Football: Freshmen make big impact – For now, they’re still learning up from down

Tim Buckley, Daily Advertiser, August 4, 2012

But eventually a few true freshmen might emerge as contributors for the UL football team this fall.

Last year, Mark Hudspeth’s first as head coach of a somewhat thin Cajun club thin, there were 10 — kicker Carlos Alvarez, starting running back Alonzo Harris, running back-turned-linebacker Qyen Griffin, defensive lineman Justin Hamilton, linebacker Trae Johnson, starting Jake Molbert, tight end Larry Pettis, defensive lineman Christian Ringo, receiver Jamal Robinson and cornerback Sean Thomas.

Who be among that group this year?

So far in preseason camp for the Cajuns, Hudspeth just can’t be sure.

"I will know a lot more after Week 1," he said. "They’re all gonna out here (early on) and they’re gonna look fast and they’re gonna look talented, but you put those pads on Monday and you go full-contact — that’s gonna separate the men from the boys, and we’ll know a lot more about who we have."

It may not be nearly as many who give away their redshirt in 2012 as in 2011, but for now some of the contenders include Breaux Bridge High linebacker Tyren Alexander; Karmichael Dunbar, a defensive lineman from Minnesota; Jeremy Sparks, an offensive lineman from Alabama; and New Iberia receiver LaMarcus Allen.

"All those will depend on depth," Hudspeth said. "You know, right now I don’t think we have to count on any freshmen.

"But I think we have some freshmen that are far enough along that if we get in a situation where we’ve got to have somebody and need depth because of some things that might happen, then I’m confident (they) can step up."

Former Comeaux High linebacker Kevin Fouquier is another possibility, partly because he graduated early and went through spring drills with the Cajuns.

"The only thing with that," Hudspeth said, "is he’s at the deepest on the field."

Griffin a contender

Griffin didn’t practice with first- and second-teamers in Thursday’s and Friday’s opening camp morning practices, and instead went in the afternoon with freshmen, reserves, scout-teamers and walk-ons.

Hudspeth said the decision partly was meant to challenge Griffin, but that mostly it was made so he could get extra reps at a largely unfamiliar position.

Griffin spent most of last season at running back, then switched to linebacker before UL’s regular-season finale at Arizona.

Despite not playing him with the starters so far in camp, Hudspeth said he still considers Griffin "a contender for the one of the starting spots" at inside linebacker.

Griffin is listed behind Justin Anderson on UL’s two-deep chart.

Junior Brandon Nash has been getting extra reps with the vets while Griffin has worked with the youngsters, but Hudspeth said Griffin is ahead of Nash on the depth chart.

Lawson ranked

NFL Network draft analyst Chad Reuter recently ranked Cajun senior receiver Javone Lawson No. 12 on his NFL.com list of 2013 draft-eligible receivers.

That should come as no great shock to Hudspeth, whose was quite high on his top receiver — also a preseason All-Sun Belt Conference pick — after Friday’s morning camp practice.

"He had a big day (Friday)," Hudspeth said, "and you can see why he’s getting the attention that he’s getting."

The draft analyst’s comment on Lawson: "Lawson could be the third straight All-Sun Belt receiver to land in the third round of the NFL draft. Scouts like his reliable hands and understand his skinny build belies the strength after the catch showcased throughout the 2011 season."

Reuter’s NFL comparison for Lawson was Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Emmannuel Sanders, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound SMU product.

Get down

After two days of preseason practice, one thing Hudspeth wants to see improvement on is the speed with which his offensive linemen take the stance.

"We want to play at an unbelievably fast tempo," he said, "and at times we’re not getting down (and) forcing the defense to get down.

Lagniappe

Starting outside linebacker Le’Marcus Gibson has been sick most of the past week and overheated during the opening session of camp, so he was held out of practice Friday. Gibson’s 2011 season ended with a broken left leg sustained vs. Arkansas State. "» Hudspeth on Friday’s Day 2 morning practice: "I thought we looked a lot more like a football team. It was also good to just see some guys practice at the level that we expect. I didn’t think we quite did that (Thursday)." "» Rather than having 50 veterans go alone in the morning, like Thursday and Friday, all 105 Cajuns will practice together today for the first time this preseason.