Podcast: Ragin Review EXCLUSIVE: Coach Mark Hudspeth

[CajunNation]

In the mean time, your stunting the growth & causing the organics of the product to develop a cancerous growth against itself until it wilts by an ugly death. Haven't all of us who are old enough already witnessed this event occur first hand? Word to the powers that be in Martin Hall wake the hell up. It's time to try a different method. Listen to the HUD interview & learn something from that man. He was the best thing that ever happened to this school when you think about it. And it's time for this school to quit worrying about who's toes they step on & get up & dance. Controlling the narrative is unamerican. Growing your product by whatever means necessary is as American as apple pie.

People wonder how we drew crowds back then.....They need look no further than Mark Hudspeth.

[Cajun Monkee]

People wonder how we drew crowds back then.....They need look no further than Mark Hudspeth.

Yeah, dude was electric.

Handing out donuts out first day of school.

Pictures with the incoming freshmen.

Players circling the field at the end of the game, win or lose, high fiving with the kids (and the odd adult).

My wife did a fundraiser and he signed off on a football for the silent auction.

Crying as I type this because I cried in the stands back then, and I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm sure I'll cry when I listen to the podcast.

And I know I'll cry Saturday night (I'll have to warn my wife).

Hud holds a special place in our souls and our hearts. And I for one, am forever grateful.

[Bandwagon King]

Yeah, dude was electric.

Handing out donuts out first day of school.

Pictures with the incoming freshmen.

Players circling the field at the end of the game, win or lose, high fiving with the kids (and the odd adult).

My wife did a fundraiser and he signed off on a football for the silent auction.

Crying as I type this because I cried in the stands back then, and I haven't listed to it yet, but I'm sure I'll cry when I listen to the podcast.

And I know I'll cry Saturday night (I'll have to warn my wife).

Hud holds a special place in our souls and our hearts. And I for one, am forever grateful.

Don't just listen to it. Watch it. I guarantee you'll cry when you see how the man still loves this school. I truly believe he believes this was the best time of his life & his family's life. These guys caught him at the right time & it was really magnificent, especially if you're a Hud guy, or really any UL supporter. Because we all know what it was like to be in the stands for the games he talked about & brought them up like they were played last week. He makes you remember the Onside kick, the last minute filed goal against Schnellinberger's team & that whole wonderful season. Which UL fan could ever forget that? It was like Tony's season in 2000 when the Cajuns made the world series.

[JamesTheJeweler]

Seriously, Hud would kill it as RCAF director. If he did that well while also being a coach, imagine what he could accomplish doing it full time?

[CajunVic]

Seriously, Hud would kill it as RCAF director. If he did that well while also being a coach, imagine what he could accomplish doing it full time?

This needs to happen . . . For the good of Louisiana . . . For the good of HUD . . . For the best opportunity for the DES era to get an immediate start as a success

[Bandwagon King]

This needs to happen . . . For the good of Louisiana . . . For the good of HUD . . . For the best opportunity for the DES era to get an immediate start as a success

I can't believe I'm agreeing with Vic about anything, but it would be a monster get for the university IF they could humble themselves & get this guy back at what he's really the best at doing.

[RaginReview]

And if you guys want to talk about the interview, ask questions about our experience with Hud or even just reminisce about 2011 during the Postgame Show after the game Saturday night, we are absolutely on board with that.

[RedTails]

Seriously, Hud would kill it as RCAF director. If he did that well while also being a coach, imagine what he could accomplish doing it full time?

I agree. It would have to be a conscious decision to step away from football and coaching though. Seems like that's part of his DNA.

[HoustonCajun]

I can't believe I'm agreeing with Vic about anything, but it would be a monster get for the university IF they could humble themselves & get this guy back at what he's really the best at doing.

We are a major university, not a large high school. We expect our RCAF Director to raise millions for facilities, salaries and operating budgets. We need to pay a salary commensurate with that. Pay a great salary plus commissions and hire a staff. No ceiling on his income as UL only benefits from the donations he brings in. HUD was responsible for our facilities and attendance. He got over 50,000 for our first bowl game. He can hype our attendance. He is well known and well liked. Let Des coach and HUD fund raise. Not to mention he can be an added resource for our coaching staff, if asked. Why bring in some outsider who has to start all over building relationships? The past is the past. If we can't beat out a high school salary for Hud, what are we doing as a Division 1 school? We are not ULM or LA Tech for that matter with the lowest budgets in 1A.

Heck, no one knows if he is even interested in giving up coaching, moving back to Lafayette and taking a position like this. But, it is certainly worth exploring rather than writing this off.

We now have the academic credentials major conferences are looking for. We are located in a very strategic area with the #2 team in a most competitive recruiting state. We are a football facility away from having some of the best overall facilities in the country. We are on the nation's longest winning streak. Why do we always seem to fail to strike while the iron is hot?

[Grantvb]

"....getting out in the community." I do admit I saw the football team in the news regarding non-football activities alot more. Hurricane relief, charity drives, food 4 families. Don't know if the coaches still require, but he required all football players to attend other sporting events with a selfie as proof. When we hosted #29 Western Kentucky volleyball at the EKLG. We won 15-13 in the 5th set and the football team had like 50 players in attendance and they were RAUCUS.

[fanof71]

This needs to happen . . . For the good of Louisiana . . . For the good of HUD . . . For the best opportunity for the DES era to get an immediate start as a success

I'm not sure Hub would be a great choice as Director...lots of politics and the contacts at the corporate level regionally and nationally are needed. HOWEVER....He would be golden on the local large donations, tickets, getting outreach with student and recent grads joining RCAF as well as the thousands of neglected fans who would give $50 to $1500 a month.

[CajunVic]

I'm not sure Hub would be a great choice as Director...lots of politics and the contacts at the corporate level regionally and nationally are needed. HOWEVER....He would be golden on the local large donations, tickets, getting outreach with student and recent grads joining RCAF as well as the thousands of neglected fans who would give $50 to $1500 a month.

So, give us your fill on how HUD would rank in those areas you describe amongst those who have held the position including the one we have now?

[Bandwagon King]

I'm not sure Hub would be a great choice as Director...lots of politics and the contacts at the corporate level regionally and nationally are needed. HOWEVER....He would be golden on the local large donations, tickets, getting outreach with student and recent grads joining RCAF as well as the thousands of neglected fans who would give $50 to $1500 a month.

The man was an excellent politican. That's what made him a great recruiter. There is another angle to this no one has mentioned. We need someone who can oversee NIL money & the relationship between that & recruiting. How valuable of an asset do you think a guy like HUD would be when it comes to that type of situation? The man would be a natural.

And like previous poster said, pay the guy a good, but not monstrous salary with an opportunity to make unlimited amounts of money based on his commission. You'd have a powerhouse helping out in all phases of athletics. He'd be a one man recruiting machine. And we can't say he doesn't know how to recruit. Imagine Des with a guy like HUD in his back pocket. We would become the next Oklahoma State.

[Big Buds]

Fantastic interview! Thank y’all so much! I’m ready for tomorrow!

[CajunT]

Yeah, dude was electric.

Handing out donuts out first day of school.

Pictures with the incoming freshmen.

Players circling the field at the end of the game, win or lose, high fiving with the kids (and the odd adult).

My wife did a fundraiser and he signed off on a football for the silent auction.

Crying as I type this because I cried in the stands back then, and I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm sure I'll cry when I listen to the podcast.

And I know I'll cry Saturday night (I'll have to warn my wife).

Hud holds a special place in our souls and our hearts. And I for one, am forever grateful.

Mark Huspeth was a promoter and the right guy at the right time. He is right, he made you feel like part of the program. He engaged everyone and he was willing to speak anywhere at any time. It started earlier for me and some friends as he had us chasing cases of peanut butter around town for the players snack table his first season. The New Athletic Building, Offices and Weightroom would not have been built without him. He helped raise a ton of money for that project.

I spoke to him recently at a friend's funeral here in Lafayette and he said many of the same things concerning his regrets and the way it ended at UL. A part of me still loves the guy, but things had to change.