Michael Desormeaux Press Conference - Aug. 28, 2023

[cajun4life]

The program CMD inherited was better than the one that Bustle, Hud and Napier found when they got here. Probably the best shape of any new coach in the history of our school.

Bustle, yeah he inherited an empty program. Hudspeth had talent. Napier, depletes but talented roster. Des had a roster that was gutted of top players.

[Big Buds]

Bustle, yeah he inherited an empty program. Hudspeth had talent. Napier, depletes but talented roster. Des had a roster that was gutted of top players.

I agree. One could argue that Napier had a better roster heading into the Fall his first year than Dez did heading into the Fall of his first year. Splitting hairs but definitely comparable. Both coaches had similar records too.

[Big Buds]

Louisiana guts out 9 regular season wins this year. I think we got something brewing, boys!

[CajunVic]

The program CMD inherited was better than the one that Bustle, Hud and Napier found when they got here. Probably the best shape of any new coach in the history of our school.

. . . you can’t hide it . . . you just can’t hide it . . .

[Big Poppa]

Bustle, yeah he inherited an empty program. Hudspeth had talent. Napier, depletes but talented roster. Des had a roster that was gutted of top players.

Refresh my memory Torrance, Johnson, and O lineman that never played here to Fla. Lacy and Garner to lsu. Bailey to TCU. 5 major players that contributed I recall transferring out. Who am I missing? Can’t count graduating Sr’s that’s natural attrition.

Who is starting this year that wasn’t here last year. Not challenging you honestly don’t know.

[cajun4life]

Refresh my memory Torrance, Johnson, and O lineman that never played here to Fla. Lacy and Garner to lsu. Bailey to TCU. 5 major players that contributed I recall transferring out. Who am I missing? Can’t count graduating Sr’s that’s natural attrition.

Who is starting this year that wasn’t here last year. Not challenging you honestly don’t know.

We had 13 transfers in the portal. The biggest losses you already named.

OL Torrence Florida
OL Brown JSU/Colorado
OL Waites Florida
RB Johnson Florida
RB Bailey TCU
WR Lacy LSU
CB Garner LSU
LB McCaskill Kansas
DL Anokwuru Coastla
DL Ratcliff Texas St

That is a lot of starters. Several NFL talents and we are just supposed to pretend that those guys didn’t matter?

That doesn’t even count the injuries before the season. Last year was a “Medicine Season” and we still should have been 8-4 if not for a few poor decisions.

[Big Poppa]

We had 13 transfers in the portal. The biggest losses you already named.

OL Torrence Florida
OL Brown JSU/Colorado
OL Waites Florida
RB Johnson Florida
RB Bailey TCU
WR Lacy LSU
CB Garner LSU
LB McCaskill Kansas
DL Anokwuru Coastla
DL Ratcliff Texas St

That is a lot of starters. Several NFL talents and we are just supposed to pretend that those guys didn’t matter?

That doesn’t even count the injuries before the season. Last year was a “Medicine Season” and we still should have been 8-4 if not for a few poor decisions.

Ok. So of actual contributors I missed mcCaskill. The only nfl talent for sure on that list is torreance. Now do how many starters today weren’t on the roster last year?

We are talking the team he inherited. The guys with injury’s and academic casualties were all part of his “inheritance.” Now it was unfortunate they didn’t make to the season. The roster mike “inherited” was as talented as any in the belt. And that is mainly because Mike recruited about 70% of it. To say he was void of talent would be saying he is a poor recruiter.

[CajunFun]

Bustle, yeah he inherited an empty program. Hudspeth had talent. Napier, depletes but talented roster. Des had a roster that was gutted of top players.

This.

C'mon, folks, be fair.

1) The 'Belt last year was much stronger than what the previous 3 coaches faced in their debut seasons.

2) The previous three didn't start here trying to adjust to the disruptions created by the portal and NIL.

3) Michael not only lost talent to offers elsewhere, but he ran off some talent as well because the players didn't 'fit' with his scheme & philosophy. For me, that's something to look for in a strong coach: Are you willing to lose major talent your first year to put your plan in place? Bear Bryant lost a lot of talent from the Junction Boys, Paterno (yeah, I know, but for the sake of example overlook the scandals) his first year ran off a bunch of seniors because of their attitude. Others here know football history better than I, maybe they can offer similar stories.

But disregarding all of that, just how badly did Michael do compared to his predecessors?

1st-year records
Bustle: . . . .3-9, no bowl
Hudspeth: . 9-4 (1-4 after games & bowl games vacated) won NO Bowl 32-30 to SDSU
Napier: . . . .7-7 lost Cure Bowl 41-24 to Tulane
Des: . . . . . .7-7 lost Independence bowl 16-23 to P5-bound Houston

[CajunVic]

This.

C'mon, folks, be fair.

1) The 'Belt last year was much stronger than what the previous 3 coaches faced in their debut seasons.

2) The previous three didn't start here trying to adjust to the disruptions created by the portal and NIL.

3) Michael not only lost talent to offers elsewhere, but he ran off some talent as well because the players didn't 'fit' with his scheme & philosophy. For me, that's something to look for in a strong coach: Are you willing to lose major talent your first year to put your plan in place? Bear Bryant lost a lot of talent from the Junction Boys, Paterno (yeah, I know, but for the sake of example overlook the scandals) his first year ran off a bunch of seniors because of their attitude. Others here know football history better than I, maybe they can offer similar stories.

But disregarding all of that, just how badly did Michael do compared to his predecessors?

1st-year records
Bustle: . . . .3-9, no bowl
Hudspeth: . 9-4 (1-4 after games & bowl games vacated) won NO Bowl 32-30 to SDSU
Napier: . . . .7-7 lost Cure Bowl 41-24 to Tulane
Des: . . . . . .7-7 lost Independence bowl 16-23 to P5-bound Houston

. . . he never liked the hire and takes every opportunity to POO POO on CMD even if it means shading the facts . . . his history here speaks for itself . . . there will always be some vocal malcontent here . . .

[cajun4life]

. . . he never liked the hire and takes every opportunity to POO POO on CMD even if it means shading the facts . . . his history here speaks for itself . . . there will always be some vocal malcontent here . . .

I wasn’t a fan of the hire. With that being said, Des will be successful here and he may win a lot of games.

If we continue to recruit well we will be successful on the field. But we do need Des to get out and build some more community support similar to Hud.

[Big Buds]

1st-year records
Bustle: . . . .3-9, no bowl
Hudspeth: . 9-4 (1-4 after games & bowl games vacated) won NO Bowl 32-30 to SDSU
Napier: . . . .7-7 lost Cure Bowl 41-24 to Tulane
Des: . . . . . .7-7 lost Independence bowl 16-23 to P5-bound Houston

Dez went 6-7

[KajunKrazy]

This.

C'mon, folks, be fair.

1) The 'Belt last year was much stronger than what the previous 3 coaches faced in their debut seasons.

2) The previous three didn't start here trying to adjust to the disruptions created by the portal and NIL.

3) Michael not only lost talent to offers elsewhere, but he ran off some talent as well because the players didn't 'fit' with his scheme & philosophy. For me, that's something to look for in a strong coach: Are you willing to lose major talent your first year to put your plan in place? Bear Bryant lost a lot of talent from the Junction Boys, Paterno (yeah, I know, but for the sake of example overlook the scandals) his first year ran off a bunch of seniors because of their attitude. Others here know football history better than I, maybe they can offer similar stories.

But disregarding all of that, just how badly did Michael do compared to his predecessors?

1st-year records
Bustle: . . . .3-9, no bowl
Hudspeth: . 9-4 (1-4 after games & bowl games vacated) won NO Bowl 32-30 to SDSU
Napier: . . . .7-7 lost Cure Bowl 41-24 to Tulane
Des: . . . . . .7-7 lost Independence bowl 16-23 to P5-bound Houston

Not nit picking but Des 6-7.