2008: Rest Desmo

[cajun4life]

Where's the "D"? _

Injured like the rest of the team. We lost Seth Adams for disciplinary reasons, Grant Flemming (ACL), Richard Brooks(ACL), Burkhalter(Failed drug test), Chris Richard(Back), Daylon McCoy (Hamstring) all are out and they are all playmakers on defense. So we will start two guys who we wanted to redshirt and at the beginning of the year they were 6th or 7th on the depth chart. Thats where the D went. We can't complain that we do not have depth at the LB position because every guy that is injured played very very well while in the game. Just the injury bug is more like the plague than the flu this year.

[Just1More]

We have a lot of injuries (understatement) but the teams we face have injuries too. They also have deficiencies that good coaching can exploit. Here's a small silver lining for us... no prior game film is a sure fire way to prepare for us.

Many will attest that we have had some pretty solid players come into this program over the past couple of years. Our depth is not that shabby. I'm an optimistic realist by nature and I have no reason to believe you cannot employ less experienced athletes at this point in the season to pick up a good portion of the load, and shift others around into perhaps even greater exploitation of their gifts.

Good coaching and we take FAU.

[Cajunsmike]

I think all three games are winnable with a healthy McGuire at QB....however defense will have to step up like it did in the ASU game.

F-me we were getting unstoppable before Dezmo got hurt......______!

I agree that we have a shot with a healthy Brad at QB. However, our injury situation at LB is much more severe than it was against ASU. We have a tremendous challenge on Saturday.

[RCAJUN90]

_ ... to talk with me... do you require everything explained to you?

Cajun Nation was primarily referring to Des needing rest. He does not know that Mike will not get better with rest. He thought if Mike were "restable", he would go with Brad this Saturday and get Mike ready for Troy and beyond.

Techincally, CajunNation is correct... but I would prefer to win out. In fact, I'm insisting on it.

T-Gov _

Cajun Nation was referring to Mike needing a rest and suggesting that Mike take that rest we take our chances with FAU without him. Sugesting we could risk losing the FAU game if we just win the last two. Yes he didn't understand the nature of the injury and neither did I but according to some people a few weeks will not matter. Techincally CajunNation is wrong because the whole premise started with the false notion that a weeks rest would make Mike as good as new. If some are to be believed which I have no reason to doubt them, a few days will clearly not help. Why don't you give the coaching staff a call tomorrow and tell them that we insist they win out!

[RCAJUN90]

_ Injured like the rest of the team. We lost Seth Adams for disciplinary reasons, Grant Flemming (ACL), Richard Brooks(ACL), Burkhalter(Failed drug test), Chris Richard(Back), Daylon McCoy (Hamstring) all are out and they are all playmakers on defense. So we will start two guys who we wanted to redshirt and at the beginning of the year they were 6th or 7th on the depth chart. Thats where the D went. We can't complain that we do not have depth at the LB position because every guy that is injured played very very well while in the game. Just the injury bug is more like the plague than the flu this year. _

What rotten luck we are having this year staying healthy. Again we are not playing the Gators. Maybe these not ready for primetime players might just want to shine Saturday. At least I hope.

[CajunAmos]

I agree that we have a shot with a healthy Brad at QB. However, our injury situation at LB is much more severe than it was against ASU. We have a tremendous challenge on Saturday.

Considering the one of the primary backups will be a tight end that was converted to linebacker three weeks ago, I'd say we have linebacker issues. This after having to pull the redshirt off a freshman, and converting a safety to linebacker as well.

[Boomer]

_ I agree that we have a shot with a healthy Brad at QB. However, our injury situation at LB is much more severe than it was against ASU. We have a tremendous challenge on Saturday. _

Do you know the 2 deep at the 3 linebacker positions???? How has DES 2 doing in his new defensive role???

[zephyr]

_ He needs another week off.

With the way FAU is playing right now, they will be every bit as tough to beat as Troy will be.

If he plays Saturday, and injures himself even more, the year truly will be lost.

I'm willing to let Mcguire have another shot to be the hero Saturday, or let Masson have a go if Mcguire can't.

As we have seen last Saturday, a hobbled Desmo is pretty easy to defend.

We can lose this week and still win this league.

We need a healthier Desmo for one, big, final push for the last 2 games. _

If we had a healthier McGuire, I'd say you have something here. However, we don't and his mobility may be more in doubt than Dez's and he's already not as mobile as Mike. Considering you have another redshirt Freshman who has seen little to no playing time this year, your options are pretty clear...You start Mike and hope between he and McGuire, that they can pull something off. Better yet, you get the coaching staff to prepare for this and throw some different wrinkles into the gameplan and don't rely just on the zone read offense....That might be useful.

[UL Alum93]

Coaching boys it all comes down to the "C" word. We're not dead in the water yet, still have many options and very talented players on this team, we will not win if we aren't properly coached, however if our coaches have done their homework we'll be just fine!

D needs to step up and not play soft, put the QB on his back with lots of pressure, do not give him time to throw the ball, he will pick us apart, again coaching, and we'll be just fine!

Good luck!!

See ya in N.O.

[CajunT]

_ Coaching boys it all comes down to the "C" word. We're not dead in the water yet, still have many options and very talented players on this team, we will not win if we aren't properly coached, however if our coaches have done their homework we'll be just fine!

D needs to step up and not play soft, put the QB on his back with lots of pressure, do not give him time to throw the ball, he will pick us apart, again coaching, and we'll be just fine!

Good luck!!

See ya in N.O. _

You can only prepare young athletes that are not ready to play so much. But you are right, a good coach can certainly find ways to exploit kids that only understand a base defense and should have been red-shirted. We have more to be expoited on the defensive side of the ball, then they do right now.

Good coaching can only go so far in preparing athletes that are not ready to play. It starts with knowing your limitations.

[DaddyCajun]

_ I'm sure I'm misreading you, but you know Des is a senior. He either plays now or he is done collegiately. If rest doesn't really help... it is a matter of... at what point are you better off with a healthy inexperienced QB over an injured veteran QB? It sucks to even consider Des out of action, but I would much prefer weaving Brad and/or Chris into the FAU game, than simply waiting until it has to be done at Troy. I think the messages coming out have all contingencies making their way to the foreground.

Regardless of who plays QB, we have got to get a bounce out of the rest of the units, and win the turnover battle. We were probably in a position a few weeks ago that we could take our game to any SBC team and force them into exceptional planning. From here on out, we are going to see if our coaching staff has the ability to coach above the rest of the conference or not... mental preparation and key adjustments prior to and during the contest are at a premium for us now. _

Yes I am aware that Des is a senior, just not aware of how bad this injury is! I was wondering if surgery was required would it be more of and orthoscopic type that would have him out just a week or two. If this were the case Des should have had sx during the off week and get ready having skipped the UTEP game. Not knowing exactly what is going on injury wise makes it tuff as a fan to comment. I feel certain though that Bustle and company will have them ready to geaux and the players are ready to step up, put pressure on the QB, and Cherry and Fenroy need to have big games behind a OL that is ready to truely earn their keep.

[CajunZ1]

_ I was wondering if surgery was required would it be more of and orthoscopic type that would have him out just a week or two. If this were the case Des should have had sx during the off week and get ready having skipped the UTEP game.

Jay adressed this on BEV yesterday. Fixing Desormeaux's injury is not as simple as scoping the knee and moving on after a few weeks. Apparently it requires a full on surgical procedure.

[DaddyCajun]

_ Considering the one of the primary backups will be a tight end that was converted to linebacker three weeks ago, I'd say we have linebacker issues. This after having to pull the redshirt off a freshman, and converting a safety to linebacker as well. _

I really like the mental make up of our coaching staff now and certainly like the mental make up of the Young MEN on this team. I feel as though they have been doing what we were taught to do in the Army, Adapt and Overcome!!!!

[ZZeebart21]

LMAO!! Always fun to find one of these ancient threads! Sadly some of our best posters no longer make their presence known on RP anymore.

[BabbForHeisman]

LMAO!! Always fun to find one of these ancient threads! Sadly some of our best posters no longer make their presence known on RP anymore.

I forgot how peaceful and non-annoying this board used to be!