The Book: 2007 Football

[CajunNation]

I'm hearing rumblings that an 0-12 season might be the last straw for him.

I, for one, truly hope the man has another year to turn things around.

Not because I think he deserves it, but bcause I DO NOT want Dr. Authement choosing another football coach

People, he will screw us again if we let him.

[srevere51]

_ I DO NOT want Dr. Authement choosing another football coach

Amen.

[DrumRoll]

There are plenty of programs with fewer students, less support from fans, a less plentiful local talent pool of players, and less to offer as an institution, yet many of them have much better football teams. The President of the school is the difference, it starts there, it ends there, and it's either there or it's not.

As an admitted outsider looking in, it appears that someone somewhere took note of this, as the facilities are being improved, and I think you have a good coaching staff. I think the key to the future of your program, will be the new President.

I do not have a depth chart or anything, but it sort of looks like you have a very young team. Is this not the case? I do not mean based on the ratio of the roster necessarily, but based on the best players you can put on the field for the future of the program. Let me ask you a question, if you were the head coach with 2 more years on your contract, would play the young guys for the future of your team in order to have a breakout season in 2 years, or would you play the best guys to have a mediocre season this year?

[CajunNation]

These are the records for each SBC school since '02 vs. CURRENT* conference lineups.

*FAU and FIU records were not counted until '05 as they were not full fledged 1-A or SBC members until '05.

*Idaho, NMSU, Utah St. are included in WAC results

VS. SBC(current) since '02

#1) TROY---------------- 14-8 (0.636)
#2) NORTH TEXAS-------- 17-11 (0.607)
#3) MIDDLE TENNESSEE--- 16-12 (0.571)
#4) ARKANSAS STATE----- 14-12 (0.538)
#5) FLORIDA ATLANTIC---- 8-8 (0.500)
#6) LOUISIANA------------ 12-15 (0.447)
#7) ULM------------------ 11-16 (0.407)
#8) FIU------------------- 3-12 (0.200)


VS cusa/mwc/mac/wac(current) since '02

#1) TROY----------------- 7-7 (0.500)
#1) MIDDLE TENNESSEE--- 6-6 (0.500)
#3) NORTH TEXAS-------- 9-10 (0.474)
#4) ARKANSAS STATE----- 8-9 (0.471)
#5) LOUISIANA------------ 6-12 (0.333)
#5) ULM------------------ 4-8 (0.333)
#7) FLORIDA ATLANTIC---- 0-0 N/A
#7) FIU------------------- 0-0 N/A

[RonMexico]

People, he will screw us again if we let him.

Yeah, but we have a 100 million dollar academic endowment!!! Seems its been stuck at 100 million since 1995???

L'te'

[CajunNation]

_ What if we lose to N. Texas? What would you think about the state of UL football? _

You ask that as if it is not possible.

They are currently second in the league in total offense.

[Cajunsmike]

Yeah, but we have a 100 million dollar academic endowment!!! Seems its been stuck at 100 million since 1995???

L'te'

I was told by someone in the know this week that the endowment is well above 125 million. I don't recall exactly how much over.

[dland29]

_ You ask that as if it is not possible.

They are currently second in the league in total offense. _

defense wins games not offense...hence the 0-5 record

[dland29]

hey we still have baseball and softball

[dland29]

_ In no particular order here is why I think we are where we are:

1. Failure by the administration to support athletics and the growth of athletics 100% in the past 25 years.
2. Failure to set up a private fundraising organization.
3. Failure to market athletics properly.
4. Failure to get more donations from businesses and private individuals, both big donations and small donations.

You don't build a consistent winner without money. There is plenty of money in Lafayette and the Acadiana area. Unfortunately a great deal of money leaves this area and goes to Baton Rouge. Administration has to do a better job of getting people to "care" about UL athletics. We know football drives the bus so when we have a chance to prove we are on the rise, we need to learn how not to lay an egg. My belief is that after 1996 this program dropped to the very bottom of D-IA athletics and has been unable to turn the corner since then. We've had hopeful moments but I fear perception among the community is still where it was in 2000, when it comes to football. Doc A realized the importance of athletics to a university far too late and we are trying to playcatch up now and we've fallen so far behind it is scary. We have about an $8 million athletic budget and we need to increse it significantly by 2010. How we make that money will be determined by the decisions made by the AD and the new President. My only hope is that they realize the potential UL has and work to achieve our goals. _

thanks, thats the answer i was looking for.

[derf]

The frustrating thing is that the Def and Off coordinators are talented. They know how to do their job. Unfortunately, the rebuilding of a bad product takes some time. And that time won't be given because Bustle has put this program in a situation where the short leash has been taken out of the cabinet. i don't make excuses for them and people know how I feel about Bustle. But I do kinda feel bad for the new staff who are used to accomplishing their goals.

[CajunProud]

So I guess you are showing us how pathetic we are statistically?

[CajunNation]

_ So I guess you are showing us how pathetic we are statistically? _

When Coach Bustle was hired, it was often stated on local radio the the proper way to judge Coach Bustle would be after 5 years and only against the rest of the SBC.

Merely posting facts.

[locoguano]

Everyone thought Bustle was going to be a success because of the unconventional spread offense that he brought in... Now that the spread has become the norm, its time for someone else... A team at UL's level cannot compete without some kind of gimmick...

[DestinCajun]

Thank you to the Ragin' Cajun fans who made it to the game. I hope you were treated well by our fans (I know that some of the students who've been hitting the liquid moron juice can be rude).

The pre and post game weather was a bit of a challenge, but somehow we amazingly escaped a downpour during the game... guess someone somewhere made the right sacrifice to the football gods.

Best of luck with the rest of your season. There's still a lot of football to be played.

Laurie

We made the trip and I am glad I picked this as my "away game trip" for 2007.

We did not hear one negative comment from your fans directed at us. Not one.

Great atmosphere in the stands at the stadium but I fully expect to pick up a newspaper and read one day how the fans made it fall down. LOL. The thing was shaking.