He missed only 11 of 936 snaps in his first year playing the position last season, and played every snap in 11 of 13 games.

Still, UL coach Mark Hudspeth is looking high and wide for backup help behind St. Thomas More High product Andre Huval, his Rimington Trophy Watch List center.

"Last year the good Lord blessed us by keeping Huval healthy the entire year," Hudspeth said after Sunday’s preseason camp practice. "But you just can’t go into a season every year without a backup or third-team center.

"Right now we’ve got some guys who have the physical tools to make the blocks, and to be productive linemen. But they have not been consistent with their snaps."

Hudspeth challenged contenders for the job to practice their snaps in practically even waken moment they have, and several stayed late after Sunday’s morning session to do just that.

"How bad do you want to play?" Hudspeth said to his team, according to a UL spokesman. "We’ve got a starting center right now who has to play every down because nobody has stepped up. We’re worried what will happen if he breaks a shoelace and has to come out.

"Do you want to back him up? Have begged the managers to lend you a football so that you can go back to the dorm and practice snapping for four hours?"

Candidates include Terry Johnson, a sophomore from Oxford, Miss., who started at right guard in his only season at Northwest Mississippi Junior College before transferring to UL; Daniel Lemelle, a junior from Beaumont, Texas, who played sparingly on the offensive line for the Cajuns last season; and Joseph Brunson, a true freshman from Ruston High.

Johnson, who took part in spring drills with the Cajuns, appears to be the top possibility for now.

"We’re just trying to train him to be that guy," Hudspeth said.

Johnson played at Oxford High with current Cajun sophomore tight end Larry Pettis, and his brother, Justin Johnson, was a two-year starter for the Ole Miss basketball team during his stay there from 2001-2005.

Impressive freshmen

None are expected to lose their redshirts, especially with sophomore Terrance Broadway entrenched as Blaine Gautier’s backup.

But Hudspeth is nonetheless impressed so far with his three true-freshmen quarterbacks, Brooks Haack of Katy, Texas, Tuerlings High product D’Shaie Landor and Carencro High product Jalen Nixon.

"You can (tell they’re freshmen), but I’m gonna tell you, all three of them are very good players," Hudspeth said Sunday. "They’ve got strong arms. They seem to run the game. They’re very knowledgeable. I think they’ve been very well-coached coming into our program. I think they’re competitors."

Lagniappe

Hudspeth, after Sunday’s practice: "We are nowhere near where we need to be at. But the thing I see … is a lot of potential. When the light does come on with these guys we’ll have a chance to be a pretty good team." "» For the first time of preseason camp, and the first time since this year’s spring game, the Cajuns will practice in full pads today. "» The Cajuns, including all of their 17 seniors, also will take in their formal preseason Media Day today at the UL Alumni Center. New Sun Belt Conference commissioner Karl Benson will be in attendance.