The Book: 2004 FOOTBALL

[ATXCajun]

Man, that Brandon Stokley guy probably got to play because of his dad. He was awful. :-)

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - The University of Louisiana has a chance to make a big splash this week.

When the Ragin’ Cajuns host North Texas at 9 p.m. Friday at Cajun Field, the game will be shown in 80 million homes on ESPN2.

Now, all coach Rickey Bustle and his staff have to do in order to really catch the nation’s attention is knock off a team that is the only football champion the Sun Belt Conference has ever had.

“Any time you can get your program out in the country, it’s worth so much money,” Bustle said. “People recognize the Ragin’ Cajun name. You can’t buy that.

“We’re going to be the only game on at that time on Friday. The first game Friday is Marshall at Akron, and we follow that one.”

There are two ways to make an impression on TV, as we all know. It can be very good, or pretty bad.

In 1977, with Augie Tammariello the coach and Roy Henry at quarterback, the Cajuns were able to land regional ABC TV coverage for their season finale against McNeese State.

One of the stipulations was that the school increase the candle power of its lights at Cajun Field to accomodate TV. When we walked in that night, it was as bright as day. The game, however, was less than dazzling.

For one thing, the scoreboard at the south end of the stadium wouldn’t work, leaving Athletic Director Toby Warren to explain the malfunction on the air with a smile painted on his face.

Then there were the Cajuns themselves, who after a 4-0 season start had pretty much regressed after a losing midseason trip to Hawaii.

They managed three field goals from John Roveto and led 9-3 late in the game when the Cowboys staged a late drive for a touchdown. But McNeese missed the extra point, leaving a 9-9 deadlock that satisfied no one and was about as intriguing as “Golden Girls” re-runs.

Happily enough, the majority of the country saw Southern California nip UCLA 29-27, so UL was spared nationwide exposure.

It’s much better to get the kind of attention the Cajuns got in 1996 when they stunned No. 25 Texas A&M 29-22 before a Cajun Field record 38,783 delirious fans, some of whom removed the goal posts and proceeded to second-line their way out of the stadium.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme engineered a crucial 93-yard touchdown drive, but it was a swarming Cajun secondary that grabbed the spotlight with timely thefts and scores of its own. The night was something no UL fan will ever forget.

Flash forward 8 years, and the Cajuns are hosting their most significant TV event since the A&M game.

The rest of the story

Once again, candle power is an issue for the hosts, as both ESPN and ESPN2 require heightened lighting for their games.

“We’ve been replacing and cleaning the lens on the lights this week,” said Matt Hebert of the UL Sports Information Department. “If it was ESPN regional, it wouldn’t be necessary, but it is for ESPN and ESPN2.”

“Lights were an issue last year at New Mexico State, as well,” said Chris Jackson, the Sun Belt’s assistant commissioner in charge of broadcasting. “They want a certain level from the end of the end zone to the end of the (other) end zone.”

Volunteers have already done much to improve the look of Cajun Field this season, and homecoming was last weekend, so there was less maintenance necessary beyond improved lightning.

Unless you count the press box elevator, which was not functional for homecoming. That’s supposed to be fixed in time for the UNT visit. If not, the impression would be less than favorable.

Hebert and other SID personnel will be working with on-air “talent” — Dr. Jerry Punch, play-by-play; Jim Donnan, color; Stacy Dales-Schuman, sideline — in preparation for the broadcast.

“They’ll get in on Thursday, and we’ll work with them to line up stories on different players,” Hebert said. “We’ll find out if they need PSA’s (public service announcements) about the university, or videos of people like Brian Mitchell and Jake Delhomme.

“And, I’m sure we’ll need extra statistics people to help them out.”

When New Mexico State hosted North Texas last year in a crucial Sun Belt game, the ratings opened eyes at ESPN.

“They had such great ratings for that game last year,” Jackson said. “It was about comparable to some of the games they had in the Big 12 or Big Ten last year. They were shocked when they told me.

“It enhanced any type of negotiating advantage we had.”

The Sun Belt’s TV contract in all sports runs through 2008, a deal made stronger by the league’s stability.

“We’ve re-negotiated, and we will again,” said Jackson, who added that television revenues for this week’s game are distributed among member schools and not specifically to UL or UNT.

So, if the candle power is up to snuff, and the elevator works, and 20,000-plus fans drop in after their high school games, all the Cajuns have to do is play lights-out.
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[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns returned to work on Sunday, and they’re going to need all the fine-tuning they can get this week.

Coach Rickey Bustle’s team, which had Friday and Saturday off with an open date, is gearing up to host three-time Sun Belt Conference champion North Texas on Friday at Cajun Field in front of a national TV audience at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

The Mean Green won its 22nd straight game in league play last Saturday, outscoring visiting UL Monroe 45-30 in Denton behind remarkable freshman running back Jamario Thomas.

Thomas, who was thrust into a starting role this season when 2003 national rushing leader Patrick Cobbs went out with an injury, chalked up an NCAA record-tying fourth 200-yard game of the season with 218 yards on a workhorse 41 carries.

It was the third straight contest over 200 for Thomas, who tied the NCAA freshman mark of four 200-yard outings set by Herschel Walker of Georgia in 1980 and later tied by Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne.

Also, he went over 1,000 yards for the season with a 10-yard run on the first snap of the game and has 1,215 yards in just seven games. That eclipses the record of 1,157 achieved by San Diego State’s Marshall Faulk in 1991.

Touchdown runs of 17, 2 and 4 yards, the last putting UNT ahead 28-7 at halftime, added spice to Thomas’s latest performance as he increased his nation-leading rushing average to 173.6 yards per game.

But North Texas (4-4, 4-0 in Sun Belt play) also has other standouts.

Senior quarterback Scott Hall had two touchdown passes in a span of 2:17 — 53 yards to Andy Blount and 2 yards to Johnny Quinn — and is currently 25th in the country in passing efficiency with a 138.4-point rating.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

UL prepares for nationally televised game with North Texas

LOUISIANA La. — Until he takes his Ragin´ Cajuns to a bowl game, Friday´s nationally-televised home game against North Texas is about as big as it gets for Louisiana coach Rickey Bustle.

The Cajuns and Mean Green kick off at 9 p.m. on ESPN2, and the atmosphere is already building for the showcase event.

"Just talking about it gets me excited," senior center Ronnie Harvey said. "We´ve never played on national TV as long as I´ve been here. We´ve gotten that kind of attention in other sports like basketball, baseball and softball, but this is the first time we´ve been in the national spotlight.

"The student body is really excited. Just this morning, three of my professors were saying that people really need to go out and support us at home. I applaud them for that.

"That carries over to the people on the field. I hope the city of Lafayette and the surrounding area come out and support us."

"Hopefully," said cornerback Michael Adams, "we can use that atmosphere to our advantage. Everybody´s excited. They want us to win, and have a winning season."

The trick for the Cajuns (4-4, 2-2 in the Sun Belt Conference) is to keep their focus on the game itself and not the surroundings. North Texas (4-4, 4-0) has won 22 straight in the league and appears to be steaming toward another Wyndham New Orleans Bowl berth.

"We´re excited about the game being here and being on national TV," Bustle said. "But it´s not something we harp on with the players. It´s still on the field. I think they understand. I think they realize. I don´t think it will change anything."

"As a team, we´re very disciplined," Harvey said. "We try not to let distractions get to you. We can´t worry about the spotlight getting to you."

"During the bye week, we talked about not being hyped up, not changing the things we do," Adams said. "The way I look at it, every game is just as important as other games. Whether we play on ESPN, or Cox Sports, it´s all the same to me."

"I fully expect a great atmosphere and crowd," Bustle said. "I hope folks who go to the high school games in the area skeedaddle over here. I´ve always believed if we would put a good product on the field, people would come. And it´s getting better and better."

The rest of the story

[OldBullDog]

That 53 yard TD pass scares me. I would bet my last dollar it was set up by the opponent focusing on the run.

[NewsCopy]

UL’s Harvey leads the way for improved offensive line play

LOUISIANA La. — Senior center Ronnie Harvey is the smallest member of the Louisiana offensive line, and it seems he always has been.

But the one-time Washington-Marion standout is the leader of a unit that has paved the way for the Ragin’ Cajuns to average 409.5 yards and 25.6 points per game this season.

The Cajuns (4-4 overall, 2-2 in the Sun Belt Conference) are also at 160 yards per game rushing, a substantial improvement from last year’s 116.6-yard norm.

Harvey, guards Greg Hodges and Justin Ernest and tackles Brandon Cox and Jesse Newman will again shoulder the load this Friday when the Cajuns host North Texas at Cajun Field in a game televised nationally on ESPN2.

“We will have to play well up front,” Harvey said. “If the five guys up front take care of our business, we’ll be all right. We need to protect Jerry Babb and open up holes for our backs.”

Babb, who leads UL in both rushing (376 yards) and passing (1,834 yards, 10 touchdown passes) needs a bit more protection than usual after re-aggravating an old back injury in the 27-24 homecoming victory over Arkansas State on Oct. 23.

“Jerry is still tender,” Cajun coach Rickey Bustle said. “He didn’t do anything last week with the open date. He is able to move around, and he’s getting better every day.”

That’s a positive sign for the Cajuns, but the story really begins in the trenches with Harvey and his group.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

One fortunate woman will become the owner of a diamond valued at $3,400 following Thursday night's game between Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns and North Texas on ESPN2.

Here's how it works: The first 500 women (ages 18 and older) to enter Cajun Field to see Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns will be given a cubic zirconium, but only one will have a special mark.

This mark is identifiable only by A. Bryan's Jewelers.

Take your special giveaway to A. Bryan's Jewelers to see if you hold the $3,400 diamond. The diamond is to be mounted in the winner's choice of a 14kt white gold or 14kt yellow gold solitaire ring or pendant mounting.

Get in the Game and Win! Kick off is set for 9 p.m. with gates opening at 7:30 p.m.

RaCaRoll

[texascajun]

Just want to know what the athletic/mktg dept is doing for the fan Gameday Experience for a typical homegame.

Pre-Game? Any FanFest Zones, special venues, promotions, surveys

In-Game? Any giveaways {heard last game it was Thunder Stix}, sweepstakes, sponsorship recognition {other than Papa Johns 1st down} HalfTime Show?

Post-Game? anything... traffic control.

any feedback would be nice.
eb

[Cajun1997]

Mean Green suprised that we think we can win, should we think we will lose :confused:

UNT Board

[Cajun1997]

Post-Game? anything... traffic control.

Last game (vs ASU) TC was pretty good, vs MT it was a disaster

Pre-Game?

The same as last season, petting zoo etc... but for HC we had my personal favorite Zydeco player there (Keith Frank), great show.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by Black Scholes
According to some on the Cajuns board, we don't play well on the road, and their crowd with put them over the top.

Funny how "not AS GOOD" is interpreted as "don't play well." And I stand by the thought of a good crowd making a difference.

[Turbine]

I think they are giving away a $4G diamond. OR was that last week? I don't remember.