Football: Fenroy adds to his legacy

Kevin Foote • kfoote@theadvertiser.com • November 2, 2008

Head coach Rickey Bustle looked out across Cajun Field, which just minutes before was a sea of red shirts waving white towels, and knew the magnitude of the moment.

And it had nothing to do with history. The franchise – which UL football fans know as Tyrell Fenroy – was down.

Ever heard a pin drop amongst a delirious homecoming game crowd of 29,031? It happened Saturday night.

"I didn’t see it happen, but I saw he didn’t get up," said Bustle, remembering back on the third-quarter play when Fenroy was run off the artificial playing surface and onto the cement that circles the field, where he crashed into the stadium wall, falling backwards awkwardly on his right knee.

"I knew where he was over there and probably what he had stepped on. It took a while, but thank goodness he got up."

That’s how the historic night for "Mr. Milestone" ended. But until that cayenne pepper-sized lump stuck in the throat of Cajun Nation, Fenroy continued to add to his legacy.

On carry No. 7 of the game, the LaPlace native unceremoniously went four yards and into the NCAA record books as the seventh player in history to record four 1,000-yard seasons.

On carry No. 11, Fenroy scored from 4 yards out early in the second quarter for his 42nd career touchdown, which set a Sun Belt Conference record.

On carry No. 17, Fenroy scored from 1 yard for a personal-best 15th touchdown this season.

"It’s amazing everything he’s done," said Cajuns legend Jake Delhomme, who attended the game during a bye week for the Carolina Panthers. "Sadly, this is the first I’ve watched him play, but he’s a good one.

"But, you know, I keep in contact with Big Lenny (Len Williams), the equipment manager, and he tells me about the guys that are working and making things happen with this team. He tells me about Desormeaux, Chery, the offensive line, and, obviously, Tyrell. That’s why this moment is fantastic in my mind. The numbers are special, but that kind of leadership is something I can really relate to and appreciate on a very special level."

And "special" was the theme of the night.

The Cajuns’ 49-20 win over Florida International, coupled with UL Monroe’s 31-30 upset of Troy, left UL all alone in first place in the Sun Belt for the first time this late in the season.

The team’s current four-game win streak is a first since 2006.

And, of course, Fenroy adding his name to the likes of Heisman Trophy winners Tony Dorsett and Ron Dayne for the four 1,000-yard seasons was the icing.

"He deserves it so much. He’s done nothing since he got here except keep his mouth shut and work his butt off," said UL quarterback Mike Desormeaux. "All he does is come to work every day and he grinds and he gets our team going. I told him I wouldn’t miss this game for the world. I was proud to be a part of it and I was happy to be out there. I’m kind of glad it’s behind us so he can go and get as many yards as he wants and we can finish this season the way we want to."

This wasn’t a typical Fenroy night, finishing with 81 yards on 22 carries, but no one seemed to mind. On the carry that pushed him past 1,000 yards, the game was stopped and a quick ceremony held on the field, where Fenroy was joined by family members and the ball given to his mother, Ann.

Nothing fancy, just like the man. About the only reference to the record that Fenroy has allowed himself occurred afterwards when he wore a t-shirt with "Mr. 4000" in big block letters on the front during media interviews.

"I don’t think it’s going to hit me until after the season," Fenroy said. "I think that’s when I’ll have a chance to look back at exactly what’s happened."

But there’s no question he’s a big part of what’s happening for the Cajuns.

The FIU win was huge on several levels, but the most important was the team delivered when a stadium record for a Sun Belt game was in attendance. News this morning that the team finds itself alone in first place just adds to the momentum that’s building among the fan base.

"Absolutely true," Desormeaux said. "At the beginning of the season we talked about how this town deserved a winner – they want to support a winner. We’re giving them one and it’s awesome."

But for a split-second in the third quarter, when the franchise went crashing into the stadium wall, no one was thinking records. A team on the brink of becoming a power in the Sun Belt was a twisted knee – or worse – from disaster.

"I didn’t want to pop right up. I kind of slipped and hurt my knee, but I didn’t want to pop right up in case something was wrong," Fenroy admitted. "I was OK, but I didn’t want to jump up and make it worse than it was. But I’m OK. It was a little thing, but I was thinking, ‘Not now. Can’t happen right now.’"

An injury, thankfully, didn’t happen to "Mr. Milestone," so the beat goes on. A running back like none other in program history will live to fight another day for a team like none other in several decades.

"A couple of seasons ago, Bustle had ’em close, but games like these are the big ones," said Delhomme. "It was a big win, obviously, but it came in front of a big crowd, and that’s a great combination. I loved this – Tyrell’s accomplishment, a big win for the program, a big crowd. This is what it should be like here."

Bob Heist is sports editor for The Daly Advertiser. Reach him at (337) 289-6402 or bheist@theadvertiser.com.