The Book 2008 Football

[Cajunsmike]

I must respectfully disagree with you. Who recruited the players? Who got the assistant coaches? In the end, the success or failure rests on the head coach. I believe some of you guys took it personally. I've never meet Bustle but I'm sure he is a good man. I've been waiting for Bustle to show us something. He is this year in a big way. This team has heart and character. The old Cajun teams would have phoned it in after FIU ran the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Not these guys.

You are right in that Bustle made the decision on the assistant coaches. To date this season, looks like he made more right calls. As far as recruiting goes, the assistants do just about all of that.

[DestinCajun]

You are right in that Bustle made the decision on the assistant coaches. To date this season, looks like he made more right calls.

You are so correct here. Nothing else explains the turnaround in the play of our defense this season DESPITE some significant losses in manpower.

[cajun4life]

I called for Bustle's head after the McNeese game last year, and again this year after the USM game. I will say that last year was an extreme dissapointment but after looking at it from an unbiased point of view, a few of his assistants seem to pack it in making it very tough on Bustle.

As far as the USM game I still have no idea what happened.

But if you look at what he has done since he came here it is quite a turnaround. Year 1 he had 36 eligible scholarship players, year 2 after a small signing class he had around 50. Year 3 we were around 70 scholarship players, year 4 is when we reached the full 86 scholarship limit. Most of these athletes were not D1 athletes but were very scrappy and played smart and with a ton of heart. What we are seeing now is the talent and depth is starting to come around and we are begginning to win and compete with schools who have traditionally been stronger programs. I think this improvement is 90% due to Bustle and 10% due to the Administration for believing in this staff when the fans did not.

[cjr3888]

I also wanted to boot coach a few times in the past few years. One thing that got to me is that the players on the sideline looked more interested in talking to each other than what was going on during the game. Plus, coach always just clapping and not showing much emotion. When I mentioned that on here back then, I got slammed. However, watch the sideline now. Every last player is into the game and even coach is showing some emotion.


igeaux.mobi

[UL_Cajuns]

I probably will get slammed for this, but Maybe coach Bustle is finally showing some emotion because he knew that it was do or die this year for him. Whatever the reason it is working.

[zephyr]

You know, we're having a great year thus far. As excited as I am for every game and impressed with our level of play to date, the theme behind Bustle's tenure has been inconsistency. We win 4 or 5 here but lose 4 or 5 right after that. This has been the case in 2005, 2006 and last year was just bad. I'll be quite honest with you, I'm not sure how much of a difference he has made in the "focus" and "attitude" as the players like Desormeaux, Fenroy, Keyes, Chery etc.. have. You ask anybody and its the players who dedicated themselves this offseason to getting better and not accepting failure.

I am happy that this year is getting some people off of Bustle's back. I've said all along to those who wanted him gone that it would be very difficult to get someone qualified to come in for the money we pay. I'm glad it looks like he will stay for a while. However, I am tempering my joy and waiting to see if this program can build on its success and instill this attitude on a permanent basis. Everybody enjoys some form of success at some time but its the good programs that can keep building on this momentum and seize it. I am curious to see what next year's team does with a lot of key contributors and more importantly, leaders that are leaving.

Let's keep everything in perspective and not get to high on this success just as we should have waited to get too low after USM and last year. We need to judge this year after the season has played out and see what the future holds for us. It does look promising though

[HOUCajun]

The thing that makes this season different from others is the Cajuns have played well in every game but USM. That is 7 good showings in a row. Even more impressive, things have happened at the start of many games that could have derailed UL but didn't.
Somehow the team developed a winners attitude and have stayed disciplined enough to avoid a letdown.
Can they keep it up all year? History says no but I wouldn't bet against these guys

You know, we're having a great year thus far. As excited as I am for every game and impressed with our level of play to date, the theme behind Bustle's tenure has been inconsistency. We win 4 or 5 here but lose 4 or 5 right after that. This has been the case in 2005, 2006 and last year was just bad. I'll be quite honest with you, I'm not sure how much of a difference he has made in the "focus" and "attitude" as the players like Desormeaux, Fenroy, Keyes, Chery etc.. have. You ask anybody and its the players who dedicated themselves this offseason to getting better and not accepting failure.

I am happy that this year is getting some people off of Bustle's back. I've said all along to those who wanted him gone that it would be very difficult to get someone qualified to come in for the money we pay. I'm glad it looks like he will stay for a while. However, I am tempering my joy and waiting to see if this program can build on its success and instill this attitude on a permanent basis. Everybody enjoys some form of success at some time but its the good programs that can keep building on this momentum and seize it. I am curious to see what next year's team does with a lot of key contributors and more importantly, leaders that are leaving.

Let's keep everything in perspective and not get to high on this success just as we should have waited to get too low after USM and last year. We need to judge this year after the season has played out and see what the future holds for us. It does look promising though

igeaux.mobi

[CajunFun]

I have to say, it amazes me how many fans spend so much time talking about their opinions, and so little time thinking about their opinions.

Did Bustle inherit a program that was in total disarray?

Yes.

Is being a head coach different from being an assistant?

Yes.

Does that mean that it takes time to learn it, like anything else?

Yes.

Is a head coach, by himself, all a team needs?

No.

Does he need capable assistants?

Yes.

Are there any flawless ways to select excellent assistants?

No.

Does that mean sometimes a coach has to go through several assistants until he assembles the right team?

Yes.

Have we been underpaying our assistants?

Yes.

Is there only one coaching style, and only one strategy to winning?

No.

Everybody here knows more about the X's & O's than I do, about plays and positions, about all of the technical terms. But so many of you are incapable of going beyond the basic information.

You're just like so many doctors I have worked with. They know the books and the literature, they ace the tests.

But don't put a real problem in front of them. They can't think their way out of a paper bag. And so they kill people.

I still don't know if Bustle is a good coach, and I don't know how I could ever know. A bad coach with good assistants and good players, will win .

A great coach with lousy assistants and crummy talent, will lose.

[zephyr]

_ I have to say, it amazes me how many fans spend so much time talking about their opinions, and so little time thinking about their opinions.

Did Bustle inherit a program that was in total disarray?

Yes.

Is being a head coach different from being an assistant?

Yes.

Does that mean that it takes time to learn it, like anything else?

Yes.

Is a head coach, by himself, all a team needs?

No.

Does he need capable assistants?

Yes.

Are there any flawless ways to select excellent assistants?

No.

Does that mean sometimes a coach has to go through several assistants until he assembles the right team?

Yes.

Have we been underpaying our assistants?

Yes.

Is there only one coaching style, and only one strategy to winning?

No.

Everybody here knows more about the X's & O's than I do, about plays and positions, about all of the technical terms. But so many of you are incapable of going beyond the basic information.

You're just like so many doctors I have worked with. They know the books and the literature, they ace the tests.

But don't put a real problem in front of them. They can't think their way out of a paper bag. And so they kill people.

I still don't know if Bustle is a good coach, and I don't know how I could ever know. A bad coach with good assistants and good players, will win .

A great coach with lousy assistants and crummy talent, will lose. _

So basically, you're coming to the same conclusion I have.. Good to have you aboard except I don't know if I'm one of "them". I'm simply saying that you have take this year and evaluate after one year. Did coach inherit a bad program? No, he inherited the worst program in the country arguably. However, what he has lacked, and even a scholar like yourself can see it, has been consistency. That is what it takes to put together a complete program. You mix this in with some really bad losses and no defining wins and you can see where people are still cautious. Remember, it was only 8 weeks ago where people were wondering who our next coach was going to be. If this is the beginning of great things, awesome but it will take longer than this to truly see if we are starting something worth while.

[Rebel02]

"It's not delivery, it's Desormeaux"

[keithj]

Haha, I saw that, too. I wish I would have taken a picture of it.

[NewsCopy]

  UL quarterback Mike Desormeaux returned to the field for Saturday's 49-20 win over Florida International following a one-game absence due to a sprained right knee.

The senior enjoyed one of his more productive games of the season, completing 13-of-19 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns. He connected on 11 of his 14 passes in the first half.

Early in the third quarter, Desormeaux hit wide receiver Richie Falgout for an 82-yard gain. Falgout was stopped at FIU's 1-yard line, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Tyrell Fenroy.

Desormeaux also ran eight times for 44 yards. He entered the weekend 12th in the nation in rushing yards per game (118).

The rest of the story

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • November 3, 2008