Number 26

[cajun tom]

25 < > 27

Can anyone think of a former Ragin Cajun football player who wore number 26?

[BeauCajun]

Jimmy Poche' from my hometown. Tight End from 1973 to 1977.

I'll let Bankruptcy tell you stories about Jimmy. He's still very involved with UL football and tailgating.

[Boomer]

Dad died young and his mom raised 6- 8 kids----When the first flood hit Erath the family helped us get the rugs on the roof-----Mom said go help coach!!! Jimmy will be part of the Southern tailgaiting cooking where there are about 3-4 Cajun microwaves in operation for the first home game!!!! The Krewe de Chew runs a second place on our first and HC cookouts----I have stired the pot!!!

[Bankruptcyman]

Jimmy Poche from Erath wore # 26 from 1973 to 1976. Jimmy was a quarterback and running back in high school and a sprinter on the track team. At USL he began his career as a running back and was later moved to tight end. Jimmy was one of the first guys I met at the athletic dorm in August 1973. I was from Arkansas and could barely understand him. One of the players who knew Jimmy asked me to call Jimmy a coon-a**. I told him I could not call someone a coon-a**. He told Jimmy I didn't think Jimmy was a coon-a** and Jimmy proceeded to rant and rave for 5 minutes about what a coon-a** he was!!

Jimmy was undoubtedly a character on a team full of characters. He would tell stories about local people and events with his own embellishments of course. He was an unforgetable personality and a good friend and teammate.

Jimmy's mother became a surrogate mother to all of us out-of-state players. Jimmy's father died when Jimmy was about 14 and she had to raise 6 younger brothers and sisters by herself. Money was obviously tight but there was always room at the table for any football player who was lonely for a family. She considered all of us her adopted children and we all bathed in the glory of her compassion, generousity and poise. She was the epitome of the kind and generous Cajun spirit.

There are times when someone takes on a challenge that becomes bigger than themselves. Some people dodge the immense responsibility and it dies and some tackle the challenge head on and it flourishes. Jimmy created, organized and managed our tailgating crew even before it was cool to tailgate at UL games. He is the reason why at least 40 former players gather, swap lies and socialize at every UL home game. He is a great guy and is always giving of what he has to friends, family and complete strangers alike. It looks like the acorn did not fall from the tree.

[BeauCajun]

_ Jimmy Poche from Erath wore # 26 from 1973 to 1976. Jimmy was a quarterback and running back in high school and a sprinter on the track team. At USL he began his career as a running back and was later moved to tight end. Jimmy was one of the first guys I met at the athletic dorm in August 1973. I was from Arkansas and could barely understand him. One of the players who knew Jimmy asked me to call Jimmy a coon-a**. I told him I could not call someone a coon-a**. He told Jimmy I didn't think Jimmy was a coon-a** and Jimmy proceeded to rant and rave for 5 minutes about what a coon-a** he was!!

Jimmy was undoubtedly a character on a team full of characters. He would tell stories about local people and events with his own embellishments of course. He was an unforgetable personality and a good friend and teammate.

Jimmy's mother became a surrogate mother to all of us out-of-state players. Jimmy's father died when Jimmy was about 14 and she had to raise 6 younger brothers and sisters by herself. Money was obviously tight but there was always room at the table for any football player who was lonely for a family. She considered all of us her adopted children and we all bathed in the glory of her compassion, generousity and poise. She was the epitome of the kind and generous Cajun spirit.

There are times when someone takes on a challenge that becomes bigger than themselves. Some people dodge the immense responsibility and it dies and some tackle the challenge head on and it flourishes. Jimmy created, organized and managed our tailgating crew even before it was cool to tailgate at UL games. He is the reason why at least 40 former players gather, swap lies and socialize at every UL home game. He is a great guy and is always giving of what he has to friends, family and complete strangers alike. It looks like the acorn did not fall from the tree. _

Thanks Bankruptcy. Jimmy was a senior when I was a freshman in high school. Some very interesting memories there. I also had the opportunity to work with him for 14 years. He was our point guard on our work basketball team. When you hit him with an outlet pass he was full steam ahead to the basket. Quite a character that Poche.