Bustle, UL agree to extension through 2011 season

[CajunZ1]

Weatherbie recruited 3 star athletes as a "lame duck." it is a fact that UL's recruiting is bottom 10. The extension helps, but I don't expect it will make a significant change. Should we land a 3 star or 2( or a recruit who choses us over La Tech), then I'll change my mind.

That being said, the extension doesn't bother me much, especially since the University had the upper hand in the negotiations. It could be a decision that has minimal financial consequences should he be fired next season.
igeaux.mobi

[wcd35]

_ Weatherbie recruited 3 star athletes as a "lame duck." it is a fact that UL's recruiting is bottom 10. The extension helps, but I don't expect it will make a significant change. Should we land a 3 star or 2( or a recruit who choses us over La Tech), then I'll change my mind.

igeaux.mobi _

Stars dont matter everyone's beaten up that argument before. If you want to compare situations, then you would have to weigh the recruiting class at the end of the lame duck's tenure not before his last season since we're really contending that it affects the current juniors recruited. In that case, ULM has 5 recruits. All will be 2 stars if you want to look at that. Right now we have 9 and Pryer is a 3 star out of HS. Again stars suck because players we (along with Tech, ULM, etc) recruit arent evaluated at the level of top 100 players are.

I cant say much about the players signed by ULM but I know Rob Walker, Kevis Streeter and Huval will be solid if not exceptional players. Currently there arent many players offered or looked at by both us and Tech (Glen Coleman, Gavin Webster (not looking at him hard), Briscoe, Eric Thomas maybe just to name a few. And we arent necessarily on them hard or offered)

Could recruiting be better, of course, but it is pretty good right now. Again, I wasnt necessarily against canning Bustle so dont take it as he's winning every battle.

[Turbine]

... I wasnt necessarily against canning Bustle so dont take it as he's winning every battle. _

I was against canning him.

Since being forced to start over in 2007 I have maintained he deserved his 4th year.

What I am against is rewarding someone with a show of fake confidence.

[CajunZ1]

Stars matter when they're accompanied by significant FBS offers. Why do we not sign 3 stars that have other offers? Because we can't... Yet. I'll buy that stars are inexact and fallible. But it does mean something when a kid chooses almost any D-1A offer besides ours. It makes a difference.


igeaux.mobi

[wcd35]

_ Stars matter when they're accompanied by significant FBS offers. Why do we not sign 3 stars that have other offers? Because we can't... Yet. I'll buy that stars are an inexact and fallible. But it does mean something when a kid chooses almost any D-1A offer besides ours. It makes a difference.


igeaux.mobi _

No doubt, I definitely agree. And at times we havent won many of these battles. But at the same time, just because we sign a guy that wasnt offered doesnt mean we didnt get a standout player. It has happened a few times and I think our recruiting staff prides themselves on finding the hidden gems. Recruiting can always improve though.

[JBO70538]

What are we doing? Des and Fenroy were local kids that we all enjoyed watching. We can't even get local kids. We worry about attendance, but with all these JUCO kids we have no ties to them. Yes, if they are good they deserve to play somewhere but, at least if a kid's from within a 100 mile radius we should be able to land him. Parent, friends and everyone loves watching a kid grow right before our eyes. Instead of so many kids from out of state where family support will only come to Lafayette for Senior Day. Bustle and his staff can not land local kids and it is hurting our program. He should take a page from the guys at McNeese, they do a great job landing local talent and keeping fan support high.

[cajunref]

_ What are we doing? Des and Fenroy were local kids that we all enjoyed watching. We can't even get local kids. We worry about attendance, but with all these JUCO kids we have no ties to them. Yes, if they are good they deserve to play somewhere but, at least if a kid's from within a 100 mile radius we should be able to land him. Parent, friends and everyone loves watching a kid grow right before our eyes. Instead of so many kids from out of state where family support will only come to Lafayette for Senior Day. Bustle and his staff can not land local kids and it is hurting our program. He should take a page from the guys at McNeese, they do a great job landing local talent and keeping fan support high. _

Fan support high, I am not so sure about that. Did they not have only 12K or so for their playoff game with with New Hampshire this year, where by the way, got their a... handed to them?

[Sonsissymia]

Originally Posted by snote
_ hurt recruiting??

don't the cajuns have the most "committs" at this point in time, than ever before??

_

_ I believe so. Which shows that our staff is doing a better and better job of getting kids looking at this program early on. Many of the recruits have been here and heard from the coaches in their junior years. _

not saying this is apples to apples with the cajun recruits, cuz i don't follow it. but--in court we get a jury instruction along the lines that the jury is not to "count noses" as regards witnesses that testify a certain way, but instead to weigh the quality of the testimony, regardless of numbers.

[Parrott]

Three of UL's eight public commitments are Acadiana recruits. Robert Walker is a three-star guy and had an offer from North Carolina.

The idea that putting together a local all-star team will increase attendance and drive success is crazy. Pure ignorance.

Simply look at the area talent to leave in recent years. Keiland Williams and Early Doucet (LSU), Janzen Jackson (Tennessee), Ricky Johnson, Jordan James and Tyrunn Walker (Tulsa), etc. All had offers from winning and more established programs.

The Cajuns will not find success by strictly recruiting only in their own backyard. Not all local prep standouts project as DI college players.

You also cannot compare the Cajuns and McNeese State. The Cowboys play in I-AA and can bring in DI-A transfers and play them immediately. It's a totally different ballgame.


igeaux.mobi

[HoustonCajun]

_ I was against canning him.

Since being forced to start over in 2007 I have maintained he deserved his 4th year.

What I am against is rewarding someone with a show of fake confidence. _

I don't mind the 1 year extension because it will help recruiting and apparently has a much lower buy-out clause. What I am wondering is what is the criteria for keeping him another year. Does he have to win 7 games and go to a bowl game? Given a pretty tough schedule, does he just have to be bowl eligible with 6 wins again next year? Does his salary and his staff's salaries stay the same this year or is there an increase at all, given it is one of the lowest in 1A football? This would appear to breath new life into the coaching staff. It is time to step it up. I hope they do it.