Football: Freshmen show skill – Spikes, Butler, Surgent

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • October 11, 2010

When tailback Aaron Spikes and receivers James Butler and Darryl Surgent signed last February, UL coach Rickey Bustle spoke with excitement about their potential.

Ragin Cajuns running back Aaron Spikes (20) was one of UL’s key freshman producers in last week’s hard-fought loss to Oklahoma State at Cajun Field. breaks the tackle of Oklahoma State Cowboys cornerback Andrew McGee (6) during their Friday game at Cajun Field in Lafayette.

In time, all three youngsters were expected to contribute for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Each of the freshmen produced in last week’s 54-28 loss to No. 22 Oklahoma State at Cajun Field. Spikes scored his second collegiate touchdown, while Butler and Surgent both reached the end zone for the first time at UL.

"It is great to see those guys contribute because they have been working so hard in practice and have not been playing too much," coach Bustle said. "It is exciting to see that we got them in the game, and they made big plays for us."

Spikes, a former Texas Tech pledge from Dallas, caught four passes for 47 yards in his first collegiate start. His score was a 7-yard reception from Chris Masson with 22 seconds left in the second quarter to send the Cajuns into halftime with a 21-17 lead.

One week earlier Spikes had a game-high 99 receiving yards on four catches in a 28-27 win over North Texas. He provided the offensive highlight that night with an 82-yard scoring catch in the narrow win.

Butler, who also had offers from Mississippi State and Colorado out of Hahnville High, made his first four receptions of the season for a team-high 62 yards vs. Oklahoma State. His 35-yard TD catch in the second quarter was one of three consecutive receptions from Masson on that particular scoring drive.

Surgent made an immediate impact in his first week of action as a kick returner. The former Alexandria Senior High star set a school record with 238 kickoff return yards and scored in the third quarter on a 97-yard kickoff return, tied for the second-longest by a Cajun.

Including his 14-yard catch in the second quarter, Surgent racked up 252 all-purpose yards. Only injured tailback Kevis Streeter (291 all-purpose yards) had more combined for UL this season prior to the game.

Surgent finished with five kickoff returns covering at least 20 yards — two more than the Cajuns had through the first four games this season.