Practice Report: Newman banged up

[Turbine]

Just returning home from work 10:10am so obviously I couldn't make it to the scrimmage.

HOWEVER I have been in touch with Acadiana's premiere sideline reporter, and here is some sports news of note.

Less than 1000 in attendance. (70% less)

Mike Adams scored a TD on a fumble recovery. MA also had a great kickoff return.

Kevin Robbins scored on a long 40 yard pass from Jer Babb. According to the noter the ball was a good 40 yards in air. 'Air Jer'

Bad news Jessie Newman was banged up on goal line play, and rode off on a cart. His health is crucial, we cannot afford to lose him.

[CajunNation]

The one guy we could not afford to lose.

Hope it's just a sprain.

[CajunGuru]

The one guy we could not afford to lose.

Hope it's just a sprain.

The way he screamed and the coaches reacted, I doubt that it's just a sprain. Keep your fingers crossed!

[Cajunsmike]

The one guy we could not afford to lose.

Hope it's just a sprain.

I have pasted a message below which I pasted on the Delphi board earlier today.

I attended and made a few observations. Hopefully, the injury to Newman is not serious. I have an ankle injury myself right now and after two weeks am prepared to let my orthopedic boot go in a couple of days. Hopefully, he can be back for Eastern Michigan game.

Other points-
Kicking Game-Framel will be a solid punter and Schexnayder looked improved over last year. There was one punt blocked but it looked like they purposely let someone through to see how Framel would react.
Comiskey still looks like he has lost confidence which he suffered at the end of the last season. Framel did kick a couple of extra points in addition to punting. If Sean is still slumping once the season starts, Framel needs to be looked at.

Defense obviously ahead of offense-especially with two starting lineman being held out (Chance and Cox) with minor injuries. LB play was impressive to me compared to last season when Stanley Smith was the guy we relied on. Except Smith, all the LB's from last year are back and we seem to have more speed overall there. Newcomer Hargroder and Hadnot who redshirted last year will also help. Improved LB play may allow us to be better against the run which is critical.

Offense-Two new backs (Fenroy and Wallace) both hit the hole hard and fight for extra yardage. Levier also hit the hole hard and did not fumble. All three of those guys scored in goal line drills. Johnson and Harrison did not play much probably because coaches know what they can do.

WR's are not great but not as bad as some of the reports we heard. Kevin Robbins and Jordan Jackson are the returnees from last year who will play more. Both had nice catches. In fact Robbins scored a touchdown on a deep fade in the left corner of the endzone on a pass from Babb. JC transfer Corey Frederick will likely be a starter alongside one of these two guys. All three will be there when we use three wides. Encouraging is the observation that Jerry's touch on the deep ball seems improved. Besides the touchdown, he had a nice throw on the post route to the freshman Cherry which was knocked away on a good play by the DB. An area of concern to me is the passing of our back up QB, Desormeaux. He was inconsistent with his throws today. He did do OK when he ran the option.

I think we may throw to the TE more this year. The "waggle" play was run quite a bit. Kyle Pitre and Kieth Talamo are a couple of the guys who made catches on this play.

Backup OL is a concern of course especially with the injury situation. This morning's Daily Advertiser states we play to play more lineman this year. The OL coach we previously had did a great job, however he did not believe in playing a lot of people at that position and as a result we don't have much experience there beyond the starters.

Overall, I would have left feeling slightly positive without the injury to Newman. It is key he returns quickly or someone else steps up because of the opportunity presented.

[snote]

one would have to think that until the "mri" is completed and looked at .. that jesse's status is truly speculation at this juncture..

ps. although, it is my guess that if the positive vs the negative feelings of this morning's get together .. when all added up... the coaches are going home for a respite .. with the thinking.. the bend is up..

pss. i am mr better (grins)

[Boomer]

one would have to think that until the "mri" is completed and looked at .. that jesse's status is truly speculation at this juncture..

ps. although, it is my guess that if the positive vs the negative feelings of this morning's get together .. when all added up... the coaches are going home for a respite .. with the thinking.. the bend is up..

pss. i am mr better (grins)

Hey dude --Why not a post scrimmage happy hour and burger discount---After the heat a cold one would have been great!!!!

[NewsCopy]

Jesse Newman was slated to be one of the bookend tackles for Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns in 2005, quarterback Jerry Babb's blindside protector on the left side in tandem with right tackle Brandon Cox.

But that plan came to an agonizing halt three plays from the end of Saturday morning's scrimmage at Cajun Field.

Newman was blocking on a goalline offense drill and remained on the ground after Abdule Levier was stopped for no gain on the 3-yard line.

The 6-foot-4, 312-pound sophomore clutched his left knee and moaned loud enough for fans high in the stands to hear as sports medicine personnel raced to his side.

"I couldn't tell what happened in there," said head coach Rickey Bustle, who moved the final few plays to the other end of the field as Newman was carted up the tunnel for examination.

"There were too many big bodies in there. We'll just have to see what the doctors tell us and hope for the best."

The initial diagnosis by team doctors is a sprained knee. Newman will be re-evaluated on Monday.

Newman played 801 snaps for the Cajuns in 2004 and is considered a cornerstone to the front wall. His injury placed a somber cloak over what had been a solid second scrimmage.

The rest of the story

[NewsCopy]

The spin move on the sidelines was a nice touch.

The sight of Michael Adams high-stepping into the end zone wasn't bad, either.

Adams, the 5-foot-8 dynamo of a cornerback for Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns, was the last Cajun to touch the ball on a crowd-pleasing, multi-lateral, 83-yard fumble return touchdown to highlight the team's second scrimmage on Saturday morning at Cajun Field.

The play began innocently enough, with backup quarterback John Cutrera pitching out to Dwight Lindon. But Lindon never got the ball, and that's where the fun began.

Jarrett Jones scooped up the loose ball and charged upfield until he was surrounded by retreating offensive players. Jones then lateraled to linebacker Mark Risher, who in turn tossed the ball back to Adams.

Adams stepped to the sidelines, executed a 360 and then weaved the final 60 yards to a score.

"I guess Mark knew he wasn't going to be the one to go all the way with it," said Adams.

While the play looked improvised, the Cajun defense is well-schooled in quick conversion to offense when the ball changes hands.

"One of our defensive drills is called 'scoop and score'," Adams said. "It's something we work on one day out of the week, and we've pretty much got it down."

"I'm not sure about all that lateraling," coach Rickey Bustle said. "It made me a little nervous, but I guess they knew what they were doing."

Adams opened the second half of the scrimmage with a 46-yard kickoff return and remains eager to help the Cajuns on defense or special teams.

"I tell the coaches I want to be in on everything," Adams said. "Where I'm from (Kimball High in Dallas) you want to be so good on special teams that you're known as a special teams guru. I wouldn't mind being the special teams player of the year in the Sun Belt Conference."

Adams made a name for himself as a freshman with his ability to block field goals, and his speed quickly moved him into the mix on defense.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - Kevin Robbins probably completed the big jump from sideline to goal line with one catch Saturday morning.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette sophomore separated himself from an inexperienced group of wide receivers when he grabbed a 26-yard touchdown from quarterback Jerry Babb toward the end of a Cajun Field scrimmage.

"I guess this really was what you would call a break-out moment for me," said Robbins, who had two catches for 44 yards. "Last year I didn't play that much and this year I'm looking forward to changing all that."

While Robbins' touchdown catch, a fade route that beat man-to-man coverage was the offensive highlight, junior cornerback Michael Adams executed the morning's most exciting moment.

Adams ended up with final possession of a fumble, lateraled to him by linebacker Mark Risher.

Officials blew the play dead before the untackled Adams could get into the end zone, but Adams said the play injected life into a defense that took control during the final minutes.

"Mark came up with the ball and then just pitched it to me. I guess Mark knew that he wasn't going to run with it, so he pitched me the ball and after that it was time to go," said Adams, who also intercepted quarterback Mike Desormeaux.

UL-Lafayette football coach Rickey Bustle said the Cajuns exhibited more intensity than during Wednesday afternoon's scrimmage.

"I thought overall we had a better effort," Bustle said.

The rest of the story



By BOBBY ARDOIN
Special to The Advocate

[snote]

Hey dude --Why not a post scrimmage happy hour and burger discount---After the heat a cold one would have been great!!!!

huh?
sorry you missed it.. cold drinks and dark, "large" time had by all in attendance .. (grins)

ps. while we still have our "sportsnote lunch bunch" (noon - til) only 2 more monday's of the 2 dollar burgers .. seems as if the cost of moving cattle these days is affecting everything (smiles)

pss. reminder.. septemebr 3rd starting at 4pm.. cajun kahouna will have bbq- finger foods to snack on as we start the tailgate for the texas game..

[USLJim]

Hey, I thought I read in the "Daily Misinformed" that the scrimmage was at 1:30 pm. Did not hear it was changed. Was it posted on Ragin Pagin. Let's face it, if I don't see it on hear, I don't and won't know. This is the best and most informed website. I use it for all my info.

[Turbine]

Hey, I thought I read in the "Daily Misinformed" that the scrimmage was at 1:30 pm. Did not hear it was changed. Was it posted on Ragin Pagin. Let's face it, if I don't see it on hear, I don't and won't know. This is the best and most informed website. I use it for all my info.

It was a one day decision but we didn't make enough of a big deal about the move. Although it was mentioned in passing, still we need to do a better job

The Cajuns will have their second fall scrimmage on Saturday at 8:15am at Cajun Field. The scrimmage was moved to the morning after the intense heat during the first scrimmage on Wednesday.

ps it's in bold now it wasn't then. LINK