The Book: 2007 Football

[MiamiCajun32]

This program very badly needs a new coach for a new direction and new momentum from the fans. The Sunbelt is improving every week it seems. This week MTS blew out Memphis, which would have been a surprise a couple of years ago, but now it is not surprising at all when a sunbelt team beats a conference usa team. But the Cajuns are not keeping up with the other teams in the conference. Even with all the problems of buying out contracts (contracts that always seem to be extended to early, considering that UL cannot buy them out as easily as almost any other D1 program), a 2-10 type record should get Bustle fired. If not, then fans will show up in even less numbers and even more importantly the recruits will stay away from this program.

How does a team play competitively with South Carolina on the road in week one and then a month or so later cannot stay within a few touchdowns of most sunbelt teams. The team seems in dissaray. The only other decent chance for a win will be FIU. The other games will probably be 10+ point losses. The sunbelt has become much better and is too good now for a very bad team to go .500 or better in conference play just for showing up.

[MiamiCajun32]

_ You should not only support the Cajuns only when they are winning. That is the train of thought when it comes to the program. Its the C-R-A-P saying, "oh Ill start going when they start winning." or I like going to the LSU games. blah blah blah, _

There is not a single non-BCS program that packs them in when they are not winning. And many BCS schools also have empty stadiums for 1-6 teams too. The only teams that have very strong attendance, even in down years, are those major BCS traditional programs where going to games is just as much about pageantry and celebration of the traditions of the program as it is about the one particular game at hand. And of course most of those programs are winners year in and year out, at least above .500 records and bowl games just about every year.

So the only way the Cajuns will fill the seats is to win. No different than any other non BCS program and also about half of the BCS programs.

Even if teams like LSU or Florida were 1-6, 80-90% of the stadium would be filled. That is about decades of winning tradition and at the highest level. All teams without that history will have to win to fill in the seats. If the Cajuns were 6-1, there would be 30K+ at the next game. But 1-6 equals 5k at the next game.

[Clutch0364]

Guys email David Walker tell him how you feel and that you think a change needs to be made. Be intelligent about it and make your point clear. If he see's that we are tired of this a change will have to happen.

This is unexceptable the way this team has been playing. I believe the talent is here to win now but he is not doing what he needs to do with the talent. I like Rickey and wish him the best but sometimes a change is needed to change a tradition of losing. Thats the problem he has brought in talent but that same losers mentality is there and that has to change. He was the best guy to get us where we are after Baldwin but he isn't the guy to get us past this point.

I dont want to hear excuses about the money or that this team is young and he needs another year, those or ____ poor excuses. If this school is serious about football you buy out his contract and bring in a coach that can change the tradition around here. It might cost a lot right now but in the long run the program will be better off. The school is going to lose money on season ticket sales next year already and if this happens again next year it will drop even further. Its time to save the program and bring in a proven winner. I am all for bringing in a HC from a 1aa team or a division 2 team as long as they are proven winners.

K guys like I said before if you want change let the administration know and a change will have to occur.

[Big Buds]

To be honest; ASU is not the worst of NCAA teams.

[NewsCopy]

JONESBORO, Ark. - Corey Leonard and Reggie Arnold were each a step ahead of UL's defense here Saturday night. Actually, a lot of steps. Leonard, a product of Covington, victimized the Cajun defense for an Arkansas State school-record five touchdowns. Arnold produced a career-high 225 rushing yards, and the two made it look easy in leading the Indians to a crushing 52-21 Sun Belt Conference victory. The Indians (3-3, 1-1) went on the warpath often against the Cajuns' overmatched defense, one that has now given up an average of 592 yards per game in its three Sun Belt contests. ASU set a school record with 681 total yards of offense. "They just ran right through us," said Cajun coach Rickey Bustle. "We didn't stop them at all." UL (1-6, 1-2) was effectively eliminated from the Sun Belt race thanks to that Indian offense, one that was in sharp contrast to the Cajuns, who generated only 63 yards and two first downs after halftime. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

JONESBORO, Ark. - It's been almost 50 years since one-platoon football was the accepted mode in the collegiate game. UL is trying to bring it back, apparently, without much success. The Cajuns definitely performed with only one platoon for a half here Saturday night, and changed to zero-platoon the rest of the way. As a result, they're out of the Sun Belt Conference race. UL's offense performed decently early, good enough to be in contention on several nights. But a defense that had given up 568, 466 and 527 yards over the last three games was no match for Arkansas State in what eventually became a 52-21 shellacking by the Indians. The Indians had 400 offensive yards less than three minutes into the second half, and that was after scoring on four straight possessions to end the first half. An ASU team that struggled for any points one week earlier at UL Monroe put up four touchdowns and a field goal on six possessions to end the half. None of them were cheap, either. The Indian scoring drives on the evening covered 71, 74, 84, 62, 82, 64, 79 and 66 yards, and only one took more than nine plays. The rest of the story Dan McDonald the Advertiser 289-6318 dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[Crowley Cajun]

Every weekend, during FB season, I always think that the perfect weekend is as follows.

1) UL wins.
2) LSU wins.
3) Saints win.

#1 and #2 have so far gone out of the window. So, right now, all of my hopes for at least a salvagable weekend rest with the Saints against the Seahawks. Not looking too good. Well, there's always next weekend.

[LLcoolway]

Bustle can get hired as an assistant anywhere today! If he can get himself fired he gets four or five hundred G$ then he starts a new job making the same money. Bustle is trying to get fired went through my head last night.

[RonMexico]

announcing the dismissal of this football staff, immediately after the final whistle of our beat down at the hands of ULM.
Put together an actual search committee that knows what it takes to be successful in the 21'st century. The old guard is what got us where we are in the first place. Try to keep anyone and everyone associated with the U.L.L.(ughh) alumni association as far away from the process as possible.
It is my belief that our guys in place, Walker and Farmer, have already discreetly started contacting potential candidates finding out whose warm, whose lukewarm, who has NO interest at all.
Immediately after the ULM game, get some interviews setup, begin the process. Time is of the essence. have a new guy in place by Christmas. This will be early enough to partially save our 2008 recruiting class. This will also let our existing players players know we mean business, and that they will not be taken advantage of.
Make no mistake, the money is out there. Question is, will the dinosaurs surrounding this university allow this athletic program to move into the "New Millennium", or will continue to operate like its 1965?
Heads out of ssses gentlemen. Time to finally get real about UL football.

L'Ronte'

[CajunNation]

_ I dont know if I can bring myself to come out next game, not that I dont support the team, its just really dissapointing and painful to have some emotional attachment to a team and watch them get obliterated. Can I have my money back for buying this game online?

Tuffguy _

You need to drop the emotional attatchment for this team if you want to remain a loyal fan. It sounds backwards, but it's true.

I saw the writing on the wall during the Ohio game, and mentally prepared myself for the rest of the season.

You can still enjoy a college football game at Cajun Field and not be emotionally involved. It's a skill I've perfected over the years.

Come out for Homecoming. There are plenty of things to enjoy.

--No matter what, it's a joy to watch Desmo and Fenroy run the ball.

--Get to see a coaching legend walk the sidelines of Cajun Field.

--Get to see the best pro prospect at QB to play in the league so far in 6'5" Soph. Rusty Smith.

--FLORIDA ATLANTIC has some really nice uniforms.

[BonCajun]

Is it ok to call the 3-3-5 the worst idea of a defense in the history of UL football? It is gross.

[CajunNation]

_ This program very badly needs a new coach for a new direction and new momentum from the fans. The Sunbelt is improving every week it seems. This week MTS blew out Memphis, which would have been a surprise a couple of years ago, but now it is not surprising at all when a sunbelt team beats a conference usa team. But the Cajuns are not keeping up with the other teams in the conference. Even with all the problems of buying out contracts (contracts that always seem to be extended to early, considering that UL cannot buy them out as easily as almost any other D1 program), a 2-10 type record should get Bustle fired. If not, then fans will show up in even less numbers and even more importantly the recruits will stay away from this program.

How does a team play competitively with South Carolina on the road in week one and then a month or so later cannot stay within a few touchdowns of most sunbelt teams. The team seems in dissaray. The only other decent chance for a win will be FIU. The other games will probably be 10+ point losses. The sunbelt has become much better and is too good now for a very bad team to go .500 or better in conference play just for showing up. _

Point of reference here.

The argument is often made that we can't afford to buy out 3 years of the existing contract.

I submit that the next Head Coach is going to have to make a yearly salary that will be close to equal what the remaing years of the current contract is worth.

We won't get a decent Head Coach for much less.

My point is that we are going to have to pay that much yearly anyway, so arguing that the current contract can't be bought out is not grounded in reality.