UL football looking up
Maybe things are starting to turn around for Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns.
They may not win this year's New Orleans Bowl, something coach Rickey Bustle was offering to fire up the faithful on Wednesday at the Cajundome Convention Center, but they are starting to make inroads in the hotly-contested football recruiting jungle.
"I hate to rank classes, but this group is going to be awful special," said Bustle, who has gone 3-9, 4-8 and 4-7 in three years at the Cajun helm.
"The class is very well-balanced, and it's got a lot of speed in it. If we can blend it in with the ones we've got here, it can be exciting."
This year's class includes running backs Tyrell Fenroy of St. Charles Catholic and Deon Wallace of Worthing High in Houston, players whose highlight films drew gasps from the crowd of boosters at Wednesday's gathering.
Wallace was barraged with late calls from Kansas State, trying to get him in the Wildcats' fold, while Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez was pushing Fort Lauderdale receiver-running back Derrick Smith to join the Badgers before he signed with UL.
There was a time when the Cajuns would have lost players like Wallace and Smith when a bigger-name school coach snapped his fingers. Apparently, those days are numbered.
"A lot of things came together," offensive coordinator Rob Christophel said. "I think we're moving in the right direction, and players want to see gains.
"They also see the field, the improved facilities and the people in the stadium, and they see that the community is excited about the program. We also have the indoor practice facility that will be built after next fall.
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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com
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