The Book 2008 Football

[NewsCopy]

  Official Louisiana Injury Report (as of Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008):

Richard Brooks, LB (knee – out)
Ian Burks, OL (back – probable)
Matt Desormeaux, LB (finger – probable)
Michael Desormeaux, QB (knee – questionable)
Richie Falgout, WR (leg – probable)
Grant Fleming**, LB (knee – out for season)
Junior Jean, DB (shoulder – doubtful, upgraded from out)
Derik Keyes, DB (quad – probable)
Jawanza Mitchell, WR (head – out)
Derrick Smith, WR (ankle – probable)

**Fleming underwent successful surgery on Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the 2008 season**

RaginCajuns.com

[NewsCopy]

  Going into the 2008 college football season, UL faced a number of burning questions and concerns to improve on a 3-9 record in '07.

The Ragin' Cajuns find themselves at the midway point of the season following last week's 59-30 win over North Texas. At 3-3, they have already matched last season's win total and are 2-0 in Sun Belt play for the first time ever going into Saturday's 6 p.m. game against Arkansas State.

"This is where I was hoping we would be," UL coach Rickey Bustle said. "You really can't ask for anything better."

Now seems like the perfect time to take a look back at the 10 burning questions the Cajuns faced coming into the season and what's happened so far in '08.

1. Get defensive

The rest of the story

Josh Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • October 16, 2008

[NewsCopy]

  UL's midweek injury report lists quarterback Mike Desormeaux as questionable for Saturday's 6 p.m. game against Sun Belt foe Arkansas State with a sprained left knee.

The senior from New Iberia hurt his knee with 10:04 left in last week's 59-30 win over North Texas. He has attended the team's three practices this week but has yet to participate because of the injury.

Desormeaux is the nation's top rushing quarterback and ranks 11th nationally at 118 yards per game. He is 13th in total offense at 297.3 yards per game and has accounted for 11 touchdowns for the nation's top rushing offense.

The rest of the story

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • October 16, 2008

[NewsCopy]

  If you think a running game can't be spicy, you've never seen it Cajun style.

The most productive rushing offense in major college football is Louisiana-Lafayette's lofty 332.1 yards a game.

But this is no wishbone team that relies on time-consuming drives. The Ragin' Cajuns can do that, but they're just as likely to burn defenses with quick strikes. UL has 19 touchdown drives that have taken less than two minutes this season. They have 18 offensive touchdowns on drives of five plays or fewer; 11 scoring plays from scrimmage have been 50 yards or longer. And that doesn't even count their explosive return game.

"They have some guys who can really, really run, and if you miss one assignment it can go for a touchdown," says Arkansas State coach Steve Roberts, whose Red Wolves (4-2, 2-0 Sun Belt Conference) will try to cool the Cajuns (3-3, 2-0) on Saturday in Lafayette. A share of first place in the conference will be at stake. "We've got to do everything in our power to run to the ball and communicate on defense."

The rest of the story

By Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY

[CajunCherokee]

Nice mention in the USA Today!

[cajun1300]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...5-cajuns_N.htm

[RaginFan2]

_ _

Nice article with good assessments!

[Tripple Threat]

That was a fun read...Let's hope we don't crash and burn this weekend...

[Frenchie35]

The have Mike Questionable on the headlines and problable in the Injury report. Which one is right?

[Damon]

Is Derrick Smith EVER going to get healthy? He's been hurt for months now.

[wcd35]

_ Is Derrick Smith EVER going to get healthy? He's been hurt for months now. _

Pretty sure Derrick played last game.

[RaginCajun2010]

_ Pretty sure Derrick played last game. _

I think what wcd meant was there ever gonna be consecutive weeks where smith was not on the injury report in someway. and i honestly could not tell you when the last time was.