The Book 2008 Football

[SpreadEagle]

All I'm saying is USM has Blake Anderson as offensive coordinator. He sucks at play calling.

As mentioned Anderson is actually the qb coach. I think having him on staff is a plus for USM. He knows your players. He will know their strengths and weaknesses. I am sure he has let it be known to the players and coaches that your offense is for real and you have a very talented pair in your qb and rb.

[HoustonCajun]

_ You guys are overly sensitive. I came here for some friendly pre-game smack to make the game interesting. I haven't said anything hostile towards any of you. _

The smack about who will win and why is fun and we shouldn't be sensitive to that, especially given we haven't won much lately. We'll have to prove it on the field. What bothers me and perhaps many others is the reference to us as Ooh La La. That we do take seriously. Our quest is to the common reference of UL and Louisiana, NOT U La La and NOT Louisiana-Lafayette. Our athletic department is putting out material that refers to us only as Louisiana and UL; however, we still have a ways to go for universal acceptance. We would appreciate USM picking up the UL and Louisiana names and not the demeaning U La La.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to the game, but will watch it on your webcast. Looks like UL sold out its 2,500 allottment plus another 500 to 1,000 more attending along with our band. It should be a great atmosphere to open the season. As you can tell, we are highly optimistic about this year and many of us are predicting a Cajun win, which would be an upset. Good luck to USM the rest of the year.

[DestinCajun]

An annual game in the Superdome would expand the USM fan base (recruiting) in Louisiana.

How much is that worth? _

He raises an interesting point about the construction of the suites and the kind of commitment, i.e. 6 home games, involved in getting them "under contract" so to speak. We could find ourselves in a similar situation if we go in that direction in the future. Puts another angle on future scheduling.

[ulforlife]

_ I didn't think Blake was OC. Maybe a positions coach or something? _

QB coach, but either way.... he sucks

[GoEagles]

LOL! And, where's the problem? Missy, we just don't buy into your goofy fact filled predictions on how the game will go. Don't get your feathers in a wad over it.

My feathers aren't in a wad. I'm not the one calling people names and making personal attacks. That would be you.

[4LSU]

_ USM - 52
Ooh La La - 13 _

You guys had a total offense ranking of 63 and the Cajuns 49th. You ranked 48 in total D and they were 104th. You are playing at home where you averaged 26,000+ last year and the Cajuns are taking their show on the road where they played in front of 100,000+ at Tennessee last year. You have a new coach and the Cajun's coach begins his 7th season. This is a very important year for Coach Bustle and I'm sure his players know it.

All in all, with you playing at home and having a better D (on paper) it would seem that you guys should carry the day. 52-13 might just a tad wishful.

I will go with 30-23 So. Miss. I would be surprised if it turns out to be the cake walk you envision.

[GoEagles]

The smack about who will win and why is fun and we shouldn't be sensitive to that, especially given we haven't won much lately. We'll have to prove it on the field. What bothers me and perhaps many others is the reference to us as Ooh La La. That we do take seriously. Our quest is to the common reference of UL and Louisiana, NOT U La La and NOT Louisiana-Lafayette. Our athletic department is putting out material that refers to us only as Louisiana and UL; however, we still have a ways to go for universal acceptance. We would appreciate USM picking up the UL and Louisiana names and not the demeaning U La La.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to the game, but will watch it on your webcast. Looks like UL sold out its 2,500 allottment plus another 500 to 1,000 more attending along with our band. It should be a great atmosphere to open the season. As you can tell, we are highly optimistic about this year and many of us are predicting a Cajun win, which would be an upset. Good luck to USM the rest of the year.

My bad. It was just a play on words that I've seen used for years. I wasn't aware that you were going through the name change. Even your school's own website refers to you as the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

[TuffGuy84]

You forgot to mention that one side also has a 5-star, 6'6" receiver that runs a 4.5 forty. Your tallest DB is 6'1". Talk about a mis-match. Said WR is also running with the 2nd and 3rd strings because we're so talented and deep at WR. Oh yeah, we also have an All-American TE that no defense has ever had an answer for, along with one of the best running backs in the nation. Our QB's have been very successful going against a better defense all fall than they'll see on Saturday. And it's not like they're true Freshmen. They've been on the team for 2-3 years, have gone through a couple of spring and fall practices, and one has even started a game. If you're expecting our QB to come out and be intimidated, then you're just fooling yourself. The sheer talent around him will make his job simple.

Wow...good for you to have a 5 star 6'6 wideout...it doesnt mean he runs crisp routes or even has done anything at the college level...thus why (surprise surprise) he's running with the second and 3rd string. Newsflash, we had a guy come to us from bunkie, a borderline 4 star athlete, was 6'6 himself, and ran sub 4.5, but he never understood the game, and thus never played...and that wonderful mismatch you're talking about only happens if the guy is good enough to beat out the guys in front of him on the depth chart. We know that god blessed your team with god given talent that every team in the country would love to have. Newsflash, I don't care who we are playing, you're chances of winning go up exponentially if the other team runs out a true freshman QB playing in his first game ever. In one breath you say you don't think of yourself as BCS, yet a post or 2 later, you claim that

"We finished at #37, ahead of multiple BCS schools, with multiple 3 and 4-star players, and a 5-star player that LSU sent the house to sway their way."

Wake up buddy, you haven't won a game this season, and those 3 and 4 star players still have to prove on the field that they can win. I'm all for keeping this cordial, but coming on here and beating your chest while saying that you're gonna win 400-2 is neither flattering nor reality. You're breaking in new offensive, and defensive systems, new QB, and new defensive line. I do think its possible that you win by double digits, maybe 14 and at the same time I feel its possible for us to do the same, but if you're expecting it to be a 40 pt blowout, you're gonna be dissapointed.

[GoEagles]

You guys had a total offense ranking of 63 and the Cajuns 49th. You ranked 48 in total D and they were 104th. You are playing at home where you averaged 26,000+ last year and the Cajuns are taking their show on the road where they played in front of 100,000+ at Tennessee last year. You have a new coach and the Cajun's coach begins his 7th season. This is a very important year for Coach Bustle and I'm sure his players know it.

All in all, with you playing at home and having a better D (on paper) it would seem that you guys should carry the day. 52-13 might just a tad wishful.

I will go with 30-23 So. Miss. I would be surprised if it turns out to be the cake walk you envision.

Out of curiosity, what was the SOS for each team last year? I would assume that USM put up those numbers against stronger opponents.

[MetryCajun]

_ My bad. It was just a play on words that I've seen used for years. I wasn't aware that you were going through the name change. Even your school's own website refers to you as the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

_

Here we go! HoustonCajun you have the floor!

[GoEagles]

Wow...good for you to have a 5 star 6'6 wideout...it doesnt mean he runs crisp routes or even has done anything at the college level...thus why (surprise surprise) he's running with the second and 3rd string. Newsflash, we had a guy come to us from bunkie, a borderline 4 star athlete, was 6'6 himself, and ran sub 4.5, but he never understood the game, and thus never played...and that wonderful mismatch you're talking about only happens if the guy is good enough to beat out the guys in front of him on the depth chart. We know that god blessed your team with god given talent that every team in the country would love to have. Newsflash, I don't care who we are playing, you're chances of winning go up exponentially if the other team runs out a true freshman QB playing in his first game ever. In one breath you say you don't think of yourself as BCS, yet a post or 2 later, you claim that

"We finished at #37, ahead of multiple BCS schools, with multiple 3 and 4-star players, and a 5-star player that LSU sent the house to sway their way."

Wake up buddy, you haven't won a game this season, and those 3 and 4 star players still have to prove on the field that they can win. I'm all for keeping this cordial, but coming on here and beating your chest while saying that you're gonna win 400-2 is neither flattering nor reality. You're breaking in new offensive, and defensive systems, new QB, and new defensive line. I do think its possible that you win by double digits, maybe 14 and at the same time I feel its possible for us to do the same, but if you're expecting it to be a 40 pt blowout, you're gonna be dissapointed.

Trust me, DeAndre Brown will be a superstar at Southern Miss. I've seen him in action in high school, in the Army All-American game, and in camp at Southern Miss. There's a reason that LSU sent their entire offensive coaching staff to his home the day before he committed to USM. He could start for any team in the country, but he's going to have to go out against you guys and prove it on the field before Fedora bumps him ahead of our highly qualified veterans.

And we won't be running out a true freshman at QB. One of the potential starters will be in his 3rd season with us. The other is in his 2nd. They have had ample time to get accustomed to IA football.

You're right. Anything can happen. But all we have to go on right now is history and the level of talent each team has. In both of those areas, USM is waaaay ahead.

[cajun4life]

_ Trust me, DeAndre Brown will be a superstar at Southern Miss. I've seen him in action in high school, in the Army All-American game, and in camp at Southern Miss. There's a reason that LSU sent their entire offensive coaching staff to his home the day before he committed to USM. He could start for any team in the country, but he's going to have to go out against you guys and prove it on the field before Fedora bumps him ahead of our highly qualified veterans.

And we won't be running out a true freshman at QB. One of the potential starters will be in his 3rd season with us. The other is in his 2nd. They have had ample time to get accustomed to IA football.

You're right. Anything can happen. But all we have to go on right now is history and the level of talent each team has. In both of those areas, USM is waaaay ahead. _

You guys can say what you want about DeAndre Brown wanting to come to USM and chose them over LSU all you want. The fact is he could not qualify to get into LSU and they have three other WR committed and signed that were better than he was. He went to USM because he could get in there. He did no choose to go there over LSU he chose USM by DEFAULT. He is and will be a really good reciever.