2003 Football Commitments

[cajun1978]

try Jamarcus Smith

[NewsCopy]

Defensive back gave Tulane verbal pledge last year.

LOUISIANA La. — During his senior season at Destrehan, Jamarcus Smith came to the conclusion that Tulane University was where he wanted to continue his football career.

But after stuggling to meet the requirements on the ACT for admission into Tulane, Smith sat out the fall semester and has since decided to play for Rickey Bustle and Louisiana's Ragin’ Cajuns.

“I didn’t really want to sit out this past semester,” Smith said. “But I was becoming frustrated with myself and that test. But it all has worked out for the best.”

Once the 5-10 170-pound cornerback decided that he wasn’t going to play for the Green Wave, Smith chose the Ragin’ Cajuns over Southern Mississippi and Northwestern State.

The rest of the story

Eric Narcisse
enarcisse@theadvertiser.com

[Turbine]

Any news on an offensive lineman that committed yesterday to Louisiana? It was reported on KATC.

[NewsCopy]

Lineman chooses Cajuns

LOUISIANA La. — Louisiana has received its sixth football commitment to the 2004 signing class, with Parkview Baptist lineman Bobby Fails giving Ragin’ Cajun head coach Rickey Bustle a verbal pledge Monday.

The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Fails played offensive line for the first time this season for the state semifinalist Eagles, after playing defensive line in his first three high school seasons. But he said Monday he wasn’t picky about where the Cajun coaches utilize his talents.

“Honestly, I want to play wherever the coaches put me,” he said. “I don’t have a preference. I think they’re pretty set on putting me in the O-line, but wherever they think I can help the team, that’s where I want to be.”

Fails joins defensive back Joseph Hadnot of Lufkin, Texas, Lafayette High running back Caleb Rubin, offensive lineman Austin Wilkinson of The Woodlands, Texas, offensive lineman Jesse Newman of Powell River, British Columbia and Destrehan defensive back Jamarcus Smith as early Cajun commitments.

Fails helped lead Parkview Baptist to the state’s top ranking in Class 3A all season, before falling in the semifinals.

His teams compiled a 38-4 overall record in the past three seasons, including a state championship.

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[NewsCopy]

Junior College recruit gives verbal pledge after visit.

LOUISIANA La. — Louisiana’s football squad got its first commitment from a defensive lineman for the 2004 recruiting class Wednesday.

Independence Community College standout Curtis Isaac, heralded as one of the top defenders in the Kansas-based Jayhawk Conference for the past two seasons, gave the Cajun coaching staff a verbal pledge after an official visit last weekend.

“When I walked around town, everybody showed the football players a lot of respect, and I liked that,” said the 6-foot-2, 280-pounder. “We didn’t have that good a year up here as a team, and everyone kind of started ignoring us.

“When I was down there, the fans seemed like they showed a lot of support.”

Isaac, a native of Hopkins, S.C., was a two-time All-Jayhawk Conference pick for Independence, seeing his first-ever action in the defensive line after playing linebacker during his high school career. He said that the Cajun coaches had already tabbed him for the defensive front.

“I like the D-line a lot,” he said. “You’re always in the middle of all the action. At linebacker, I was having to run just to get into the play.

“They’re going to a 4-3 there next year and it’s a lot like what we ran the last two years.”

Isaac finished with 80 tackles, seven quarterback sacks and 14 tackles for losses this fall despite Independence’s 2-7 overall record.

He had previously earned All-State honors at linebacker at Lower Richland High in Hopkins, competing in the state’s largest (4A) classification.

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[NewsCopy]

Louisiana signed its fourth junior college player . . .

The Ragin' Cajuns signed Justin Ernest (6-3, 280) of Grossmont College in El Cajon, Calif. who will be eligible to take part in spring drills with the team.

Ernest joins offensive lineman Ryan Gilles of Santa Ana (Calif.) as recent UL-Lafayette junior college signees.

Ernest, a two-year starter, was named Grossmont's most valuable offensive lineman after helping his team to a 13-1 record and national No. 3 ranking among junior colleges.

The source of the story

[NewsCopy]

Interesting reads on the Justin Earnest led Griffins attempt at a national title.

Grossmont Reaches Title game December 7, 2003

Griffins up against state power December 13, 2003

Last-gasp Drive Nips Griffins in Finale December 14, 2003

[Turbine]

Thanks to Swampfox for confirmation on this commitment.

The Griffins of Grossmont College Finished:

#1 in Southern California.

#2 in California

#3 in the Nation.

[NewsCopy]

Cajuns catch up, get Brown

LOUISIANA La. — The University of Louisiana’s football program got a second-time-around commitment Sunday, but wide receiver Eddie Brown will probably be worth the wait to the Cajun squad.

Brown, one of the state’s top receivers at New Orleans’ Fortier High one year ago, gave coach Rickey Bustle a verbal commitment Sunday and is expected to enroll for the spring semester today.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Brown, who had 290 catches for 2,100 yards and 50 scores in his four-year prep career, originally signed with Oklahoma State last spring.

However, he did not reach academic qualifying standards until after the fall semester had begun, and never enrolled at OSU.

Brown has since become fully qualified and will have five fall terms remaining after today’s anticipated enrollment. He will also have the advantage of spring drills prior to his first fall season.

“I think that’ll give me a chance to compete for a starting job,” Brown said Sunday. “I know it’ll help me to have the full off-season and weight program ... I’m ready to get in the weight room now.”

Brown, the 11th commitment to Bustle for this year’s recruiting class and the second wide receiver in that group, was a second-team Class 5A All-Stater as a senior at Fortier when he caught 55 passes for over 700 yards and 12 scores.

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[1stTake]

I was worried about finding a Stamps replacement, this is awesome.