SPRING FOOTBALL PRACTICE REPORTS

[NewsCopy]

PRACTICE #6...The Cajuns went back to work on Friday following Thursday’s day off. The team practiced for less than two hours under cloudy skies and mild temperatures. The 10-period session was conducted in shorts and shoulder pads. UL used Friday’s practice as a tune-up for Saturday morning’s scrimmage. The team is slated to scrimmage at Cajun Field beginning at approximately 10am. The scrimmage will be limited to 110 plays, 48 for the first team, 56 for the second team and six field goals. No series will be allowed to last longer than eight plays. “We wanted to have a good mental day (on Friday),” safeties coach Tim Rebowe said. “Get the players focused and make sure that they are assignment sound for the scrimmage. We’ve been in full pads for the last three practices, so we also wanted to get their legs back a little bit and have them fresh so they can get after it.” The team used the day of practice to review schemes and plays. There was only one eight-minute team period where the offense faced the defense. “We want to see execution (Saturday),” Rebowe added. “Today was all about preparing ourselves for battle.” Although the defense bested the offense in Wednesday’s live work, Rebowe doesn’t believe the offense will be looking for revenge. “I don’t know about revenge,” Rebowe stated. “We just want to go out and get better as a team. The coaches want to make sure the players know what they’re doing. Sometimes it’s not about offense versus defense, its about getting better as a whole.” RaginCajuns.com

[NewsCopy]

The Ragin' Cajuns’ seventh practice of the spring was their first scrimmage of 2008. UL worked a few plays less than the scripted 110 at Cajun Field on Saturday morning. The scrimmage was designed so that each series would be limited to eight plays, regardless of outcome, therefore keeping personnel fresh on each side of the ball. The defense was able to collect four interceptions and recover a fumble to disrupt the offense most of the morning. “Defensively, our purpose was to go nose-to-nose,” head coach Rickey Bustle said. “They are ahead of the offense a little bit.” The first team offense battled the first team defense most of the day, while the second teamers squared off against one another. Quarterback Michael Desormeaux saw limited action, giving way to redshirt freshmen Chris Masson and Brad McGuire. Masson suffered a bruised leg in the second half and did not return, allowing McGuire to see additional reps. Desormeaux and McGuire combined to complete seven passes of 15 yards or more. “It was good to see some players make big catches in our play-action sets,” Bustle added. “We have to cut down on our turnovers. “We had too many penalties on big plays on both sides of the ball. Those are things you have to cut out which keep you from winning games. “Any time that you have penalties and turnovers it’s disappointing. I just want to see improvement next time.” The Cajuns will practice next week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday before scrimmaging again on Saturday. RaginCajuns.com

[Gbbaseball7]

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All in all I think they (team) are progressing well this early in the spring. I talked with Chris and other than being pretty bummed out he should be back in the saddle pretty quick, just a bruise on the shin. Need more work on the O side of the ball with execution but that is pretty normal, D comes together usually faster than O. It is good to have a leader like Mike taking charge. He is a great teacher and instills a great deal of confidence in the younger guys. They look up to him a lot. Each week shows improvement. Saturdays scrimamge should be great to watch.

[NewsCopy]

PRACTICE #8...The team practiced on Monday from 4-5:45pm in full pads... With a tornado watch in effect until 6pm, the squad stayed inside Leon Moncla Indoor Practice Facility. It would have been tough outside as overcast skies, light rain and winds from the south at 20mph, gusting up to 35 mph, tormented the practice fields. Football shared the indoor facility with the Cajuns softball team, who took batting practice inside the cages lowered in the west end zone. The 10-period practice was the first since Saturday’s scrimmage. “The guys came back with some pep in their step,” running backs coach Brian Jenkins said. “They came out with a purpose and that’s important. Good teams practice with a purpose. “Offensively, we got into some things that we are known for and the guys executed well. I thought the defense flew around (today). Special teams were solid and it was a good solid day all around.” The Cajuns worked their regular drills on Monday, including physical drills Oklahoma and Middle. The only new installation was goal line sets. “Our plan coming into the spring was to overload the guys in the beginning to see how they would adjust,” Jenkins stated. “We wanted to get them into the thought process of playing hard, tough, physical football. “We reiterated that (on Monday) and stuck with what we’ve been doing. The guys responded well.” NOTABLE...The offensive line finished practice with just five linemen due to several members leaving for evening classes and a few others sitting out with the flu. NUMBER CHANGE: Redshirt freshman quarterback Brad McGuire changed his number over the weekend. He had been practicing in number 16, but switched to number 8. raginCajuns.com

[NewsCopy]

The Ragin’ Cajuns football team practiced on Wednesday afternoon in full pads. The Cajuns conducted 10 sessions which included individual and group work, as well as, some series working on various second down situations. “Nine days in, you are just starting to a rhythm and have a good understanding of what’s going on,” commented tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator Troy Wingerter. “Although we didn’t depart too far with the change to Ron Hudson at coordinator, it has taken us a little bit of time to get used to it. “We did a lot of things that I liked to day. I think we were much better on Saturday, but we did some things I liked. “We put some moving parts in today,” Wingerter added. “We actually had some installation of some things today. We are still a little rough on the new stuff, but the bread and butter plays, I think we ran pretty well.” The Cajuns worked their regular drills on Wednesday, including two periods of team vs. varsity and 7-on-7 drills. The practice ended with two periods of second down drills. RaginCajuns.com

[snote]

run for fun and throw to go..

the offense wins this one

[BeauCajun]

_ run for fun and throw to go..

the offense wins this one _

Us early risers will be out at Cajun Filed Saturday morning. Scrimmage at 9:30ish.

[snote]

Us early risers will be out at Cajun Filed Saturday morning. Scrimmage at 9:30ish.

i'm around 6' 8" and got red hair with a big belly (ho ho ho)

ps. thanks for reading

[MissingMandy]

_ run for fun and throw to go..

the offense wins this one _

Hi snote thanks for going easy on KP....just learning that Center position. Use to being a tackle but he's trying hard.

[RaginFan2]

i'm around 6' 8" and got red hair with a big belly (ho ho ho)

ps. thanks for reading

I knew you had a "high" opinion of yourself (grins), but that is ree-diculous!

BTW, weren't you #83 with the Falcones? How about at Tech? That was was my number at dear ole Minden High! I'm kinda partial to wearers of that particular number.

[snote]

BTW, weren't you #83 with the Falcones? How about at Tech? That was was my number at dear ole Minden High! I'm kinda partial to wearers of that particular number.

keeping in step with our fun in here.. and not wanting to dampen your partialities... you could consider we wore the same number if you took my 82 (and went 1 higher)

was 26 when i drove west to shreveport, before I-10 finished, and i think (i apologize often for no memory) minden was the first stop that was "wet" ..

[NewsCopy]

PRACTICE #10...

The Ragin’ Cajuns final preparations for their second spring scrimmage concluded on Friday with a 90-minute practice inside the Leon Moncla Indoor Practice Facility. The team practiced 10 periods in shorts and shoulder pads. “Our goal (for Friday’s practice) was to brush up on the things we needed improvement on,” Cajuns cornerbacks coach Hurlie Brown said. “We needed to make the necessary corrections to be on the same page and get ready for the scrimmage.” UL will scrimmage at Cajun Field at 10am on Saturday morning. The scrimmage calls for 10 offensive series in the first half, with the ball placed at various yard-lines. Each series will last until the offense scores, turns the ball over on downs or commits a turnover. The second half will be similar to the first, but the number of series will be determined based on how many plays were in the first half. The team finished installing all its offensive and defensive packages on Wednesday, making the final six practice sessions a review of plays and players. “It’s a matter of fine-tuning techniques and going out and letting the guys play,” Brown added. “The coaches need to see the guys fly around and make plays. We want to see what the players have learned and where they need additional teaching. “They’re going to make mistakes, but we want them to make them at 100 miles-per-hour.” INJURY UPDATE: It has been confirmed that redshirt freshman running back Julian Shankle broke his ankle and will miss the remainder of the spring. Shankle, a 5-foot-9, 190-pound back from Grand Prairie, Texas, originally injured the ankle in Monday’s practice. RaginCajuns.com