The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns won't go wrong with either one of its quarterback options Saturday when they travel to face Middle Tennessee.

Redshirt freshman Michael Desormeaux turned in the 14th-best single-game rushing performance in school history Thursday at Arkansas State. He had 174 yards on just 14 carries, and only Brian Mitchell has ever rushed for more yards in a game among Cajun quarterbacks (Mitchell had five games of 190 or more yards during his career).

But Jerry Babb has had two straight stellar games against the Blue Raiders, including a 37-of-56, 435-yard, four-touchdown passing effort in UL's 57-51 four-overtime win in Murfreesboro in 2004. Last year, he threw for two scores and rushed for 68 yards on 10 carries in the Cajuns' 24-17 win at Cajun Field.

In two games against MT, Babb is 53-of-82 passing for 618 yards and six scores and has rushed for 107 yards and another score.

"Babb's hurt us in the past on the run and well as the throw," said MTSU coach Andy McCollum Monday. "And we saw their other guy (Desormeaux) come in on film, and he can flat run. He can fly."

Desormeaux keyed the Cajuns' 457-yard rushing total against ASU after struggling one week earlier in the Sun Belt Conference opener against Florida Atlantic.

"We definitely did a better job of helping Mike this week," said Cajun coach Rickey Bustle Monday. "We changed some of our offensive mindset and are trying to be more physical and tougher, and having the threat of a quarterback that can run the ball helps. Mike had two rough ones going into that, but I know this game helped his confidence a lot.

"I told him to go out and have some fun, and he came to me at halftime and said he was having fun."

Babb, who injured his right shoulder in the Central Florida game, threw to receivers for the first time at Sunday night's practice. His status for Saturday is still uncertain.

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com