Head Coach Mike Desormeaux

[CajunVic]

Not sure why so many are claiming surprise. You were forewarned here that this was going to happen 3 days ago. That should have been plenty time to process and prepare.

[SlickRick]

I would agree. This program is in a spot where we will draw significant interest and we should certainly make having at least coordinator experience a major criteria. I just can't see many other schools promoting a QB coach or TE coach to HC right off the bat even if the outgoing coach said it was a good decision. If Des was that hot of a commodity, wouldn't Napier have taken him with him?

I believe CBN wants to see his former program continue to succeed. If he believed CMD was the best guy to do this, he would not have taken him to FL.

[JMV JustMyView]

Good post Jay. Some of us were surprised but we do not know what goes on behind the closed doors. From his playing days, I know he is tough as nails. I have also heard that he was an exceptional student. Apparently, he has a high football IQ as well. I am very excited for the opportunity he is being given and I hope Dr. Maggard is (again) proven a super AD with this hire.

It shouldn't be a surprise. I mentioned 2 months ago on the South Alabama game thread that the next UL coach was already on the staff. Guys listen to JMV every once in a while. I personally am not that close to the sources, but I have a podna who is as close to the source as can be. This has been in the making for a while. Dr. Maggard is a smart man and has folks lined up ready to take over if needed.

[JMV JustMyView]

Let's see, CBN was a TE coach for Saban, hmmmm, coincidence?

I believe CBN wants to see his former program continue to succeed. If he believed CMD was the best guy to do this, he would not have taken him to FL.

He never coached TE at Bama.

[SlickRick]

The film where he easily outplayed the high end App State QB, again, this time for the conf title? That film?

Preach brother!

[SlickRick]

Our defense made App St. QB look bad.

And App's defense made LL look....good?

[SlickRick]

I agree his TALENTS where above average for G5, but we never utilized those talents. Napier pounded that square peg into a round hole. And he got away with it time and time again.

That’s my only knock on Napier was for not seeing how misused Levi was. When everyone else without their heads up their asses could see it.

You couldn't run LL regularly the whole season. He's not big enough for that kind of pounding. His best assets were his running ability and protecting the ball. Our passing game was limited with him in the pocket, but, and this is a big old but, we won with him.

[SlappyCajun]

There will be a couple of early touchstones for Mike:

Can he?

(1) Minimize as much damage as possible on Early Signing Day

(2) Win the bowl game and have us finish the season ranked in the Top 20 and heading into next season with the nation’s second longest winning streak.

(3) Assemble a high quality staff to replace those who have left/will leave

(4) Close out recruiting so that we end up with a top 2 class in the Sun Belt

His failure to do one of these things doesn’t spell the end of the world. But if he could tick these boxes off it would really get the Desormeaux era off kn the right foot

[SlickRick]

Our last promotion within worked great for us: Patrick Toney. Defense was stellar this year, and a huge reason for our success.

Prior to being DC, here was his resume:

UL: D Coordinator 1 year; Safeties Coach 3 years
UTSA: Safeties Coach
SHSU: Secondary Coach
SLU: Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties

Prior to PT's promotion, all we heard from Coach Napier was how he was a future star. I think Coach Napier has an eye for talent, for both players and coaches.

Good point.

[CajunEXPRESS]

We weren’t the 2nd best class going into the previous three weeks. Don’t know if we can do that.

Beating a stable Marshall isn’t going to be easy.

Still who knows.

[Scott Malkinson]

Good point.

Pretty sure Ron Robertts was the one who told Billy to promote him

[Jacob81]

You know the saying” you never want to follow the legend” mikes in that situation. Only thing he can do better than the present is undefeated highest G5 New Years bowl or playoff. He won’t get credit from some for maintaining the current success. I’ll say this though, the only G5’s ahead of us now are about to be p5’s. So we are really close to the top.