Spring Football: ‘Unbelievable’ crowd + tailgaters optimistic about UL Footall + photo galleries

Spring Football: ‘Unbelievable’ crowd � tailgaters optimistic about UL Footall � photo galleries

Spring Football: ‘Unbelievable’ crowd � tailgaters optimistic about UL Footall � photo galleries

Daily Advertiser, April 9, 2011

jparrott@theadvertiser.com

UL fans enjoy a relaxing day at the stadium for the annual Ragin’ Cajuns spring game Saturday at Cajun Field.

UL’s football fans responded to the challenge issued by first-year coach Mark Hudspeth.

The announced attendance for Saturday’s spring game was 5,215 at Cajun Field, and the crowd saw the Red team beat the White, 37-3.

"It was unbelievable to see that crowd," Hudspeth said. "And they stayed this long, almost to the end of a spring game. That’s a testament to our great fans. I just want to thank our community for coming out and showing this type of support."

Hudspeth said that he is expecting even more from the fan base in the future.

"I think they met them (expectations) today," he said. "Now I’ll tell you next year I’m going to challenge them again. This isn’t going to be big enough next year. We want it to be even bigger. If everybody in this stadium would bring just one more person with them ­ just one ­ were going to double the attendance we had today."

MVP, MVP

At halftime of the spring game, Hudspeth named the team’s offensive, defensive and special teams MVPs.

Junior left tackle Leonardo Bates earned offensive MVP honors. Senior nose guard Derreck Dean was the defensive MVP. Sophomore tight end Jacob Maxwell won special teams MVP accolades.

Double duty

Brett Baer, a junior, pulled double duty as a kicker and punter for the Red and White.

Baer averaged 40.4 yards on five punts, including three inside the 20-yard line.

He made 2-of-3 field-goal attempts, missing from 39 yards before hitting from 25 and 30 yards, respectively. He also averaged 54.8 yards on six kickoffs.

Extra Points

The White won two of three points before the game in a one-on-one tackling drill that Hudspeth calls "Bull in the Ring." The points were not added to the official score. … Sophomore quarterback Terrance Broadway, a transfer from Houston, completed one of two passes for nine yards and one interception and rushed once for two yards. The former four-star recruit from Baton Rouge is still waiting for the NCAA to make a ruling on his hardship waiver case to play next fall. … Sophomore tailback Rob Walker rushed for 16 yards on four carries before getting helped off the field with a right ankle injury in the third quarter. The former Mamou star was carted to the locker room after the game and later spotted on crutches. … Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Darrell Green also left the game with an apparent leg injury. … Sophomore tight end Jacob Maxwell led the White with five catches for 74 yards. … Senior linebacker Lance Kelley, a St. Thomas More grad, led all defensive players with seven tackles for the Red. … Three seniors ­ safety Le’Marcus Gibson (knee) and defensive ends Nate Douglas (shoulder) and Tyrell Gaddies (shoulder) ­ did not play but were in uniform.

 

Nicholas Persac , Daily Advertiser, April 9, 2011

A strong sense of optimism and UL pride surrounded Cajun Field on Saturday afternoon. Hundreds of tailgaters gathered to celebrate pregame camaraderie before the spring football game.

The spring game provided a glimpse of what the Ragin’ Cajuns have in store for the fall football season. Many of the fans tailgating Saturday were excited to see what Mark Hudspeth, the team’s new head coach, has in store.

With Hudspeth at the helm, many of those fans feel confident the Cajuns will pull of a winning season and dominate Sun Belt Conference play. Even the fans labeled pessimistic by peers predicted a 6-6 record at a minimum, calling this season a rebuilding opportunity that could flourish into a championship during Hudspeth’s second season."This season is the one. It’s special," said Dominic Barthelemy, a UL student studying management. "I don’t know what it is, but I feel it."

One group of five UL graduates gathered at 10 a.m. in the Cajun Field parking lot to cook hamburgers and sausage while drinking beers, smoking cigars and sharing stories under a vermilion tent."I wish I had more hands," said 2008 graduate Brock Meaux as he put up two thumbs of approval for Hudspeth.

Students at the National Pan-Hellenic Council tailgate gathered under oak trees and tents with blaring music and a smoking barbecue pit."I like coming to support the team," said Alpha Phi Alpha member Breshaud Woodard. "It’s fun to tailgate, and today is a beautiful day."

Andrew Viguerie, a business student at UL, and Ryan Henry, who studies industrial technology at UL, tailgated with a group of 20 UL students, who played drinking games like flip cup as well as the tailgate staple washer game before kickoff.On the other side of the stadium, the Alumni Association set up tents next to several other organizations and a stage hosting live music. Children threw footballs in the street there, and others eagerly waited for kickoff in the shade while slurping down snow cones.

Stacey Mejia, the sensi at Acadiana Karate, hosted a charity fundraiser with her karate students, who ranged from four years old to adults. The group held its sixth annual "Kicks for Miles Breakathon" to benefit Miles Perret Cancer Services, though this year’s was the first to be held at UL.The group broke 8,600 boards Saturday with karate kicks and punches to raise $24,000 for the charity, bringing the six-year total to $120,000.By the 5 p.m. kickoff, the tailgaters moved inside the stadium to cheer on the team.

"We have good food, good weather, good friends and good drinks," said Tim Farnsworth, who tailgated with Meaux. Pointing to his USL hat, he’s proud to note he graduated from USL in 1981 while he was surrounded by a younger generation that knows the school as only UL. "It doesn’t get any better than this."

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