Game Thread (Louisiana vs Boise St)

[CajunEXPRESS]

No you're correct. I'm saying I think he's better suited at FS.

You have to optimize not maximize your assets. We may be stronger at FS than CB. You have to have your best eleven on the field if possible.

[CajunT]

No you're correct. I'm saying I think he's better suited at FS.

The first thing that was noticeable visiting practice, was the difference in conditioning. Coach Caralla has done a great job of going back to old school conditioning like Whitt did hid first three years in the program. Both lines look in better condition, it was especially obvious looking at Lee and Dunbar on the DL, both looked lighter and quicker.

This year reminds me a lot of Coach Hudspeth's first season, there are at least 30 new faces in this program and you can see some pieces that could be very good. While it's too early to make predictions, there is enough talent on the field to make a run at the conference championship provided they settle on a starting QB and the locker room has no major problems. UL has App. State and Arkansas State at home this season, you must win both to have a shot at the top of the SBC.

I wanted to get a look at the new comers that were brought in to help immediately. I will wait until I watch a few scrimmages before I get excited about this team, but Artez Williams, Lavarious Varnardo and Denarius Howard all look like they can help us right away. Those 3 with the return of Thomas give the staff 4 new faces that they can work in rotations with Jones, Crawford, McCollum and Goodlett.

Jarvis Jeffries and Trevara Miller both have the quickness to help the defense on the edges. It also looks like LaDarrius Kidd is ready to step up this season inside. I like the depth at LB with Peters, Grainer, Lightfoot and Posey. This defense has pieces to be much better than last year, but I'm making no predictions right now. It's just too early and there is lots of competition ahead in the next 3 weeks. The scrimmages over the next few weeks will tell us what we have and if the pieces will work together as a unit.

Like you, I was impressed with Jenning's fundamentals. He throws all passes with a tight spiral and was very accurate. Right now he has that over both Davis and Nixon. Time will tell if he can learn the playbook and he needs to work on his conditioning.

I like the size and athletic ability of our OL, but we are young and they will need to mold as a unit very quickly. Withrow, Hunt, Gordon, Goodacre and Horst look the part, can they play the part?

We are loaded at RB, depth should not be a problem if you leave Nixon out of the equation. McGuire looks great, trimmed down and back to his old self. Jordan Wright looks quicker than he did in the spring. Trey Regas is a man and looks like he could provide the inside the tackle power that we had with Harris. Calais has one speed and that is fast, there is no jiggle or hesitation when he runs.

I like the development of Jacquet and Bradley at WR, if both of them can raise their level of play, this unit will be much better this season.

Those are just a few thoughts on my first glimpse of the 2016 squad. It's too early to get excited and the scrimmages are going to tell us more in the next few weeks. But I will say it again, this team reminds me of Hudspeth's first season in Lafayette.

[Zeebart21]

The first thing that was noticeable visiting practice, was the difference in conditioning. Coach Caralla has done a great job of going back to old school conditioning like Whitt did hid first three years in the program. Both lines look in better condition, it was especially obvious looking at Lee and Dunbar on the DL, both looked lighter and quicker.

This year reminds me a lot of Coach Hudspeth's first season, there are at least 30 new faces in this program and you can see some pieces that could be very good. While it's too early to make predictions, there is enough talent on the field to make a run at the conference championship provided they settle on a starting QB and the locker room has no major problems. UL has App. State and Arkansas State at home this season, you must win both to have a shot at the top of the SBC.

I wanted to get a look at the new comers that were brought in to help immediately. I will wait until I watch a few scrimmages before I get excited about this team, but Artez Williams, Lavarious Varnardo and Denarius Howard all look like they can help us right away. Those 3 with the return of Thomas give the staff 4 new faces that they can work in rotations with Jones, Crawford, McCollum and Goodlett.

Jarvis Jeffries and Trevara Miller both have the quickness to help the defense on the edges. It also looks like LaDarrius Kidd is ready to step up this season inside. I like the depth at LB with Peters, Grainer, Lightfoot and Posey. This defense has pieces to be much better than last year, but I'm making no predictions right now. It's just too early and there is lots of competition ahead in the next 3 weeks. The scrimmages over the next few weeks will tell us what we have and if the pieces will work together as a unit.

Like you, I was impressed with Jenning's fundamentals. He throws all passes with a tight spiral and was very accurate. Right now he has that over both Davis and Nixon. Time will tell if he can learn the playbook and he needs to work on his conditioning.

I like the size and athletic ability of our OL, but we are young and they will need to mold as a unit very quickly. Withrow, Hunt, Gordon, Goodacre and Horst look the part, can they play the part?

We are loaded at RB, depth should not be a problem if you leave Nixon out of the equation. McGuire looks great, trimmed down and back to his old self. Jordan Wright looks quicker than he did in the spring. Trey Regas is a man and looks like he could provide the inside the tackle power that we had with Harris. Calais has one speed and that is fast, there is no jiggle or hesitation when he runs.

I like the development of Jacquet and Bradley at WR, if both of them can raise their level of play, this unit will be much better this season.

Those are just a few thoughts on my first glimpse of the 2016 squad. It's too early to get excited and the scrimmages are going to tell us more in the next few weeks. But I will say it again, this team reminds me of Hudspeth's first season in Lafayette.

BJ, you'always been a straight shooter....thats great news.

Z

[zephyr]

Defense was every bit as inept as the offense last year. This is a new year with new assets and liabilities but we need to quit pretending it was all on the offense last year. Remember it starts with defense.

The best G5 teams out there give up between 25-30 points per game, if not more. Also, the best defenses in the country seem to have offenses that are efficient and can chew clock which we obviously couldn't do last year. Neither side helped the other as the defense didn't turn people over enough to provide good field position and quick scores but the offense was more inept.

[zephyr]

Both ranked about the same in the SBC.

There's zero correlation in your stat. Of course if you can't stop anyone your offense will mirror your futility.

By the way? Time of possession was in offenses court 30.07 minutes a game. It seems your argument for time is even wrong.

If you can't stop someone, at least your offense can come right back and score. Your counter has little validity.

[KajunKrazy]

The first thing that was noticeable visiting practice, was the difference in conditioning. Coach Caralla has done a great job of going back to old school conditioning like Whitt did hid first three years in the program. Both lines look in better condition, it was especially obvious looking at Lee and Dunbar on the DL, both looked lighter and quicker.

This year reminds me a lot of Coach Hudspeth's first season, there are at least 30 new faces in this program and you can see some pieces that could be very good. While it's too early to make predictions, there is enough talent on the field to make a run at the conference championship provided they settle on a starting QB and the locker room has no major problems. UL has App. State and Arkansas State at home this season, you must win both to have a shot at the top of the SBC.

I wanted to get a look at the new comers that were brought in to help immediately. I will wait until I watch a few scrimmages before I get excited about this team, but Artez Williams, Lavarious Varnardo and Denarius Howard all look like they can help us right away. Those 3 with the return of Thomas give the staff 4 new faces that they can work in rotations with Jones, Crawford, McCollum and Goodlett.

Jarvis Jeffries and Trevara Miller both have the quickness to help the defense on the edges. It also looks like LaDarrius Kidd is ready to step up this season inside. I like the depth at LB with Peters, Grainer, Lightfoot and Posey. This defense has pieces to be much better than last year, but I'm making no predictions right now. It's just too early and there is lots of competition ahead in the next 3 weeks. The scrimmages over the next few weeks will tell us what we have and if the pieces will work together as a unit.

Like you, I was impressed with Jenning's fundamentals. He throws all passes with a tight spiral and was very accurate. Right now he has that over both Davis and Nixon. Time will tell if he can learn the playbook and he needs to work on his conditioning.

I like the size and athletic ability of our OL, but we are young and they will need to mold as a unit very quickly. Withrow, Hunt, Gordon, Goodacre and Horst look the part, can they play the part?

We are loaded at RB, depth should not be a problem if you leave Nixon out of the equation. McGuire looks great, trimmed down and back to his old self. Jordan Wright looks quicker than he did in the spring. Trey Regas is a man and looks like he could provide the inside the tackle power that we had with Harris. Calais has one speed and that is fast, there is no jiggle or hesitation when he runs.

I like the development of Jacquet and Bradley at WR, if both of them can raise their level of play, this unit will be much better this season.

Those are just a few thoughts on my first glimpse of the 2016 squad. It's too early to get excited and the scrimmages are going to tell us more in the next few weeks. But I will say it again, this team reminds me of Hudspeth's first season in Lafayette.

T do you think with this team we could of beat LTU@R the last 2 years?

[scotto_25]

If our O-Line can hold a pass block this year, I think the dynamic of this offense changes drastically. "If" AJ is as elusive as I've seen in the past and "if" he's spinning it like some are saying in practice, this offense could propel itself back to one of the top point producing O's in the country. I know it sounds outlandish, but the pieces are in place. With an o-line holding it's blocks and AJ can get to the corner when no one's open, this makes the field seem that much bigger to the opposing defenses.

I hope we come back to this post at the end of the year......

I really think we are looking at a 9 win year.

[GeauxCajuns]

If our O-Line can hold a pass block this year, I think the dynamic of this offense changes drastically. "If" AJ is as elusive as I've seen in the past and "if" he's spinning it like some are saying in practice, this offense could propel itself back to one of the top point producing O's in the country. I know it sounds outlandish, but the pieces are in place. With an o-line holding it's blocks and AJ can get to the corner when no one's open, this makes the field seem that much bigger to the opposing defenses.

I hope we come back to this post at the end of the year......

I really think we are looking at a 9 win year.

glad to have you back scotto, you're not yourself when you're angry.

[scotto_25]

Haha - Dog Days of Summer will get ya

[CajunT]

T do you think with this team we could of beat LTU@R the last 2 years?

Don't know, none of us have seen this team play yet. If they get smoked by 40 pts. in the opener against Boise State, most of us won't think they could have won. Like Hudspeth's first season, I'm going to look at the first 3 games as a template for the season. The Cajuns need to be 2-1 after playing Boise State, McNeese and Tulane. Anything less will be a major disappointment for all of us, regardless of how many new faces will have to settle in the program.

[HoustonCajun]

Don't know, none of us have seen this team play yet. If they get smoked by 40 pts. in the opener against Boise State, most of us won't think they could have won. Like Hudspeth's first season, I'm going to look at the first 3 games as a template for the season. The Cajuns need to be 2-1 after playing Boise State, McNeese and Tulane. Anything less will be a major disappointment for all of us, regardless of how many new faces will have to settle in the program.

Actually, we play S. Alabama before Tulane so make that 3-1. After Tulane, we play NMSU, so we should be minimally 4-1 at that point hosting App State and possibly even 5-0.

[cajun_lannister]

Man Taboris Lee is looking freaking good