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Football: Fourth-conversion failures plague UL at GeorgiaTim Buckley, The Advertiser, Nov. 20, 2016 ATHENS, Ga. — Three times in their 35-21 loss at Georgia on Saturday, UL went for it on fourth down. Three times, the Ragin’ Cajuns failed to convert. “We knew coming in those guys were really good up front and were going to create some problems,” Cajuns coach Mark Hudspeth said, “and they did that right there in the short-yardage category … “Those three plays were critical to … maybe making the game a little bit different.” Once UL went for it on fourth-and-13 at the Georgia 28-yard line in the second quarter, rather than try a 45-yard field goal into a strong win. That time, an Anthony Jennings pass fell incomplete. UL also tried to convert on fourth-and-1 at the Georgia late in the third, while down 28-7, but Jennings was stopped on a run for no gain. “I’ve got to find a way to make it,” Jennings said. “Those hurt.” The final time came in the fourth quarter, on fourth-and-1 at the Georgia 42. Running back Elijah McGuire was tackled for a 3-yard loss. “We weren’t having any success running between the tackles,” Hudspeth said. “So we tried to get outside, and they turned somebody loose and they made a great play in tackling us from behind. … (But) we were having success on the edge.” “We thought they were gonna clog the middle like they had been, and tried to get around it,” Jennings added, “and they just made a good play on that one.” WIND WOES Winds Saturday blew in the 17-to-28 mph range, with gusts above 30 mph, impacting the passing game a bit for both teams. But that’s not all. “The biggest factor was in the kicking game, with the punts,” Hudspeth said. “The first punt, the wind really pushed it way (farther) than what we would have liked and gave (Georgia’s Isaiah McKenzie) some room to return the ball. McKenzie wound up taking Steven Coutts’ 42-yard punt 82 yards for a touchdown that help to make it 14-0 early. “We knew coming in that he was a dangerous punt returner,” Hudspeth said, “and he did a great job. “I thought our kickoff guys (Levarious Varnado and Gary Haynes) did a really great job handling all those kickoffs that up in the air. … Those really got dicey, and I thought they handled those pretty good. “But the passing game,” Hudspeth added, “I didn’t think the wind affected us a whole bunch.” Hudspeth did, however, say the thought the wind “knocked the pass down (Jennings) just barely underthrew right before half (resulting in an interception).” LONG RETURN Isaiah McKenzie’s 82-yard return in Saturday’s first quarter is tied for the second-longest punt ever brought back for a touchdown against the Cajuns. The record is 83 yards, by Northwestern State’s Don Millen in 1954. The other 82-yarder also came in 1954, by Northwestern State’s James McNew. COUTTS HOLDS Starting punter Steven Coutts held for UL kicker Stevie Artigue on Saturday, marking a change for the Cajuns. Walk-on Sterling Miller had held the job for the season’s first nine games. HORST STARTS Junior Grant Horst returned to his usual starting job at right tackle Saturday. Craig Smith started in the spot for UL’s prior outing, a win at Georgia Southern. Horst has missed two games this season due to an inner-ear infection prompting vertigo-like symptoms. BRADLEY OUT, JACQUET HURT Redshirt freshman Ja’Marcus Bradley, UL’s starting wideout earlier this season, missed a fourth straight game due to his sprained ankle. With Bradley out, Michael Jacquet — also a redshirt freshman — made a fourth straight start. Jacquet exited in the fourth quarter with a left ankle injury, and was on crutches afterward. TONEY VISITS Ragin’ Cajuns basketball great Andrew Toney, a former Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard and two-time NBA All-Star, was credentialed to be on the Cajun sideline Saturday. Toney has two daughters who attend Georgia. LAGNIAPPE With his 124 yards rushing, McGuire — a senior — went beyond the 4,000-yard mark for his career. … UL captains were Jennings, who played his high ball in the Atlanta area and whose father played on the defensive line at Georgia, along with McGuire and linebackers Tre’maine Lightfoot and Otha Peters. … UL won the toss and deferred to the second half. ![]()
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