The Book: 2004 FOOTBALL

[EVCajun12]

I am suprised no one has made a thread on this? What does everything think the attendence will be Saturday?

Can tell you one thing for sure- I am ready for Saturday

[Super 06]

I SAY 18,500.00

[CajunKahouna]

23,500

[RedBug58]

I concur with my esteemed collegue CajunKahouna.....

23,500

(or if you watch the Price Is Right) 23,501

[El Sidonio]

Well in that case, 23,502! haha. Seriously though, it's the home opener and season opener, so that always draws a bigger crowd no matter where you're at. It's against an in-state team which I heard will be bringing a respectable amount of fans. And last but not least, it's approaching the make or break point of this football program, and I think alot of people are interested in if we'll make it or break it. It seems also, due to our past 3 or 4 seasons, that alot more people go to the first game to give UL a chance to prove themselves. Anyhoo, hearing from a friend whose mom works at UL, I've heard we've sold more tickets so far than last year's home opener against LA Tech, which had some 24,000 people if I remember correctly. I estimate somewheres around 25,000. I hope I'm right (or that I UNDERestimated) and I hope they win! Go Cajuns!

God Bless.

[LatvianCajun]

I say 22,000.

How about UNT? I bet that game puts butts in the seats.

[Oldman]

look out if a few drops of water fall from the sky............no show

did i say that?

don't forget the cajun walk GEAUX CAJUNS

[CajunFanatic91]

Will there be a radio link on the site for the North Western State game. Its the only way I will be able to catch the season opener.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by CajunFanatic91
Will there be a radio link on the site for the North Western State game. Its the only way I will be able to catch the season opener.

I sure hope so, CajunFanatic's everywhere deserve it.

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — There were no gassers at the end of Wednesday’s practice at UL, a sure sign that the Ragin’ Cajuns are closing in on Saturday’s season opener against Northwestern State.

“No,” said senior linebacker Stanley Smith, “we’ve got to get our legs under us.”

It was more a time to work on details, to make sure things are understood well before the Cajuns and Demons meet at Cajun Field at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

“I think we’ll be ready to go,” center Ronnie Harvey said. “We’re in a good position. We’re starting to get more focused on the game.

“The coaches have done a good job to get us ready. I think the only thing that can stop us now is ourselves.”

When the season begins, coach Rickey Bustle’s squad will be breaking in a new 4-3 defensive scheme, as well as further refining an offense that caught fire over the last half of the 2003 season.

“We have lots of new names on defense,” Bustle said. “And, I think a lot of people are underestimating our defense.

“The defense has progressed well to this point. We first started putting it in last spring, but we only had 15 days. Then we picked it back up this fall. It fits the mentality and the skill level we have on the team.

“We gave up way too many big plays last year, and the changes we’ve made should help stop that. The kids believe in what we’re doing.”

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[BabbForHeisman]

I heard that over 25,000 tickets had been sold as of Monday, and that doesn't count students...I also heard that Northwestern is bringing down 8,000-10,000 of that...I'll say 27,000...I know that's optimistic.

[NewsCopy]

Quickly now, which Sun Belt Conference football team has the most pressure-packed season opener this weekend?

Two of the games are already off the board, of course.

Hurricane Frances cancelled Thursday night´s Jacksonville visit to SBC football newcomer Florida International, and the storm also postponed Middle Tennessee at Florida in Gainesville.

Neither game had any pressure attached to it, though.

There´s a list of likely blowout games — UL Monroe at Auburn, Arkansas State at Missouri, New Mexico State at Arkansas and Utah State at Alabama.

Sun Belt champion North Texas is at Texas, and probably will get hammered, but the Mean Green does feel pressure to measure up to its state´s Big Brother program.

Idaho visiting rival Boise State has some juice, but not much outside of that state.

Florida Atlantic at Hawaii? Please. Win or lose, the Owls get a vacation from Hurricane Frances out of the deal.

Troy University´s opener at Marshall has some drama, since the Trojans knocked off the Thundering Herd 33-24 last year.

But the topper for pressure belongs to UL Lafayette coach Rickey Bustle, whose Ragin´ Cajuns host the Northwestern State Demons at Cajun Field.

The Cajuns won four of their last five games in 2003 and face escalating expectations despite a 4-8 record. They expect big things of themselves, too.

NSU was 6-6 a year ago, staggering home with four straight defeats after a solid start. The Demons are looking for redemption.

Then there´s the 1-AA thing. The Cajuns are Division 1-A, the Demons 1-AA, and eager to show there´s not that much difference between the divisions.

They have a case, since they have taken the last two meetings with UL at Cajun Field.

Since the Sun Belt is viewed as North Texas and the Assorted Dwarfs, there are some who argue that there´s not much of a gap despite UL having 85 scholarships and NSU 63.

The rest of the story

Louisiana Gannett News