UL Puts 2-0 Record On The Line At Oklahoma State and the Ragin' Cajuns Will Attempt To Improve To 3-0 For First Time Since 1988.
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns football team remains on the road for the second straight week, traveling to Stillwater, Okla. to face Oklahoma State on Saturday, Sept. 15 beginning at 11:00 a.m. CDT in Boone Pickens Stadium. . . the game will be televised live on Fox Sports Network with Joel Meyers, Brian Baldinger and Jim Knox providing the commentary. . . the Ragin' Cajuns are 2-0 for the first time since 2009 and just the second since 1990 after winning at Troy, 37-24, last week. . . Alonzo Harris rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown to spark the UL offense while kicker Brett Baer made three field goals to break the Sun Belt Conference record for consecutive fields goals made. . . Baer, who has made 18 straight kicks going back to last season, leads the nation with seven field goals in two games. . . senior wide receiver Javone Lawson made three receptions at Troy to become the 10th player in UL history to catch 100 passes in a career. . . Lawson begins the week ranking 10th in career catches (100) and eighth in receiving yards (1,542). . . the UL defense allowed just 60 yards rushing at Troy and begins the week ranking sixth nationally in rushing defense (49.0 ypg). . . Oklahoma State (1-1) was ranked as high as 16th in the national polls last week before dropping out of both after suffering a 59-38 decision at Arizona last week. . . the Cowboys own an 8-0 lead in the all-time series, including wins in each of the last two years.
2-0:
With wins over Lamar and Troy to open the 2012 season, UL is 2-0 for just the second time since 1990. The only time during the last 22 seasons that this happened came in 2009 when the Cajuns toppled both Southern (42-19) and Kansas State (17-15).
. . . And 3-0:
A win over Oklahoma State this week would allow UL to start the season with three straight victories for the first time since 1988, when the Cajuns started 4-0, claiming wins over Cal State Fullerton (24-9), Sam Houston State (33-8), Rice (41-16) and East Carolina (48-36).
A Broadway Debut:
The Lamar game proved to be the Cajuns debut for sophomore Terrance Broadway, who entered the game late in the second quarter and received the lion's share of the snaps in the second half. Broadway, who sat out the 2011 season after transferring from Houston, was six-for-nine passing for 61 yards.
. . . And Rave Reviews on The Sequel:
Terrance Broadway was thrust into the lineup on short notice at Troy last week when Blaine Gautier left the game with a rib injury midway through the first quarter. Broadway was ready, completing 10-of-16 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown and rushing eight times for 43 yards in leading the Ragin' Cajuns to the win.
That's Why They Are Called "Special" Teams:
The play of the Cajuns on special teams this year has been. . . well. . . special. Special teams play has had an impact in both wins to date:
Punting: UL leads the SBC (19th in nation) in net punting with a 41.3 net. Brett Baer leads the SBC with a 42.8 avg.
Punt Returns: The Cajuns are third in the SBC with an 8.4 avg.
Placements: With Brett Baer leading the nation in field goals, the Cajuns have successfully converted all 15 kicks from placements this year (7 FG, 8 extra point).
Kickoffs: UL leads the SBC with a 45.5 yard net on kickoff coverage with opponents averaging just 17.9 yards per kickoff return.
Kickoff Returns: UL is 2nd in the SBC with a 28.0 kickoff return average.
4th Down Exploits:
The Cajun defense is perfect on fourth down this year, successfully stopping its opponents on all four attempted fourth down conversions. Two of the stops came at Troy and figured prominently in the win. With UL leading 20-7 in the second quarter, Troy drove 66 yards to the UL 9, only to be stopped on a 4th-and-2 when Jake Molbert broke up a Trojan pass with 3:43 left in the half. After the Cajuns extended their lead to 30-17 in the third quarter, Troy was stopped on a 4th-and-1 at the UL 25 when Christian Ringo wrapped up Shawn Southward for no gain with 1:04 left.
Home Cooking:
The win over Lamar in the season opener extended UL's home winning streak to six games, the fourth-longest in Cajun Field history. It equals the six straight wins that spanned the 2003-04 seasons. The Cajuns started the current streak by going 5-0 at home in 2011, the third undefeated season in Cajun Field history and first since 1987. The record win streak is 11 games, set from 1976-77, and there are also streaks of seven (1994-95) and nine games (1987-88).
Baer Kicks Way To The UL Record Book:
Senior kicker Brett Baer has started his senior season out on the right foot, connecting on seven field goals and eight extra points in the first two games. Baer. . .
. . . has made all seven field goal attempts this year to extend his streak of consecutive field goals made to 18 dating back to last year.
. . . broke Mike Shafer's school record of 14 consecutive field goals made, which was set in 1994.
. . . toppled the Sun Belt record of 17 consecutive field goals made, which was set by La.-Monroe's Cole Wilson (2006-07).
. . . tied the school mark for points in a game by a kicker with 16 in the win over Lamar on Sept. 1. He equalled the record of 16 points by Rafael Septien (vs. San Jose State in 1974) and Mike Lemoine (vs. Central Michigan in 1989). Baer's 52-yard field goal to open the scoring was the longest of his career and tied for the seventh longest in school history.
. . . set a career high for field goals made in a game against Lamar, coming one field goal short of the UL school record of five shared by Rafael Septien (vs. San Jose State in 1974) and Mike Lemoine (vs. CMU in 1989).
Streaking:
The win at Troy saw a pair of extended streaks come to an end. It was the first victory in a road opener since upending Tulane, 48-6 on Sept. 1, 1990, a streak of 21 straight losses. It also halted Troy's 25-game win streak in home openers, including 21 straight openening wins under head coach Larry Blakeney.
A Sackless Bunch:
Through two games, the Cajun offensive line is one of 13 teams in the nation that has not allowed a quarterback sack. Last year, UL allowed 25 sacks totalling 169 yards lost in 13 games.
The Defense Gets On The Board:
When Jemarlous Moten returned a fumble 56 yards for a touchdown against Troy, it marked the ninth time in the last 15 games that the Cajuns defense scored a touchdown. Last year, UL defenders ranked second nationally with seven interception returns for scores and also added one fumble recovery for a TD. For Moten, is was his third defensive touchdown over the last two years. Moten posted interception returns for scores against Arizona and Oklahoma State. Senior Melvin White is the only other returning defender with a touchdown, returning an interception 89 yards for a score against Troy and returning a blocked field goal 68 yards vs. Nicholls State.
. . . And Pitches A Shutout:
The 40-0 victory over Lamar on Sept. 1 marked the first shutout for the Cajuns since a 6-0 win at Florida Atlantic on Oct. 18, 2006, a span covering 69 games. Going even further back, the last shutout by a UL squad at Cajun Field came 54 home games prior in a 34-0 win over UAB on Sept. 21, 2002.
A Good Month:
The month of September has proven to be a good one for the Cajuns under head coach Mark Hudspeth as UL enters the week with a 5-1 record in September over the last two seasons. Storm clouds may be on the horizon as Louisiana will face Oklahoma State this week, the only team to hand the Cajuns a loss in the month during Hudspeth's tenure. To take things further, OSU is 15-2 in September since 2008 with one of those losses coming last week at Arizona.
Red Zone Rewards:
Through the first two games, the UL offense has scored on all 11 trips to the red zone. The Cajuns scored on all five possessions vs. Lamar and all six at Troy, totalling seven touchdowns and four field goals over that span. Last year, UL was successful on 38 of its 41 red zone trips (.927), scoring 27 touchdowns.
A Turnover Tale:
The Cajuns enter the week ranked second nationally in turnover margin (+3.00). In two games, UL has forced seven turnovers (5 fumbles & 2 INTs) while committing just one turnover. More importantly, the Cajuns have turned those seven miscues into 30 points (3 TDs & 3 FGs).
. . . And Turnovers Could Be A Key On The Horizon:
One statistic that weighs heavily in UL's favor this week is turnover margin where the Cajuns are averaging three more takeaways than giveaways per game this year while Oklahoma State has made four more turnovers than takeaways. The Cowboys have collected two interceptions, but have lost two fumbles and thrown four interceptions.
Fast Starts:
The Cajuns have gotten of to fast starts in each of the first two games this season, outscoring their opponents 60-14 in the first half this season. That total includes a +20 margin in the first quarter (27-7) and +26 in the second (33-7).
The Harris Poll:
The 137-yard rushing performance by Alonzo Harris at Troy was his second career 100-yard rushing game. It trailed only the 189 yards gained last year against Middle Tennessee. With 183 yards rushing this season, Harris ranks 41st nationally in rushing this week. In two seasons, he has carried 200 times for 883 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Baer Closes In On 200-Point Mark:
With 29 points through the first two games, Brett Baer has raised his career scoring total to 172 points, good for 11th place on the UL career scoring chart (and seventh among kickers). He needs 28 more points to reach the 200-point mark, a total reached by just five players. Baer has made 32 field goals and 76 extra points.
Getting the Juice Flowing:
Sophomore nose tackle Justin Hamilton, who has earned the nickname "Juice" from his teammates, celebrated his first career start against Lamar on Sept. 1 by getting the defense going. He made four tackles for losses (-13 yards) with a quarterback sack and a pair of forced fumbles. On Lamar's first possession, he stripped quarterback Ryan Mossakowski of the ball and Justin Anderson recovered at the UL 29. On the next series, Hamilton forced running back Herschel Sims to cough up the football with Qyendarius Griffin recovering at the UL 25. The two turnovers resulted in 10 Cajuns points.
Playing Time:
The 40-point halftime lead against Lamar (Sept. 1) allowed Mark Hudspeth to spread the playing time around in the second half as a total of 68 players saw action in the game for the Cajuns, the most in the last two seasons. The previous high came last year against both North Texas and at Middle Tennessee when 58 players saw action.
. . . More Players, Less Freshmen:
Despite the increased numbers getting into the first two games, one number that is down significantly is the number of true-freshmen to see the field. Last year, UL used nine different first-year freshmen during the season. That number dropped to just to date this season as linebackers Christian Hill and Tyren Alexander and safety Al-Damien Riles are the only first-year freshmen to see playing time. Alexander has made five tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss (-5 yards), in the two contests while Riles has made three stops.
The Wait Has Been Worth It For Gillis:
It took fifth-year senior Rodney Gillis more than four years to break into the starting lineup, but since earning his first start in the season opener, he has made the most of his playing opportunities. Against Lamar, he had a hand in two of the four turnovers that UL forced. He was at the right place at the right time in the second quarter when Melvin White separated a Cardinal receiver from the ball after a catch with Gillis recovering to set up a Brett Baer field goal. On the next possession, Gillis intercepted a Lamar pass to end the best Lamar drive of the first half. He came back last week to make a career-high six tackles at Troy. Gillis joined the program in 2008 and redshirted. He did not play during the 2009 campaign and then tore an ACL in his knee the following spring and missed the 2010 season. Gillis came back to play in 11 games as a reserve last season, making nine tackles.
Griffin Makes Most Of Position Change:
After rushing 69 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns in the first 11 games as a true-freshman in 2011, Qyendarius Griffin made the move to the secondary in order to get more time on the field. Already one of the team's best special teams performers - he was third on the team with nine special teams tackles last year - Griffin has taken to the move. In his first start at safety, he led the Cajuns with six tackles against Lamar, returning a fumble five yards in the first quarter to set up a field goal.
A Comeback For Stover:
Another feel good moment for the Cajuns in the opener came midway through the second quarter when sophomore Hunter Stover took over the kickoff chores from Brett Baer. Stover kicked off 47 times in the first eight games for the Cajuns last year before suffering a torn ACL in his right knee at Western Kentucky, requiring season-ending surgery. The surgery was nothing new to Stover. In high school, he tore the ACL in his left knee and a post-surgery infection required a second ACL replacement. The surgeries must have worked as Stover kicked off four times with four touchbacks for a 65.0 average. Last year, he averaged 60.3 yards with only one touchback.
The Baer Foot:
Senior kicker Brett Baer is quickly moving towards being the most accurate kicker in NCAA FBS history. In three seasons as UL's regular kicker, he has made 32-of-34 field goal attempts (.941), which is ahead of the NCAA field goal accuracy mark of .878 by Florida State's Bobby Raymond (43-49 in 1983-84). Baer will need to attempt 11 more field goals this year to meet the NCAA minimum of 45 career attempts. Baer made all seven attempts in 2010 and was 18-for-20 last year to lead the country in field goal percentage (.900).
. . . And The Baer Truth:
Brett Baer turned in one of the best all-around kicking performances in UL history in 2011, earning second team All-Sun Belt honors as both a kicker and punter while also being a semifinalist for the Groza Award, which is given to the nation's top kicker. Baer. . .
. . . led the nation in field goal accuracy, making 18-of-20 attempts (.900).
. . . ended the season making his final 11 attempts, leaving him three short of Mike Shafer's school record of 14 straight field goals made set in 1994.
. . . recorded the second-highest field goal total in school history (18), one short of the record 19 by John Roveto.
. . . was 46-for-50 in extra points, four short of Drew Edmiston's record of extra points in 2008.
. . . led the team with 100 points, the third-highest total ever and the most by a kicker. He trailed only the 114 points by Tyrell Fenroy (2008) and Brian Mitchell (1988).
. . . won two games with field goals as time expired, a 26-yard kick vs. Florida Atlantic and a career-long 50-yard effort vs. San Diego State in the New Orleans Bowl.
. . . It Was Just One Bad Quarter For Baer:
Baer's only two misses of his career came 75 seconds apart, going wide left from 48 yards with 12:30 left in the third quarter against FAU in 2011 and then missing wide left from 25 yards at the 11:15 mark.
Remembering Mickey:
The UL football team is honored to include on their helmets in 2012 a decal in memory of 21-year old UL student Mickey Shunick, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle and later murdered in the early morning hours on May 19. The football staff worked with the Shunick family to come up with the design of the decal. It features a drawing of a woman riding a bicycle with her hands in the air with the name Mickey underneath, a design that has become popular among the friends and family of Shunick. "We're just honored to do this for Mickey and her family," head coach Mark Hudspeth said. "Obviously, what we do on the field doesn't even come close to the kind of courage and fight that she showed. We just want to remember one of our own in a way that would make her proud."
UL Picked To Finish Third In Sun Belt:
Building on last year's 9-4 record and third place showing in the Sun Belt, the Cajuns were picked to finish third in the SBC this season in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches. FIU was tabbed the league favorite with five first place votes and 92 points with Arkansas State finishing second with 85 points and two first place votes. The Cajuns were third with two first place votes and 81 total points, well ahead of fourth place Western Kentucky (70 points), who received the final first place vote. Troy was fifth (60) followed by Louisiana-Monroe in sixth (47), Middle Tennessee in seventh (42), North Texas in eighth (36), Florida Atlantic in ninth (23) and South Alabama in 10th (23).
Five Named To All-Sun Belt Preseason Team:
Five Cajuns were named to the 2012 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, which was determined by a vote of head coaches and select media throughout the conference. Senior cornerback Melvin White was the only member of the defense to receive the honor while Brett Baer, a second team All-SBC choice last year, was tabbed as a kicker but not a punter. Offensively, Leonardo Bates (OT), Alonzo Harris (RB) and Javone Lawson (WR) were each honored.
UL Sets Attendance Mark. . . Again:
After setting the school record by selling 8,100 season tickets in 2011, the Cajuns have done it again, destroying the 2011 mark. Through Saturday, UL sold 10,810 season tickets, a jump of 30-percent from last year. It is easily the highest number in the Sun Belt Conference.
. . . Mother Nature Can't Stop The Cajun Crowd:
Day-long thunderstorms throughout the Lafayette area could not keep the UL fans away from Cajun Field for the opener as the crowd of 25,803 was the 17th largest crowd in stadium history. The six games since Mark Hudspeth was hired has resulted in six of the top 17 crowds in Cajun Field history.
. . . And Here Is All About The Last Time:
The success during the 2011 season was never more evident than at the box office where UL set just about every attendance record possible. In five games, the Cajuns drew 145,854 fans to set the school and SBC records for average attendance (29,171) and the SBC mark for total attendance. The total was a Cajun Field record for a five-game season, but fell short of the overall record of 163,143 set in 1976 when the Cajuns played seven home games. The 2011 season produced five of the top 15 crowds in Cajun Field history.
. . . Plus The Largest Improvement In The Nation:
One final attendance mark came in early February when the NCAA announced that the Cajuns had led all FBS schools with an attendance increase of 11,788 fans per game. UL averaged just 17,383 fans per game in 2010 but improved to 29,171 last year. UL beat out Arizona State, Stanford, Iowa State, Temple, Florida State and Oklahoma State for the top honor.
Lawson Surpasses 100 Catch Mark:
Senior Javone Lawson opened his senior campaign by making six catches for 55 yards and a touchdown in the two games. In the process, he reached a pair of receiving milestones. His three catches for 33 yards against Lamar allowed him to become just the eighth receiver in school history to catch passes for more than 1,500 yards. He came back on Troy to make three more grabs to become the 10th receiver with 100 or more career catches. Lawson will enter the OSU game with career totals of 150 catches for 1,542 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is five catches away from fourth-place Bill Sampy (2002-05), who caught 155 passes. Last year, Lawson became only fifth Cajun to catch passes for more than 1,000 yards last season, making 63 catches for 1,092 yards and eight touchdowns.
Coaching Continuity:
UL is one of only 16 FBS schools to return the head coach and all nine assistant coaches from the previous season, according to research by Coachingsearch.com. To take things even further, the Cajuns also bring back the four graduate and administrative assistants on the coaching staff and all three weight room staff members. The other 15 schools with their entire coaching staff back are BYU, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia, Louisiana Tech, Miami (FL), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Northwestern, Oregon, San Diego State, Texas, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
The Line That Plays Together, Stays Together:
Blaine Gautier should feel comfortable under center this year as four of the five starters on the offensive line return, each of whom played in almost 95-percent of the snaps last year. The quartet of seniors Leonardo Bates (LT) and Jaron Odom (RT), junior Andre Huval (C) and sophomore Daniel Quave (RG). The foursome combine to have made 76 career starts, including all the last 15 games together. Odom and Huval each played 925 of the 936 offensive snaps last year with Quave (890) and Bates (887) being not far behind. The fifth starter on the unit this year is Mykhael Quave, the younger brother of Daniel.
. . .And The Line Features Size:
The offensive line not only features experience, but size as well. The five starters average 6-4, 308 pounds, giving UL one of the biggest offensive lines in the SBC. The left side of the line features tackle Leonardo Bates (6-5, 296) and Mykhael Quave (6-5, 300) with Andre Huval (6-1, 290) at center. The right side of the line starts tackle Jaron Odom (6-6, 330) and guard Daniel Quave (6-3, 324).