Are You Ready for Some Football? by Bruce Turner, Head of Special Collections, Dupre’ Library

Are You Ready for Some Football? by Bruce Turner, Head of Special Collections, Dupre’ Library

Are You Ready for Some Football? by Bruce Turner, Head of Special Collections, Dupre’ Library

                            Are You Ready for Some Football?

   UL-Lafayette has just completed another football season. Fielding football teams began the same fall the school opened, Fall 1901 – so the game here is as old as the school. Teams have taken the field despite wars, depressions, and other trying circumstances. The only year no team played was 1905 due to a yellow fever epidemic which spread throughout the southern United States.

    Before 1921 Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute was initially a junior high/high school which evolved into a high school/junior college. Accordingly most football opponents during these years were high schools, club teams, and other Louisiana school going through the same sort of educational evolution – particularly Louisiana Normal [now Northwestern State] and Louisiana Industrial Institute [now Louisiana Tech.] During the early years the same opponent was often played twice each season on a home and home arrangement. Correspondence in the records of the Office of the President in the University Archives indicates that games were often arranged only weeks before they were played. An entry in an “Industrial Institute Notes” press release written November, 1901 mentions the football team. “We are glad to note that the foot ball [sic] team is bestirring itself and that it will soon be ready to file its claim as one of the sturdy elevens in Southwestern Louisiana. Let the boys keep up their good work, thus arousing the proper college spirit, securing the necessary physical exercise, and developing a strong and healthy body – a sound body for a sound mind and soul to dwell within.”

    Coaches in the early years were faculty members who took on football coaching as an extra duty. This group included Jefferson Caffery, the future ambassador, who coached the team in 1906. In 1916 T. R. Mobley was hired especially to coach the football team although he did teach academic classes in addition. Not until after World War II (1941-1945) was the football coach not also involved in academic teaching.

    Home games have been played in four different locations over the years. Girard Field was behind the original Martin Hall [which was where the Martin Hall parking lot is today.] Games where held there until 1926 when the Southwestern Louisiana Institute Stadium was constructed. This stadium was located where part of the Student Union and its parking lot are today.  In 1939/1940 McNaspy Stadium was built. This was named for Clement J. McNaspy who taught Physics and Chemistry at SLII/SLI for many years and served a football coach for several years and then a long-time athletic director.  The James R. Oliver Computer Science Building is on that location now.  Cajun Field became the home of the football team in 1971. The nick name “Ragin’ Cajuns” was first used by the football team and then adopted for the entire university athletic program. In the early 1960s local businessman Sid Ory was head of a season football ticket sales drive. He called one of his sales teams the “Raging Cajuns.” Football coach Russ Faulkenberry (coach 1961-1973) liked the name so much he adopted it for the team. [Previously SLI/USL teams had been the Bulldogs.]  

    The oldest rivals for the football team were the other two Louisiana colleges controlled by the Louisiana Board of Education – Northwestern and Louisiana Tech. The first game against Northwestern was in 1909 and the first game against Louisiana Tech was in 1910. For many years from the 1920s through the 1950s Southwestern played Northwestern Thanksgiving weekend at the State Fair grounds in Shreveport.  As the Board of Education added additional schools under its control these also became Southwestern opponents, especially McNeese, Southeastern, and Northeast [now UL-Monroe.] Other regular opponents during the early years were Louisiana College, Loyola of New Orleans, Spring Hill, and Mississippi Teachers College [now University of Southern Mississippi..] LSU and Tulane were occasional opponents until the 1920s, often their junior varsity teams. Southwestern started playing Southeastern Conference teams in the 1940s. The first game against the University of Alabama was 1941 and SLI played both Auburn and Florida in 1945. Until 1948 Southwestern never played in a formal conference. It participated in the Louisiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association which never organized into a formal conference. Southwestern belonged to the Gulf South Conference, 1948-1970; the Southland Conference, 1971-1981; the Big West Conference, 1993-1995; and the Sun Belt Conference, 2001-    .

    A couple of traditions involving students used to be connected with football games. When the team played at Girard Field, students, especially freshmen, gathered before the games in front of Martin Hall and performed a snake dance around campus before going to their spot in the bleachers around the football field. [At that time the campus consisted of Martin Hall, Foster Hall, DeClouet Hall, Brown Ayres Hall and a few shop buildings.] While Lether E. Frazer was college president (1938-1940) train passenger cars were reserved to take students and fans to away games, especially to Spring Hill in Mobile, Alabama and to the Thanksgiving weekend game with Louisiana Normal in Shreveport. When the team played in McNaspy Stadium one pre-game tradition was the arrival of the Red Jackets and the marching band who had marched across campus to the stadium. The Red Jackets were an all-female spirit squad who cheered the Bulldogs at all home and some away games from the late 1930s into the early 1960s.

    A number of great football players have gone to college here. The first was Christian Keener “Red” Cagle. “Red” played for SLI 1922 to 1925 and then went on to play for the U.S. Military Academy from 1927 to 1929. [This, obviously, was before an NCAA existed limiting years of eligibility of an individual.] He was named the College Football Player-of-the=Year in 1929. [In 1935 this award became the Heisman Trophy.] Cagle was an extremely gifted offensive threat both running, passing, and kicking. He was named to the Sports Illustrated all collegiate backfield for the 1920s and has been named to several all Louisiana backfield lists. In 1954 he was inducted into the College Football Hall-of-Fame. He played for several years with the New York Giants in the National Football League. He died after an accident in 1942.

    At least two Southwestern players received Little All-American honors. Glynn Abel played half back from 1936 to 1939. His arrival at Southwestern was quite unusual. Alel was from rural Mississippi and had graduated from junior college. LSU offered him a football scholarship but wanted him to register as a freshman. He declined that offer and accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Idaho. On the train trip taking him west he stopped at Lafayette to visit a friend. The friend raved about Lafayette so much Abel decided to extend his stay for several days. The friend introduced him to the football coach who was so impressed that he offered Abel a football scholarship to play for Southwestern. Abel decided to stay. He earned Little All-American honors. He served Southwestern for many years as Dean of Men and then became an administrator for Lafayette city government. Glenn LaFleur also achieved Little All-American status in 1968 as a linebacker. He received All Gulf South Conference honors for three consecutive seasons.

    LaFleur was the first football player to have his jersey retired by Southwestern. There have been six players so honored. Brian Mitchell was quarterback from 1986 to 1989. He was the first collegiate athlete in NCAA history to pass for over 5,000 yards and rush for over 3,000 yards. He went on to an outstanding professional football career mainly with the Washington Redskins. Damon Mason was a defensive back, 1994-1996. In the memorable 1996 victory over Texas A&M Mason had two interceptions, two forced fumbles, one sack, and nine tackles. He went on to a long career in the Arena Football League. Jake Delhomme was quarterback 1993 to 1996 and Brandon Stokley was an end 1995 to 1998. The two years they overlapped at USL they provided some memorable offensive performances. Both went on to successful careers in the NFL and are still playing. Orlando Thomas was a defensive back 1991 to 1994. He achieved second time All-American honors his junior year. He went on to a seven year career with the Minnesota Vikings.

    SLII/SLI/USL/UL-Lafayette has fielded football teams for over a century. The sport has played a big role in defining college life for students and alumni. Overall the teams have won a little less than half of the games which have been played.