LOUISIANA vs. South Alabama

[Just1More]

Alright, Gents....since I seem to be the off-base one, enlighten me.....you explain to me what the hell happened with our team to our that we would lose to 2 doorstops like ULM and USA? Karl Benson is about himself and nothing else....

We've not been a real dominant team. To pretend ULM and USA are doorstops is pretty unaware of both programs. UL has depended heavily on our offense to both score on most drives, but also keep our defense off the field. Anyone that thought that ULM wouldn't beat us with TB throwing 3 interceptions... isn't watching the full body of our work. Broadway was very underappreciated going into the USA game. Our OL doesn't pass block well. When a team forces you to run, like we just about had to last night, they are focused on stopping the run. USA is a great run stop DL. We had to complete passes. We couldn't.

It was not a let down from the past. We did look our best against Ark St and WKU. But that happens. There was nothing in our coaching that told me we were going to actually improve this year. We are playing sandlot football and hoping our athletes and their conditioning hold out against our opponents.

Again... we are only less than we were a couple of weeks ago due to TB having his first really bad game and then getting hurt and not being available last night. That is it. Otherwise, again, we're the same great conditioned and motivated sand lot football team we've been since Hud arrived.

Don't cave in. Just hope that we come up with something to answer for TB in the bowl game. And while you're at it, pray that Elijah recovers and is available (not going to happen). Otherwise, expect one rough and tough game against Tulane.

Geaux Cajuns!!!

[Turbine]

We've not been a real dominant team. To pretend ULM and USA are doorstops is pretty unaware of both programs. UL has depended heavily on our offense to both score on most drives, but also keep our defense off the field. Anyone that thought that ULM wouldn't beat us with TB throwing 3 interceptions... isn't watching the full body of our work. Broadway was very underappreciated going into the USA game. Our OL doesn't pass block well. When a team forces you to run, like we just about had to last night, they are focused on stopping the run. USA is a great run stop DL. We had to complete passes. We couldn't.

It was not a let down from the past. We did look our best against Ark St and WKU. But that happens. There was nothing in our coaching that told me we were going to actually improve this year. We are playing sandlot football and hoping our athletes and their conditioning hold out against our opponents.

Again... we are only less than we were a couple of weeks ago due to TB having his first really bad game and then getting hurt and not being available last night. That is it. Otherwise, again, we're the same great conditioned and motivated sand lot football team we've been since Hud arrived.

Don't cave in. Just hope that we come up with something to answer for TB in the bowl game. And while you're at it, pray that Elijah recovers and is available (not going to happen). Otherwise, expect one rough and tough game against Tulane.

Geaux Cajuns!!!

Same formula UL used to beat Texas A&M in 1996.

They didn't identify the right problem and went on to have a mediocre year.

Against ULM the turnover problem was glossed over and a kicking change was made.

Result early turnovers again vs USA, and UL never recovered.

I just hope ball control protection is a key aspect of the New Orleans Bowl.

[CajunRebel]

Alright, Gents....since I seem to be the off-base one, enlighten me.....you explain to me what the hell happened with our team to our that we would lose to 2 doorstops like ULM and USA? Karl Benson is about himself and nothing else....

No, actually I'm more interested in hearing you walk through your own theory in detail.

Here is the best I can figure. Let me know if I'm off base:
The commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference called Farmer and said "Hey, i need you to lose your last two games." And then Farmer said "Aw, man. Ok. I'll let Hud know." And then Hud said "Aw, but we wanted to win those games but ok boss." And then coach told his players "Look, I need you to go ahead and lose these next two games. Brauchle, I want you to bang your game tying field goal off the goalpost and Broadway I want you to break your wrist during the big game leading drive." And then the players all say "Ok Hud. We'll lose the game. No problem."

[CajunEXPRESS]

We've not been a real dominant team. To pretend ULM and USA are doorstops is pretty unaware of both programs. UL has depended heavily on our offense to both score on most drives, but also keep our defense off the field. Anyone that thought that ULM wouldn't beat us with TB throwing 3 interceptions... isn't watching the full body of our work. Broadway was very underappreciated going into the USA game. Our OL doesn't pass block well. When a team forces you to run, like we just about had to last night, they are focused on stopping the run. USA is a great run stop DL. We had to complete passes. We couldn't.

It was not a let down from the past. We did look our best against Ark St and WKU. But that happens. There was nothing in our coaching that told me we were going to actually improve this year. We are playing sandlot football and hoping our athletes and their conditioning hold out against our opponents.

Again... we are only less than we were a couple of weeks ago due to TB having his first really bad game and then getting hurt and not being available last night. That is it. Otherwise, again, we're the same great conditioned and motivated sand lot football team we've been since Hud arrived.

Don't cave in. Just hope that we come up with something to answer for TB in the bowl game. And while you're at it, pray that Elijah recovers and is available (not going to happen). Otherwise, expect one rough and tough game against Tulane.

Geaux Cajuns!!!

ULM and USA are doorsteps, along with GSU they rate right at the bottom of FBS. The reality is not how bad they are, but in fact how little we really have progressed. Anyone thinking this UL team is a top 50 program right now is delusional, but that is exactly where we saw ourselves a few short weeks ago.

[Oiler]

ULM and USA are doorsteps, along with GSU they rate right at the bottom of FBS. The reality is not how bad they are, but in fact how little we really have progressed. Anyone thinking this UL team is a top 50 program right now is delusional, but that is exactly where we saw ourselves a few short weeks ago.

We're nowhere near being a top 50 program right now. I don't know, maybe we just ran out of gas this year. My biggest fear is that we're going to be stuck in this conference for the next decade or so, and growing our program against the likes of our new conference mates is going to be a challenge.

[zephyr]

Alright, Gents....since I seem to be the off-base one, enlighten me.....you explain to me what the hell happened with our team to our that we would lose to 2 doorstops like ULM and USA? Karl Benson is about himself and nothing else....

1. The two teams you were discussing were not as bad as you figured they were. ULM is a much different team with Browning and they hate us and wanted to beat us after losing the last 5 or 6 years. We were not as focused and we had some poor turnovers late in the game that sealed it. I can handle this loss since those sometimes happen. USA was arguably playing the best ball in the belt the last 3-4 weeks or so. They have the best defense in the league and their QB has been on fire. I think I heard correctly that in 5 of their 6 losses, the combined point differential was 12 points which is including the 7 point loss to Tennessee.

2. We have a freshman QB who has not played any meaningful minutes to date in his career at the college level. Tough to put a kid in that position, especially when you give the league's best defense a week to prepare and come up with blitz packages to confuse him. It was a perfect storm from the beginning heading into the USA game.

[CajunProud]

1. The two teams you were discussing were not as bad as you figured they were. ULM is a much different team with Browning and they hate us and wanted to beat us after losing the last 5 or 6 years. We were not as focused and we had some poor turnovers late in the game that sealed it. I can handle this loss since those sometimes happen. USA was arguably playing the best ball in the belt the last 3-4 weeks or so. They have the best defense in the league and their QB has been on fire. I think I heard correctly that in 5 of their 6 losses, the combined point differential was 12 points which is including the 7 point loss to Tennessee.

2. We have a freshman QB who has not played any meaningful minutes to date in his career at the college level. Tough to put a kid in that position, especially when you give the league's best defense a week to prepare and come up with blitz packages to confuse him. It was a perfect storm from the beginning heading into the USA game.

I agree with just about all of this. However, as to your point #2, since we did have a freshman QB starting, my biggest problem/issue was, why didn't the OC put in a game plan that was suited to his specific situation? In other words, throw some screens, sneak the tight end out for some 5 to 6 yard pass plays, etc... Maybe that was part of the plan, but when we got down early, maybe the plan was changed? I don't know, but I do know that with as much talent as we have on the offensive side of the ball, we have very much underachieved. I know, I know, our offense has put up big numbers and a lot of points, but most of that has been against poor competition. I was not a fan of our OC when he was here under Bustle, and he has not changed. He is average at best. My hope is that the OC has had enough time to put together a more imaginative game plan for Tulane. We shall see.