The Book 2008 Football

[GoEagles]

_ Bower's offense was also good enough to get them in bowl games almost every year and a few conference titles. But most importantly, our team now is light years ahead of the teams we had back then based off our key players. Your head coach is making his debut, along with your starting quarterback. Not to mention, your "young" defense is going to be put to the test against a team who was fourth in the nation in rushing last season. Houston fans were saying the same exact thing in 2006 of how they've beaten us in the past, or how Kevin Kolb and Co. were going to throw all over our secondary. Not only did we come from a 21 pt deficit to win at their place, our offense ran it down their throats to where their d-lineman were on one knee trying not to pass out before we scored the winning TD. AND DIDN'T THAT SAME HOUSTON TEAM BEAT SOMEONE FOR THE CUSA TITLE??? All I am saying is that it's the first game of the season and anything can happen. _

So winning 3 games is light years ahead of where you used to be? Ummmmm, okay. If you're expecting us to come out slinging, and see our young QB falter, then you don't know much about Fedora's offense or USM's team. Fedora runs a very balanced offense. We have one of the premier running backs in the nation, and ULaLa has one of the worst rush defenses in the nation. I'm sure that Fedora is aware of that and will be using our running game extensively. That, in turn, will keep your offense on the sideline.

[ULvictory]

_ So winning 3 games is light years ahead of where you used to be? Ummmmm, okay. If you're expecting us to come out slinging, and see our young QB falter, then you don't know much about Fedora's offense or USM's team. Fedora runs a very balanced offense. We have one of the premier running backs in the nation, and LA has one of the worst rush defenses in the nation. I'm sure that Fedora is aware of that and will be using our running game extensively. That, in turn, will keep your offense on the sideline. _

Once again, it's the first game of the season. We will all see come Saturday. I still think it's a little rediculous that all these Southern fans are talking as if their team won a BCS title by a coach who hasn't even coached a game yet or a quarterback who hasn't seen the field.

[AstroCajun]

So winning 3 games is light years ahead of where you used to be? Ummmmm, okay. If you're expecting us to come out slinging, and see our young QB falter, then you don't know much about Fedora's offense or USM's team. Fedora runs a very balanced offense. We have one of the premier running backs in the nation, and LA has one of the worst rush defenses in the nation. I'm sure that Fedora is aware of that and will be using our running game extensively. That, in turn, will keep your offense on the sideline.

HAD one of the worst in 2007. Yep. Can't deny that.

But past performance is not indicative of future results, or at least thats what every financial prospectus and broker will tell you (as they are robbing you blind).

How's you run defense? I believe it will be Mr. Fenroy who will be keeping your offense on the sidelines. But that's just me.

[RaginRash]

_ Several cajun fans plan on tailgating at a lot near the Hillcrest Dorm. It is about 3-4 blocks aways from the stadium. That is where USM is directing all UL tailgating. It is near the corner of Hwy 49 and 4th Street. Hope this helps. _

I like the fact that Hillcrest is listed as "Upper Class Female Dormatory", however, it looks kinda away from the stadium. Its N of the stadium just past the train tracks..

http://www.usm.edu/parking/campusmap807.pdf

[RaginRash]

_ I remember seeing it in another post but couldn't find it...can anyone please give me some info on the parking situation at USM? _

Don't know if this helps you...
I just found the PDF of the campus here:
http://www.usm.edu/parking/campusmap807.pdf

Also, I google mapped Las Hattiesburg. It gave me an idea on my approach....



View Larger Map

[AstroCajun]

but your team got whipped by McNeese State last year.

Don't underestimate a highly motivated opponent.

McNeese had a 20 year old grudge to stew over us and they played like it.

We didn't.

But for the record... and I hate to say it because many of their fans are a s s h o l e s...I'm pretty sure McNeese would have whipped your tail last year too.

[SpreadEagle]

Don't underestimate a highly motivated opponent.

McNeese had a 20 year old grudge to stew over us and they played like it.

We didn't.

But for the record... and I hate to say it because many of their fans are a s s h o l e s...I'm pretty sure McNeese would have whipped your tail last year too.

USM played McNeese in 2005 and won 48-20. It would have been closer last year, but I doubt we would have lost to them, but who knows.

[LaGrid]

"They were No. 4 in the country last year in rushing"

No. 7 but it you tryng to get your guys attenton every bit helps

[NewsCopy]

 Coach Ricky Bustle’s opening comments:
RB- “We are glad to be getting ready to play a football game, we have hit each other all pre-season. It is time to go play again. Thank goodness that we have a couple more days to prepare and that is what we’ll do.

“In my 31 years this has been the best pre-season camp I have ever been associated with. The players have taken it upon themselves to raise the bar. They did that this pre-season, and I think our coaches have done the same thing. It has been a great attitude (at camp) and I know those of you who have seen our practices have seen us getting after it.They police themselves more than anything, and that tells you that you have great leadership on your football team.

“We have 14 great seniors, but I think we have some great underclassman who bought into the way the seniors are leading and what the coach is saying, all because this team wants to win awfully bad. They have put in a great summer and they know they have. They have policed themselves, as you know we can’t look and see what they are doing in the summer. We have done a lot of team building activities in preseason camp. We have done a couple things in past years, but this year we have done an activity every night, and it is something that our players have really got into. I think you build the chemistry in the pre-season and I have seen the same enthusiasm that I have seen in the spring.

On players taking responsibility for themselves:
RB- “Well the seniors that we have, Michael Desormeaux and that whole group, are taking responsibility of the things that I have talked to them about. As a result, it’s easier to sell to the younger players and they have done the same things. The young team was excited when we went to spring practice. There was an exciting feeling, and it rolled over into the summer, and the players feel they created that feeling themselves.”

On game-week preparation by the players:
RB- “It is exciting for me as a coach to see them doing these things. They are taking ownership for what they have done and I am exciting to see this team play.”

On Southern Miss:
RB- “It is hard right not because we have no film on them. We have film on what the coaches do from watching film of other teams that they have coached. It is easy for them to get film of us and see what we do, and I know they have done that. I think that Larry [Fedora, SMU head coach] will run an offense similar to ours, where they spread the field and so forth, and we will adjust to things we are not ready for. They have some excellent personnel that we have looked at.

On the running back match-up:
RB- “They [Damian Fletcher and Tyrell Fenroy] are both class backs, but I wouldn’t trade Fenroy for a zillion dollars. [Southern Miss] will do a lot of one back formations. Both [Fenroy and Fletcher] will get a chance to run the ball quite a bit.

On stopping the run:
RB- “You need to be able to stop the run because they spread you out enough throwing the football and that is something we also need to do on offense. They spread you out to pass the football and to also run the ball. Our defense has worked on that by going up against our offense in practice.”

On getting ready to play:
RB- “You always think about what you want to tell your football team when you go out to play, but after what I have been through in this camp, I am going to tell them to go play like they practice.”

On facing the spread offense:
RB- “What they probably hurt you the most with when they spread you out is the run. You’re hoping you can slow the run down and tackle the guy at the line of scrimmage. We try to do the same thing and we have had some trouble getting people off us but we will do a better job of that this year. It helps the running backs and helps you run the football. Sometimes you get in the guessing game and you have to pick your poison.”

On facing [former Cajuns’ offensive coordinator] Blake Anderson:
RB- “Blake is a good coach and did a good job here, and I am sure some of the guys that were around him will be looking forward to playing him.”

On the Southern Miss defense:
RB- “We have worked against the 3-4 and we do that for every game. I have found out over the past couple years that some of these teams who are 4-3 all of a sudden turn into double eagle teams or 3-4 and it something that we will work against. That is the scheme that they run and we have worked against it.”

On getting off to a good start:
RB- “Taking care of the football is key, and I think we will be better than people give us credit for on defense. I have seen a great improvement from them already this pre-season. We just need to do the fundamentals. I preached to them yesterday to make sure that they get the fundamentals done. Fundamentals are the plays that will come up during the game, and we have to execute on those plays.”

RaginCajuns.com pdf

[NewsCopy]

 In his first press conference of the upcoming 2008 football season, UL coach Rickey Bustle spoke highly of the recently completed preseason camp by the Ragin' Cajuns.

"In my 31 years (of coaching) it's been the finest preseason camp I've ever been associated with," Bustle said. "I think our players have finally taken it upon themselves to police themselves on some things and raise the bar.

"It's just been a great attitude."

The biggest contributor to a positive attitude coming off a 3-9 season? Bustle points to the leadership of a 16-member senior class as the Cajuns prepare to open the season at 6 Saturday night at Southern Miss. (Linebacker Antwyne Zanders and defensive tackle Seth Adams sat out as freshmen to become academically eligible. Both would gain another season of eligibility if they complete 80 percent of their degree requirements by the end of the academic year.)

The rest of the story

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • August 26, 2008

[NewsCopy]

 HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora says the Golden Eagles' no-huddle spread offense is ready for Saturday's season-opening game against Louisiana-Lafayette at Roberts Stadium.

Fedora, however, isn't ready to name the starting quarterback for the fast-paced attack.

"It is still up in the air," the first-year coach said Monday as USM heads into its final week of preparation. "We have not made a final decision on where we are. Obviously, we have to make a decision here pretty quick on who is going to go out there and take the first snap of the game."

The rest of the story

By KIM SHUGART
Sports Reporter

[NewsCopy]

  HATTIESBURG — It's finally here.

Nine months of players hovering over an unfamiliar playbook and coaches trying to implement new systems on both sides of the ball is coming to a close as game week has arrived.

It's difficult for any staff to force-feed entire new schemes on offense and defense in that short period of time. But the Southern Miss coaching staff was able to put numbers on the success rate on the implementation on both sides of the ball.

Offense - 75-80 percent.

Defense - 60 percent.

The rest of the story

Patrick Magee • Hattiesburg American • August 26, 2008