2007 Football preview and offseason fan talk

[NewsCopy]

UL's football squad began its final phase of preseason practice Thursday, officially opening its preparation for the Sept. 1 season opener at South Carolina. The Cajuns, who held their final full-scale scrimmage Wednesday afternoon, spent several periods working against scout-team competition in Thursday's two-hour practice. The scout teams simulated looks expected from the Gamecocks in the 6 p.m. (CDT) opener at Williams-Brice Stadium. "We're starting to take a look at what they're doing offensively and defensively," Cajun coach Rickey Bustle said of South Carolina, "but we also wanted to work a heck of a lot on special teams. We started working on all the special situations that come up ... today was just sort of a combination of everything." "Today was kind of an introduction to USC's base stuff," said defensive coordinator Kevin Fouquier. "We didn't do bad ... we've seen a lot of things they do from our own offense. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

South Carolina may have suspended its starting quarterback, but UL's football coaches said Thursday that wouldn't change any of their preparations for the Sept. 1 season opener in Columbia, S.C. Blake Mitchell, a three-year letterman who started 17 games over the past two seasons, was one of three players suspended Thursday for the opener against the Ragin' Cajuns for missing summer school classes. Mitchell, backup tailback Bobby Wallace and backup cornerback Chris Hail had previously been suspended from the team's first two fall practices for missing classes. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[Hammer58]

_ Ok. Well I will try to clear it up as best i can. First Mitchell has appealed the Athletic Departments suspension. His appeal is based on his and his advisors claim that he dropped the class in question and thats why he stopped going. Now if he is out he will be replaced by chris smelley who is a great student and highly touted prospect. not tested though. Garcia is the freshman QB that is redshirting this year. He did have troubles in the spring off the field but comes from good family and will be fine. Chris hail is the CB that is suspended NOT Carlos thomas. Thomas is fighting to start in the opener and will play a lot either way. Spurrier ran the score up before because the depth was so strong, not sure that is the case here yet. hope that sheds a little light on it. anyways. take care _

Speaking just as a football fan in general and not necessarily as a Cajun fan, I think the perception of Spurrier running up the score is because he tends to leave his starters in (or at least he did in the past at FLA) when the game is already well in hand. If he goes to backups once he has a comfortable lead and the backups are still able to score, well shame on us. When we last played Texas Mack Brown had Vince Young in there well into the third quarter ( I f memory serves my correctly) when the game had long been decided and one of our LBs put a shot on him that had him slow getting up. I think Mack must have soiled his shorts because he quickly pulled YOung as he should have. It was stupid to leave him in the game that late and smacked of running up the score. Texas' season could have gone down the drain if Young had been seriously injured and Mack would only have himself to blame.

[DestinCajun]

_ I think you should give the name thing a rest. Football season is just around the corner.

Don't hold your breath. Won't happen.

[DestinCajun]

If he goes to backups once he has a comfortable lead and the backups are still able to score, well shame on us.

That's about as fair as it gets now. You can't expect the back ups to go into the game, execute the team's offense and not to try to score. Not in this day and age.

[DestinCajun]

Hopefully the old axiom-"you play like you practice" won't happen against SC. _

Hold that thought for practices the week of the USC game.

[CharlieK]

It's their job to score an our job to stop them, running up the score crying is for little league. It's not the other coaches job to make us feel better about ourselves.....I don't like Spurrier, but just because he seems to be a pr***, not because he "runs up the score".

[mycoskiemedia]

Gamecocks Top QB Out for Cajuns Game
FOX News Louisiana Video:
http://www.kadn.com/sports/ragincajuns/9353561.html

[old catcher]

_ I just saw this article regarding the USC QB. Interesting. Apparently, 3 other players will be out as well. This was on a WIS TV Station website in Columbia, SC.

Spurrier suspends Blake Mitchell over faulty attendance


Aug 23, 2007 11:03 AM CDT

USC's Mitchell suspended over faulty attendance. David Stanton reports.



COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - WIS has learned Coach Steve Spurrier has suspended quarterback Blake Mitchell for the team's first game.

Spurrier told WIS' Drew Stewart that the reason is faulty attendance in class.

It's not the first time Mitchell has been in Spurrier's doghouse. Last September, he missed several games after getting into an altercation in a Five Points bar.

Mitchell was charged with simple assault, for punching a bouncer.

The first game is against Louisiana () on September 1st.

More soon...

Posted by Bryce Mursch _

The real reason these guys can`t play is because there is a bad case of the small cocks going around over there.

[HoustonCajun]

Another USC casualty. This was just posted on the USC Gamecocks Central website:

Strong safety Emanuel Cook, one of the top players in South Carolina's improving secondary, has been arrested and detained at the Richland County Detention Center on the charge of illegal possession of a firearm. No further details have been released at this point.