The Book: 2004 FOOTBALL

[texascajun]

When you are in conversation use "UL & The University of Louisiana". Most people then asks, "Where's that?". Just say Lafayette.

As fans/alumni/students, it is our responsibilty to help our teams raise awareness nationally. It'll happen... and Monroe and Baton Rouge will just have to live with it

[UL_Cajuns]

exactly as almost all the students and recent alumni use UL or University of Louisiana. Eventually as we get older it will spread. Most students know about the name issue and what we are trying to do.

Just give it time.

[NewsCopy]

For the second straight week the Aggies played a rivalry game and for the second straight week the Aggies were left looking for the license plate number of the bus that ran them over.

The Aggies travelled to El Paso to take on the UTEP Miners and left with a 45-0 loss. The Aggie offense, defense, and special teams all looked just as bad, if not worse than last week. The offense only generated 226 yards and 9 first downs, the defense gave up 445 yards and 22 first downs, and the special teams allowed a 91 yard return for a touchdown to start the 3rd quarter.

The Aggies have been playing the "matador" defense this season. In their four losses the common theme has been the inability to stop the run. The Aggies have given up 1144 rushing yards in those four losses (286 yards/game) while only gaining 276 rushing yards (69 yards/game). In their four losses the Aggies have been outscored 187-30 including 83-3 in the past two games and have been held scoreless in 7 of the past 8 quarters.

For an offense that thrives on ball control and uses the run game to set up the passing game, averaging 69 rushing yards per game is not going to get it done. This disturbing trend has not been limited to their losses either. Even in their win against Troy the Aggies only rushed for 107 yards. If the Aggies want to be successful they must get control the line of scrimmage and run the ball.

The rest of the story

By Crimsonstorm.org Staff

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - Thanks to the style of an assistant coach, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette offensive line is exhibiting an attitude and swagger that accompanies it.

A more physical approach to blocking has unearthed a UL rushing attack that was missing in previous seasons.

Senior center Ronnie Harvey credits offensive line coach Mike Gibson for creating an atmosphere that has made UL's blockers more physical.

"There's a two-part answer as to why we're more successful and more physical," said Harvey, a three-year starter at the position.

"The first part is all the linemen are buying into coach Gibson's system. The second part is he wants us to step up and smack the other guy in the mouth," Harvey said.

Under the previous coaching staff, Harvey said UL's linemen were instructed to perform more zone blocks when they were double teaming potential tacklers.

Now it's knock down the first opponent you see, said Harvey.

Evidently, the Cajuns are living up to the image they want to create.

After five games UL (3-2) is averaging 148.8 yards and 3.9 yards per carry.

Those statistics aren't good enough to rank high nationally, but Gibson said the Cajuns' running backs gain yardage behind a line with a more physical style.

The rest of the story

The Advocate
BOBBY ARDOIN

[NewsCopy]

Cajuns’ prep offer not legal

LOUISIANA La. — When UL hosts North Texas on Nov. 5, football fans may choose to have their cake and eat it, too.

The Cajuns and Mean Green will kick off at 9 p.m. for ESPN television coverage that evening, which is also the concluding Friday night of the high school football regular season.

UL’s contest against UNT could have championship implications in the Sun Belt Conference, while the 10th prep playing date is sure to determine playoff participants in many contests.

UL athletic director Nelson Schexnayder had approached Lafayette and area schools about the possibility of their fans attending the Cajuns’ game for the cost of a high school ticket, but the university has had to switch gears on that idea.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

LAS CRUCES -- Aggie QB Buck Pierce rolls out for a pass Wednesday during practice. Pierce is expected to start Saturday against Louisiana's Ragin’ Cajuns, despite an ailing shoulder.

New Mexico State head football coach Tony Samuel calls the Louisiana defense a “bend but don’t break” defense.

On Saturday, the Aggies (1-4 overall, 1-1 Sun Belt) hope to break out of their offensive blues against the Ragin’ Cajuns (3-2, 1-0), which have allowed 392 yards per game, but are plus-5 in the turnover battle.

Kickoff is set for 6:05 p.m. at Aggie Memorial Stadium.

“They are a good defense,” said Aggie senior quarterback Buck Pierce. “They don’t make a lot of mistakes, they don’t like to give up the big play. They have a couple of rally good safeties back there and I think that is the strength of their defense. They are very disciplined, that’s the word I would use to describe their defense.”

The Ragin’ Cajuns don’t appear to take many chances. The team has just two sacks through five games, but has recovered nine fumbles and picked off five passes.

Senior free safety Antwain Spann and senior strong safety C.C. Brown are among the leaders for the Ragin’ Cajuns defense. Brown, an all-conference performer last year, leads the team with 47 tackles and also has two pass breakups. Spann leads the team with three interceptions, including one for a score. He also had five pass breakups.

The rest of the story

By Felix Chavez
fchavez@lcsun-news.com

[Turbine]

Original story by Bruce Brown
... “We had been discussing free admission to our game with a ticket from an Acadiana area game, not just in the parish....

... “As with any promotion that is different or unusual, we checked with the Sun Belt Conference office about our idea,” Schexnayder said. “We were directed to the NCAA and told that we couldn’t do it.”

My solution is to turn it around, here is the scenario:

High Schools allow Ragin Cajuns tickets to be used at their home games, they keep the refundable stub.

The other half of the ticket gets you in "The Swamp"

High Schools tabulate the total stubs and UL cuts a check equal to or (preferably) above HS values.

In the end UL will earn far more money than they would have with any free ticket admission.

[Turbine]

While this line swaggers the opponents stagger.

[El Sidonio]

Turbine,

sounds good to me. It's a way to get around that silly NCAA rule. I'm thinkin that it's not too bad, this turn of events. 1.) We're not competing with an LSU game, so lots of the LSU fans who'd come to our game (provided they don't have high school games to attend) will be very likely to come. 2.)The half price off of upper deck tickets will still be very attractive to parents and high school students (remember that high school students don't struggle with money like high school students do.) and finally, it's ON ESPN2!!!! The chance to get your mug broadcast to 80million+ homes in the US is irresistible! Let's keep our heads up, It'll be good!

Geaux UL Ragin Cajuns!

[El Sidonio]

And if we keep up our swagger and make foes stagger, we'll slice thru their D-line, like butter sliced by a hot dagger