Athlete (1993-96) Jake Delhomme

[Turbine]

"Sometimes, when things look their bleakest,
someone steps to the plate
and things just seem to work out."

[Turbine]

Jake Delhomme 1993

Coming off back to back 2-9 seasons, Louisiana's Ragin Cajuns were hoping to turn the corner. Their experienced starting QB was returning with a new offense built around his talents. Accompanying him were two ready backups along with a raw true freshman named Jake Delhomme. Jake was a hometown boy who had stayed home, the freshman however would in all probability not be needed, the stated plan was too red-shirt him, which is sit on the bench and learn.

In scrimmages before the season started young Jake impressed the coaches, in some ways more than the veterans. However there is an unwritten rule in football you go with experience, so Jake was delegated to 4th string, sit on the bench and learn, but boy coach Stokley sure liked him.

Then in the first game of the season using the unwritten rule something went wrong, terribly wrong, nothing on offense seemed to work. When the starter could not move the team the coach panicked and in quick succession went through his 1st, 2nd, and 3rd string quarterbacks, all of which left the Ragin Cajuns deep in the hole at halftime.

With none of the top three quarterbacks functioning as leaders, the memory of the 91, and 92 seasons with their respective 2-9 records was looming large. In hindsight one can sense that coach Stokley was a little like a kid in a candy store with money burning a hole in his pocket. You don't go through three quarterbacks in the first half of the first game of the year, unless you are working towards a goal.

That goal was to get his hands on his impressive freshmen. So during half-time coach Stokley ended everyone’s speculation about Jake being red-shirted, he did this when he said you're starting the second half. This was it, nowhere to turn, no where to hide, here was his chance to show that the scholarship was not wasted, and that the talent shown during fall drills was not a fluke.

Coach had not violated the unwritten rule of going with experience but he sure skirted it. Here was an opportunity to show that Jake could be the man, would be the man. The only red shirt Jake would be wearing from now on would be a "Ragin Cajun" uniform.


Jake did not win this hopeless game for the Cajuns. In fact disaster struck on his very first pass, an interception. First ever passes going for interceptions, are not what one would consider resume builders, but they have become sort of a trademark play. Generally what is considered a resume builder is the ability to bounce back and lead your team to victory, and though he almost pulled it out in his first start against Miami of Ohio, they lost a close one 28-29.

Delhomme hadn't come from behind in the first game nor did he win his first start, thus the young season did not look promising to the fans. However coach Stokley either confidently stuck to his guns or he had nowhere else to turn, the team was still Jake’s. This show of stability was soon to pay dividends.

Then as a starter, with one legitimate loss, and a full two-weeks of 1st string reps, an amazing thing happened. Amazing considering that with virtually no future NFL quality players as teammates, Jake Delhomme and the Ragin Cajuns suffered only one more loss the rest of the season, winning 6 straight at one point. Counting his first loss as a starter, Jake went on to overcome the odds and led the Cajuns to an 8-2 record as a freshman.

That freshman year Jake did have the luxury of playing with a couple of future NFL draftees, a junior safety named Orlando Thomas and a sophomore lineman named Keno Hill. Unfortunately the help was that thin, in Jake’s entire 4-year college career he played with a total of 4 future NFL draftees. By way of comparison, Jeff Blake played alongside 14 future NFL draftees, while 19 future NFL draftees surrounded Aaron Brooks. In going 8-2 as a starter, Jake was doing something with nothing, it was something special.

An 8-2 record (if taken alone) after the team went 2-9 the year before ranked as the 3rd best single season turnaround in the history of NCAA Division I football. The NCAA however recognizes the entire record and coupled with their opening game loss, the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns went 8-3, this was still good enough to rank as the 4th best single season turnaround ever. When Hawaii set the record last year with an 8.5 game single season turnaround, the Cajuns dropped to 5th best turnaround ever.

The University of Louisiana Jake led the team finished with a 5-1 record in the Big West Conference and earned the Cajuns a share of the conference title. So much for starting experience, this was a new experience.

Paul Angelle photo

[Turbine]

Jake Delhomme 1994

The good news for 94 was that future NFL draftee Anthony Clement came on board as a raw freshman to help protect Jake up front. For the second straight year Jake led the team to 5-1 record in the Big West Conference and earned the Cajuns a share of the conference title, a far cry from the dismal 2-9 records of year’s prior.

Delhomme set a UL record in 1994 becomming the first quarterback to pass for over 200 yards in 4 games. If only Jake had a legitimate hands guy to throw to the sky would be the limit see 1996.

Jake Delhomme was well on his way to becoming the most prolific quarterback in the History of Louisiana college football. This was an achievement he would in fact achieve, only to be surpassed later by La Tech’s Tim Rattay. At the time of this writing Jake Delhomme still ranks second all-time in State of Louisiana career passing yardage.

Paul Angelle photos

[Turbine]

Jake Delhomme 1995

The need for a go to guy was met in the Coaches own son, freshman Brandon Stokley. At one point in the season they rattled off 5 straight wins, and in the process the Delhomme/Stokley combination set an NCAA season record that still stands for most yards receiving ever or since by a freshman in an eleven game season, 1,121.

For Jake Delhomme & Brandon Stokley 1995 was a good year for a budding QB receiver relationship. They also set a record for most freshmen catches at 75. And still another freshman record with the yards per-game record at 101.9. Having a future NFL receiver to throw to didn't seem to stop Jake from spreading the ball around, as that year he passed for 2761 yards and had 20 touchdowns. The Cajuns finished their conference schedule with a 4-2 record, tied for 2nd.

[Turbine]

Jake Delhomme 1996

The season started with Jake holding an NCAA best 32 game starting streak, along the way during the 96 season came what many Louisiana fans consider to be the biggest win in school history, a motivated 29-22 win over national powerhouse Texas A&M. That was not however their only big game of the year. Headed by national champion Florida, the season included four teams ranked in the preseason Top 25 and four teams that concluded their seasons by playing in bowl games.

Future NFL draftees OT Anthony Clement, and WR Brandon Stokley, accompanied Jake Delhomme for his senior campaign. Opponents of the Cajuns lined up a total of 85 future NFL draftees against them. On average Jake and Co. had to face 7.73 NFL draftees each week, with only 2 of their own to counter.

With the 42.5 to 1 talent odds that they were up against, Jake still produced a 4th straight winning season. Although it did take a Texas Tech forfeited win to accomplish this goal. Still, with Anthony Clement protecting Jake, and sophomore Brandon Stokley catching his passes, the numbers continued to be impressive 20 Touchdowns, 2901 yards, and not once during the senior campaign did the team suffer back to back losses.

At no time during his career did the Cajuns suffer 3 losses in a row, and in fact in the 4 years that Jake was "the man" the Cajuns suffered back to back losses on only 3 occasions. Jake Delhomme had established himself as a proven leader a winner, who raises the level of play for those around him.

Jake closed out his college career with nine consecutive 250+ yard passing games, and an NCAA best 43-game starting streak of which he once said "the thing I'm most proud of is I played four years without having any injury. That means a lot to me. I've been lucky, and it's been fun.''

Statistically he wrapped up his career with 64 touchdowns and 9216 yards, which was good enough up to that point to be the 22nd best career yardage in NCAA history. He did this without a system and with minimal tools.

Several system quarterbacks have in the 4 years since surpassed his career numbers, but even now he ranks as the 29th most prolific passer in NCAA history.

The biggest win of the season came against nationally ranked Texas A&M resulting in a fan crazed goal downing.

Paul Angelle photo


raginpagin.com photo

[Lafitte the Pirate]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6...football-teams

Everyone also needs to look at who they picked as Army's best player ever.

Surprise!!

[Turbine]

Thanks

Which means Louisiana has 2 of the top 122

[RaginFan2]

_ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6...football-teams

Everyone also needs to look at who they picked as Army's best player ever.

Surprise!! _

That's the top QUARTERBACK at the school, not necessarily the best PLAYER. (Although many times it is the same). Just wanted to clarify...

[cajun tom]

_ That's the top QUARTERBACK at the school, not necessarily the best PLAYER. (Although many times it is the same). Just wanted to clarify... _

Brian Mitchell was the best Quarterback and best player at UL.

[CajunT]

_ Brian Mitchell was the best Quarterback and best player at UL. _

Brian Mitchell was the best player at UL period. But he was never the best QB, that is Jake Delhomme.

[RaginFan2]

_ Brian Mitchell was the best Quarterback and best player at UL. _

I'm not sure he was the best QB, but he was definitely the best player! He could be considered the best QB, that is very possible. That argument can certainly be made. And I wouldn't disagree. However, I noticed the guy who wrote the article seemed very moved by the more recent players generally. Of course, he did throw in some very old school guys (mostly for teams that hadn't had anyone special at QB for a LONG time).