Podcast: Ragin Review EXCLUSIVE: Coach Mark Hudspeth

[fanof71]

This needs to happen . . . For the good of Louisiana . . . For the good of HUD . . . For the best opportunity for the DES era to get an immediate start as a success

I'm not sure Hub would be a great choice as Director...lots of politics and the contacts at the corporate level regionally and nationally are needed. HOWEVER....He would be golden on the local large donations, tickets, getting outreach with student and recent grads joining RCAF as well as the thousands of neglected fans who would give $50 to $1500 a month.

[CajunVic]

I'm not sure Hub would be a great choice as Director...lots of politics and the contacts at the corporate level regionally and nationally are needed. HOWEVER....He would be golden on the local large donations, tickets, getting outreach with student and recent grads joining RCAF as well as the thousands of neglected fans who would give $50 to $1500 a month.

So, give us your fill on how HUD would rank in those areas you describe amongst those who have held the position including the one we have now?

[Bandwagon King]

I'm not sure Hub would be a great choice as Director...lots of politics and the contacts at the corporate level regionally and nationally are needed. HOWEVER....He would be golden on the local large donations, tickets, getting outreach with student and recent grads joining RCAF as well as the thousands of neglected fans who would give $50 to $1500 a month.

The man was an excellent politican. That's what made him a great recruiter. There is another angle to this no one has mentioned. We need someone who can oversee NIL money & the relationship between that & recruiting. How valuable of an asset do you think a guy like HUD would be when it comes to that type of situation? The man would be a natural.

And like previous poster said, pay the guy a good, but not monstrous salary with an opportunity to make unlimited amounts of money based on his commission. You'd have a powerhouse helping out in all phases of athletics. He'd be a one man recruiting machine. And we can't say he doesn't know how to recruit. Imagine Des with a guy like HUD in his back pocket. We would become the next Oklahoma State.

[Big Buds]

Fantastic interview! Thank y’all so much! I’m ready for tomorrow!

[CajunT]

Yeah, dude was electric.

Handing out donuts out first day of school.

Pictures with the incoming freshmen.

Players circling the field at the end of the game, win or lose, high fiving with the kids (and the odd adult).

My wife did a fundraiser and he signed off on a football for the silent auction.

Crying as I type this because I cried in the stands back then, and I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm sure I'll cry when I listen to the podcast.

And I know I'll cry Saturday night (I'll have to warn my wife).

Hud holds a special place in our souls and our hearts. And I for one, am forever grateful.

Mark Huspeth was a promoter and the right guy at the right time. He is right, he made you feel like part of the program. He engaged everyone and he was willing to speak anywhere at any time. It started earlier for me and some friends as he had us chasing cases of peanut butter around town for the players snack table his first season. The New Athletic Building, Offices and Weightroom would not have been built without him. He helped raise a ton of money for that project.

I spoke to him recently at a friend's funeral here in Lafayette and he said many of the same things concerning his regrets and the way it ended at UL. A part of me still loves the guy, but things had to change.

[JMV JustMyView]

I'm not sure Hub would be a great choice as Director...lots of politics and the contacts at the corporate level regionally and nationally are needed. HOWEVER....He would be golden on the local large donations, tickets, getting outreach with student and recent grads joining RCAF as well as the thousands of neglected fans who would give $50 to $1500 a month.

Thousands of fans would give $1500 per month? I doubt that. We can't get thousand to give $50 per year.

[zephyr]

Mark Huspeth was a promoter and the right guy at the right time. He is right, he made you feel like part of the program. He engaged everyone and he was willing to speak anywhere at any time. It started earlier for me and some friends as he had us chasing cases of peanut butter around town for the players snack table his first season. The New Athletic Building, Offices and Weightroom would not have been built without him. He helped raise a ton of money for that project.

I spoke to him recently at a friend's funeral here in Lafayette and he said many of the same things concerning his regrets and the way it ended at UL. A part of me still loves the guy, but things had to change.

Completely agree. He is exactly who we needed at that particular time and he elevated the program and expectations around it. Brought a big time feel to it which is why I think you had a lot of fan participation at that time. Things had to change and I think he even knows that and has accepted. Don't worry Vic, that is not a dig at Des. We are all happy he's our coach. Don't worry.

[fanof71]

Thousands of fans would give $1500 per month? I doubt that. We can't get thousand to give $50 per year.

It's only because no one is asking....besides I'm talking about guys joining at the $50 level up to the $1500 level....misfired on the per month...im still in my Casual Covid fog

[fanof71]

So, give us your fill on how HUD would rank in those areas you describe amongst those who have held the position including the one we have now?

Vic, At a grass roots level, HUD would hit a home run...and there are Deputy Director positions opened...read the job description for Director, you tell me if even such a person exists who would take the job just based on the structure of RCAF as it is now....Youd have to pay someone $200k a year for the headaches....

[CajunEXPRESS]

We can never forget that the offshore service industry was in full bloom when Hud got here. Thousands of complimentary tickets were given away by those companies. Streaming every game wasn’t a thing, but still lots of free games to follow for the casual fans.