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Football: TYRELL! Running away with league honors; see photo galleriesRecord-setting running back among Cajuns honored by Sen Belt Conference Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • December 10, 2008 Tyrell Fenroy ran away with the biggest individual honor in UL’s football program history on Tuesday. Fenroy was named the Sun Belt Conference’s player of the year, capping a stellar career by the senior running back. He becomes the first Cajun football player to earn the honor, although he was named the league’s freshman of the year in 2005. "I know I’m biased, but he was easily the player of the year," UL coach Rickey Bustle said. "He brought national recognition to the program and the conference. "I’m extremely excited for him." Fenroy’s list of individual accolades could line I-10 from Lafayette to his hometown of LaPlace. In addition to being only the seventh player in NCAA history with four 1,000-yard rushing seasons, he is the nation’s active rushing leader with 4,646 yards. That’s the most in school, league and state history. He’s only 30 yards shy of Wisconsin’s Anthony Davis (4,676) for 30th all-time. His 48 rushing touchdowns are the most by a Cajun and Sun Belt player. Fenroy also set school and league records for single-game rushing yards (297 against ULM on Oct. 4) and UL’s single-season mark with 1,375 rushing yards. He also ran for 19 touchdowns, ending the year 11th in the nation in rushing and eighth in scoring. Fenroy was recently honored as one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, given each year to the nation’s top running back. He also had his No. 32 jersey retired after last week’s 42-28 win over Middle Tennessee. UL quarterback Michael Desormeaux, named the league’s offensive player of the year, was humbled to be recognized with his teammate. "It’s such a great honor," Desormeaux said. "To get these awards shows a lot about our team. For both of us to achieve the things we have shows a tremendous amount about the people we have around us. "It’s an honor to be on this (all-conference) team and represent the Cajuns." Despite playing most of the year with an injured knee, Desormeaux led the league in total offense (264.6 yards per game), was second in rushing (94.1 yards per game) and third in pass efficiency (135.01 rating). The New Iberia native, who ran for 1,035 yards this season, became only the eighth NCAA quarterback to top that mark in back-to-back years. Desormeaux finished third at UL in career rushing, fourth in career total offense and sixth in career passing. But he will likely be remembered more as one of the gutsiest players in the school history. "I thought Mike was one of the most difficult quarterbacks in the league to defend," Bustle said. "He could run and throw and did it well." Together, Fenroy and Desormeaux rushed for 1,000 yards apiece each of the past two seasons. Only one other quarterback-running back tandem in NCAA history – West Virginia’s Pat White and Steve Slaton in 2006 and ’07 – can make the same claim. UL won six games in three of four seasons with Fenroy and Desormeaux in the backfield. That includes winning a share of the 2005 league title and placing second this season in the conference after being picked to finish sixth. "They complemented each other so much," Bustle said. "They were a hard duo to defend. They fed off each other and gave people in this conference fits." In all, UL had eight players receive 11 individual honors from the league this year. UL’s dynamic duo of Fenroy and Desormeaux was joined on the league’s first team offense by center Chris Fisher and left guard Brad Bustle. Wide receiver Jason Chery and strong safety Derik Keyes were second team selections. Left tackle Jonathan Decoster and linebacker Antwyne Zanders earned honorable mention honors. Fisher, Bustle and Decoster helped UL set single-season school records in rushing yards, rushing yards per game, total offensive yards, total offensive yards per game and touchdown. The Cajuns also finished sixth in the nation in rushing. Fisher and Bustle are juniors, while Decoster is only a sophomore. Chery, a second team choice at wide receiver and as an all-purpose player, ended the year second in the league in receiving touchdowns (seven), fifth in receiving yards (656) and seventh in receptions (46). His 1,921 all-purpose yards were the second-most in conference history. The senior also had 14 tackles on special teams. Keyes tied for the team lead in tackles (69), interceptions (two) and pass break-ups (six). The senior was also tied for fourth in the league in passes defended (eight). It marked the first time in the Lafayette High graduate’s career that he was healthy for most of the season. Zanders, a second team pick last season, was the only UL linebacker to play in every game this season. The senior tied for the team lead in tackles (69) and was tied for second in tackles for loss (6.0). He made at least four tackles in 10 of 12 games and can gain another season of eligibility if he completes at least 80 percent of his degree requirements by the end of the academic year. "I’m very proud of all those guys," coach Bustle said. "I felt like they deserved to be on these teams. "These were guys that were valuable to the program, and it’s good to see that some of them are going to be coming back next year." Click here for UL FootballSeniors Photo Gallery:
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