Be proud of your Cajuns

[ISUCajunfan]

Be proud of your Cajuns folks. They came out onto the field and learned that they wouldn't be going bowling even if they finished off monroe, and they still went on to beat them soundly. The Cajuns didn't give up. They earned a share of the Sun Belt title. You should be proud of your team and your coaches. They seized the opportunity to do something great. Congratulations. They were the bright spot of my day yesterday!

[CajunKate]

Be proud of your Cajuns folks. They came out onto the field and learned that they wouldn't be going bowling even if they finished off monroe, and they still went on to beat them soundly. The Cajuns didn't give up. They earned a share of the Sun Belt title. You should be proud of your team and your coaches. They seized the opportunity to do something great. Congratulations. They were the bright spot of my day yesterday!

Well, ISUCajunfan, I for one immediately thought about you when I saw the recap on SportsCenter. I feel for your guys. That's tough. Glad the Cajuns could bring a little sunshine your way. Regardless of the loss yesterday, your team is one to be proud of, too. You are going bowling while, sadly, we are not.

[CajunCharlie]

Be proud of your Cajuns folks. They came out onto the field and learned that they wouldn't be going bowling even if they finished off monroe, and they still went on to beat them soundly. The Cajuns didn't give up. They earned a share of the Sun Belt title. You should be proud of your team and your coaches. They seized the opportunity to do something great. Congratulations. They were the bright spot of my day yesterday!

I echo Kate's sentiments of a tough loss for you all. Don't ask me why, but I have always had a soft spot in my athletic heart for ISU. I am not much for the school colors, but I like the spirit!

Yes, we are proud of our team, and our coaching staff. They weathered the storm and some of the naysayers. But you know what was neat...going down on the field after the game to thank the guys for their season efforts, and they thank YOU for making the trip to Monroe to support THEM. Kinda makes your faith in these young men stronger.

[NewsCopy]

After emptying watercoolers on coaches heads and congratulatory handshakes and hug, it's not so odd that the University of Louisiana players were talking about next year after Saturday's 54-21 win over UL Monroe. With a five-game winning streak to end the year, it wasn't hard to tell that a lot of the Cajuns wouldn't mind playing some more. "As a team, when we were 1-5 we believed we could pull this out," said junior quarterback Jerry Babb, who helmed a 425-yard offensive attack that averaged six yards per rush and had only one turnover. "People outside the team might have counted us out, but as a team we knew we could do it, and now look at the result." This Cajun team did what the previous three couldn't - beat ULM. More than that, they also earned a share of their first conference title since 1994 and finished with their first winning season since 1995. That result was created by UL controlling the football, 30:39 to 14:21 over the final three quarters, with a ground attack that netted 343 yards. Freshman running back Tyrell Fenroy had 164 of those in becoming the Cajuns' first 1,000-yard back. "It was very important for us to keep the ball and keep it moving," Fenroy said. "They came out and put up a couple of scores early, so we needed to control the ball and the offensive line just took over. All I had to do was have patience and read their blocks." When ULM had the ball, the Cajun defense stifled the league's most productive offense. An Indian team averaging over 415 yards on the season was held to 202, and only 49 of those came in the final three periods. ULM had scoring marches of 81 and 66 yards in the first quarter on the way to a 14-7 lead, and didn't have a march longer than 23 yards the rest of the day. "I couldn't be more proud of this team and these guys," said senior long snapper/fullback Justin Venable, one of 13 seniors who wrapped up the longest career in NCAA Division I-A history (eight years due to granting of injury hardships). "It makes it all well worth it, sticking around for eight years and with everything that's happened and all the adversity. I'm so glad to finally end up like this. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

All of the ice chests had been emptied on the Ragin' Cajun sideline, and still a couple of members of the University of Louisiana coaching staff hadn't been doused by their deliriously happy players. "Do we have any more water?" senior kicker Sean Comiskey yelled. At one point in the final few minutes, Cajun players were refilling the containers from a nearby hose, not wanting the celebration to end. It didn't matter that everything on the sideline already was soaked, both from the ice barrage to the heavy fourth-quarter rains. The Cajuns can be excused for their antics. After all, in a three-hour Saturday stretch, they embarrassed a state rival that had beaten them three years running, won their fifth straight game and their third straight road contest, earned a share of their first conference title since 1994 and got a decade-long monkey off their white-jerseyed backs. It all came in a head-turning 54-21 win over UL Monroe, one that cost the hosts an outright Sun Belt Conference title and a berth in the New Orleans Bowl. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[CajunProud]

What an incredible season. We experienced all the lows and highs that I think one can experience in a season.

I have to say that I more proud of this team than any Cajun team because of the grit and determination that they showed by grinding out the season and never giving up. This is the first year in a long time that I can honestly say, "Wait until next year!!!"

The only negative is that the coaching staff and the seniors on this team will not get to experience a bowl game.

GEAUX CAJUNS!!!!!!!!!! THANKS FOR AN AMAZING YEAR

[CajunCharlie]

What an incredible season. We experienced all the lows and highs that I think one can experience in a season.

I have to say that I more proud of this team than any Cajun team because of the grit and determination that they showed by grinding out the season and never giving up. This is the first year in a long time that I can honestly say, "Wait until next year!!!"

The only negative is that the coaching staff and the seniors on this team will not get to experience a bowl game.

GEAUX CAJUNS!!!!!!!!!! THANKS FOR AN AMAZING YEAR

But maybe you can turn that negative into a positive. Just think how hungry they will be next year, after almost having a taste of the pie this year!