The Book: 2007 Football

[keithj]

I kind of like the Baseball idea...

[RaginCajun77]

So sunday has arrived and I am in a much better place to comment about the Ragin Cajuns loss to the McNeese Cowboys than I was last night. First off a few comments about the game day atmosphere and game day managment:

• The crowd at Cajun Field was very nice. I've been watching the Cajuns since 1995 and only the Texas A&M game in 1996 rivals this one. I'd love to see this type of atmosphere on a regular basis.
• We need better signs directing people to the section they are sitting in. I directed a number of people to their seats.
• Have the staff at the gates in position ready to tear tickets and count attendence prior to opening the gates. I believe the number posted is off.
• Concessions were a cluster and the lines were extremely long all night.

Looking at this team as a whole, as well as, the coaching staff I'm left scratching my head. My thoughts:

• This coaching staff did not do a good job of getting this team mentally prepaired for this game and does not seem to have the ability to keep players motivated in times of adversity.
• Our play calling on offense was questionable. McNeese had two weeks to prepare for the Cajuns offense and they came to play. The Cajuns were trying to convert a 4th and 5 in the redzone and they call a fake handoff to Fenroy and Des runs the ball, he is stopped short. The Cowboys had just shutdown a very similiar play. I just feel we didn't call the plays that would win us this game.
• Des throws four interceptions and it could have been more. He made some poor reads and McNeese started pinning their ears back in the 2nd half and started coming after Des.
• O-line got pushed around and really struggled with the Cowboys.
• D-line still cannot shake off their blocks and put pressure on the QB.
• Our conditioning is horrible. The Cowboys' rushing attack was getting into the secondary easily in the 4th quarter. This is the 2nd week I've noticed that this team was out of gas late in the 3rd quarter.
• Changes have to be made in our secondary, again we give up too many pass plays and McNeese stopped themselves on many occasions by overthrowing players or dropping passes. Our secondary did very little to slow down the Cowboys.
• Frankly, our defense isn't very athletic. We lack speed and it appears to me we aren't very strong either. We struggle bringing down players.
• This team was beat in the 3rd quarter in my eyes.

These are just a few of my thoughts on the game. As I look to the coming weeks things look scary on many fronts.

• UCF and Troy games will be tough and we could be 0-5 by the end of September.
• Attendence against Troy will be bad.
• Bustle needs to turn things around in a hurry or we could be looking at 3 or 4 win season at best.
• Unless Bustle and his staff find a way to motivate players, we will continue to fold in the face of adversity.
• We have to find a vertical passing game.

I love the Cajuns. I will continue to support this team and show up at football games. I encourage you to do the same. When the season comes to a close this coaching staff has to evaluate how it recruits, we need help at linebacker and in the secondary in a hurry. We also need to look at our strength and conditioning programs.

[Membertou]

Actually, what I would suggest is as follows, and with a new President this is a good time to do it. I suggest bringing in an outside consultant in the field of university athletics (someone with no ties to the university and no agenda) to come in and do an independent review of the athletic department and make suggestions as to the road we should follow. Everything should be on the table, and let the chips fall where they may. We should also commit to follow his recommendations.

[Big Buds]

Grow up and get over this loss to the Cowboys, I know it sucks but we have nine more games left to play. Stop felling sorry for yourself "Cajun Proud" and just jump off the bandwagon b/c I'm not going anywhere.

[Big Buds]

I would like to see Jordan Jackson more in goal line situations; throw a fade to him on second and goal or something, it worked against Ohio.

[ULtimateCajun]

With the offense doing nothing in the third quarter and we were still running the ball down by 14, why didn't we go with a QB change to John Hundley. Mike threw 3 picks (the fourth wasn't his fault) he was throwing short and we needed to throw the ball because the run was doing nothing. I haven't seen Hundley but I've heard he's got an arm, what did we have to lose. We were running the ball on 3 and 10, I felt like the offense just gave up. I think we should start giving Hundley some snaps to get some experience. I just want to see what everyone else thinks.

[CajunNation]

_ With the offense doing nothing in the third quarter and we were still running the ball down by 14, why didn't we go with a QB change to John Hundley. Mike threw 3 picks (the fourth wasn't his fault) he was throwing short and we needed to throw the ball because the run was doing nothing. I haven't seen Hundley but I've heard he's got an arm, what did we have to lose. We were running the ball on 3 and 10, I felt like the offense just gave up. I think we should start giving Hundley some snaps to get some experience. I just want to see what everyone else thinks. _

No offense, but Hundley is not the answer. The next QB for the Cajuns is being redshirted this year.

[Boudin&Cracklin]

_ I share your frustration. But if everyone had the same attitude that you do, the stadium would have been completely empty during the Baldwin years and the team would not have been able to survive financially. There would be no UL football team today.

But YOU got to attend a football game yesterday--and it was because of people like me and most others on this board, who understand that to enjoy the good years you have to suffer through the bad. I'll be there next week. And when the Cajuns start to do well, whenever that may be, it'll be no thanks to "fans" like you. _

"Fans like me", I sat through the Baldwin years, and a lot of years before that, I've sat in the heat, I've sat in the rain, the cold and made many a road trip in suppport of this program. I have been a season ticket holder for many, many years, so they already have my financial support whether I put my butt in that seat or not.

I appreciate the fact that you and the others on this board know that you have to suffer through the bad, because we have all been doing that for quite a while around here.

At what point as fans do we do something to show our disapproval of the road that this program is going down? Bustle is in his sixth season, all the players on the team are his, you can't tell me that you didn't see an absolutely disgusting performance last night.

It's your right to go back next week and mine to stay home. Doesn't mean I don't support this university.

Go Cajuns!!!

[geo_cajun]

Hey it sucks, and the coaching and playcalling HAS TO GO! But if it doesn't, I'll still be here, every saturday cheering my heart out. For us true fans, you have to take it like a man. If your guys are getting the S#it beat out of them, you take it like a man. And cheer them on. So UL, whatver, I"m a Ragin Cajun till I die, and I"ll cheer my heart out until it explodes, which might be sooner than later these days.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I will be in the student section for every homegame, as usual.

[cajunlove]

_ We might not have receivers that are 6'3" (other than Jordan Jackson) but our receivers are quick and just as athletic as any wide receiver corp in the Sun Belt. When we get them the ball, they make it happen. _

[cajunlove]

_ We might not have receivers that are 6'3" (other than Jordan Jackson) but our receivers are quick and just as athletic as any wide receiver corp in the Sun Belt. When we get them the ball, they make it happen. _

If they don't drop it.

[MakoMaker]

_ Grow up and get over this loss to the Cowboys, I know it sucks but we have nine more games left to play. Stop felling sorry for yourself "Cajun Proud" and just jump off the bandwagon b/c I'm not going anywhere. _

I did grow up...about 20 minutes into the second quarter. I realized we are who we are. Yes, it took 20 years and literally thousands of dollars to do it, but I grew up.

Jumping off the bandwagon would refer to a bandwagon to begin with. We have never had one, will never have one (in the forseeable future). Go ahead, it's your bandwagon, take it if you want it, drive it blindly down the road of utter uselessness and right into the ocean of reality. I'm done.

I just wish reality would have struck me in the face of a mediocre 2nd quarter a long time ago!