He is within reach of overtaking many on multiple UL record lists, and even moving to the top of the charts on some.

For senior kicker Brett Baer, however, it’s more about how he gets there at the end than where he actually gets.

"With two games, possibly three left, what you want to do is just finish on a strong note "» and, whenever I look back at my career, to be able to say I feel like I left a mark at the university," the two-time Lou Groza Award semifinalist said.

Baer needs just five more makes in UL’s final games — today’s last one at home against South Alabama, next Saturday’s regular-season finale at Florida Atlantic and an anticipated second straight bowl appearance — to pass former NFL kicker John Roveto for first place on the Cajuns’ all-time made field goals list with 46.

He needs just four more makes to pass Drew Edmiston for first place on UL’s career PATs-made list with 109.

And he needs just four more makes to pass himself (with 18 last year) and Roveto (19 in 1977) for first place on the Cajuns’ single-season field goals list with 20.

And the lists go on and on.

"Any time you can compare yourself to those guys that have kicked at the highest level, that’s something special," said Baer, who has already pushed former NFL kicker Rafael Septien (15 in 1974) from second to fourth on UL’s single-season made field goals list.

"I have so much respect for those guys that have been here and gone on to the next level," he added. "And that’s kind of what you’re shooting for when you come here."

Don’t be deceived

UL coach Mark Hudspeth suggests to not be deceived by the 2-9 record of South Alabama, which has lost four straight and eight of its last nine while playing its first season as a full-fledged football member of the Sun Belt.

South Alabama has losses of eight points to Middle Tennessee, 10 at North Texas, eight to Florida International and 14 at UL Monroe in its last four outings alone, and it lost by just seven at Arkansas State back on Oct. 13.

It’s lone Sun Belt win came over Florida Atlantic in overtime, 37-34, on Oct. 20.

"They have been in every game they’ve played "» it seems like," Hudspeth said. "Their record could be 9-2, 8-3, 7-(4) just as easy as it is right now 2-9."

The only other win of the season for the Jaguars, who close with a 13th game next Saturday at Hawaii, is over FCS Nicholls State early in the season.

Kicking themselves

The Cajuns were kicking themselves last Saturday vs. Western Kentucky over their play on both kickoff coverage and kickoff returns.

Hudspeth, in fact, called it the "worst performance of the year."

UL ranks just 115th in the country in kickoff return average at only 17.6 yards per return, and it averaged just 16.2 vs. the Hilltoppers.

And after allowing WKU 32.0 yards per return, UL dropped from 12th nationally in return yards per game permitted 18.10 to 22nd at 19.05.

Part of the reason that, as cited by Hudspeth, are injuries sustained recently by key special-teams contributors Tyren Alexander (knee) and Marcus Jackson (undisclosed).

"Some other guys were moved up "» but they’re not quite getting the job done," Hudspeth said, "so this week I’m moving a lot of starters to the kickoff (coverage) team and the kickoff return team.

"We’ve got to do a lot better job."