Spirit of 76 (1976 Football Season)

[California Cajun]

That season was my senior year and it sure was a good one.

[Boomer]

My takeaway? How'd we come so low in forty years? So much promise so much

---The almost perfect storm gathers ever so often---Very tough kids left over from Faulkinberry, some great JUCO players, and some great transfers---I didn't realize that some were as good as they were when I recruited them, but the video shows some, as Rick eluded to, to be outstanding college players!!! Pretty talented coaching staff also helped the cause and there wasn't much attrition as their week ends were full of activities!!! lol

[Bankruptcyman]

There were a lot of players on that team that could have played at any time, in any era. Thanks for allowing me to relive some great memories.

[basinbear]

Great times...two solid memories of that season...watching Roy Henry destroy Tech in a 2nd half comeback and later that season, loading up a 20 foot U-Haul, 3 kegs, and about 30 folks to take the I-10 champagne flight to Lake Charles for the McNeese war. Sadly we lost several of our brothers along the way....

I had the privilege of Coaching with the late Marcel Richard, a DL on that team, at a HS in St. LANDRY Parish.....a tremendous Coach and friend....

[Oiler]

My takeaway? How'd we come so low in forty years? So much promise so much

Nobody at USL realized how huge college football would become in the future. While we invested nothing in our program, other universities had the vision to invest for the future and passed us by. We can complain about it now, but in reality, I don't recall hearing any complaints about our lack of investment in the program at that time. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention. I was still in high school in 1976, and I had more pressing issues on my mind.

[Zeebart21]

Great video. Toby Warren was ready to take us to heights we never would have imagined... Unfortunately, the Fossil would have none of it. The rest is history.

[Boomer]

Great video. Toby Warren was ready to take us to heights we never would have imagined... Unfortunately, the Fossil would have none of it. The rest is history.

----Z, my boy if you only knew----Coach T was in town and we spent some great time going over past times---We were at the Tunnel and talked about the huge Men's and women's dormitory with swimming pool, study halls, BBQ areas, along with stadium expansion, that had all been planned---He and Toby were so much on the same page and no doubt Dr A, after seeing Dr R get the ax, didn't want any part of a dominating athletic program to rise again!!!

[Zeebart21]

----Z, my boy if you only knew----Coach T was in town and we spent some great time going over past times---We were at the Tunnel and talked about the huge Men's and women's dormitory with swimming pool, study halls, BBQ areas, along with stadium expansion, that had all been planned---He and Toby were so much on the same page and no doubt Dr A, after seeing Dr R get the ax, didn't want any part of a dominating athletic program to rise again!!!

And sadly....here we are. Have a good day, Boom!

[California Cajun]

Z, my boy if you only knew

Coach T was in town and we spent some great time going over past times---We were at the Tunnel and talked about the huge Men's and women's dormitory with swimming pool, study halls, BBQ areas, along with stadium expansion, that had all been planned---He and Toby were so much on the same page and no doubt Dr A, after seeing Dr R get the ax, didn't want any part of a dominating athletic program to rise again!!!

What I remember was that Dr. A had a problem with Toby Warren being a businessman on the side while AD.

Sonny Roy replaced him, Augie tried to switch to recruiting high school players, and things disintegrated.

Then Mel Didier quit when Dr. A balked on expanding the stadium.

We seem to recycle between dynamic leadership and status quo leadership. It reminds me of a car with a bad water pump. It sputters when it's critical to hit the gas pedal.

Looks like we've stagnated again.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Nobody at USL realized how huge college football would become in the future. While we invested nothing in our program, other universities had the vision to invest for the future and passed us by. We can complain about it now, but in reality, I don't recall hearing any complaints about our lack of investment in the program at that time. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention. I was still in high school in 1976, and I had more pressing issues on my mind.

You didn't know ____ then and you've grown not one bit. There was plenty of complaining in the mid eighties and since. But that's when I moved back to see the roadblocks the fossil had institutionalized. There probably lots of complaining when Phillps left, but there wasn't an Internet, or RP. I could barely get scores.

[LaCajunsFan]

----Z, my boy if you only knew----Coach T was in town and we spent some great time going over past times---We were at the Tunnel and talked about the huge Men's and women's dormitory with swimming pool, study halls, BBQ areas, along with stadium expansion, that had all been planned---He and Toby were so much on the same page and no doubt Dr A, after seeing Dr R get the ax, didn't want any part of a dominating athletic program to rise again!!!

That was all planned for cajun field? I would love to hear/see more of that.

[Turbine]

Nobody at USL realized how huge college football would become in the future.

I'm sure you mean no one in authority.