But it wasn’t without having to stave off some interest from others that the Cajuns, according to the UL sports information department, are one of just nine NCAA FBS programs in the country that can make the claim.

On the eve of preseason camp for a team that went 9-4 in 2011, Hudspeth revealed that several of his assistants received interest and/or offers from elsewhere.

Fellow Sun Belt Conference member Florida International "came and tried to get" wide receivers coach Jorge Munoz, Hudspeth said.

Hudspeth also said Southern Mississippi "tried to get" assistant head coach/tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator Reed Stringer, who worked previously at Mississippi State and Clemson.

As previously reported, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson interviewed last December for the then-vacant Southern Miss head coaching job that went instead to Ellis Johnson.

But Hudspeth said Wednesday that Johnson "did have probably more than one (school) interested in him."

Hudspeth also said Ole Miss "had an interest" in cornerbacks coach/assistant recruiting coordinator David Saunders, who has had two previous stints with the Rebels, and that offensive line coach Mitch Rodrigue was on the receiving end of interest from at least one unnamed school.

"You don’t see that very often at any university," Hudspeth said of being able to keep his staff together. "Because if you win a lot of games, normally people come calling your coaches. And if you lose a lot of games, some people end up getting fired.

"To me, I think (everyone staying) says much about our coaches’ belief in the direction our program’s going, and, secondly, I think the coaches and their families really love the quality of life that Lafayette gives them.

"There’s something really to be said for coaches that want to be somewhere, and that’s what I like," he added. "I like to work with coaches that want to be where they’re at."

All of UL’s assistants, Hudspeth said, will coach the same positions this season that they did last season.

GASMASK DRILLS

The Cajuns are coming off an arduous summer full of workouts, one replete — a bit of a curveball from last year — with drills in which players wore gasmasks to improve their breathing skills.

Strength and conditioning coach Rusty Whitt, a Special Forces veteran who served tours of duty in Iraq, again oversaw the program.

"We took it a step further, and I sort of challenged Coach Whitt, because I sort of know how to push his buttons," Hudspeth said.

"(I) brought him and I told him I didn’t think he could work our team as hard as he did in Year 1, and I think that challenge sort of resonated with him a little bit, and so he found some other ways to take our training to the next level, and we did some things probably a lot of other people did not do this summer.

"I do feel our guys worked harder," Hudspeth, "than any other college football team in the country."

POSITION CHANGE

Redshirt freshman Kevon Foster is moving from the defensive line to the offensive line, Hudspeth said Wednesday.

"He’s a big guy, 300-(pound)-plus guy, that we feel like can develop into an offensive lineman," Hudspeth said.

The 6-foot-4 Foster is a product of New Orleans-Warren Easton High.

JONES ON TRACK

The Cajuns remain confident linebacker Delvin Jones, a highly regarded transfer who played previously at Ole Miss and Coffeyville Community College, will be academically eligible for the coming season.

"He’s finishing his last (summer) class," Hudspeth said Wednesday. "We should know very soon. But all indications point to he’s gonna be fine."

WORTHY RESPONSE

UL still is waiting for a response from the NCAA on safety T.J. Worthy’s hardship appeal.

If granted, the transfer from Ole Miss would be eligible to play right away. If not, he’ll have to sit out the upcoming season.

"So far have not heard anything," Hudspeth said Wednesday, "but in our guesstimations we feel like it’s gonna work out."

If he’s eligible, Worthy is projected to back up another Ole Miss transfer, Darius "Tig" Barksdale, at strong safety.

TV TALK

The Sun Belt Conference on Wednesday announced its seven-game football slate that will air this fall on the Sun Belt Network, a joint partnership with Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) and Cox Sports Television (CST).

UL’s only appearance among the seven comes Nov. 3 at UL Monroe, where kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.

The other six: Troy at South Alabama, 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 29; UL Monroe at Middle Tennessee, 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 6; Florida Atlantic at UL Monroe, 7 p.m. on Oct. 13; FIU at Troy, noon on Oct. 20; Florida Atlantic at Western Kentucky, noon on Nov. 10; and North Texas at Western Kentucky, noon on Nov. 24.

Two UL games also are scheduled, as previously released, to be shown on ESPN2 — Oct. 16 at North Texas and Oct. 23 at home vs. Arkansas State.