Football: Baer pulls off onside kick

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, November 19, 2012

Brett Baer said it’s been in UL’s gameplan for about two or three weeks now.

But until Saturday night’s win over Western Kentucky, Ragin’ Cajuns coach Mark Hudspeth wasn’t ready to pull the trigger on something Baer pulls off with amazing consistency: an onside kick.

"Every time we come to the sideline he’s like, ‘We’re gonna run a surprise,’ " Baer said, "and right before we get out there, he’s like, ‘No, we’re kicking it deep, we’re kicking it deep.’ "

With UL up 13-10 early in Saturday’s second half, however, Hudspeth gave Baer a green light.

"So I was just planning on kicking it deep — but he went through with it," Baer said, "and I’m just glad I got on that ball.

"You couldn’t ask for a better bounce."

Baer recovered his own kick 11 yards downfield.

The play was video-reviewed, but Baer had no doubt he went more than the mandatory 10 yards, saying he was certain because he even had time "to glance" at the yard lines before grabbing the ball.

As it turned out, UL failed to take advantage of the recovery. Tight end Jake Maxwell was stripped after catching a Terrance Broadway pass, and Arius Wright recovered the fumble.

Baer would go on to attempt one more onside kick before the night was done, but WKU would secure it.

Still, the senior Lou Groza Award semifinalist from Brandon, Miss., is now 8-for-11 on all-time onside kicks — including five he’s recovered himself.

Bowl tickets

They still aren’t sure where they’ll be going, if anywhere at all.

But after beating Western Kentucky on Saturday night and becoming bowl-eligible, UL announced that the Cajundome ticket office is now taking orders for bowl-game tickets.

Buyers can download an order form from the Bowl Central page on UL’s athletic-program website, RaginCajuns.com, then select the bowl games they wish to attend and submit the order via mail, email or in person to the Cajundome ticket office (open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday).

The mailing address: UL Ticket Office, 444 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette, LA, 70506. All mail orders must by postmarked by Dec. 6.

The email address: mcasbon@cajundome.com.

Only credit-cart payments will be accepted, and there will be no cancellations or refunds.

For telephone orders, call (337) 265-2170 during regular business hours.

Finally

After having lost to the Hilltoppers in 2010 and 2011, the importance of beating Western Kentucky was not understated by the Cajuns following Saturday’s win.

"That was big," Hudspeth said.

"We just knew it couldn’t happen three times in a row," added slot receiver Harry Peoples, who had 13 catches for 144 yards Saturday. "We wouldn’t let it."

Injury updates

The Cajuns still weren’t sure Sunday on the status of starting running back Alonzo Harris, who was carted to the lockerroom with an apparent rib injury after rushing 10 times Saturday for 105 yards.

Harris dealt with rib/sternum issues in the preseason and early in the season as well.

UL starting offensive guard Daniel Quave, meanwhile, should be good to go against South Alabama after briefly missing time Saturday with a lingering ankle injury.

The Cajuns also should have backup slot receiver Bradley Brown (knee) and reserve defensive lineman Jalen Fields (sick) back Saturday. Neither played against Western Kentucky.

Lawson’s return?

After missing three straight games with a fractured left forearm, UL senior WR Javone Lawson is hopeful he may be able to return Saturday vs. South Alabama.

Jamal Robinson has started in his place, and including the game in which Lawson got hurt the sophomore from Slidell has 11 catches for 286 yards and three touchdowns — including three grabs for 27 yards and 1 late-game TD against Western Kentucky.

Crowd count

Saturday’s crowd of 20,314 was UL’s second-smallest in five at home this season. Only Arkansas State on a Tuesday night (19,873) was smaller

Athletic Network Footnote:
Click here for photo gallery #1 of the UL vs. WKU Saturday , Nov. 17, 2012 at Cajun Field.

Click here for photo gallery #2 of the UL vs. WKU game.