University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Tuesday, October 16
Denton, Texas
8:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
North Texas
Cajuns Take On North Texas In Tuesday Game On ESPN2
10/12/2012 10:59:00 AM | Football
Contact: Brian McCann
Complete Game Notes (PDF Format)
Game 6: Louisiana (4-1, 2-0) at North Texas (2-4, 1-1)
When: Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, 8:00 p.m. CDT
Site: Apogee Stadium (30,850)
TV: ESPN2 (Dave Neal, Andre Ware & Cara Capuano)
Radio: Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network
(Jay Walker, Gerald Broussard & Steve Peloquin)
Participating Network Stations
KPEL (1420 AM, Lafayette) Flagship
KXHT (107.9 FM, Lafayette)
WGSO (990 AM, New Orleans)
KTUX (98.9 FM, Shreveport)
KLCL (1470 AM, Lake Charles)
KJEF (1290 AM, Jennings)
KRJO (1680 AM, Monroe)
Series: Series Tied, 8-8
Last Meeting: UL 30, UNT 10 (at UL, Oct. 15, 2011)
UL Web Site: www.RaginCajuns.com
Tickets: Single game tickets available at site.
The Storyline:
Fresh off back-to-back home wins, the first place Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns will travel to Denton, Texas to face North Texas on Tuesday, Oct. 16 beginning at 8:00 p.m. CDT in Apogee Stadium on the UNT campus. . . the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 with Dave Neal, Andre Ware and Cara Capuano providing the commentary. . . it is the first of two consecutive Tuesday night games with UL returning home on Oct. 23 to host Arkansas State on ESPN2. . . UL (4-1, 2-0 SBC) is coming off dominating home wins over FIU (48-20) and Tulane (41-13) to improve to 4-1 for the second straight year. . . the Cajuns received six votes in this week's USA Today poll, good for 38th place. . . sophomore Alonzo Harris rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown against Tulane to surpass the 1,000 yard mark for his career. . . freshman Effrem Reed added 85 yards rushing, part of a 294-yard rushing effort by the Cajuns. . . kicker Brett Baer scored 11 points against Tulane to move into sixth place on the career scoring chart with 201 points. . . Baer continues to lead the nation in field goals (2.4/game) while ranking seventh in scoring (11/6 ppg) and 30th in opunting (43.1). . . in their final season as a member of the Sun Belt, North Texas (2-4, 1-1) was picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll. . . once dominated by UNT in the early years, the Cajuns have come back to even the all-time series at eight games each by winning six of the last seven meetings, including five straight.
Series vs. North Texas:
Tuesday's game marks the 17th series meeting between Louisiana and North Texas with the series currently tied at 8-8. The series began in 1969 with North Texas claiming the first two meetings (1969 & 1980) and UL bounced back to win the next two (1981 & 1982). the series was dormant until 2000 when UNT and the Cajuns each joined the Sun Belt. The Mean Green won the five games from 2000-04 but the series has been in UL's favor recently as the Cajuns have won five straight meetings and six of the last seven. The series is evenly split with the squads splitting the eight games played in Denton and the eight contest in Lafayette.
Cajuns Receive Votes In USA Today Poll:
Back-to-back dominating wins over FIU and Tulane was enough to earn the Ragin' Cajuns mention in the USA Today coaches poll for the first time this year. Louisiana received six votes in the poll to rank 38th, one of three Sun Belt squads to receive mention. Western Kentucky was 36th with seven votes and La.-Monroe was 39th with three votes.
Cajuns Go Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness Month:
To honor National Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Cajuns will be wearing pink chin straps, socks and wrist bands for the game against North Texas.
Top Plays:
When Javone Lawson made an acrobatic catch on a 20-yard pass from Terrance Broadway in the third quarter against Tulane, it caught the nation's attention. The grab was named the Top Play on the ESPN College Football Wrap-up show and earned the No. 3 play distinction for the entire weekend.
. . . And Top Crowds:
After enduring heavy thunderstorms for the first two home games of the year, a beautiful fall day at Cajun Field for the Tulane game led to a crowd of 29,758 turning out for the contest. It was the eighth largest crowd in Cajun Field history and it allowed UL to move atop the SBC attendance chart. In three games, the Cajuns are averaging 25,557 fans per game. Arkansas State is second in the league with a 24,920 average and Troy (23,497) is third.
Tuesday With The Cajuns:
The North Texas game will be the 1,047th game in Ragin' Cajuns football history, but it will be just the fifth time that UL has played a game on a Tuesday and first in 49 years. The Cajuns are 2-2 when playing on Tuesday, winning 26-0 over Louisiana Tech on Nov. 14, 1916 and defeating Southeastern Louisiana, 13-0, on Nov. 11, 1930. The first Tuesday game came on Nov. 5, 1912 when the Cajuns fell to LSU, 85-3. The most recent Tuesday contest was a 14-0 loss to Southeastern Louisiana on Sept, 10, 1963. All four games were played on the road.
No QB & No Tailback:
In starting the 2012 season with a 4-1 record for the second straight year, the Cajuns have had to overcome a pair of injuries on offense that would have been devastating to most other teams. Montrell Carter, who earned the starting nod at tailback for the opener against Lamar, gained 27 yards on six carries before being sidelined for the year with a torn ACL. Starting QB Blaine Gautier, the 2011 Louisiana Offensive Player of the Year by the LSWA, did not play four quarters in any of the first four games before being sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a broken left (throwing) hand suffered early in the FIU game (Sept. 29).
. . . The Lights Are Shining On Broadway:
With Blaine Gautier out, Cajun starting quarterback-in-waiting Terrance Broadway has taken over as the starter a little earlier than expected. Broadway was effective in a backup role in the first four games. At Troy on Sept. 8, he relieved Gautier in the second quarter and completed 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. On Sept. 29 vs. FIU, he took over at the start of the second quarter and completed 15-of-19 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown and also ran the ball seven times for 28 yards with touchdown runs of 13 and four yards.
. . . And Broadway Wins His Starting Debut:
With Broadway taking over under center, the Cajuns didn't skip a beat, rolling up 444 yards of total offense in a 41-13 win over Tulane. Broadway was nine-for-22 passing for 150 yards, an interception and a pair of touchdowns. He also rushed nine times for 36 yards and a touchdown. For the season, Broadway is 45-77 (.584) for 612 yards and four touchdowns passing is third on the team in rushing with 135 yards on 28 carries with three touchdowns
Run Defense Returns To Form:
After allowing Tulane to gain just 53 yards rushing on 22 carries, the Ragin' Cajuns have moved up to 18th nationally in rush defense in the latest NCAA stats. In five games, UL has held its opponent to 107.2 yards rushing per game, including less than 70 yards in all four wins. The Cajuns opened the year by giving up a season-low 38 yards on 37 carries against Lamar, limited Troy to 60 yards on 27 attempts and kept FIU to just 55 yards in 34 attempts.
Baer Dominates As Punter:
One thing lost in the kicking exploits of Brett Baer this season has been his improvement as a punter. Baer, who was sixth in the SBC by averaging 40.3 yards on 79 punts in 2011, ranks 30th nationally (and first in the SBC) with a 43.1 average this year. More importantly, just seven of his 24 punts have been returned for a total of 34 yards, allowing UL to rank 10th nationally in net punting with a 41.7 average. Twelve of Baer's punts have been downed inside the 20 and he has yet to record a touchback.
4th Down Exploits:
The Cajun defense has successfully stopped its opponents on six of its seven fourth down conversion attempts. Three of the stops have come within the 25 and have figured prominently in a pair of UL wins. At Troy, the Cajuns had stops at their 9 and 25 yard lines when the game was still close. The third stop came last week vs. FIU when UL held on downs at their own 12 in the fourth quarter. The lone fourth down conversion came on a 4th-and-1 at Oklahoma State. Last year, Louisiana opponents were 8-for-21 (.381) on fourth down.
Home Sweet Home:
The win over Tulane extended UL's current home win streak to eight games, the third-longest in school history. 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. UL has added to it with wins over Lamar (Sept. 1), FIU (Sept. 29) and Tulane (Oct. 6) this season. The record win streak is 11 games, set from 1976-77, and there is also a nine-game streaks (1987-88).
Fast Starts:
Although Mark Hudspeth has preached that the fourth quarter belongs to the Cajuns, the truth of the matter in 2012 is that the fourth quarter hasn't been all that important yet. In the four UL wins, the Cajuns have outscored their opponents 115-38 in the first half. UL led Lamar 40-0 after two quarters, owned leads of 20-14 at half and 30-17 after three quarters at Troy and scored the first 24 points of the game against FIU on Sept. 29. Last week, the Cajuns took a 38-10 lead into the fourth quarter.
Harris Approaches 1,000 Yard Mark:
A 123-yard rushing effort against Tulane allowed sophomore running back Alonzo Harris to surpass the 1,000 yard mark for his short Cajun career. In 17 career games, Harris has carried 237 times for 1,087 yards and 11 touchdowns with three of 100-yard rushing games. A preseason All-Sun Belt choice this year, he has moved up to fifth in the league in rushing averaging 74.8 yards per game.
A Turnover Tale:
The Cajuns continue to excel at one of Mark Hudspeth's preseason goals of taking better care of the ball and being more opportunistic defensively, ranking 12th nationally in turnover margin (+8.0). In five games, UL has forced 13 turnovers (6 fumbles & 7 INTs) while committing just five (three fumbles, one INT). More importantly, the Cajuns have turned those 13 miscues into 53 points (5 TDs & 6 FGs) while the four UL turnovers have led to just 10 points.
. . . And Cajuns Throw Their First Pick:
It took 136 passes, but the Cajuns finally threw their first interception of the season against Tulane when a Terrance Broadway pass went off the hands of a UL receiver. Louisiana is now one of 10 teams tied for fourth nationally by throwing just one interception this year. Air Force, Alabama and Louisiana Tech lead the way with no picks while UL leads the Sun Belt with just one. Last year, UL threw 10 interceptions in 13 games.
Baer Moves Into 6th On Career Scoring Chart:
With 11 points in the win over Tulane, senior kicker Brett Baer has moved into sixth place on the UL career scoring chart with 201 points. He moved past Drew Edmiston (2006-08) and Mike Lemoine (1988-90), who were tied for sixth with 192 points each. Baer begins the week having made 37 field goals and 90 extra points in his career, needs seven points to catch Patrick Broussard (1984-87), who is fifth with 208 points. Baer has scored 58 points this year to lead the Sun Belt and rank 7th nationally (and second among kickers).
Baer Kicks Way To The UL Record Book:
Senior kicker Brett Baer has started his senior season out on the right foot, connecting on 12 of his 15 field goal attempts and all 22 extra points this year. Baer. . .
. . . made his first seven field goal attempts to extend his streak of consecutive field goals made to 18 dating back to last year, breaking the Sun Belt record of 17 consecutive field goals made by La.-Monroe's Cole Wilson (2006-07) and besting Mike Shafer's UL school record of 14 consecutive field goals made, which was set in 1994.
. . . 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).
Good Beginning For Reed:
The improved Cajun running game has been helped this year by the play of redshirt freshman Effrem Reed. In five games, Reed has rushed 45 times for 264 yards and two touchdowns. He set career highs for carries (11) and yards (85) in the win over Tulane, opening the game with a career-best 48-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage.
Protecting The QB:
Through five games, the Cajun offensive line ranks 15th nationally, allowing four quarterback sacks in five games this year. That is considerable improvement over the 2011 numbers when the Cajuns allowed 25 sacks totalling 169 yards lost in 13 games.
Brown Breaks In:
Junior receiver Bradley Brown saw the most significant action of his UL career against FIU on Sept. 29, catching two passes for 68 yards as part of the Cajuns second scoring drive of the game. Brown, a transfer from Northwestern State, had not played since the opening win over Lamar, but was on the travel team for the games at Troy and Oklahoma State. He came back against to Tulane to make a catch for three yards. In two seasons at NSU, Brown made 75 catches for 810 yards and four touchdowns, twice earning honorable mention all-league honors.
The Defense Gets On The Board:
It took five games, but linebacker Justin Anderson recorded the first “Pick Six” by the Cajuns this year when he stepped in front of a D.J. Ponder pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter against Tulane on Saturday. It was the second score by the defense this year, the first coming when Jemarlous Moten returned a fumble 56 yards for a touchdown against Troy on Sept. 8. Anderson's touchdown marked the 10th time under Mark Hudspeth 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 on a blocked field goal for a TD. Moten leads the defense with three career defensive scores (2 INT, 1 Fumble return). Melvin White had two scores last year, returning an interception 89 yards for a score against Troy and bringing back a blocked field goal 68 yards vs. Nicholls State.
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. He is second in the Sun Belt with three interceptions and is fourth on the team with 23 tackles this year, including a career-high 12 tackles at Oklahoma State and six at Troy. In the season opener against Lamar, he made his first career interception to end one drive and recovered a fumble on the next. He came back to make interceptions in each of the last two games. 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.
. . . And Gillis Picks Cajun Field:
When Rodney Gillis intercepted a D.J. Ponder pass in the second quarter against Tulane, it marked the third straight home game in which he has made an interception.
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 linebacker, he led the Cajuns with seven tackles and a pair of tackles for loss against Tulane. In his first game at the position earlier in the season, he led the team with six tackles vs. Lamar, returning a fumble five yards in the first quarter to set up a field goal. In five games, he is third on the team with 27 tackles.
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 37-of-42 field goal attempts (.881), 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 three 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). He is 10-for-11 this year to share the national lead for field goals.
. . . 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.
Lawson Continues Climb Up Receiving Charts:
A modest two catch night by Javone Lawson against FIU allowed the senior to move into seventh place on the UL career receiving chart with 110 career receptions. He passed Andre George, who had 109 catches from 1999-2002. Lawson enters the North Texas game with career totals of 114 catches for 1,720 yards and 13 touchdowns. 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.
A Comeback For Stover:
Another feel good moment this season has been the return to the lineup of sophomore Hunter Stover, who has shared the kickoff chores with 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 14 times this year, recording four touchbacks and a 62.5 average. Last year, he averaged 60.3 yards with only one touchback.
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.
Impact Freshmen:
Despite the increased number of players seeing action this year, 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 three 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 10 tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss (-5 yards), in the three contests while Hill has made seven stops and Riles four.
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.”
The Line That Plays Together, Stays Together:
Terrance Broadway 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 88 career starts, including all the last 18 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).
A Little Of This. . .A Little Of That:
• The wins over Lamar and Troy to open the season allowed the Cajuns to start with a 2-0 record for only the second time since 1990 and the first since 2009.
• The 40-point halftime spread against Lamar allowed Mark Hudspeth to use 68 players in the game, the most since he took over the program (58 was old high vs. North Texas and Middle Tennessee in 2011).
• 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.
• The longest play of the season resulted in no points when Jamal Robinson caught an 86-yard pass from Blaine Gautier vs. Lamar. It was the longest non-scoring pass play in school history, besting the old record of 82 yards of Michael Desormeaux to Richie Falgout vs. FIU in 2008. It was also tied for the fourth-longest pass play as well.
• The Sept. 8 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.
• The month of September has proven to be a good one for the Cajuns under head coach Mark Hudspeth as UL is now 6-2 during the month over the last two seasons. The only team to trip the Ragin' Cajuns up in September is Oklahoma State, which has been responsible for both UL losses in the month.
• In five games last year, 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.
• The Cajuns also led all FBS schools in 2011 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 to beat out Arizona State, Stanford, Iowa State, Temple, Florida State and Oklahoma State for the top honor.
• 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. Seniors Melvin White (CB), Brett Baer (K), Leonardo Bates (OT) and Javone Lawson (WR) and sophomore Alonzo Harris (RB) were each honored.
Next Up:
The Cajuns will start the second half of the 2012 season when UL returns home to host Arkansas State on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m CDT. in a game being televised nationally on ESPN2
Complete Game Notes (PDF Format)
Game 6: Louisiana (4-1, 2-0) at North Texas (2-4, 1-1)
When: Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, 8:00 p.m. CDT
Site: Apogee Stadium (30,850)
TV: ESPN2 (Dave Neal, Andre Ware & Cara Capuano)
Radio: Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network
(Jay Walker, Gerald Broussard & Steve Peloquin)
Participating Network Stations
KPEL (1420 AM, Lafayette) Flagship
KXHT (107.9 FM, Lafayette)
WGSO (990 AM, New Orleans)
KTUX (98.9 FM, Shreveport)
KLCL (1470 AM, Lake Charles)
KJEF (1290 AM, Jennings)
KRJO (1680 AM, Monroe)
Series: Series Tied, 8-8
Last Meeting: UL 30, UNT 10 (at UL, Oct. 15, 2011)
UL Web Site: www.RaginCajuns.com
Tickets: Single game tickets available at site.
The Storyline:
Fresh off back-to-back home wins, the first place Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns will travel to Denton, Texas to face North Texas on Tuesday, Oct. 16 beginning at 8:00 p.m. CDT in Apogee Stadium on the UNT campus. . . the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 with Dave Neal, Andre Ware and Cara Capuano providing the commentary. . . it is the first of two consecutive Tuesday night games with UL returning home on Oct. 23 to host Arkansas State on ESPN2. . . UL (4-1, 2-0 SBC) is coming off dominating home wins over FIU (48-20) and Tulane (41-13) to improve to 4-1 for the second straight year. . . the Cajuns received six votes in this week's USA Today poll, good for 38th place. . . sophomore Alonzo Harris rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown against Tulane to surpass the 1,000 yard mark for his career. . . freshman Effrem Reed added 85 yards rushing, part of a 294-yard rushing effort by the Cajuns. . . kicker Brett Baer scored 11 points against Tulane to move into sixth place on the career scoring chart with 201 points. . . Baer continues to lead the nation in field goals (2.4/game) while ranking seventh in scoring (11/6 ppg) and 30th in opunting (43.1). . . in their final season as a member of the Sun Belt, North Texas (2-4, 1-1) was picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll. . . once dominated by UNT in the early years, the Cajuns have come back to even the all-time series at eight games each by winning six of the last seven meetings, including five straight.
Series vs. North Texas:
Tuesday's game marks the 17th series meeting between Louisiana and North Texas with the series currently tied at 8-8. The series began in 1969 with North Texas claiming the first two meetings (1969 & 1980) and UL bounced back to win the next two (1981 & 1982). the series was dormant until 2000 when UNT and the Cajuns each joined the Sun Belt. The Mean Green won the five games from 2000-04 but the series has been in UL's favor recently as the Cajuns have won five straight meetings and six of the last seven. The series is evenly split with the squads splitting the eight games played in Denton and the eight contest in Lafayette.
Cajuns Receive Votes In USA Today Poll:
Back-to-back dominating wins over FIU and Tulane was enough to earn the Ragin' Cajuns mention in the USA Today coaches poll for the first time this year. Louisiana received six votes in the poll to rank 38th, one of three Sun Belt squads to receive mention. Western Kentucky was 36th with seven votes and La.-Monroe was 39th with three votes.
Cajuns Go Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness Month:
To honor National Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Cajuns will be wearing pink chin straps, socks and wrist bands for the game against North Texas.
Top Plays:
When Javone Lawson made an acrobatic catch on a 20-yard pass from Terrance Broadway in the third quarter against Tulane, it caught the nation's attention. The grab was named the Top Play on the ESPN College Football Wrap-up show and earned the No. 3 play distinction for the entire weekend.
. . . And Top Crowds:
After enduring heavy thunderstorms for the first two home games of the year, a beautiful fall day at Cajun Field for the Tulane game led to a crowd of 29,758 turning out for the contest. It was the eighth largest crowd in Cajun Field history and it allowed UL to move atop the SBC attendance chart. In three games, the Cajuns are averaging 25,557 fans per game. Arkansas State is second in the league with a 24,920 average and Troy (23,497) is third.
Tuesday With The Cajuns:
The North Texas game will be the 1,047th game in Ragin' Cajuns football history, but it will be just the fifth time that UL has played a game on a Tuesday and first in 49 years. The Cajuns are 2-2 when playing on Tuesday, winning 26-0 over Louisiana Tech on Nov. 14, 1916 and defeating Southeastern Louisiana, 13-0, on Nov. 11, 1930. The first Tuesday game came on Nov. 5, 1912 when the Cajuns fell to LSU, 85-3. The most recent Tuesday contest was a 14-0 loss to Southeastern Louisiana on Sept, 10, 1963. All four games were played on the road.
No QB & No Tailback:
In starting the 2012 season with a 4-1 record for the second straight year, the Cajuns have had to overcome a pair of injuries on offense that would have been devastating to most other teams. Montrell Carter, who earned the starting nod at tailback for the opener against Lamar, gained 27 yards on six carries before being sidelined for the year with a torn ACL. Starting QB Blaine Gautier, the 2011 Louisiana Offensive Player of the Year by the LSWA, did not play four quarters in any of the first four games before being sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a broken left (throwing) hand suffered early in the FIU game (Sept. 29).
. . . The Lights Are Shining On Broadway:
With Blaine Gautier out, Cajun starting quarterback-in-waiting Terrance Broadway has taken over as the starter a little earlier than expected. Broadway was effective in a backup role in the first four games. At Troy on Sept. 8, he relieved Gautier in the second quarter and completed 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. On Sept. 29 vs. FIU, he took over at the start of the second quarter and completed 15-of-19 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown and also ran the ball seven times for 28 yards with touchdown runs of 13 and four yards.
. . . And Broadway Wins His Starting Debut:
With Broadway taking over under center, the Cajuns didn't skip a beat, rolling up 444 yards of total offense in a 41-13 win over Tulane. Broadway was nine-for-22 passing for 150 yards, an interception and a pair of touchdowns. He also rushed nine times for 36 yards and a touchdown. For the season, Broadway is 45-77 (.584) for 612 yards and four touchdowns passing is third on the team in rushing with 135 yards on 28 carries with three touchdowns
Run Defense Returns To Form:
After allowing Tulane to gain just 53 yards rushing on 22 carries, the Ragin' Cajuns have moved up to 18th nationally in rush defense in the latest NCAA stats. In five games, UL has held its opponent to 107.2 yards rushing per game, including less than 70 yards in all four wins. The Cajuns opened the year by giving up a season-low 38 yards on 37 carries against Lamar, limited Troy to 60 yards on 27 attempts and kept FIU to just 55 yards in 34 attempts.
Baer Dominates As Punter:
One thing lost in the kicking exploits of Brett Baer this season has been his improvement as a punter. Baer, who was sixth in the SBC by averaging 40.3 yards on 79 punts in 2011, ranks 30th nationally (and first in the SBC) with a 43.1 average this year. More importantly, just seven of his 24 punts have been returned for a total of 34 yards, allowing UL to rank 10th nationally in net punting with a 41.7 average. Twelve of Baer's punts have been downed inside the 20 and he has yet to record a touchback.
4th Down Exploits:
The Cajun defense has successfully stopped its opponents on six of its seven fourth down conversion attempts. Three of the stops have come within the 25 and have figured prominently in a pair of UL wins. At Troy, the Cajuns had stops at their 9 and 25 yard lines when the game was still close. The third stop came last week vs. FIU when UL held on downs at their own 12 in the fourth quarter. The lone fourth down conversion came on a 4th-and-1 at Oklahoma State. Last year, Louisiana opponents were 8-for-21 (.381) on fourth down.
Home Sweet Home:
The win over Tulane extended UL's current home win streak to eight games, the third-longest in school history. 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. UL has added to it with wins over Lamar (Sept. 1), FIU (Sept. 29) and Tulane (Oct. 6) this season. The record win streak is 11 games, set from 1976-77, and there is also a nine-game streaks (1987-88).
Fast Starts:
Although Mark Hudspeth has preached that the fourth quarter belongs to the Cajuns, the truth of the matter in 2012 is that the fourth quarter hasn't been all that important yet. In the four UL wins, the Cajuns have outscored their opponents 115-38 in the first half. UL led Lamar 40-0 after two quarters, owned leads of 20-14 at half and 30-17 after three quarters at Troy and scored the first 24 points of the game against FIU on Sept. 29. Last week, the Cajuns took a 38-10 lead into the fourth quarter.
Harris Approaches 1,000 Yard Mark:
A 123-yard rushing effort against Tulane allowed sophomore running back Alonzo Harris to surpass the 1,000 yard mark for his short Cajun career. In 17 career games, Harris has carried 237 times for 1,087 yards and 11 touchdowns with three of 100-yard rushing games. A preseason All-Sun Belt choice this year, he has moved up to fifth in the league in rushing averaging 74.8 yards per game.
A Turnover Tale:
The Cajuns continue to excel at one of Mark Hudspeth's preseason goals of taking better care of the ball and being more opportunistic defensively, ranking 12th nationally in turnover margin (+8.0). In five games, UL has forced 13 turnovers (6 fumbles & 7 INTs) while committing just five (three fumbles, one INT). More importantly, the Cajuns have turned those 13 miscues into 53 points (5 TDs & 6 FGs) while the four UL turnovers have led to just 10 points.
. . . And Cajuns Throw Their First Pick:
It took 136 passes, but the Cajuns finally threw their first interception of the season against Tulane when a Terrance Broadway pass went off the hands of a UL receiver. Louisiana is now one of 10 teams tied for fourth nationally by throwing just one interception this year. Air Force, Alabama and Louisiana Tech lead the way with no picks while UL leads the Sun Belt with just one. Last year, UL threw 10 interceptions in 13 games.
Baer Moves Into 6th On Career Scoring Chart:
With 11 points in the win over Tulane, senior kicker Brett Baer has moved into sixth place on the UL career scoring chart with 201 points. He moved past Drew Edmiston (2006-08) and Mike Lemoine (1988-90), who were tied for sixth with 192 points each. Baer begins the week having made 37 field goals and 90 extra points in his career, needs seven points to catch Patrick Broussard (1984-87), who is fifth with 208 points. Baer has scored 58 points this year to lead the Sun Belt and rank 7th nationally (and second among kickers).
Baer Kicks Way To The UL Record Book:
Senior kicker Brett Baer has started his senior season out on the right foot, connecting on 12 of his 15 field goal attempts and all 22 extra points this year. Baer. . .
. . . made his first seven field goal attempts to extend his streak of consecutive field goals made to 18 dating back to last year, breaking the Sun Belt record of 17 consecutive field goals made by La.-Monroe's Cole Wilson (2006-07) and besting Mike Shafer's UL school record of 14 consecutive field goals made, which was set in 1994.
. . . 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).
Good Beginning For Reed:
The improved Cajun running game has been helped this year by the play of redshirt freshman Effrem Reed. In five games, Reed has rushed 45 times for 264 yards and two touchdowns. He set career highs for carries (11) and yards (85) in the win over Tulane, opening the game with a career-best 48-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage.
Protecting The QB:
Through five games, the Cajun offensive line ranks 15th nationally, allowing four quarterback sacks in five games this year. That is considerable improvement over the 2011 numbers when the Cajuns allowed 25 sacks totalling 169 yards lost in 13 games.
Brown Breaks In:
Junior receiver Bradley Brown saw the most significant action of his UL career against FIU on Sept. 29, catching two passes for 68 yards as part of the Cajuns second scoring drive of the game. Brown, a transfer from Northwestern State, had not played since the opening win over Lamar, but was on the travel team for the games at Troy and Oklahoma State. He came back against to Tulane to make a catch for three yards. In two seasons at NSU, Brown made 75 catches for 810 yards and four touchdowns, twice earning honorable mention all-league honors.
The Defense Gets On The Board:
It took five games, but linebacker Justin Anderson recorded the first “Pick Six” by the Cajuns this year when he stepped in front of a D.J. Ponder pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter against Tulane on Saturday. It was the second score by the defense this year, the first coming when Jemarlous Moten returned a fumble 56 yards for a touchdown against Troy on Sept. 8. Anderson's touchdown marked the 10th time under Mark Hudspeth 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 on a blocked field goal for a TD. Moten leads the defense with three career defensive scores (2 INT, 1 Fumble return). Melvin White had two scores last year, returning an interception 89 yards for a score against Troy and bringing back a blocked field goal 68 yards vs. Nicholls State.
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. He is second in the Sun Belt with three interceptions and is fourth on the team with 23 tackles this year, including a career-high 12 tackles at Oklahoma State and six at Troy. In the season opener against Lamar, he made his first career interception to end one drive and recovered a fumble on the next. He came back to make interceptions in each of the last two games. 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.
. . . And Gillis Picks Cajun Field:
When Rodney Gillis intercepted a D.J. Ponder pass in the second quarter against Tulane, it marked the third straight home game in which he has made an interception.
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 linebacker, he led the Cajuns with seven tackles and a pair of tackles for loss against Tulane. In his first game at the position earlier in the season, he led the team with six tackles vs. Lamar, returning a fumble five yards in the first quarter to set up a field goal. In five games, he is third on the team with 27 tackles.
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 37-of-42 field goal attempts (.881), 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 three 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). He is 10-for-11 this year to share the national lead for field goals.
. . . 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.
Lawson Continues Climb Up Receiving Charts:
A modest two catch night by Javone Lawson against FIU allowed the senior to move into seventh place on the UL career receiving chart with 110 career receptions. He passed Andre George, who had 109 catches from 1999-2002. Lawson enters the North Texas game with career totals of 114 catches for 1,720 yards and 13 touchdowns. 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.
A Comeback For Stover:
Another feel good moment this season has been the return to the lineup of sophomore Hunter Stover, who has shared the kickoff chores with 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 14 times this year, recording four touchbacks and a 62.5 average. Last year, he averaged 60.3 yards with only one touchback.
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.
Impact Freshmen:
Despite the increased number of players seeing action this year, 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 three 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 10 tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss (-5 yards), in the three contests while Hill has made seven stops and Riles four.
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.”
The Line That Plays Together, Stays Together:
Terrance Broadway 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 88 career starts, including all the last 18 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).
A Little Of This. . .A Little Of That:
• The wins over Lamar and Troy to open the season allowed the Cajuns to start with a 2-0 record for only the second time since 1990 and the first since 2009.
• The 40-point halftime spread against Lamar allowed Mark Hudspeth to use 68 players in the game, the most since he took over the program (58 was old high vs. North Texas and Middle Tennessee in 2011).
• 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.
• The longest play of the season resulted in no points when Jamal Robinson caught an 86-yard pass from Blaine Gautier vs. Lamar. It was the longest non-scoring pass play in school history, besting the old record of 82 yards of Michael Desormeaux to Richie Falgout vs. FIU in 2008. It was also tied for the fourth-longest pass play as well.
• The Sept. 8 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.
• The month of September has proven to be a good one for the Cajuns under head coach Mark Hudspeth as UL is now 6-2 during the month over the last two seasons. The only team to trip the Ragin' Cajuns up in September is Oklahoma State, which has been responsible for both UL losses in the month.
• In five games last year, 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.
• The Cajuns also led all FBS schools in 2011 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 to beat out Arizona State, Stanford, Iowa State, Temple, Florida State and Oklahoma State for the top honor.
• 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. Seniors Melvin White (CB), Brett Baer (K), Leonardo Bates (OT) and Javone Lawson (WR) and sophomore Alonzo Harris (RB) were each honored.
Next Up:
The Cajuns will start the second half of the 2012 season when UL returns home to host Arkansas State on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m CDT. in a game being televised nationally on ESPN2
Michael Desormeaux Media Availability (Nov 10, 2025)
Monday, November 10
Michael Desormeaux Media Availability (Nov 3, 2025)
Monday, November 03
Michael Desormeaux Media Availability (Oct 27, 2025)
Monday, October 27
Michael Desormeaux Media Availability (Oct 20, 2025)
Monday, October 20
