CAJUNS previewed on ESPN.com...
Cajuns Previewed on ESPN.com
Tyrell Fenroy is poised to break several rushing records during the 2008 football season.
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COACH AND PROGRAM
After following consecutive six-win seasons with a more modest three victories, it's fair to say Louisiana-UL took a step backward in 2007.
Then again, given the state of the program when head coach Rickey Bustle arrived, the notion that a .500 season seemed in reach should be considered a major accomplishment.
“When we got here it was probably one of the worst situations a Division I school could be in,” said Bustle, entering his seventh season. “The support was down, the budgets were down. Now, we're selling more season tickets than we've ever sold. They want to see us win. That's always the bottom line evaluation, but we've done a lot.”
In a conference filled with more have-nots than haves, Louisiana-Lafayette is trying to prove it belongs in the latter category. The football program recently built a sizable indoor facility, with a new weight room and new playing surface also imminent. The Ragin' Cajuns also have made strides in the classroom.
“We had the highest APR score since anybody's been here as far as football goes,” Bustle said.
On the field, it remains a mixed bag. While a potent rushing attack remains near the head of the class nationally, Louisiana-Lafayette's defense often struggles like a fifth-grader taking advanced calculus. The Ragin' Cajuns finished last season ranked near the bottom in three key categories -- 106th in points allowed (35.8 points per game), 104th in total defense (446.7 yards per game) and 113th against the run (228.4 ypg). Eight of the Cajuns' nine losses came by double digits, including a 59-7 clobbering at Tennessee and a three-touchdown defeat at the hands of McNeese State, a Football Championship Subdivision program. The toughest loss might have been the closest -- an overtime defeat at the hands of eventual conference champion Florida Atlantic.
After a difficult first season for coordinator Kevin Fouquier, responsibilities were shuffled on the defensive staff. Volunteer coach Gerald Broussard, a new addition, now coaches the defensive line. Safeties coach Tim Rebowe inherited the linebackers from Fouquier, while cornerbacks coach Hurlie Brown assumed control over the entire secondary. Fouquier now oversees the Cajuns' 4-3 defense as a whole.
Still, the most significant coaching change comes on the offensive side of the ball, where Louisiana-Lafayette will have its third coordinator in as many seasons. Offensive line coach Ron Hudson earned the promotion after Blake Anderson bolted to Southern Miss.
“We're keeping everything the same in the run game and the terminology,” Hudson said. “We're very similar in our approach and our no-huddle. We just added some different route packages.”
There also are more opportunities to run those aerial routes. Hudson hired Jorge Munoz to coach the quarterbacks and install a more potent passing attack to complement an option rushing game that averaged 250-plus yards in 2007.
“We wanted to be able to attack down the field more,” Hudson said. “From the moment [Munoz] got here our skill kids have been excited.”
Kids being the operative word. The Cajuns played 21 freshmen in 2007, including six freshmen. The travel squad included 31 total underclassmen. Bustle is excited to see what those players can do with an additional year of seasoning. A senior class that includes two 1,000-yard rushers -- quarterback Michael Desormeaux and tailback Tyrell Fenroy -- provides plenty of extra optimism.
“I think we may have the best group of seniors since we've been here,” Bustle said. “I'm very confident in our kids' attitude and what they want to prove.
“You've got to work through the chemistry and have the same kind of attitude you need to win a championship. I think we can surprise some people.”
QUARTERBACKS
They like their quarterbacks in Lafayette. Need proof? Well, a few years ago, the local sports radio station started broadcasting Carolina Panthers games -- when former Cajun Jake Delhomme was still the backup quarterback.
Michael Desormeaux (6-2, 200) is creating quite the legacy of his own in Cajun country. Last season, he finished second in the Sun Belt Conference by averaging 103.7 rushing yards per game and with a total 1,141 -- despite missing the final game and a half of the season with a clavicle injury. Toughness isn't a problem for this signal caller. Before assum-ing the starting job, he spent time on special teams. He even did some moonlighting at defensive back during the 2006 campaign.
“Our kids rally around him. I think that’s important for your quarterback,” Bustle said. “He does not mind getting his nose bloodied and doing the things it takes to win.”
Desormeaux will continue to run the ball often in 2008, but the Ragin’ Cajuns’ plan to open up the passing game is twofold: Not only does it give the offense an extra dimension, it creates less chances for some headhunting defender to deliver a game-ending wallop to the senior signal caller.
“He’s not what folks consider a passer, but Mike can throw it,” Hudson said. “He’s demonstrated time and again he can throw the ball if we give him the opportunity and protect well enough, and guys will get open and catch balls.”
Desormeaux can throw the ball, but previously most of his throws came on short, quick routes. Given his modest 109.1 quarterback rating, accuracy will be more important now -- as will knowing when not to throw it deep.
Redshirt freshmen Chris Masson (6-2, 195) and Brad McGuire (6-1, 195) got plenty of work this spring, and their battle for the backup job will continue in preseason practices. Freshman Blaine Gautier could factor in once he arrives this summer. Bustle would prefer to redshirt Gautier (6-0, 194), the Baton Rouge native has a similar skill set to Desormeaux and could get a look if the veteran succumbs to injury.
RUNNING BACKS
No matter how much the Ragin’ Cajuns work on their passing, the offense will remain a run-first scheme. The Cajuns ranked seventh in the country running the football in 2007, averaging a robust 251.6 yards per game.
When Desormeaux doesn't keep the ball, chances are good Tyrell Fenroy will get it. There are only six running backs who tallied four 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Fenroy (5-9, 186) has a chance to be the seventh. It’s just one way the senior tailback can make history in 2008. He also lacks just 64 yards to become Louisiana-Lafayette's all-time leading rusher, and needs 830 yards to break the Sun Belt rushing record. Voted a first-team All-Sun Belt performer in 2007, Fenroy already has the most 100-yard games (17) and rushing touchdowns (29) in Cajuns history.
“He probably doesn’t say five words during a practice, but he’s a tough competitor and a great football player,” Hudson said.
Opening the downfield passing game will affect the way Fenroy is used as well.
“We'd like to give him the ball out in space,” Hudson said. “Give him the chance to be downfield a little bit more, making the bigger plays.”
Junior Deon Wallace (5-9, 184) is the next in line behind Fenroy, and his talents provide a nice complement.
“Deon is a little shiftier and has a little more top-end speed,” Hudson said. “He's more of a shake guy. He makes you miss. If you get him out in the open field, he’s going to take it the distance.”
Wallace sat out the entirety of spring practice to improve his academics. In his absence, junior Matt Dupre (5-10, 159) saw plenty of reps, as did redshirt freshman Julian Shankle (5-9, 190) until he broke his ankle. redshirt freshman Jonathan Thomas (5-10, 208), a converted fullback, also factors in the mix.
Senior Chancellor Robertson (6-0, 252) returns at fullback. Geoffrey McCullough (5-11, 205) and Phillip Walker (6-0, 211), a pair of juniors making the transition from linebacker, are challenging Robertson for playing time at that position.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
No group was more excited about the greater emphasis on the passing game than the Ragin’ Cajuns’ wideouts. On the other hand, no group did more work than the receiving corps, under the tutelage of position coach Daryl Mason.
“They don’t miss a beat. He doesn’t let them slouch on anything,” Hudson said of Mason. “He is on their butts hard, and you began to see it pay off. They're really responding to the opportunity to throw the ball more. They finished spring making a statement: We are going to make big plays.”
The Cajuns bring back some weapons. Senior Jason Chery (5-11, 180) led the team in receptions in 2007 with 36. Fellow senior Derrick Smith (6-1, 184) reaped the top yardage total, amassing 583 on 35 grabs. Smith also missed the spring to work on his academics, opening the door for a slew of younger wideouts this spring. Sophomore Marlin Miller (5-10, 174), redshirt freshman Lance Kelley (6-2, 185), redshirt freshman Jawanza Mitchell (6-3, 175) and sophomore Verlin Moore (5-10, 159) all made a case for more reps.
Sophomore Richie Falgout (6-0, 180), who made 13 catches for 88 yards in 2007, will try to fight off those other youngsters to be the third option in the passing game. Junior Louis Lee (5-11, 178) is a third-teamer on the depth chart, but he caught a touchdown during the spring game.
The Cajuns’ tight ends spend more time blocking than catching balls. Senior Erik Jones (6-4, 228), the incumbent at that position, had only one catch in 2007. Juniors Matt Ulm (6-3, 225), Luke Aubrey (6-4, 225) and Dusty Mack (6-4, 225) all factor in the mix at tight end, as does sophomore Matt Desormeaux (6-1, 217).
The brother of the Cajuns' starting quarterback, Desormeaux is making the position switch from fullback and will fill a combination H-back/tight end role in Hudson's game plan. Freshman Ladarius Green (6-6, 220), who was offered a basketball scholarship by Tulane, is a threat whether he lines up at receiver or tight end. Green is one of a few Louisiana-Lafayette recruits from Pensacola, Fla. that Hudson thinks could be steals for the Cajuns.
“If they were in Dallas, they would've been Big 12 signees,” Hudson said. “There's not a question in my mind.”
OFFENSIVE LINE
Louisiana-Lafayette returns six offensive linemen with starting experience -- and none of them are seniors. Keeping those guys healthy this spring, however, proved difficult. Left tackle Kyle Pirtle (6-6, 294), left guard Brad Bustle (6-2, 284) and center Chris Fisher (6-2, 280) were among the starters that succumbed to the injury bug. Add in mishaps to backups Brad Bryant (6-5, 280) and Josh Robinson (6-5, 280), and only eight offensive linemen were available for the spring game. In spite of it all, Hudson likes his depth in the offensive front.
“I'll have eight, nine guys that have played a bunch of football in the offensive line,” the coordinator said. “I’ll be able to play three or four tackles. I’ll be able to play four guards. I may rotate at center now and again. It’s forced some of these guys to get in there and kind of get their nose bloodied a little bit, and it’s forced them to learn, and they’ve done so.”
Still, there is cause for concern. Pirtle (6-6, 294), a junior, has been slow to bounce back from postseason knee surgery. Bustle (6-2, 284), the head coach's son and incumbent at left guard, also is fighting knee problems.
Assuming all hands are on deck, Pirtle would start at left tackle with fellow junior Bustle beside him. Fisher, another junior, might be the best of the bunch and returns as starting center. Fisher (6-2, 280) hurt his hand this spring, however. Sophomore Ian Burks (6-2, 266) is slated to start at right guard. He may have a tough time keeping the job ahead of signee Jaron Odom, who enrolled early. Odom (6-5, 340), who dwarfs Burks, will begin his college career at guard. Fellow sophomore Jonathan Decoster (6-4, 297) will man the right tackle spot after splitting time with Pirtle there last season.
While Pirtle was sidelined, sophomore Colin Windsor (6-5, 256), the backup center, shared reps at left tackle this spring with Nasser Jamal (6-5, 277). When healthy, Bryant can be a versatile cog in the offensive front. redshirt freshman Kyle Plouhar (6-6, 295) is listed second on the depth chart at left guard behind Bustle.
“I have a bunch of juniors and sophomores that have played a bunch of football,” Hudson said. “We’ve got good kids, we’ve got tough kids, we’ve got smart kids that have played some football, and now that’s going to pay dividends for us this year, and the next couple years.”
KICKERS
Senior Drew Edmiston (6-4, 195) remains as reliable as the mail for the Ragin’ Cajuns at place-kicker. Edmiston missed only three field goals in 2007, was perfect on all his kicks inside 40 yards and led Louisiana-Lafayette in scoring with 61 points. He earned a second-team all-conference selection to go with the first-team nod he received in 2006. Sophomore Tyler Albrecht (6-0, 170) currently is penciled in as the backup kicker.
DEFENSIVE LINE
The Louisiana-Lafayette defense fell apart last season, particularly in its ability to stop the run. Now, the Ragin’ Cajuns must replace three starters from their front four, while trying to repair their ability to stop foes on the ground.
Someone has to generate a pass rush as well. Rodney Hardaway, the team leader in sacks, is one of three starters in the front four to be replaced. The vacancies include both defensive end spots, and junior Hall Davis (6-4, 214) and sophomore Terrell Richardson (6-5, 235) left spring practice as the frontrunners. Both have the speed to give tackles fits off the edge, but the question is whether they have the bulk to bottle up ball carriers.
“The guys we had that played last year that backed up some of those starters, they played and they got game experience,” Bustle said. “The two ends, Richardson and Davis, played quite a bit.”
It seems like just a matter of time, however, before sophomore Jeremy Cook (6-5, 237) enters the first-team fray. Cook tallied seven tackles with two sacks and 4.5 stops for loss in the spring game. Junior Chris Lanaux (6-2, 223) and redshirt freshman Nate Douglas (6-4, 235) are vying for reps as well. Junior LaQuincy Williams (6-3, 283) returns at one of the tackle spots. Senior Seth Adams (6-4, 288), a career backup, is penciled in to start alongside Williams on the interior. Depth at tackle is a major concern. Sophomore Sharrick Moore (6-2, 253) is undersized for his position but has good quickness and made a tackle for loss in limited playing time as a freshman. Sophomore Jermaine Rogers (6-4, 265) also has little experience.
The potential X factor is incoming freshman Derreck Dean (6-0, 275). A product of New Orleans, Dean "is quicker than a hiccup" says Fouquier and, at 4.6 seconds, has the 40 time to prove it.
LINEBACKERS
Without question, the linebacking corps represents the strength of the Ragin' Cajun defense in 2008.
The group of returnees includes Louisiana-Lafayette's top three tacklers from a year ago -- senior Antwyne Zanders, sophomore Grant Fleming and senior Brent Burkhalter. Zanders (6-0, 212) finished with 93 stops, the highest tackle total compiled by a Ragin' Cajun since C.C. Brown in 2004. He returns to anchor the strong side.
Fleming (6-3, 210) made huge strides in his freshman year, earning the job at weakside linebacker and leading the team in pass breakups. He became the first Cajun rookie defender to earn all-conference recognition, receiving a spot on the honorable mention roll. At middle linebacker, Burkhalter (6-0, 223) finds himself in a fierce competition with sophomore Fred Davis for starting duty. Davis (6-2, 252) is a late bloomer who didn't start playing organized football until his senior year of high school. He has the size to bulldoze through gaps and wreak havoc in opposing backfields -- or waylay a receiver who tries to go over the middle.
Converted safety Daylon McCoy (5-11, 195) gives the Cajuns a highly competent third option at outside linebacker. A sophomore, McCoy made 36 tackles with an interception in 2007. redshirt freshman Richard Brooks (6-1, 205) and junior Jezreel Washington (5-10, 198) will provide depth, primarily on the outside.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
There will be an almost entirely new set of starters in the Ragin' Cajuns’ secondary, the one area of the defense Fouquier identified as a big key to Louisiana-Lafayette's success in 2008. In spite of the departure of three starters, the Ragin’ Cajuns have a multitude of options to fill out their defensive backfield, particularly at cornerback.
Junior free safety Gerren Blount (5-10, 179) is the lone returning starter, and he was suspended this spring because of sub-par academics. When he returns, he'll be in a fight against converted wide receiver Phillip Nevels for his job. A junior, Nevels (5-10, 190) impressed in his new role and left spring practice ahead of Blount on the depth chart.
Senior Derik Keyes (5-10, 192), a career reserve player, will finally get a chance with the first team at strong safety. Sophomores Frantz Accime (5-11, 189) and Maurice Rolle (6-2, 179) are waiting in the wings at safety. Sophomore Orkeys Auriene and senior Justin Branden left spring practice as the heirs apparent at the two vacant cornerback positions. Auriene (5-11, 165) enjoyed a solid freshman season, collecting 27 tackles with an interception. Meanwhile, there's pressure on Branden (6-1, 185) to raise his game after an inconsistent 2007 campaign.
“Branden’s a junior college kid that didn’t have a great year last year but kind of turned over a new leaf this spring,” Bustle said. “He’s more dedicated and a lot more coachable and kind of fits into the package a lot better.”
Fellow senior Scooter Rogers (6-1, 185) is right behind Branden in the battle at right corner, but he was benched this spring to -- you guessed it -- improve his academics. Junior college signee Dwight Bentley (5-11, 175) enrolled in January and had a solid spring. Bentley redshirted his only year of junior college and comes to Lafayette with all four years of eligibility. Junior Jean (5-11, 184), a speedy junior, rounds out the lengthy list of Cajuns looking to earn reps at cornerback this fall.
The key for Louisiana-UL this season is disrupting short passes. The Cajuns ranked a respectable 43rd in 2007 in passing yardage allowed, but the opposition completed 63 percent of its passes against them.
PUNTERS
Sophomore Spencer Ortego (6-3, 178) received a trial by fire in 2007. Ortego walked on to the team and won the punter job as a freshman. The results? A mediocre 38.9 average on his punts, with 12 of his 59 attempts downed inside the 20.
Freshman Brett Baer will give Ortego competition. Baer (6-0, 170) averaged 44.5 yards per punt in high school.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Before coming to Louisiana-Lafayette for his first head coaching job, Bustle served as offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. Given the special teams reputation of the Hokies, it's no surprise that Bustle has brought a little “Beamerball” to the Bayou.
“It's a big emphasis here,” said Bustle, whose Cajuns have blocked 30-plus kicks over his six seasons. “We’ve blocked a lot of field goals and punts since we’ve been here. I tell the guys I think it’s the quickest way to turn a game around.”
In other areas, though, the Cajuns’ special teams performance has left much to be desired. Louisiana-Lafayette finished last season a dreadful 105th nationally in net punting, while averaging less than six yards per punt return. The Cajuns have not returned a punt for a touchdown since 2002, Bustle’s first season in Lafayette.
Auriene will try to provide a solution. In the kick return game, where the Cajuns posted a 19.3 yard average, Wallace and Chery will get the first try. Smith and Miller also are options. Scott Hayes (6-0, 225), a junior, returns as Edmiston’s long snapper. The only newcomer among the specialists is the holder. That duty will fall to either Ortego or Masson.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
Victories remain somewhat elusive for Louisiana-Lafayette. In 106 years of football, the program has won seven or more games 14 times and played in only one bowl.
Diehards are hungry for that breakthrough season, and so far, Bustle has yet to supply it. Off the field, though, Bustle has made tremendous strides -- particularly in the emphasis of academics. He held out several key contributors from spring practice because of short-comings in the classroom.
“This APR’s serious business, and we’re trying to get the better students,” Bustle said. “We’ve got two recommendation letters for having the highest GPA any football team has had here.”
The sad truth, however, is that wins and losses mean more to a coach's job security than GPA and APR. If the offensive line stays healthy and the defense can make more stops, Louisiana-Lafayette has the horses at its skill positions to threaten for the Sun Belt Conference title.
The schedule is difficult, though. The nonconference portion includes trips to Illinois and Kansas State, and several of the Cajuns’ tougher conference games are on the road -- including visits to Florida Atlantic and Troy in back-to-back weeks. Given the schedule and the abundance of questions about the performance of the defense, and the Cajuns are at best a dark horse in the Sun Belt race this season.
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