University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, September 8
Troy, Ala.
6:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
Troy
Louisiana Opens Sun Belt Play At Troy
9/5/2012 12:06:00 PM | Football
Contact: Brian McCann
COMPLETE GAME NOTES (PDF)
Louisiana Opens Sun Belt Play At Troy
Ragin' Cajuns Are 1-0 After Blanking Lamar, 40-0, In Season Opener
Game 2: Louisiana (1-0, 0-0 SBC) at Troy (1-0, 0-0 SBC)
When: Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, 6:00 p.m. CDT
Site: Veteran Memorial Stadium (ProGrass, 30,000)
TV: ESPN3.com (Jonathan Yardley & Forrest Conoly)
Radio: Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network
(Jay Walker, Gerald Broussard & Steve Peloquin)
Participating 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: UL Leads, 8-7
Last Meeting: UL 31, Troy 17 (at UL, Oct. 8, 2011)
The Storyline:
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns football team takes to the road for the first time in 2012, traveling to Troy, Ala. or a meeting with Troy on Saturday, Sept. 8 beginning at 6:00 p.m. CDT in Veteran Memorial Stadium. . . the game will be televised live by ESPN3.com with Jonathan Yardley and Forrest Conoly providing the commentary. . . the contest will serve as the Sun Belt opener for both teams and is one of two SBC games slated for this week. . . UL, which is coming off a third-place finish in the Sun Belt last year, owns a 39-39 record through its first 11 SBC seasons. . . the Cajuns are 1-0 this year after shutting out Lamar, 40-0, last week in the season opener at Cajun Field. . . the victory marked the first shutout by the Cajuns since a 6-0 white-washing at Florida Atlantic in 2006 and the first home shutout since toppling UAB, 34-0, in 2002. . . Troy also won its season opener, claiming a 39-29 decision at Conference USA member UAB last weekend. . . this will be the 16th meeting between Louisiana and Troy with the Cajuns carrying a 8-7 series lead into the weekend, including a 31-17 decision in Lafayette last year. . . the Trojans, however, own a 3-1 edge in games played in Troy. . . the game will serve as a homecoming for second year athletic director Scott Farmer, who served as senior associate athletic director for the Trojans from 1999-2007.
Series vs. Troy:
Saturday's game will be the 16th series meeting with the Ragin' Cajuns owning an 8-7 lead all-time. The series began in 1946 with UL claiming the first six contests through 1952. The two teams met just once over the next 52 years -- a 39-20 Troy win in 1994 -- and the series resumed in earnest in 2004 when Troy joined the Sun Belt Conference. Since that time, the Trojans have claimed seven of the last nine meetings. UL is 1-0 under Mark Hudspeth,winning 31-17 in Lafayette last year, but the Cajuns are just 1-3 in games played in Troy.
Louisiana Pitches A Shutout:
The 40-0 victory over Lamar 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 ago in a 34-0 win over UAB on Sept. 14, 2002.
Home Cooking:
The win over Lamar on Saturday extended UL's home winning streak to six games, the fourth-longest in Cajun Field history. It equals the six straight wins that spanned the 2003-04 seasons. The Cajuns started the current streak by going 5-0 at home in 2011, the third undefeated season in Cajun Field history and first since 1987. The record win streak is 11 games, set from 1976-77, and there are also streaks of seven (1994-95) and nine games (1987-88).
A Long Way But Short Of The House:
The longest play of the 2012 season to date did not result in any points when Jamal Robinson caught an 86-yard pass from Blaine Gautier to set up an Effrem Reed two-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. The completion was the longest non-scoring pass in school history. It bested the old record when Michael Desormeaux completed an 82-yard pass to Richie Falgout vs. FIU in 2008. It was also tied for the fourth-longest pass play as well.
A Broadway Debut:
The Lamar game proved to be the Cajuns debut for sophomore Terrance Broadway, who entered the game late in the second quarter and received the lion's share of the snaps in the second half. Broadway, who sat out the 2011 season after transferring from Houston, was six-for-nine passing for 61 yards.
Baer Kicks Way To The UL Record Book:
Senior kicker Brett Baer started his senior season out on the right foot, connecting on four field goals and four extra points as part of a record-setting performance in the win over Lamar. Baer. . .
. . . made field goals from 52, 40, 39 & 32 yards in the first half to extend his string of consecutive field goals made to 15 (including the last 11 in 2011). He broke Mike Shafer's record of 14 set in 1994.
. . . moved within two field goals of the Sun Belt record of 17 consecutive field goals made, held by La.-Monroe's Cole Wilson (2006-07).
. . . tied the school mark for points in a game by a kicker with 16. 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, coming one field goal short of the UL school record of five by Rafael Septien (vs. San Jose State in 1974).
Getting the Juice Flowing:
Sophomore nose tackle Justin Hamilton, who has earned the nickname “Juice” from his teammates, celebrated his first career start on Saturday by getting the defense going. He made four tackles for losses (-13 yards) with a quarterback sack and a pair of forced fumbles. On Lamar's first possession, he stripped quarterback Ryan Mossakowski of the ball and Justin Anderson recovered at the UL 29. On the next series, Hamilton forced running back Herschel Sims to cough up the football with Qyendarius Griffin recovering at the UL 25. The two turnovers resulted in 10 Cajuns points.
Playing Time:
The 40-point halftime allowed Mark Hudspeth to spread the playing time around in the second half as a total of 66 players saw action in the game for the Cajuns, the most in the last two seasons. The previous high came last year against both North Texas and at Middle Tennessee when 58 players saw action.
. . . More Players, Less Freshmen:
Despite the increased numbers getting into the game on Saturday, 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 two against Lamar last week as linebacker Tyren Alexander and safety Al-Damien Riles both played as reserves. Alexander was second on the team with five tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss (-5 yards), while Riles made one tackle.
The Wait Was Worth It For Gillis:
Fifth-year senior Rodney Gillis made the most of his first career start on Saturday, having a part in two of the four Lamar turnovers. He was at the right place at the right time in the second quarter when Melvin White separated a Cardinal receiver from the ball after a catch with Gillis recovering to set up a Brett Baer field goal. On the next possession, Gillis intercepted a Lamar pass to end the best Lamar drive of the first half. Gillis joined the program in 2008 and redshirted. He did not play during the 2009 campaign and then tore an ACL in his knee the following spring and missed the 2010 season. Gillis came back to play in 11 games as a reserve last season, making nine tackles.
Griffin Makes Most Of Position Change:
After rushing 69 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns in the first 11 games as a true-freshman in 2011, Qyendarius Griffin made the move to the secondary in order to get more time on the field. Already one of the team's best special teams performers — he was third on the team with nine special teams tackles last year — Griffin has taken to the move. In his first start at safety, he led the Cajuns with six tackles against Lamar, returning a fumble five yards in the first quarter to set up a field goal.
A Comeback For Stover:
Another feel good moment for the Cajuns came midway through the second quarter on Saturday when sophomore Hunter Stover took over the kickoff chores from Brett Baer. Stover kicked off 47 times in the first eight games for the Cajuns last year before suffering a torn ACL in his right knee at Western Kentucky, requiring season-ending surgery. The surgery was nothing new to Stover. In high school, he tore the ACL in his left knee and a post-surgery infection required a second ACL replacement. The surgeries must have worked as Stover kicked off four times with four touchbacks for a 65.0 average. Last year, he averaged 60.3 yards with only one touchback.
The Baer-Foot:
Senior kicker Brett Baer is quickly moving towards being the most accurate kicker in NCAA FBS history. In three seasons as UL's regular kicker, he has made 29-of-31 field goal attempts (.935), 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 14 more field goals this year to meet the NCAA minimum of 45 career attempts. Baer made all seven attempts in 2010 and was 18-for-20 last year to lead the country in field goal percentage (.900).
. . . And The Baer Truth:
Brett Baer turned in one of the best all-around kicking performances in UL history in 2011, earning second team All-Sun Belt honors as both a kicker and punter while also being a semifinalist for the Groza Award, which is given to the nation's top kicker. Baer. . .
. . . led the nation in field goal accuracy, making 18-of-20 attempts (.900).
. . . ended the season making his final 11 attempts, leaving him three short of Mike Shafer's school record of 14 straight field goals made set in 1994.
. . . recorded the second-highest field goal total in school history (18), one short of the record 19 by John Roveto.
. . . was 46-for-50 in extra points, four short of Drew Edmiston's record of extra points in 2008.
. . . led the team with 100 points, the third-highest total ever and the most by a kicker. He trailed only the 114 points by Tyrell Fenroy (2008) and Brian Mitchell (1988).
. . . won two games with field goals as time expired, a 26-yard kick vs. Florida Atlantic and a career-long 50-yard effort vs. San Diego State in the New Orleans Bowl.
. . . It Was Just One Bad Quarter For Baer:
Baer's only two misses last year came 75 seconds apart, going wide left from 48 yards with 12:30 left in the third quarter against FAU and then came back at the 11:15 mark and missed wide left from 25 yards.
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.”
Cajuns Have Players To “Watch”:
After a 9-4 record in 2011, the college football experts took notice of the talent on the UL roster with five Cajuns being named to the various Watch Lists for the 2012 major college football awards. The list includes:
Player, Award (Honors)
Brett Baer, Lou Groza Award (Kicker)
Blaine Gautier, Manning Award (QB)
Andre Huval, Rimington Trophy (Center)
Darryl Surgent, Paul Hornung Award (All-Around)
Darryl Surgent. Jet Award (Returns Specialist)
Melvin White, Senior Bowl (All-Star Game)
UL Picked To Finish Third In Sun Belt:
Building on last year's 9-4 record and third place showing in the Sun Belt, the Cajuns were picked to finish third in the SBC this season in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches. FIU was tabbed the league favorite with five first place votes and 92 points with Arkansas State finishing second with 85 points and two first place votes. The Cajuns were third with two first place votes and 81 total points, well ahead of fourth place Western Kentucky (70 points), who received the final first place vote. Troy was fifth (60) followed by Louisiana-Monroe in sixth (47), Middle Tennessee in seventh (42), North Texas in eighth (36), Florida Atlantic in ninth (23) and South Alabama in 10th (23).
Five Named To All-Sun Belt Preseason Team:
Five Cajuns were named to the 2012 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, which was determined by a vote of head coaches and select media throughout the conference. Senior cornerback Melvin White was the only member of the defense to receive the honor while Brett Baer, a second team All-SBC choice last year, was tabbed as a kicker but not a punter. Offensively, Leonardo Bates (OT), Alonzo Harris (RB) and Javone Lawson (WR) were each honored.
UL Sets Attendance Mark. . . Again:
After setting the school record by selling 8,100 season tickets in 2011, the Cajuns have done it again, destroying the 2011 mark. Through Saturday, UL sold 10,810 season tickets, a jump of 30-percent from last year. It is easily the highest number in the Sun Belt Conference.
. . . Mother Nature Can't Stop The Cajun Crowd:
Day-long thunderstorms throughout the Lafayette area could not keep the UL fans away from Cajun Field for the opener as the crowd of 25,803 was the 17th largest crowd in stadium history. The six games since Mark Hudspeth was hired has resulted in six of the top 17 crowds in Cajun Field history.
. . . And Here Is All About The Last Time:
The success during the 2011 season was never more evident than at the box office where UL set just about every attendance record possible. In five games, the Cajuns drew 145,854 fans to set the school and SBC records for average attendance (29,171) and the SBC mark for total attendance. The total was a Cajun Field record for a five-game season, but fell short of the overall record of 163,143 set in 1976 when the Cajuns played seven home games. The 2011 season produced five of the top 15 crowds in Cajun Field history.
. . . Plus The Largest Improvement In The Nation:
One final attendance mark came in early February when the NCAA announced that the Cajuns had led all FBS schools with an attendance increase of 11,788 fans per game. UL averaged just 17,383 fans per game in 2010 but improved to 29,171 last year. UL beat out Arizona State, Stanford, Iowa State, Temple, Florida State and Oklahoma State for the top honor.
Lawson Surpasses 1,500-Yard Mark:
Senior Javone Lawson opened his senior campaign by making three catches for 33 yards and a touchdown against Lamar. In the process, he surpassed the 1,500-yard mark for his career. Lawson will enter the Troy game with career totals of 97 catches for 1,487 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is three catches short from becoming the fifth Cajun with 150 career receptions. Last year, Lawson became only fifth Cajun to catch passes for more than 1,000 yards last season, making 63 catches for 1,092 yards and eight touchdowns.
Coaching Continuity:
UL is one of only 16 FBS schools to return the head coach and all nine assistant coaches from the previous season, according to research by Coachingsearch.com. To take things even further, the Cajuns also bring back the four graduate and administrative assistants on the coaching staff and all three weight room staff members. The other 15 schools with their entire coaching staff back are BYU, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia, Louisiana Tech, Miami (FL), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Northwestern, Oregon, San Diego State, Texas, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
The Line That Plays Together, Stays Together:
Blaine Gautier should feel comfortable under center this year as four of the five starters on the offensive line return, each of whom played in almost 95-percent of the snaps last year. The quartet of seniors Leonardo Bates (LT) and Jaron Odom (RT), junior Andre Huval (C) and sophomore Daniel Quave (RG). The foursome combine to have made 72 career starts, including all the last 14 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).
Inside The Numbers On Gautier:
Blaine Gautier emerged from a heated battle to claim the starting quarterback slot in 2011 and turn in one of the most outstanding offensive seasons in school history. Gautier:
. . . 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) as a junior while also ranking fourth in total plays (462).
. . . set a single-game record with 492 yards of total offense vs. San Diego State in the New Orleans Bowl and was sixth with 430 yards at Western Kentucky (10/22).
. . . his 470 yards passing vs. San Diego State was the second-highest total in school history, three short of the school record (473 by Erik Rekieta in 2003).
. . . also had 419 yards passing at WKU (sixth best), making him the only player with multiple 400-yard games in a career.
. . . tossed four TD's vs. North Texas (10/15) and La.-Monroe (11/5), one short of the school record.
. . . his career-high 32 completions vs. WKU was fifth best
. . . ranks fourth in school history with 27 career touchdown passes, needing three to catch Jerry Babb (30 from 2003-06) for third place.
. . . received first team All-Louisiana and Louisiana Offensive Player of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writer's Association and was a second team All-Sun Belt choice
. . . led the Sun Belt and ranked 14th nationally in passing efficiency (153.6)
. . . threw just six interceptions on the year, including none in the five games at home and he threw 157 passes over a six-game stretch without an interception early in the season
Next Up:
The Cajuns remain on the road, traveling to Stillwater, Okla. to face No. 19 Oklahoma State on Saturday, Sept. 15 beginning at 11:00 a.m. CDT in Boone Pickens Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Network.
COMPLETE GAME NOTES (PDF)
Louisiana Opens Sun Belt Play At Troy
Ragin' Cajuns Are 1-0 After Blanking Lamar, 40-0, In Season Opener
Game 2: Louisiana (1-0, 0-0 SBC) at Troy (1-0, 0-0 SBC)
When: Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, 6:00 p.m. CDT
Site: Veteran Memorial Stadium (ProGrass, 30,000)
TV: ESPN3.com (Jonathan Yardley & Forrest Conoly)
Radio: Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network
(Jay Walker, Gerald Broussard & Steve Peloquin)
Participating 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: UL Leads, 8-7
Last Meeting: UL 31, Troy 17 (at UL, Oct. 8, 2011)
The Storyline:
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns football team takes to the road for the first time in 2012, traveling to Troy, Ala. or a meeting with Troy on Saturday, Sept. 8 beginning at 6:00 p.m. CDT in Veteran Memorial Stadium. . . the game will be televised live by ESPN3.com with Jonathan Yardley and Forrest Conoly providing the commentary. . . the contest will serve as the Sun Belt opener for both teams and is one of two SBC games slated for this week. . . UL, which is coming off a third-place finish in the Sun Belt last year, owns a 39-39 record through its first 11 SBC seasons. . . the Cajuns are 1-0 this year after shutting out Lamar, 40-0, last week in the season opener at Cajun Field. . . the victory marked the first shutout by the Cajuns since a 6-0 white-washing at Florida Atlantic in 2006 and the first home shutout since toppling UAB, 34-0, in 2002. . . Troy also won its season opener, claiming a 39-29 decision at Conference USA member UAB last weekend. . . this will be the 16th meeting between Louisiana and Troy with the Cajuns carrying a 8-7 series lead into the weekend, including a 31-17 decision in Lafayette last year. . . the Trojans, however, own a 3-1 edge in games played in Troy. . . the game will serve as a homecoming for second year athletic director Scott Farmer, who served as senior associate athletic director for the Trojans from 1999-2007.
Series vs. Troy:
Saturday's game will be the 16th series meeting with the Ragin' Cajuns owning an 8-7 lead all-time. The series began in 1946 with UL claiming the first six contests through 1952. The two teams met just once over the next 52 years -- a 39-20 Troy win in 1994 -- and the series resumed in earnest in 2004 when Troy joined the Sun Belt Conference. Since that time, the Trojans have claimed seven of the last nine meetings. UL is 1-0 under Mark Hudspeth,winning 31-17 in Lafayette last year, but the Cajuns are just 1-3 in games played in Troy.
Louisiana Pitches A Shutout:
The 40-0 victory over Lamar 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 ago in a 34-0 win over UAB on Sept. 14, 2002.
Home Cooking:
The win over Lamar on Saturday extended UL's home winning streak to six games, the fourth-longest in Cajun Field history. It equals the six straight wins that spanned the 2003-04 seasons. The Cajuns started the current streak by going 5-0 at home in 2011, the third undefeated season in Cajun Field history and first since 1987. The record win streak is 11 games, set from 1976-77, and there are also streaks of seven (1994-95) and nine games (1987-88).
A Long Way But Short Of The House:
The longest play of the 2012 season to date did not result in any points when Jamal Robinson caught an 86-yard pass from Blaine Gautier to set up an Effrem Reed two-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. The completion was the longest non-scoring pass in school history. It bested the old record when Michael Desormeaux completed an 82-yard pass to Richie Falgout vs. FIU in 2008. It was also tied for the fourth-longest pass play as well.
A Broadway Debut:
The Lamar game proved to be the Cajuns debut for sophomore Terrance Broadway, who entered the game late in the second quarter and received the lion's share of the snaps in the second half. Broadway, who sat out the 2011 season after transferring from Houston, was six-for-nine passing for 61 yards.
Baer Kicks Way To The UL Record Book:
Senior kicker Brett Baer started his senior season out on the right foot, connecting on four field goals and four extra points as part of a record-setting performance in the win over Lamar. Baer. . .
. . . made field goals from 52, 40, 39 & 32 yards in the first half to extend his string of consecutive field goals made to 15 (including the last 11 in 2011). He broke Mike Shafer's record of 14 set in 1994.
. . . moved within two field goals of the Sun Belt record of 17 consecutive field goals made, held by La.-Monroe's Cole Wilson (2006-07).
. . . tied the school mark for points in a game by a kicker with 16. 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, coming one field goal short of the UL school record of five by Rafael Septien (vs. San Jose State in 1974).
Getting the Juice Flowing:
Sophomore nose tackle Justin Hamilton, who has earned the nickname “Juice” from his teammates, celebrated his first career start on Saturday by getting the defense going. He made four tackles for losses (-13 yards) with a quarterback sack and a pair of forced fumbles. On Lamar's first possession, he stripped quarterback Ryan Mossakowski of the ball and Justin Anderson recovered at the UL 29. On the next series, Hamilton forced running back Herschel Sims to cough up the football with Qyendarius Griffin recovering at the UL 25. The two turnovers resulted in 10 Cajuns points.
Playing Time:
The 40-point halftime allowed Mark Hudspeth to spread the playing time around in the second half as a total of 66 players saw action in the game for the Cajuns, the most in the last two seasons. The previous high came last year against both North Texas and at Middle Tennessee when 58 players saw action.
. . . More Players, Less Freshmen:
Despite the increased numbers getting into the game on Saturday, 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 two against Lamar last week as linebacker Tyren Alexander and safety Al-Damien Riles both played as reserves. Alexander was second on the team with five tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss (-5 yards), while Riles made one tackle.
The Wait Was Worth It For Gillis:
Fifth-year senior Rodney Gillis made the most of his first career start on Saturday, having a part in two of the four Lamar turnovers. He was at the right place at the right time in the second quarter when Melvin White separated a Cardinal receiver from the ball after a catch with Gillis recovering to set up a Brett Baer field goal. On the next possession, Gillis intercepted a Lamar pass to end the best Lamar drive of the first half. Gillis joined the program in 2008 and redshirted. He did not play during the 2009 campaign and then tore an ACL in his knee the following spring and missed the 2010 season. Gillis came back to play in 11 games as a reserve last season, making nine tackles.
Griffin Makes Most Of Position Change:
After rushing 69 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns in the first 11 games as a true-freshman in 2011, Qyendarius Griffin made the move to the secondary in order to get more time on the field. Already one of the team's best special teams performers — he was third on the team with nine special teams tackles last year — Griffin has taken to the move. In his first start at safety, he led the Cajuns with six tackles against Lamar, returning a fumble five yards in the first quarter to set up a field goal.
A Comeback For Stover:
Another feel good moment for the Cajuns came midway through the second quarter on Saturday when sophomore Hunter Stover took over the kickoff chores from Brett Baer. Stover kicked off 47 times in the first eight games for the Cajuns last year before suffering a torn ACL in his right knee at Western Kentucky, requiring season-ending surgery. The surgery was nothing new to Stover. In high school, he tore the ACL in his left knee and a post-surgery infection required a second ACL replacement. The surgeries must have worked as Stover kicked off four times with four touchbacks for a 65.0 average. Last year, he averaged 60.3 yards with only one touchback.
The Baer-Foot:
Senior kicker Brett Baer is quickly moving towards being the most accurate kicker in NCAA FBS history. In three seasons as UL's regular kicker, he has made 29-of-31 field goal attempts (.935), 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 14 more field goals this year to meet the NCAA minimum of 45 career attempts. Baer made all seven attempts in 2010 and was 18-for-20 last year to lead the country in field goal percentage (.900).
. . . And The Baer Truth:
Brett Baer turned in one of the best all-around kicking performances in UL history in 2011, earning second team All-Sun Belt honors as both a kicker and punter while also being a semifinalist for the Groza Award, which is given to the nation's top kicker. Baer. . .
. . . led the nation in field goal accuracy, making 18-of-20 attempts (.900).
. . . ended the season making his final 11 attempts, leaving him three short of Mike Shafer's school record of 14 straight field goals made set in 1994.
. . . recorded the second-highest field goal total in school history (18), one short of the record 19 by John Roveto.
. . . was 46-for-50 in extra points, four short of Drew Edmiston's record of extra points in 2008.
. . . led the team with 100 points, the third-highest total ever and the most by a kicker. He trailed only the 114 points by Tyrell Fenroy (2008) and Brian Mitchell (1988).
. . . won two games with field goals as time expired, a 26-yard kick vs. Florida Atlantic and a career-long 50-yard effort vs. San Diego State in the New Orleans Bowl.
. . . It Was Just One Bad Quarter For Baer:
Baer's only two misses last year came 75 seconds apart, going wide left from 48 yards with 12:30 left in the third quarter against FAU and then came back at the 11:15 mark and missed wide left from 25 yards.
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.”
Cajuns Have Players To “Watch”:
After a 9-4 record in 2011, the college football experts took notice of the talent on the UL roster with five Cajuns being named to the various Watch Lists for the 2012 major college football awards. The list includes:
Player, Award (Honors)
Brett Baer, Lou Groza Award (Kicker)
Blaine Gautier, Manning Award (QB)
Andre Huval, Rimington Trophy (Center)
Darryl Surgent, Paul Hornung Award (All-Around)
Darryl Surgent. Jet Award (Returns Specialist)
Melvin White, Senior Bowl (All-Star Game)
UL Picked To Finish Third In Sun Belt:
Building on last year's 9-4 record and third place showing in the Sun Belt, the Cajuns were picked to finish third in the SBC this season in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches. FIU was tabbed the league favorite with five first place votes and 92 points with Arkansas State finishing second with 85 points and two first place votes. The Cajuns were third with two first place votes and 81 total points, well ahead of fourth place Western Kentucky (70 points), who received the final first place vote. Troy was fifth (60) followed by Louisiana-Monroe in sixth (47), Middle Tennessee in seventh (42), North Texas in eighth (36), Florida Atlantic in ninth (23) and South Alabama in 10th (23).
Five Named To All-Sun Belt Preseason Team:
Five Cajuns were named to the 2012 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, which was determined by a vote of head coaches and select media throughout the conference. Senior cornerback Melvin White was the only member of the defense to receive the honor while Brett Baer, a second team All-SBC choice last year, was tabbed as a kicker but not a punter. Offensively, Leonardo Bates (OT), Alonzo Harris (RB) and Javone Lawson (WR) were each honored.
UL Sets Attendance Mark. . . Again:
After setting the school record by selling 8,100 season tickets in 2011, the Cajuns have done it again, destroying the 2011 mark. Through Saturday, UL sold 10,810 season tickets, a jump of 30-percent from last year. It is easily the highest number in the Sun Belt Conference.
. . . Mother Nature Can't Stop The Cajun Crowd:
Day-long thunderstorms throughout the Lafayette area could not keep the UL fans away from Cajun Field for the opener as the crowd of 25,803 was the 17th largest crowd in stadium history. The six games since Mark Hudspeth was hired has resulted in six of the top 17 crowds in Cajun Field history.
. . . And Here Is All About The Last Time:
The success during the 2011 season was never more evident than at the box office where UL set just about every attendance record possible. In five games, the Cajuns drew 145,854 fans to set the school and SBC records for average attendance (29,171) and the SBC mark for total attendance. The total was a Cajun Field record for a five-game season, but fell short of the overall record of 163,143 set in 1976 when the Cajuns played seven home games. The 2011 season produced five of the top 15 crowds in Cajun Field history.
. . . Plus The Largest Improvement In The Nation:
One final attendance mark came in early February when the NCAA announced that the Cajuns had led all FBS schools with an attendance increase of 11,788 fans per game. UL averaged just 17,383 fans per game in 2010 but improved to 29,171 last year. UL beat out Arizona State, Stanford, Iowa State, Temple, Florida State and Oklahoma State for the top honor.
Lawson Surpasses 1,500-Yard Mark:
Senior Javone Lawson opened his senior campaign by making three catches for 33 yards and a touchdown against Lamar. In the process, he surpassed the 1,500-yard mark for his career. Lawson will enter the Troy game with career totals of 97 catches for 1,487 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is three catches short from becoming the fifth Cajun with 150 career receptions. Last year, Lawson became only fifth Cajun to catch passes for more than 1,000 yards last season, making 63 catches for 1,092 yards and eight touchdowns.
Coaching Continuity:
UL is one of only 16 FBS schools to return the head coach and all nine assistant coaches from the previous season, according to research by Coachingsearch.com. To take things even further, the Cajuns also bring back the four graduate and administrative assistants on the coaching staff and all three weight room staff members. The other 15 schools with their entire coaching staff back are BYU, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia, Louisiana Tech, Miami (FL), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Northwestern, Oregon, San Diego State, Texas, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
The Line That Plays Together, Stays Together:
Blaine Gautier should feel comfortable under center this year as four of the five starters on the offensive line return, each of whom played in almost 95-percent of the snaps last year. The quartet of seniors Leonardo Bates (LT) and Jaron Odom (RT), junior Andre Huval (C) and sophomore Daniel Quave (RG). The foursome combine to have made 72 career starts, including all the last 14 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).
Inside The Numbers On Gautier:
Blaine Gautier emerged from a heated battle to claim the starting quarterback slot in 2011 and turn in one of the most outstanding offensive seasons in school history. Gautier:
. . . 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) as a junior while also ranking fourth in total plays (462).
. . . set a single-game record with 492 yards of total offense vs. San Diego State in the New Orleans Bowl and was sixth with 430 yards at Western Kentucky (10/22).
. . . his 470 yards passing vs. San Diego State was the second-highest total in school history, three short of the school record (473 by Erik Rekieta in 2003).
. . . also had 419 yards passing at WKU (sixth best), making him the only player with multiple 400-yard games in a career.
. . . tossed four TD's vs. North Texas (10/15) and La.-Monroe (11/5), one short of the school record.
. . . his career-high 32 completions vs. WKU was fifth best
. . . ranks fourth in school history with 27 career touchdown passes, needing three to catch Jerry Babb (30 from 2003-06) for third place.
. . . received first team All-Louisiana and Louisiana Offensive Player of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writer's Association and was a second team All-Sun Belt choice
. . . led the Sun Belt and ranked 14th nationally in passing efficiency (153.6)
. . . threw just six interceptions on the year, including none in the five games at home and he threw 157 passes over a six-game stretch without an interception early in the season
Next Up:
The Cajuns remain on the road, traveling to Stillwater, Okla. to face No. 19 Oklahoma State on Saturday, Sept. 15 beginning at 11:00 a.m. CDT in Boone Pickens Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Network.
Michael Desormeaux Media Availability (Sep 8, 2025)
Monday, September 08
Bill Davis Media Availability (Sept 6, 2025)
Sunday, September 07
Jalen Clark Media Availability (Sept 6, 2025)
Sunday, September 07
Daniel Beale Media Availability (Sept 6, 2025)
Sunday, September 07
