0-for-3 on their mid-season road swing through Minnesota, Texas and Oklahoma.

The rest of the story

By GLENN QUEBEDEAUX
Special to The Advocate

[NewsCopy]

Cajuns ready for softer part of schedule

LOUISIANA La. -- University of Louisiana football coach Rickey Bustle thinks everyone should be a head football coach. For two weeks, anyway.

"Not one week, two weeks," Bustle joked Monday at his weekly news conference. "So they can go to that quarterback club (one week) and tell them what you're gonna do and then go back to that quarterback club (the following week) and tell them why you haven't done it."

That has been one of Bustle's difficult tasks the last six weeks as his University of Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns have gotten off to an 0-6 start.

"I haven't got any questions that I probably didn't already cover because I don't hold any punches about the way we play," Bustle said. "If we make mistakes, we make mistakes. I'm not going to point a finger at somebody even though I know who made it (mistake)."

The fact that the Cajuns are winless is not that surprising. One look at their schedule through six games tells the story.

The rest of the story

By GLENN QUEBEDEAUX
Special to The Advocate

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — We’ve all heard the phrase, “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”

Louisiana's Ragin’ Cajuns are testing that theory.

They’re trying to survive tough times long enough to see their rewards, but each defeat adds weight to their burden.

At 0-6 overall and 0-2 in Sun Belt Conference play, the Cajuns are almost certain to post their eighth straight losing season and are out of the running for a Sun Belt title.

What’s left is a team still learning while rebuilding a program’s pride.

Last week at Oklahoma State, UL outgained the Cowboys 131-33 in the first quarter but only led 3-0 after blowing scoring opportunities. Properly awakened, OSU rolled to a 56-3 win.

“When the offense moves the ball, and does it every time, it gives us more confidence,” defensive end Tony Hills said on Monday. “They were pinning them deep, and that gives us a chance to get safeties.”

As much as anything, that reflects the hope that can only be harbored by a redshirt freshman.

Instead of bemoaning a lost scoring chance, Hills was licking his chops, thinking of a score by the defense.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — Fans who have grown weary of seeing UL hammered by a grinding schedule may view the upcoming homecoming game with Sun Belt Conference rival UL Monroe as a relief.

That may not be such a good idea.

It’s true that both squads are 0-6 overall and 0-2 in SBC play, and that the Ragin’ Cajuns and Indians seem well-matched.

But last season, one week after a near-upset of SEC member Arkansas, coach Rickey Bustle’s flat team was ambushed 34-10 by ULM in the 2002 season finale.

That memory should keep the Cajuns focused this week.

“Last year when we played them, we didn’t have any fight to us,” Bustle said Monday. “They were the better football team that night, and they got out there and whipped us.

“Both of us need a win, and there’s no question they think they can come in here and win.”

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[Turbine]

Quote of Glenn Quebedeaux
"According to the NCAA, the Cajuns' schedule through the first half of the season ranks as the 20th toughest schedule in the nation. The Cajuns' first six opponents are a combined 21-10 (.677)

So far I have read 11th, 20th, and 33rd.

(without doing any research) All I know/recall is it has been the strongest first half to a Ragin' Cajun season ever.

[DrySwamp]

I didn't hear most of the game but it seemed UL played fairly even with OSU in that first quarter. Is the team maybe wearing out as the game progresses? Hopefully they'll have their wind & play hard the whole game.

GEAUX CAJUNS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Make an Injun sauce piquante!!!!!

[RealCajun70]

I agree the first six games of our schedule do show our record however our record should not show 0-6 we are a better team than what the record shows but that is the past and is neither her nor there we have a 6 game schedule left and all we need to focus on is one weeek at a time and not think ahead to the following week.

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. – Each week Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns football coaching staff honors players for their individual effort in game performances. The University of Louisiana coaching staff would like to thank Hooters for sponsoring the Cajuns weekly and spring football awards.

This week, senior wide receiver Fred Stamps was named Hooters Offensive Player of the Game. Stamps caught five receptions for a team-high 118 yards. It was eighth 100-yard game of his career and he extended his streak to 38 consecutive games with at least one reception, which is fourth-best in the nation. Daniel Taylor was named Hooters Defensive Player of the Game. Taylor had one tackle, one assisted tackle, two quarterback hurries and went the extra mile once.

Place kicker Sean Comiskey was named the Hooters Special Forces Player of the Game for the second week in a row.

Jordan Jackson and Julian Harris were named Offensive and Defensive Scout Team Players of the Week, respectively. It was the second time in three weeks that Jackson was given the award.

Per player vote, Josh Joerg was given the Thumper Award given for the biggest hit on offense, while C.C. Brown received the Hammer Award for the biggest hit on defense. Wendell Williams received the Kuhuna Award for the biggest hit on special teams.

Stamps and Wayne Stein will serve as offensive captains for the Cajuns next week, while Taylor and Pat Lamy will serve as defensive captains. Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns football team hosts Louisiana-Monroe for Homecoming on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Cajun Field.

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PREVIOUS HOOTERS WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS

Offensive Player of the Game
South Carolina - Travis Smothers
Louisiana Tech - No Award Given
Houston - Ronnie Harvey
Minnesota - Erik Rekieta
North Texas - Josh Joerg
Oklahoma State - Fred Stamps

Defensive Player of the Game
South Carolina - Pat Lamy
Louisiana Tech - Ross Brupbacher
Houston - Antonio Floyd
Minnesota - No Award Given
North Texas - C.C. Brown
Oklahoma State - Daniel Taylor

Special Forces Player of the Game
South Carolina - Michael Adams
Louisiana Tech - Sean Comiskey
Houston - Grant Autrey
Minnesota - Eric Bartel
North Texas - Sean Comiskey
Oklahoma State - Sean Comiskey

Offensive Scout Team Player
South Carolina - Butch Roussel
Louisiana Tech - Mike Moore
Houston - Bruce Taylor
Minnesota - Bruce Taylor
North Texas - Jordan Jackson
Oklahoma State - Jordan Jackson

Defensive Scout Team Player
South Carolina - Mark Risher
Louisiana Tech - Kade Wildbur
Houston - Hershell Robinson
Minnesota - Jacob Junkin
North Texas - Derek Morel
Oklahoma State - Julian Harris

[Turner]

I can't remember a team that deserved a homcoming more than the 2003 Cajuns. GEAUX CAJUNS