Predict UL's 2012 FB Record

[zephyr]

Looking at the poll results after 100 people came on, One would have to say the majority feels that the Cajuns will have a nice successful season, but will lose three games. So where are the three losses & why? For me to stretch to three losses, I would have to think the Cajuns will lose at least one game they should by all rights win, plus lose a home game. I don't see either of those things happening to this team, & I sure don't see both happening to them. Plus there are WAY, WAY, WAY too many people way too willing to give Florida credit which they have shown no right to deserve. This UL team is not onlyu better than Florida, they are a lot better than Florida. This is a win I will especially relish in.

While I won't try to actually pinpoint who we lose to outside of OSU and Florida, I will give you a host of games I think are interesting. The Troy game is tough because they have opened up so well at home winning over 20 straight home openers. That means a little to me but not much more considering teams cannot really be compared to other teams from years back. However, we are a traditionally slow starting team, especially on offense. On years when we really have good offenses, we've still struggled to get things going, even against lower competition. I watched the game against Nicholls St. from last year last night on CST and our offense looked HORRIBLE. They obviously were only a hybrid of what we saw the last few weeks but we just don't typically start real well which makes me concerned heading to Troy so early.

The ULM game scares me. They play us tough every year and even though we've won 3 in a row, they've all been nail biters that we've had to have a big special teams play just to seal the game and of course everybody remembers last year's miracle. The are tough and usually more physical than us and that scares me. This year we play them on the road which also scares me.

FIU= Even though this game is played at home, the are a physical team and again, we always have trouble with physical teams. They will run the ball well and have a dual threat QB who we have to be disciplined against.

WKU= See above. Very physical and have our number.


With two losses OOC to Fla and OSU, I think we lose at least one conference game. This conference is much more balanced than it was 5 years ago and there are probably 4-5 teams that can truly win the conference this year IMO. I don't think we are consistent enough yet to run the table in conference and I do think there will be a slip up or two. I'm thinking 8-4 but 9-3 is very possible if we can develop the depth we think we have.

[Just1More]

I don't get why any discussion of UL football, even in the first few games of last year, are relevant to anything expected of this year's team. Does anyone understand the major difference it makes in each incremental day spent, practice attended, game performed that a staff like this one affects a program? I can understand an outsider looking at past results and making comments and projections from the historical perspective. I cannot understand a Cajun fan not understanding the extreme significant difference in this program's "evolution". We are massively evolving in this new program... every second. There are far two many lights going on to compare the dark days of yesterday. We are not "slow starters". There are no past "high water marks" to look at and discuss any future outcomes. You cannot comprehend the difference a valid strength and conditioning (physical and mental) program has on a team's performance. The level of intensity over our past is not even something you can compare.

In my opinion, we will start this year at the peak of last year's season... if not higher than that. You can think what you want, but last year's staff management of our program could only get about 25% increase in results out of that team... mentally and physically. The work put in last year has an accumlative effect. This year will take the compound interest of last year and the results will be exponentially better... threw practices... through downtime... through game time... through time.

This is why college football is as interesting of a sport as it is. It is monumentally physical. It has 22 players simultaneously affecting the outcome on every play. There is no comparison in any other sport. When you begin to even slightly raise the bar, the amount of smash that comes with each incremental tick of that increase is mindboggling. UL is not the football program any of you have ever comprehended it to be. This staff and our players are unmatched in our past in every aspect of football TEAM capability. Just wait and watch.

[Hudsheen#Fired]

I don't see 3 games on the schedule we lose TBH
it seems people are expecting us to LOSE our bowl game, and there is no way i see that happening

truly i see us losing one game this year, and it won't be to Florida or OSU. I would say FIU coming off beating OSU, but we have a bye week to prepare. The game I am most worried about (Like most on here) is the ULM game. For two reasons, I see it is a TRAP game, it comes after an ESPN2 televised tuesday night game, followed by going on the road to play Florida for a huge matchup (considering i think we will be undefeated going into the ULM game). Also, we tend to play ULM close every year, so that game worries me.

The second game that worries me is Western Kentucky, these guys have OWNED US to say the very least. Yes they do lose Bobby Rainey, but they have been bringing in good recruiting classes. Also it comes on the heels of the Florida(which will be a hard fought game to the wire, ultimately I think Baer wins it on a walk off 37 yard FG). Anyways i do see us beating WKU, I just hope the team comes prepared to play, because there will be some bumps and bruises from there emotional victory over Florida.

To argue your point about us starting slow last year, yes we did look awful at first against Nichols, that does not nothing to say we dont come out in our mid season form. Here is why, number one we still were trying to figure what type of offense we were going to run under the new regime. Secondly we never had a quarterback take control of the offense yet. Thirdly with a full season under Hud's belt we have our pretty much our whole offense returning.

Those ar emy opinions feel free to criticize all you want

[cajunhawk]

3 games...Oklahoma State, Florida, and Troy. Troy is going to be our early season barometer. If we can win that game...I don't see another SBC loss. But it's gonna be really hard to win that game. History is not on our side in that one.

[Hudsheen#Fired]

3 games...Oklahoma State, Florida, and Troy. Troy is going to be our early season barometer. If we can win that game...I don't see another SBC loss. But it's gonna be really hard to win that game. History is not on our side in that one.

Honestly I don't see any reason we can't beat Oklahoma State
I would be more shocked if we lose that game

[cajunfan79]

I don't think we need to get ahead of ourselves, OSU and Florida will be much more physical than we are. Just because they recuit better atheletes, not because we don't work hard. Can we play with them probably but we won't beat them, and I see us losing one game in conference. No matter how good you are it is hard to run through without a loss because you are just more familiar with each other.

[HoustonCajun]

3 games...Oklahoma State, Florida, and Troy. Troy is going to be our early season barometer. If we can win that game...I don't see another SBC loss. But it's gonna be really hard to win that game. History is not on our side in that one.

Our only history with Troy under HUD is last year which we won. Can't compare anything prior. We are opening with an FCS school at home instead of a BCS school. We will be ready for Troy and will win. We are much better this year than last. Our offense will score and our defense will surprise and dominate. JMO.

[cajunhawk]

Our only history with Troy under HUD is last year which we won. Can't compare anything prior. We are opening with an FCS school at home instead of a BCS school. We will be ready for Troy and will win. We are much better this year than last. Our offense will score and our defense will surprise and dominate. JMO.

The history of our road opener losing streak, and the history of Troy's home opener winning streak has to be considered.

[HoustonCajun]

Why, if we are under a new coach and have a better team than last year going into year 2? I don't think prior performance applies.

[zephyr]

I don't get why any discussion of UL football, even in the first few games of last year, are relevant to anything expected of this year's team. Does anyone understand the major difference it makes in each incremental day spent, practice attended, game performed that a staff like this one affects a program? I can understand an outsider looking at past results and making comments and projections from the historical perspective. I cannot understand a Cajun fan not understanding the extreme significant difference in this program's "evolution". We are massively evolving in this new program... every second. There are far two many lights going on to compare the dark days of yesterday. We are not "slow starters". There are no past "high water marks" to look at and discuss any future outcomes. You cannot comprehend the difference a valid strength and conditioning (physical and mental) program has on a team's performance. The level of intensity over our past is not even something you can compare.

In my opinion, we will start this year at the peak of last year's season... if not higher than that. You can think what you want, but last year's staff management of our program could only get about 25% increase in results out of that team... mentally and physically. The work put in last year has an accumlative effect. This year will take the compound interest of last year and the results will be exponentially better... threw practices... through downtime... through game time... through time.

This is why college football is as interesting of a sport as it is. It is monumentally physical. It has 22 players simultaneously affecting the outcome on every play. There is no comparison in any other sport. When you begin to even slightly raise the bar, the amount of smash that comes with each incremental tick of that increase is mindboggling. UL is not the football program any of you have ever comprehended it to be. This staff and our players are unmatched in our past in every aspect of football TEAM capability. Just wait and watch.

I only criticize your willingness to do so. Are you any more in tune to what is going on with this team's "evolution" than anyone else? I think not. Obviously you are predicting an unblemished record and few, if any, hiccups along the way which makes me feel better now. I will quickly rescind my previous prediction and quickly strike that we go 13-0.