Game Talk: Louisiana vs. Kentucky

[ULGrad@HOU]

This game is just another in a long list of close, almost, and coulda games. This team has talent, and can physically win a game like this, but the mental aspect is not all there. The focus and confidence is lacking, and it showed up resulting in turnovers, mistakes and penalties. imo.

[Redgineer]

This game is just another in a long list of close, almost, and coulda games. This team has talent, and can physically win a game like this, but the mental aspect is not all there. The focus and confidence is lacking, and it showed up resulting in turnovers, mistakes and penalties. imo.

I agree. We did not look to confident in the first half. But when it comes down to it, we have the talent to beat Kentucky. The Cajuns needed to believe they could win, or deserved to win. This cranked up in the second half, but wasn't there most of the first half.

To me this is light and day from a year ago. We looked liked legitimate contenders. I saw play calling on offense on par with any college team I've seen. Yes, the defense was getting burnt at first, but we adjusted WELL for the second half.

IMHO, the game last night could have been the Kentucky vs. some other SEC team, or something of the like.

[Zeebart21]

I agree. We did not look to confident in the first half. But when it comes down to it, we have the talent to beat Kentucky. The Cajuns needed to believe they could win, or deserved to win. This cranked up in the second half, but wasn't there most of the first half.

To me this is light and day from a year ago. We looked liked legitimate contenders. I saw play calling on offense on par with any college team I've seen. Yes, the defense was getting burnt at first, but we adjusted WELL for the second half.

IMHO, the game last night could have been the Kentucky vs. some other SEC team, or something of the like.

Got to get over the hump!

[Cajun_Engr]

I agree. We did not look to confident in the first half. But when it comes down to it, we have the talent to beat Kentucky. The Cajuns needed to believe they could win, or deserved to win. This cranked up in the second half, but wasn't there most of the first half.

To me this is light and day from a year ago. We looked liked legitimate contenders. I saw play calling on offense on par with any college team I've seen. Yes, the defense was getting burnt at first, but we adjusted WELL for the second half.

IMHO, the game last night could have been the Kentucky vs. some other SEC team, or something of the like.

Exactly. That explains it pretty well. After they shook the cobwebs off (and remember 1st game of the season with freshman in some positions) they looked like as good as any competing program. They did NOT look like a SBC program getting blown out playing a money game.

Look at nearly every other game Sat. It was filled with blowout money games with mismatches of teams that aren't in the same league with each other. UL was the only "money game" that was the exception.

[Ragin' Caleb]

I didn't see this mentioned anywhere but right after we tied it up and kickoffed the Kentucky fumbled the kick at the 2 and the ball went backwards into the end zone where he then took a knee. How was that a safety?

My thinking was he never touched it before he went into the end zone. If he did, that's a safety. I was yelling at the TV

[BirdofParadise]

Just read thirty pages worth of comments. Here are some of my thoughts:

As far as the quarterback is concerned, I'm not concerned. Both QB's had their moments last night. Haack's numbers deserved to be better. He's got to get more help from his wide receivers, especially Robinson, than he did last night.

Basinbear says he's always worried about depth. I'm especially concerned about our depth at WR. I don't know how long Riles will be out but there goes another one. Haynes has promise but also made a freshman play or two. The good news is, that's fixable.

OL was a lot better than I expected it to be. They protected the QB and we ran the football effectively.

Tovell was really, really good. Tracy Walker had a very good second half. But I was really disappointed in the defensive line. We didn't get pressure on the QB unless we were blitzing and that wasn't a good sign for me.

We need Simeon Thomas...badly.

I'll tell you the one thing I took from the game. Usually (and certainly there are exceptions) but when you play a P5 team in game one you aren't going to sneak up on them. They are ready to play. This is the closest we've come to winning a season opener against a P5 team since we went to South Carolina the better part of a decade ago. This team will be able to build off that.
BTW--We play Georgia in November next year.

And Richie and I were really upset on that uncatchable ball. But we were quiet when they called it a hold. Interference would have been a horrible call. The hold was legit.

And, I'm surprised no one brought up a tough play on our part. On the Kentucky winning touchdown drive we had a receiver three yards short of a first down and didn't put him away. That got the ball inches from a first down. The fumbled snap , as a result, didn't hurt them.

I know some have criticized why Haack was in on the final drive. He was much more experienced on the two minute drill and had outperformed Nixon in that situation in practice.

Yes, we threw a lot of short passes. But sometimes your receivers need to break a tackle.

I'm with Z in that there are no moral victories. Kentucky won the game. The Cajuns did not.

And, I'm not naive enough to think we aren't going to have a night or two when we flat don't play well and as a result maybe lose a game we shouldn't. I think consistency will be an issue early in the season.

But I like the fight in this team.

And I'm not worried about the QB situation. That will work itself out.

[BirdofParadise]

Speaking of quarterbacks (and this should not be taken as me favoring one over the other because I don't at this particular point), here's a history lesson for those of you who are too young to remember.

In 1968, the slogan that carried him to victory was "NIXON'S THE ONE."

[Turbine]

This game is just another in a long list of close, almost, and coulda games. This team has talent, and can physically win a game like this, but the mental aspect is not all there. The focus and confidence is lacking, and it showed up resulting in turnovers, mistakes and penalties. imo.

UL owned (but never took possession) in 2 of the last 3 SEC games they played.

Mental confidence was the hold up.

This is why Home and Home is so important.

PS I may be excluding an SEC Opponent.

[MiamiCajun32]

This game is just another in a long list of close, almost, and coulda games. This team has talent, and can physically win a game like this, but the mental aspect is not all there. The focus and confidence is lacking, and it showed up resulting in turnovers, mistakes and penalties. imo.

I think this game was quite different. All the other woulda shoulda games against the big boy teams involved a perfect storm of great plays made by Cajuns and then try to hold on in 4th quarter when big boy team wears down Cajuns with superior depth. But this game against Kentucky saw the Cajuns making terrible mistakes and going in direction of 40+ point blow out, but instead it was the Cajuns that out coached and wore out the big boy team in the late 3rd quarter and all of the 4th quarter. When mid major beats a decent power 5 team, it's usually because of turnovers and an NFL draftable QB having a career night with perfect passes. if the Cajuns played at Kentucky 10 times this year, I think Cajuns win 5. At home Cajuns when 6 or 7. It wasn't really a mismatch at all.

Hud has had 4 solid recruiting classes and this year starting to get benefit of Cajuns being solid transfer destination of power 5 recruits who want to return home to Louisiana, due to multiple years in a row of success and good buzz. That is why the Cajuns can go toe to toe for 4 quarters now with a lower division SEC team that is on the rise and wanted to make a big statement in home opener at renovated stadium.

[alum81]

I think this game was quite different. All the other woulda shoulda games against the big boy teams involved a perfect storm of great plays made by Cajuns and then try to hold on in 4th quarter when big boy team wears down Cajuns with superior depth. But this game against Kentucky saw the Cajuns making terrible mistakes and going in direction of 40+ point blow out, but instead it was the Cajuns that out coached and wore out the big boy team in the late 3rd quarter and all of the 4th quarter. When mid major beats a decent power 5 team, it's usually because of turnovers and an NFL draftable QB having a career night with perfect passes. if the Cajuns played at Kentucky 10 times this year, I think Cajuns win 5. At home Cajuns when 6 or 7. It wasn't really a mismatch at all.
Totally agree. That's why I'm so excited about this season.GEAUX CAJUNS
Hud has had 4 solid recruiting classes and this year starting to get benefit of Cajuns being solid transfer destination of power 5 recruits who want to return home to Louisiana, due to multiple years in a row of success and good buzz. That is why the Cajuns can go toe to toe for 4 quarters now with a lower division SEC team that is on the rise and wanted to make a big statement in home opener at renovated stadium.

Totally agree. That's why I'm so excited about this season. GEAUX CAJUNS