Football: Broadway enjoys spotlight

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, November 4, 2012

MONROE — Quarterback Terrance Broadway was awfully hard on himself after back-to-back losses at North Texas and Arkansas State, first because of the 14-point season-half lead the UL Ragin’ Cajuns they blew against the Mean Green and then because of the five turnovers he committed against the Red Wolves.

"For the last two weeks," he said, "I haven’t been giving the defense good chances to be in a great position with the interceptions and the turnovers.

"I felt like I disappointed the defense a lot in the past two weeks, and "» I never want to let them down again."

After Saturday’s 40-24 win over at ULM, however, Broadway could smile.

And he did, even if just a bit.

But the tight grin came not so much because of what he did as, in his mind, what others managed to do.

"I’m just happy for our guys — our team, and how we pushed each other in the last week," Broadway said. "The defense pushed us; we pushed them. And I’m just happy our offensive line had a real great game, and our receivers did also."

UL coach Mark Hudspeth, however, wasn’t nearly so shy when it come to praise for his quarterback.

"I’m awfully proud of Terrance Broadway, the way he came back," Hudspeth said. "And he did it with a lot of hard work."

ULM took a 10-7 lead shortly after it lost quarterback Kolton Browning to a possible season-ending foot injury late in Saturday’s first quarter.

From there, though, ULM quickly went from leading to trailing.

"That just goes to show you it’s not easy when you don’t have your starting quarterback," Hudspeth said. "We live that every week.

"But now, I think, Terrance Broadway somewhat came into his own (Saturday); did everything he could to make some big plays, diving over people for first downs, making good decisions.

"Just couldn’t be more proud of him, because he took a lot of heat last week," the Cajun coach added. "But we knew he could play much better, and he did too."

Broadway went 23-of-32 (an impressive 71.9 percent) for 373 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran 14 times for 87 yards, including an 8-yard TD.

The University of Houston transfer was picked once, but it happened only after his throw hit tight end Jake Maxwell’s hands.

On the defense

Hudspeth was quite critical of UL’s defense, and even defensive coordinator Greg Stewart, after the last loss.

His review after the Cajuns allowed ULM 407 yards in total offense Saturday seemed lukewarm.

"I thought defensively we were physical," he said, "but we’ve got to get a better pass rush.

"We didn’t make some plays at times. But when we did need some big plays, we got some big plays — and we held a very high-powered offense somewhat in check.

"Not a lot," Hudspeth added, "but we made some plays when we needed to."

Depending on depth

UL went into the season quite happy with its full stable of receivers.

With starting wideout Javone Lawson (fractured forearm) out Saturday, starting slot receiver Harry Peoples (shoulder) back after missing a game-and-a-half and starting wideout Darryl Surgent going in-and-out at ULM after hurting his shoulder too, the Cajuns called on those extra hands early and often.

Backup wideout Jamal Robinson had three catches for a game-high 153 yards, including two TDs receptions and a one-handed grab to set up an Alonzo Harris TD run.

Backup wideout James Butler added another three catches for 47 yards. And Peoples had six catches for 74 yards and a TD in his first action since Oct. 16.

"Our receiver depth is amazing," Hudspeth said.