University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, November 24
Lafayette
4:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
vs
South Alabama
Football Hosts South Alabama On Senior Day
11/19/2012 11:25:00 AM | Football
Contact: Brian McCann
Complete Release (PDF Format)
Game 11: South Alabama (2-9, 1-6) at Louisiana (6-4, 4-2)
When: Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, 4:00 p.m. CST
Site: Cajun Field (ProGrass, 31,000)
TV: Ragin' Cajuns Network (Jeff Palermo, Scott Brazda & Erin Cofiell)
The game is also available on ESPN3.com
Radio: Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network
(Steve Peloquin, Gerald Broussard & Scott Prather)
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: First Meeting
The Storyline:
The Cajuns will close out the home portion of the 2012 season when Louisiana hosts South Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 24 beginning at 4:00 p.m. in Cajun Field. . . the game will be televised through Louisiana and the bordering states by the Ragin' Cajuns Network with Jeff Palermo, Scott Brazda & Erin Cofiell providing the commentary. . . the game will mark the final home appearance in the careers of 17 Cajun seniors with the group being honored in a pre-game ceremony. . . Louisiana (6-4, 4-2) is bowl eligible for the second straight season after rallying from a 10-point deficit with 6:00 remaining to defeat Western Kentucky, 31-27. . . quarterback Terrance Broadway accounted for 403 yards of total offense, including the game-winning 14-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds left. . . Harry Peoples continues to be the work horse among the receivers, catching a career-high 13 passes for 144 yards, including four catches for 49 yards on the game-winning drive. . . freshman Torrey Pierce came off the bench to rush for 72 yards, including touchdown runs of 18 and 15 yards. . . the win over WKU improved Louisiana to 4-1 at home this year and 9-1 in the two seasons under Mark Hudspeth. . . this will be the first meeting with South Alabama (2-9, 1-6), a first-year member of the Sun Belt in football who has only been playing football since 2009.
UL & The NCAA Statistics:
Ragin' Cajuns players were ranked in the top 50 nationally eight times in this week's NCAA statistics, which were released on Sunday. Brett Baer leads the list with three mentions, including in field goals (14th, 1.6), punting (26th, 42.7) and scoring (33rd, 8.5).
17 Cajuns To Be Honored On Senior Night:
The South Alabama game will mark the final home contest in the career's of 17 Cajuns, 13 of whom are considered to be starters at their position. The seniors are:
40 Brett Baer (K/P, Brandon, Miss.)
72 Leonardo Bates (OL, New Orleans, La.)
47 Blake Comminie (DE, Edgard, La.)
64 Ben Duhon (DL, Slidell, La.)
17 Blaine Gautier (QB, Edgard, La.)
30 Le'Marcus Gibson (LB, Starkville, Miss.)
21 Rodney Gillis (S, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
93 Cordian Hagans (DL, Snellville, Ga.)
4 Javone Lawson (WR, New Orleans, La.)
2 Jemarlous Moten (CB, Leland, Miss.)
76 Jaron Odom (OL, Carver Ranches, Fla.)
45 Emeka Onyenekwu (DE, New Orleans, La.)
9 Harry Peoples (WR, Winona, Miss.)
49 Matt Rosenbalm (DS, Cumming, Ga.)
13 Brady Thomas (QB, Aledo, Texas)
26 Yobes Walker (RB, Angleton Texas)
22 Melvin White (CB, Freeport, Texas)
Cajuns Are Bowl Eligible:
The win over Western Kentucky was the sixth of the year for Louisiana, making the Cajuns eligible to take part in a bowl game again this season. The Sun Belt Conference has two automatic bowl tie-ins this year. The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 22, New Orleans) gets first choice among the league's bowl eligible squads with the GoDadddy.com Bowl (Jan. 6, Mobile, Ala.) choosing second. With five SBC schools bowl eligible, the league expects to receive additional bowl invitations from bowls who have commitments to conferences that won't have enough bowl eligible teams.
. . . So Bowl Tickets Are Now On Sale:
Cajun fans can purchase tickets to whatever bowl that Louisiana is selected to play in by going online to RaginCajuns.com and download the order form which outlines the dates for nine possible bowl locations for UL. Fans need to submit the form via mail, email or in person to the Cajundome ticket office. The ticket office is open Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Fans can also order tickets by calling the Cajundome ticket office at (337) 265-2100 during business hours.
A Look At The SBC Race:
With six Sun Belt games left in the 2012 season, the battle for the league title is still up for grabs. Only two teams can win the title outright but as many as four teams are capable of claiming at least a share of the title. The biggest game left on the schedule will be played on Dec. 1 when the only two remaining teams with one loss, Middle Tennessee (5-1) travels to Arkansas State (6-1). If ASU wins, the Red Wolves win the title outright while Middle Tennessee needs to win at home against Troy on Nov. 24 and at ASU the following week to win the title outright. The Cajuns can finish no worse than a tie for second place if they win their final two games, but a share of the title can happen if Middle Tennessee loses to Troy and then defeats Arkansas State. The fourth school in the mix, ULM (5-2), needs a win at FIU on Nov. 24 to clinch no worse than a second place finish.
Cathedral-Carmel Wins Cajun Contest:
The Ragin' Cajuns football team challenged the area grade schools to support them at the Tuesday night game against Arkansas State on Oct. 23 and Cathedral-Carmel grade school emerged as the winner of the contest. The school had 327 of its students in attendance at the game, including 23 from Ms. Marse's homeroom. Ms. Marse's homeroom will be on the field for pregame warmups when the Cajuns face South Alabama game this weekend.
Broadway Hits:
The storybook season for sophomore Terrance Broadway had another chapter added to it over the weekend when he led the Cajuns back from a 10-point deficit with 6:00 remaining to keep UL's title hopes alive.
• Slated to serve as the backup this season to Blaine Gautier, he has played significant time in every game.
• At Troy on Sept. 8, he relieved Gautier (bruised ribs) in the second quarter and completed 10-of-16 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown while 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 when Gautier broke his hand 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.
• Against Arkansas State on Oct. 23, Broadway set career highs for attempts (39), yards (374) and completions (28). The 374 yards was the eighth -highest single game total in school history.
• His best game came at ULM on Nov. 3 when he accounted for 460 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. He completed 23-of-32 passes for 373 yards and four TD's and rushed 13 times for 87 yards and a score.
• Against WKU on Nov. 17, he accounted for 403 of Louisiana's 582 yards if total offense. He rushed 14 times for a career-high 145 yards and a touchdown and completed 23-of-33 passes for 258 yards and a score. Down 27-17 with 6:00 left, he led the Cajuns to two touchdowns down the stretch, the last coming on his own 14-yard run, to give Louisiana the win.
• For the season, he ranks first in Cajun history in completion percentage (.657), second in passing efficiency (147.1) and eighth in completions (161), passing yards (2,053) and touchdown passes (13) and ninth in total offense (2,526).
Cajuns Excel At Cajun Field:
The win over Western Kentucky improved the Cajuns to 4-1 at home this year and 9-1 in the two seasons under head coach Mark Hudspeth. Included in that record was an eight-game win streak that began at the start of the 2011 season and included the first three games of this season. It was the third-longest in facility history.
The Men In Black:
The Ragin' Cajuns surprised their fans last week by wearing all black uniforms along with a re-designed black helmet in the win over Western Kentucky. Since the game was promoted as a Black Out with fans in attendance wearing black, the Cajuns debuted the black helmet that featured a fleur de lis in place of the stacked Ragin' Cajuns logo during warmups but the squad was wearing their red uniforms tops with black pants. When the warmups were over and the team returned to the locker room, each player was greeted with a black uniform in their locker. The uniform featured a large Fleur de lis on the front with a small uniform number on the left shoulder. In place of the names on the back were one of four French words. . . fierté (which means pride), croire (believe), unité (unity) and combattre (fight).
Huval Named To Academic All-District Squad:
Center Andre Huval, who owns a 3.52 cumulative grade point average majoring in business accounting, was named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-District team, which is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. A 6-1, 305-pound junior from Scott, La., Huval has taken over a leadership role on a veteran offensive line, playing all but nine snaps this season. Earlier this fall, he was named to the preseason watch list for the Rimington Award, which goes to the nation's top center. Huval is now eligible for Capital One Academic All-America honors, which will be announced on Nov. 29.
Gautier Back:
Senior quarterback Blain Gautier returned to the bench in uniform for the Western Kentucky game after missing the previous five games with a broken left (throwing) hand, suffered early in the game against Florida International on Sept. 29. Gautier did not play against WKU and enters the week as the backup on the depth chart. As a junior in 2011, Gautier took over the starting assignment early in the year, going on to set UL season records for yards passing (2,958), passing touchdowns (23), completion percentage (.628), passing efficiency (153.6), total offense (3,444) and touchdowns responsible for (26).
The Peoples Choice:
With 1,000-yard receiver Javone Lawson on the sideline, senior receiver Harry Peoples has stepped up his performance. He has recorded six or more catches in a game six times this year, including in each of the last four games that he has played in. Since coming back from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the Arkansas State game, Peoples has made 29 catches for 291 yards and a touchdown. Included in those totals were 10 catches for 73 yards at Florida and a career-high 13 receptions for 144 yards against WKU. He now has four career games of 10 or more catches. With 55 catches for 606 yards, Peoples ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in receptions and seventh in yardage.
. . . And Peoples Reaches Receiving Milestone:
The 10 receptions against Florida allowed Harry Peoples to become the 11th receiver in UL history to make 100 receptions in a career. Peoples begins the week ranked eighth in UL history with 113 catches for 1,303 yards and five touchdowns in his career.
. . . And Peoples Keys Win Over WKU:
Harry Peoples caught four pass for 49 yards on the game-winning drive against WKU, finishing the night with a career high 13 catches for 144 yards. He came one reception short of the school record of 14 set by Nick Dugas at Arkansas State on Oct. 13, 2001 while the 144 yards marked the third time in his career that he caught passes for more than 100 yards in a game. His previous career high was a 12-catch game vs. Florida Atlantic last season.
Protecting The QB:
Through 10 games, the Cajun offensive line ranks 14th nationally, allowing 10 quarterback sacks this year. Louisiana let up just one sack in the first four games. When Terrance Broadway took over at quarterback, the line had to adjust and gave up eight sacks over a three-game period. The adjustments have been made however as the Cajuns gave up just one sack at Florida, a team that ranks in the top five nationally in defense this season. Last week, the Cajuns held Sun Belt sack leader WKU, which had made 31 sacks in their first 10 games, without a sack. That is considerable improvement over the 2011 numbers when the Cajuns allowed 25 sacks totalling 169 yards lost in 13 games.
Baer Named To Mid-Season All-America Teams:
With the second half of the season in process, the national publications each released their mid-season All-America teams and senior kicker Brett Baer fared well. Baer was named a first team selection by ESPN.com, a second team choice by SI.com and a third team honoree by Phil Steele. Baer is the only Sun Belt athlete on any of the mid-season teams. Baer is 11th in the nation having made 15-of-18 field goals and ranks 29th with 78 points in nine games.
Mister Can You Spare A Dime:
The Cajuns threw a defensive twist at Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 3, and it appeared to work. UL opened the game and spent a good deal of the game in dime coverage, removing a linebacker and defensive lineman in favor of having two extra defensive backs on the field. On the first play, nose tackle Justin Hamilton and Jake Molbert were on the bench with first-time starters Trevence Patt and Sean Thomas in the secondary.
. . . Or Spare An Extra Lineman:
The defense made another major adjustment for the games at Florida and at home against WKU, playing the majority of the game with a four-man front. Again, it paid off as UL registered a season-high five quarterback sacks and continually had the Gators in third and long situations. Emeka Onyenekwu, who went on to make a career-high nine tackles and 2.5 sacks, was the extra starter on the line with freshman linebacker Dominique Tovell moving to a backup role.
Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood:
With Javone Lawson sidelined, Jamal Robinson moved into a featured role and excelled. The sophomore caught eight passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns in the games against Arkansas State and ULM and then came back on Saturday to make three grabs for 27 yards, including a five-yard touchdown catch that was pulled the Cajuns to within three points late in the game. For the year, Robinson has made 17 catches for 450 yards and three touchdowns, owning an impressive 26.5 yards per catch. He set career highs with five catches and 106 yards receiving against Arkansas State on Oct. 23 and came back to make three grabs for 153 yards and touchdowns of 52 and 81 yards at ULM.
. . . And Butler Finally Did It:
After making 14 catches for 200 yards as a true-freshman in 2010, James Butler figured heavily into the Cajuns' plans last year until tearing the ACL in his left knee during preseason camp. After a year of rehabilitation, Butler completed his comeback when he made his first career touchdown catch on a four-yard pass from Terrance Broadway as time expired against Arkansas State. He came back at ULM on Nov. 3 to make three grabs for 47 yards. For the year, Butler has made seven catches for 78 yards.
Baer Dominates As Punter:
One thing lost in the kicking exploits of Brett Baer 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 26th nationally (and first in the SBC) with a 42.7 average this year. More importantly, just 13 of his 43 punts have been returned for a total of 66 yards, allowing UL to rank second in the Sun Belt in net punting with a 38.2 average.
. . . And Just Two Touchbacks:
As a junior, Brett Baer punted 79 times with 27 kicks downed inside the 20. Even more impressive was that Baer had just five touchbacks. He has been even better in 2012, punting 43 times with 19 downed inside the 20 and two touchbacks. In the fourth quarter at UNT on Oct. 16, he had successive kicks of 38 yards that were downed inside the 2 and 58 yards downed inside the 1.
Special Teams Firsts:
The ULM game on Nov. 3 featured a pair of special teams firsts for the season. In the first quarter, ULM kicker Justin Manton missed wide left on a field goal from 45 yards out. It snapped a streak of 14 consecutive field goals made by UL opponents this year. Late in the fourth quarter, Brett Baer's punt from the ULM 36 snuck into the end zone, marking the first touchback in 35 punts this year.
. . . And Dueling Blocks At Florida:
The Florida game featured another special teams first as both teams blocked punts and returned them for touchdowns. The Cajuns block came in the third quarter when Bradley Brown eluded the protection to make the block and Blake Comminie returned it 22 yards for the score to put UL ahead, 17-13. The Gator blocked punt is well documented, with the touchdown coming with two seconds left to give Florida the win.
. . . The Last Time:
It had been awhile since either side had blocked a punt in a game. It had been 24 games since the Cajuns blocked a punt, that coming when Vernon Wolf accomplished it against FIU (11/20/10), and 42 games since one was returned for a touchdown (Andrew Joseph vs. North Texas, 10/10/09). It had been 62 games since a UL opponent accomplished both, that coming when Tennessee blocked a Spencer Ortega punt in the third quarter and returned it 20 yards for the score.
Standing Patt:
Given the opportunity to make his first career start in the win at ULM on Nov. 3, Trevence Patt made the most of it. The sophomore defensive back, who entered the game having made nine career tackles, boosted that total significantly by making five tackles, the second-highest total by a Cajun in the game. With subsequent starts at Florida and against WKU, he enters the week with 17 tackles this year.
Hooray For Torrey:
Freshman Torrey Pierce has definitely caught the attention of the coaching staff. He carried five times for 72 yards and a pair of touchdowns against WKU, that performance coming on the heels of a 13 carry, 72 yards effort in the win at ULM on Nov. 3. At the start of the season, Pierce found himself fourth on the depth chart at running back. He was buried behind a slew of talented runners, each of whom was a freshman or a sophomore. Waiting patiently for his opportunity, Pierce didn't play in either of the first two games and then got five rushes in lopsided games against Oklahoma State (5 carries, 12 yards), FIU (5-28) and Tulane (5-29). For the year, Pierce has carried 34 times for 218 yards and three touchdowns.
4th Down Exploits:
The Cajun defense has successfully stopped its opponents on seven of its nine fourth down conversion attempts. Four of the stops have come within the 25 and have figured prominently in a pair of UL wins. At Troy on Sept. 8, the Cajuns had stops at their 9 and 25 yard lines when the game was still close. The third stop vs. FIU when UL held on downs at their own 12 in the fourth quarter. On Oct. 16 at North Texas, the Cajun defense held on a fourth-and-goal at the 1. The only fourth down conversion came on a 4th-and-1 at Oklahoma State and on a 4th-and-3 at ULM. Last year, Louisiana opponents were 8-for-21 (.381) on fourth down.
Baer Kicks Way To The UL Record Book:
Senior kicker Brett Baer is enjoying an outstanding senior season, connecting on 16 of his 19 field goal attempts and 37-of-39 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).
The Baer Foot:
Just when senior kicker Brett Baer thought he had attempted enough kicks to qualify for the NCAA record for career field goal accuracy, a re-check of the record books shows that the NCAA has adjusted the minimum number of kicks required, leaving Baer nine attempts short of the record. The old record of .878 (43-49) by Florida's Bobby Raymond (1983-84) under a 45-attempt minimum has been replaced with a 55-attempt record of .895 by Nebraska's Alex Henery (2007-10), who was 68-of-76 in his career. Baer is currently just short of the record at .891 (41-46). 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 16-for-19 this year to lead the nation in 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.
Harris Nears 1,500 Yard Mark:
A 104-yard rushing effort against WKU last week has moved sophomore running back Alonzo Harris within 153 yards of reaching the 1,500 yard mark for his career. In 21 career games, Harris has carried 291 times for 1,347 yards and 13 touchdowns with four 100-yard rushing games. Harris gained 700 yards as a freshman in 2011 and has totalled 634 yards this season. A preseason All-Sun Belt choice this year, he ranks eighth in the league in rushing (63.4 ypg).
Baer Continues Moving Up The Charts:
A seven-point effort against WKU on Saturday has allowed Brett Baer to continue his climb up the various Louisiana season and career kicking lists. For the season, Baer ranks third in field goals (16) and both extra points made (37) and attempted (39), fourth in field goal attempts (20) and seventh in scoring (85). For his career, he is second in both extra points made (105) and attempted (108), fourth in free throws made (41) and attempted (44) and fifth in scoring (228).
. . . And Next Up, Baer Must Pass Himself:
With 16 field goals in 19 attempts this year, Brett Baer is quickly closing in on. . . well. . . Brett Baer. In 2011, Baer ranked second in school history in field goals made (18) and both extra points made (46) and attempted (50), third in scoring (100) and fourth in field goals attempted (20). Baer enters the final two regular season games within reach of surpassing each of those 2011 totals.
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 18 times this year, recording five touchbacks and a 62.4 average. Last year, he averaged 60.3 yards with only one touchback.
Brown Breaks In:
Junior receiver Bradley Brown saw the most significant action of his UL career against North Texas on Oct. 16, making six catches for 40 yards to raise his season totals to nine catches for 111 yards. Brown, a transfer from Northwestern State, saw minimal action in the first three games before making two catches for 68 yards against FIU and one grab for three yards vs. Tulane. In two seasons at NSU, Brown made 75 catches for 810 yards and four touchdowns, twice earning honorable mention all-league honors.
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 and 14th nationally with four interceptions and is second on the team with 55 tackles this year, including a career-high 12 tackles against both Oklahoma State and North Texas. 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 was able to play in 11 games as a reserve last season, making nine tackles.
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. Hill leads the rookies with 15 tackles while Alexander has made 11 tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss (-5 yards) while Riles has made four.
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 108 career starts, including all the last 23 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).
Next Up:
The Ragin' Cajuns take to the road to close out the 2012 regular season, traveling to Boca Raton, Fla. to face Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Dec. 1 beginning at 3:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. in Lafayette).
Complete Release (PDF Format)
Game 11: South Alabama (2-9, 1-6) at Louisiana (6-4, 4-2)
When: Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, 4:00 p.m. CST
Site: Cajun Field (ProGrass, 31,000)
TV: Ragin' Cajuns Network (Jeff Palermo, Scott Brazda & Erin Cofiell)
The game is also available on ESPN3.com
Radio: Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network
(Steve Peloquin, Gerald Broussard & Scott Prather)
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: First Meeting
The Storyline:
The Cajuns will close out the home portion of the 2012 season when Louisiana hosts South Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 24 beginning at 4:00 p.m. in Cajun Field. . . the game will be televised through Louisiana and the bordering states by the Ragin' Cajuns Network with Jeff Palermo, Scott Brazda & Erin Cofiell providing the commentary. . . the game will mark the final home appearance in the careers of 17 Cajun seniors with the group being honored in a pre-game ceremony. . . Louisiana (6-4, 4-2) is bowl eligible for the second straight season after rallying from a 10-point deficit with 6:00 remaining to defeat Western Kentucky, 31-27. . . quarterback Terrance Broadway accounted for 403 yards of total offense, including the game-winning 14-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds left. . . Harry Peoples continues to be the work horse among the receivers, catching a career-high 13 passes for 144 yards, including four catches for 49 yards on the game-winning drive. . . freshman Torrey Pierce came off the bench to rush for 72 yards, including touchdown runs of 18 and 15 yards. . . the win over WKU improved Louisiana to 4-1 at home this year and 9-1 in the two seasons under Mark Hudspeth. . . this will be the first meeting with South Alabama (2-9, 1-6), a first-year member of the Sun Belt in football who has only been playing football since 2009.
UL & The NCAA Statistics:
Ragin' Cajuns players were ranked in the top 50 nationally eight times in this week's NCAA statistics, which were released on Sunday. Brett Baer leads the list with three mentions, including in field goals (14th, 1.6), punting (26th, 42.7) and scoring (33rd, 8.5).
17 Cajuns To Be Honored On Senior Night:
The South Alabama game will mark the final home contest in the career's of 17 Cajuns, 13 of whom are considered to be starters at their position. The seniors are:
40 Brett Baer (K/P, Brandon, Miss.)
72 Leonardo Bates (OL, New Orleans, La.)
47 Blake Comminie (DE, Edgard, La.)
64 Ben Duhon (DL, Slidell, La.)
17 Blaine Gautier (QB, Edgard, La.)
30 Le'Marcus Gibson (LB, Starkville, Miss.)
21 Rodney Gillis (S, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
93 Cordian Hagans (DL, Snellville, Ga.)
4 Javone Lawson (WR, New Orleans, La.)
2 Jemarlous Moten (CB, Leland, Miss.)
76 Jaron Odom (OL, Carver Ranches, Fla.)
45 Emeka Onyenekwu (DE, New Orleans, La.)
9 Harry Peoples (WR, Winona, Miss.)
49 Matt Rosenbalm (DS, Cumming, Ga.)
13 Brady Thomas (QB, Aledo, Texas)
26 Yobes Walker (RB, Angleton Texas)
22 Melvin White (CB, Freeport, Texas)
Cajuns Are Bowl Eligible:
The win over Western Kentucky was the sixth of the year for Louisiana, making the Cajuns eligible to take part in a bowl game again this season. The Sun Belt Conference has two automatic bowl tie-ins this year. The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 22, New Orleans) gets first choice among the league's bowl eligible squads with the GoDadddy.com Bowl (Jan. 6, Mobile, Ala.) choosing second. With five SBC schools bowl eligible, the league expects to receive additional bowl invitations from bowls who have commitments to conferences that won't have enough bowl eligible teams.
. . . So Bowl Tickets Are Now On Sale:
Cajun fans can purchase tickets to whatever bowl that Louisiana is selected to play in by going online to RaginCajuns.com and download the order form which outlines the dates for nine possible bowl locations for UL. Fans need to submit the form via mail, email or in person to the Cajundome ticket office. The ticket office is open Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Fans can also order tickets by calling the Cajundome ticket office at (337) 265-2100 during business hours.
A Look At The SBC Race:
With six Sun Belt games left in the 2012 season, the battle for the league title is still up for grabs. Only two teams can win the title outright but as many as four teams are capable of claiming at least a share of the title. The biggest game left on the schedule will be played on Dec. 1 when the only two remaining teams with one loss, Middle Tennessee (5-1) travels to Arkansas State (6-1). If ASU wins, the Red Wolves win the title outright while Middle Tennessee needs to win at home against Troy on Nov. 24 and at ASU the following week to win the title outright. The Cajuns can finish no worse than a tie for second place if they win their final two games, but a share of the title can happen if Middle Tennessee loses to Troy and then defeats Arkansas State. The fourth school in the mix, ULM (5-2), needs a win at FIU on Nov. 24 to clinch no worse than a second place finish.
Cathedral-Carmel Wins Cajun Contest:
The Ragin' Cajuns football team challenged the area grade schools to support them at the Tuesday night game against Arkansas State on Oct. 23 and Cathedral-Carmel grade school emerged as the winner of the contest. The school had 327 of its students in attendance at the game, including 23 from Ms. Marse's homeroom. Ms. Marse's homeroom will be on the field for pregame warmups when the Cajuns face South Alabama game this weekend.
Broadway Hits:
The storybook season for sophomore Terrance Broadway had another chapter added to it over the weekend when he led the Cajuns back from a 10-point deficit with 6:00 remaining to keep UL's title hopes alive.
• Slated to serve as the backup this season to Blaine Gautier, he has played significant time in every game.
• At Troy on Sept. 8, he relieved Gautier (bruised ribs) in the second quarter and completed 10-of-16 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown while 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 when Gautier broke his hand 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.
• Against Arkansas State on Oct. 23, Broadway set career highs for attempts (39), yards (374) and completions (28). The 374 yards was the eighth -highest single game total in school history.
• His best game came at ULM on Nov. 3 when he accounted for 460 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. He completed 23-of-32 passes for 373 yards and four TD's and rushed 13 times for 87 yards and a score.
• Against WKU on Nov. 17, he accounted for 403 of Louisiana's 582 yards if total offense. He rushed 14 times for a career-high 145 yards and a touchdown and completed 23-of-33 passes for 258 yards and a score. Down 27-17 with 6:00 left, he led the Cajuns to two touchdowns down the stretch, the last coming on his own 14-yard run, to give Louisiana the win.
• For the season, he ranks first in Cajun history in completion percentage (.657), second in passing efficiency (147.1) and eighth in completions (161), passing yards (2,053) and touchdown passes (13) and ninth in total offense (2,526).
Cajuns Excel At Cajun Field:
The win over Western Kentucky improved the Cajuns to 4-1 at home this year and 9-1 in the two seasons under head coach Mark Hudspeth. Included in that record was an eight-game win streak that began at the start of the 2011 season and included the first three games of this season. It was the third-longest in facility history.
The Men In Black:
The Ragin' Cajuns surprised their fans last week by wearing all black uniforms along with a re-designed black helmet in the win over Western Kentucky. Since the game was promoted as a Black Out with fans in attendance wearing black, the Cajuns debuted the black helmet that featured a fleur de lis in place of the stacked Ragin' Cajuns logo during warmups but the squad was wearing their red uniforms tops with black pants. When the warmups were over and the team returned to the locker room, each player was greeted with a black uniform in their locker. The uniform featured a large Fleur de lis on the front with a small uniform number on the left shoulder. In place of the names on the back were one of four French words. . . fierté (which means pride), croire (believe), unité (unity) and combattre (fight).
Huval Named To Academic All-District Squad:
Center Andre Huval, who owns a 3.52 cumulative grade point average majoring in business accounting, was named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-District team, which is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. A 6-1, 305-pound junior from Scott, La., Huval has taken over a leadership role on a veteran offensive line, playing all but nine snaps this season. Earlier this fall, he was named to the preseason watch list for the Rimington Award, which goes to the nation's top center. Huval is now eligible for Capital One Academic All-America honors, which will be announced on Nov. 29.
Gautier Back:
Senior quarterback Blain Gautier returned to the bench in uniform for the Western Kentucky game after missing the previous five games with a broken left (throwing) hand, suffered early in the game against Florida International on Sept. 29. Gautier did not play against WKU and enters the week as the backup on the depth chart. As a junior in 2011, Gautier took over the starting assignment early in the year, going on to set UL season records for yards passing (2,958), passing touchdowns (23), completion percentage (.628), passing efficiency (153.6), total offense (3,444) and touchdowns responsible for (26).
The Peoples Choice:
With 1,000-yard receiver Javone Lawson on the sideline, senior receiver Harry Peoples has stepped up his performance. He has recorded six or more catches in a game six times this year, including in each of the last four games that he has played in. Since coming back from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the Arkansas State game, Peoples has made 29 catches for 291 yards and a touchdown. Included in those totals were 10 catches for 73 yards at Florida and a career-high 13 receptions for 144 yards against WKU. He now has four career games of 10 or more catches. With 55 catches for 606 yards, Peoples ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in receptions and seventh in yardage.
. . . And Peoples Reaches Receiving Milestone:
The 10 receptions against Florida allowed Harry Peoples to become the 11th receiver in UL history to make 100 receptions in a career. Peoples begins the week ranked eighth in UL history with 113 catches for 1,303 yards and five touchdowns in his career.
. . . And Peoples Keys Win Over WKU:
Harry Peoples caught four pass for 49 yards on the game-winning drive against WKU, finishing the night with a career high 13 catches for 144 yards. He came one reception short of the school record of 14 set by Nick Dugas at Arkansas State on Oct. 13, 2001 while the 144 yards marked the third time in his career that he caught passes for more than 100 yards in a game. His previous career high was a 12-catch game vs. Florida Atlantic last season.
Protecting The QB:
Through 10 games, the Cajun offensive line ranks 14th nationally, allowing 10 quarterback sacks this year. Louisiana let up just one sack in the first four games. When Terrance Broadway took over at quarterback, the line had to adjust and gave up eight sacks over a three-game period. The adjustments have been made however as the Cajuns gave up just one sack at Florida, a team that ranks in the top five nationally in defense this season. Last week, the Cajuns held Sun Belt sack leader WKU, which had made 31 sacks in their first 10 games, without a sack. That is considerable improvement over the 2011 numbers when the Cajuns allowed 25 sacks totalling 169 yards lost in 13 games.
Baer Named To Mid-Season All-America Teams:
With the second half of the season in process, the national publications each released their mid-season All-America teams and senior kicker Brett Baer fared well. Baer was named a first team selection by ESPN.com, a second team choice by SI.com and a third team honoree by Phil Steele. Baer is the only Sun Belt athlete on any of the mid-season teams. Baer is 11th in the nation having made 15-of-18 field goals and ranks 29th with 78 points in nine games.
Mister Can You Spare A Dime:
The Cajuns threw a defensive twist at Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 3, and it appeared to work. UL opened the game and spent a good deal of the game in dime coverage, removing a linebacker and defensive lineman in favor of having two extra defensive backs on the field. On the first play, nose tackle Justin Hamilton and Jake Molbert were on the bench with first-time starters Trevence Patt and Sean Thomas in the secondary.
. . . Or Spare An Extra Lineman:
The defense made another major adjustment for the games at Florida and at home against WKU, playing the majority of the game with a four-man front. Again, it paid off as UL registered a season-high five quarterback sacks and continually had the Gators in third and long situations. Emeka Onyenekwu, who went on to make a career-high nine tackles and 2.5 sacks, was the extra starter on the line with freshman linebacker Dominique Tovell moving to a backup role.
Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood:
With Javone Lawson sidelined, Jamal Robinson moved into a featured role and excelled. The sophomore caught eight passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns in the games against Arkansas State and ULM and then came back on Saturday to make three grabs for 27 yards, including a five-yard touchdown catch that was pulled the Cajuns to within three points late in the game. For the year, Robinson has made 17 catches for 450 yards and three touchdowns, owning an impressive 26.5 yards per catch. He set career highs with five catches and 106 yards receiving against Arkansas State on Oct. 23 and came back to make three grabs for 153 yards and touchdowns of 52 and 81 yards at ULM.
. . . And Butler Finally Did It:
After making 14 catches for 200 yards as a true-freshman in 2010, James Butler figured heavily into the Cajuns' plans last year until tearing the ACL in his left knee during preseason camp. After a year of rehabilitation, Butler completed his comeback when he made his first career touchdown catch on a four-yard pass from Terrance Broadway as time expired against Arkansas State. He came back at ULM on Nov. 3 to make three grabs for 47 yards. For the year, Butler has made seven catches for 78 yards.
Baer Dominates As Punter:
One thing lost in the kicking exploits of Brett Baer 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 26th nationally (and first in the SBC) with a 42.7 average this year. More importantly, just 13 of his 43 punts have been returned for a total of 66 yards, allowing UL to rank second in the Sun Belt in net punting with a 38.2 average.
. . . And Just Two Touchbacks:
As a junior, Brett Baer punted 79 times with 27 kicks downed inside the 20. Even more impressive was that Baer had just five touchbacks. He has been even better in 2012, punting 43 times with 19 downed inside the 20 and two touchbacks. In the fourth quarter at UNT on Oct. 16, he had successive kicks of 38 yards that were downed inside the 2 and 58 yards downed inside the 1.
Special Teams Firsts:
The ULM game on Nov. 3 featured a pair of special teams firsts for the season. In the first quarter, ULM kicker Justin Manton missed wide left on a field goal from 45 yards out. It snapped a streak of 14 consecutive field goals made by UL opponents this year. Late in the fourth quarter, Brett Baer's punt from the ULM 36 snuck into the end zone, marking the first touchback in 35 punts this year.
. . . And Dueling Blocks At Florida:
The Florida game featured another special teams first as both teams blocked punts and returned them for touchdowns. The Cajuns block came in the third quarter when Bradley Brown eluded the protection to make the block and Blake Comminie returned it 22 yards for the score to put UL ahead, 17-13. The Gator blocked punt is well documented, with the touchdown coming with two seconds left to give Florida the win.
. . . The Last Time:
It had been awhile since either side had blocked a punt in a game. It had been 24 games since the Cajuns blocked a punt, that coming when Vernon Wolf accomplished it against FIU (11/20/10), and 42 games since one was returned for a touchdown (Andrew Joseph vs. North Texas, 10/10/09). It had been 62 games since a UL opponent accomplished both, that coming when Tennessee blocked a Spencer Ortega punt in the third quarter and returned it 20 yards for the score.
Standing Patt:
Given the opportunity to make his first career start in the win at ULM on Nov. 3, Trevence Patt made the most of it. The sophomore defensive back, who entered the game having made nine career tackles, boosted that total significantly by making five tackles, the second-highest total by a Cajun in the game. With subsequent starts at Florida and against WKU, he enters the week with 17 tackles this year.
Hooray For Torrey:
Freshman Torrey Pierce has definitely caught the attention of the coaching staff. He carried five times for 72 yards and a pair of touchdowns against WKU, that performance coming on the heels of a 13 carry, 72 yards effort in the win at ULM on Nov. 3. At the start of the season, Pierce found himself fourth on the depth chart at running back. He was buried behind a slew of talented runners, each of whom was a freshman or a sophomore. Waiting patiently for his opportunity, Pierce didn't play in either of the first two games and then got five rushes in lopsided games against Oklahoma State (5 carries, 12 yards), FIU (5-28) and Tulane (5-29). For the year, Pierce has carried 34 times for 218 yards and three touchdowns.
4th Down Exploits:
The Cajun defense has successfully stopped its opponents on seven of its nine fourth down conversion attempts. Four of the stops have come within the 25 and have figured prominently in a pair of UL wins. At Troy on Sept. 8, the Cajuns had stops at their 9 and 25 yard lines when the game was still close. The third stop vs. FIU when UL held on downs at their own 12 in the fourth quarter. On Oct. 16 at North Texas, the Cajun defense held on a fourth-and-goal at the 1. The only fourth down conversion came on a 4th-and-1 at Oklahoma State and on a 4th-and-3 at ULM. Last year, Louisiana opponents were 8-for-21 (.381) on fourth down.
Baer Kicks Way To The UL Record Book:
Senior kicker Brett Baer is enjoying an outstanding senior season, connecting on 16 of his 19 field goal attempts and 37-of-39 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).
The Baer Foot:
Just when senior kicker Brett Baer thought he had attempted enough kicks to qualify for the NCAA record for career field goal accuracy, a re-check of the record books shows that the NCAA has adjusted the minimum number of kicks required, leaving Baer nine attempts short of the record. The old record of .878 (43-49) by Florida's Bobby Raymond (1983-84) under a 45-attempt minimum has been replaced with a 55-attempt record of .895 by Nebraska's Alex Henery (2007-10), who was 68-of-76 in his career. Baer is currently just short of the record at .891 (41-46). 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 16-for-19 this year to lead the nation in 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.
Harris Nears 1,500 Yard Mark:
A 104-yard rushing effort against WKU last week has moved sophomore running back Alonzo Harris within 153 yards of reaching the 1,500 yard mark for his career. In 21 career games, Harris has carried 291 times for 1,347 yards and 13 touchdowns with four 100-yard rushing games. Harris gained 700 yards as a freshman in 2011 and has totalled 634 yards this season. A preseason All-Sun Belt choice this year, he ranks eighth in the league in rushing (63.4 ypg).
Baer Continues Moving Up The Charts:
A seven-point effort against WKU on Saturday has allowed Brett Baer to continue his climb up the various Louisiana season and career kicking lists. For the season, Baer ranks third in field goals (16) and both extra points made (37) and attempted (39), fourth in field goal attempts (20) and seventh in scoring (85). For his career, he is second in both extra points made (105) and attempted (108), fourth in free throws made (41) and attempted (44) and fifth in scoring (228).
. . . And Next Up, Baer Must Pass Himself:
With 16 field goals in 19 attempts this year, Brett Baer is quickly closing in on. . . well. . . Brett Baer. In 2011, Baer ranked second in school history in field goals made (18) and both extra points made (46) and attempted (50), third in scoring (100) and fourth in field goals attempted (20). Baer enters the final two regular season games within reach of surpassing each of those 2011 totals.
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 18 times this year, recording five touchbacks and a 62.4 average. Last year, he averaged 60.3 yards with only one touchback.
Brown Breaks In:
Junior receiver Bradley Brown saw the most significant action of his UL career against North Texas on Oct. 16, making six catches for 40 yards to raise his season totals to nine catches for 111 yards. Brown, a transfer from Northwestern State, saw minimal action in the first three games before making two catches for 68 yards against FIU and one grab for three yards vs. Tulane. In two seasons at NSU, Brown made 75 catches for 810 yards and four touchdowns, twice earning honorable mention all-league honors.
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 and 14th nationally with four interceptions and is second on the team with 55 tackles this year, including a career-high 12 tackles against both Oklahoma State and North Texas. 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 was able to play in 11 games as a reserve last season, making nine tackles.
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. Hill leads the rookies with 15 tackles while Alexander has made 11 tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss (-5 yards) while Riles has made four.
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 108 career starts, including all the last 23 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).
Next Up:
The Ragin' Cajuns take to the road to close out the 2012 regular season, traveling to Boca Raton, Fla. to face Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Dec. 1 beginning at 3:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. in Lafayette).
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