The Book: 2003 Football

[1stTake]

I wonder what our Baton Rouge-Lafayette trade deficit is.

[NewsCopy]

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

This week, running back Chester Johnson was named Hooters Offensive Player of the Game. Johnson ran for 153 yards on 31 attempts with three touchdowns.

C.C. Brown was selected Hooters Defensive Player of the Game. Brown finished the game with three tackles, three assisted tackles, one quarterback pressure, one pass break-up, two interceptions and went the extra mile twice. It was the second time Brown received the award. Brown was also honored as the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

Acadiana native Justin Venable was named Hooters Special Forces Player of the Game for his effort on special teams during Saturday’s win over Idaho.

David Schexnayder and Julian Harris were named Offensive and Defensive Scout Team Players of the Week, respectively. It was the second time Harris received the award.

Per player vote, Kemmie Lewis received the Thumper Award for the biggest hit on offense.

Derace James collected the Hammer Award for the biggest hit on defense.

Tony Hills received the Kuhuna Award for the biggest hit on special teams.

Lewis and Venable will serve as offensive captains for the Cajuns next week, while Brown and James will serve as defensive captains.

Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns football team will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to face Southern Mississippi in a 2 p.m. kickoff at M.M. Roberts Stadium on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.

LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

Game 1 at South Carolina
Offensive: Travis Smothers
Defensive: Pat Lamy
Special Forces: Michael Adams
O-Scout: Butch Roussel
D-Scout: Mark Risher

Game 2 vs. Louisiana Tech
Offensive: No Award Given
Defensive: Ross Brupbacher
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Mike Moore
D-Scout: Kade Wildbur

Game 3 vs. Houston
Offensive: Ronnie Harvey
Defensive: Antonio Floyd
Special Forces: Grant Autrey
O-Scout: Bruce Taylor
D-Scout: Hershell Robinson

Game 4 at Minnesota
Offensive: Eric Rekieta
Defensive: No Award Given
Special Forces: Eric Bartel
O-Scout: Jordan Jackson
D-Scout: Jacob Junkin

Game 5 at North Texas
Offensive: Josh Joerg
Defensive: C.C. Brown
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Bruce Taylor
D-Scout: Derek Morel

Game 6 at Oklahoma State
Offensive: Fred Stamps
Defensive: Daniel Taylor
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Jordan Jackson
D-Scout: Julian Harris

Game 7 vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Offensive: Eric Rekieta
Defensive: Antonio Floyd
Special Forces: David Prater
O-Scout: Butch Roussel
D-Scout: Mark Risher

Game 8 vs. New Mexico State
Offensive: Jerry Babb
Defensive: Terryl Fenton
Special Forces: Sean Comiskey
O-Scout: Ronald Vaughn
D-Scout: Johnny Felders

Game 9 vs. Idaho
Offensive: Chester Johnson
Defensive: C.C. Brown
Special Forces: Justin Venable
O-Scout: David Schexnayder
D-Scout: Julian Harris

LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

Former Carver star nearing end to record career at Louisiana

LOUISIANA La. -- Carver graduate Fred Stamps has been turning heads during his Louisiana-Lafayette career.

Stamps has more than 2,500 yards receiving and 16 touchdowns. He is third in school history in touchdowns and receptions, and second in career yards. This season he has caught 41 passes for 685 yards and four touchdowns.

Despite the senior's big numbers, the Ragin' Cajuns (2-7, 2-3) are struggling.

"I just want to keep playing hard, and prepare these young guys for next year," Stamps said. "We can't give up. We have to just keep playing hard."

Stamps currently is tied for fourth nationally with at least one reception in 41 consecutive games.

"I just go out and try to play hard every day," he said. "All that other stuff just falls in place."

His play has been a source of motivation for his teammates.

The rest of the story

By Kody Thompson
Contributing Writer

[NewsCopy]

Punishing Southern Mississippi always physical with opponents

LOUISISNA La. — Win, lose or draw, you’d better keep pain killers handy when you play Southern Mississippi.

Ask any football player whose team has faced the Golden Eagles in the last 30 years, and he’ll tell you there are few teams in college football that play with as much hard-hitting zeal as USM.

If you beat the Eagles, you’re still aching. If you lose, the losing hurts even worse. If you tie, you’re not sure who feels worse.

Like death and taxes, it hurts to play Southern Miss.

That presents a daunting task for Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns this Saturday as they visit USM for the Eagles’ homecoming.

“They’re the most athletic team that maybe we’ve faced this year,” UL coach Rickey Bustle said. “They’re strong, they run and they can jump. You may block them, but you have to stay with it because they don’t stay blocked long.

“Oklahoma State may be as physical as Southern Miss of the teams we’ve played so far. People remember them for being physical, and they’ll remember them for that after this game, too, I’m sure.”

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[Turbine]

He sure is getting comfortable in his leadership role.

[RaginRash]

That "vagabundo perezoso" snote needs to get on the ball and get that Sportsnote online again!

[CajunCharlie]

Turbine- He didn't even resemble the QB that started the beginning of the season. He has really matured, and the team is better for it

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — The first few minutes of Saturday’s road game at Southern Mississippi will be crucial for Louisiana.

The Golden Eagles are celebrating homecoming at M.M. Roberts Stadium, and they’ve lost only once in series history at home to the Ragin’ Cajuns.

The Cajuns, who have won two in a row at home, are aiming to come up with something that will swing momentum their way.

“We need to make a play or two,” Cajun defensive coordinator Brent Pry said. “We need to challenge them — have a couple of 3-and-outs, or make a play that can turn the tide like we did against Idaho.”

Last week at Cajun Field, Idaho marched quickly downfield after the opening kickoff and threatened right away, only to be turned away by an end zone interception by safety C.C. Brown.

“We want to continue to build on that confidence,” Pry said. “Even when things have been tough this year, we’ve been able to regroup, line up again and go after them. They’re able to fight and claw back in it.

“We’ve taken our lumps with the newcomers, but they’re quality and they’re getting better.”

It’s no accident that Brown picked off a pair of Idaho passes, or that fellow safety Lamar Morgan also intercepted one before being felled for the season by a knee injury.

“We’ve really emphasized the back row breaking on the ball and making plays,” Pry said. “Three or four big plays killed us against North Texas and UL Monroe. Other than those plays, we played well enough to win.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — Life can be a series of adjustments — some large, others small — and junior safety C.C. Brown knows what that’s like.

He came to Louisiana from Mississippi Delta Community College, a late arrival who hit the ground running and hasn’t slowed down since.

His role in the Cajun defense is different from his duties in junior college. His surroundings are vastly different. The people talk differently here than those he’s used to back home.

When there’s that much that’s new, there’s no time to slow down.

“Here, there are fraternities and there are more things to do,” said Brown, a former prep star in Greenwood, Miss. “My junior college was back out in the woods, and there wasn’t anything going on.

“There’s more to do here.”

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com