Three of UL’s defensive backs — linebackers Devon Lewis-Buchanan and Jesse Brodnax along with cornerback Dwight Bentley— are trash talking their latest wide receiver victim.

"If I win, you lose," Bentley taunts. "If you stop me, you win. May the best man win, my brother."

The ball is snapped and the receiver sprints toward the goal line and cuts just behind Bentley, lunging forward. The ball misses his hands by inches. A series of whoops and yells breaks out, echoing across the practice field.

Of course, the receiver is barely over four feet tall, so Bentley has a slight advantage with his 5’11" frame. But for Montero Wilridge, the receiver running the route, it’s great fun.

Wilridge was one of several dozen Boys and Girls Clubs of Acadiana kids who had the chance to hang out with the UL Ragin’ Cajun football team at the Leon Moncla indoor practice facility Sunday evening. The typically noisy interior was more so than usual as players and kids ran plays, tackled tackling dummies, and basically just had fun.

"This is the first time we’ve actually come to the facility and played with them here," said Boys and Girls Club spokesman Elise Brunson. "Before, UL Athletics sent some of their football players, soccer players, and volleyball players to our club. The kids love it."

Even more than that, it’s an opportunity for the Ragin’ Cajun players to give back a little bit to a community that has embraced them.

"I love working with the kids," said defensive end Bernard Smith. "Just knowing the hard road I went through, if I could be the difference in one of their lives so they don’t have to go through that, then that does it. If there is only one I get through to, then it’s worth it. I wish I had someone when I was young to talk to me."

Troy Wingerter, UL’s director of football operations, said bringing the kids to UL’s facility was a natural progression for the players, not only as athletes but as young adults.

"Our players actually wanted to do something," Wingerter said. "We talked lately about how with great reward comes great responsibility and Bernard was talking about how much fun they had playing over at their place, so he said, ‘Why don’t we invite them over to our place?’ They are starting to

realize that when you have success what you mean and what you say are going to have a little bit more weight."

Sheridan Davis, 15, was just happy to be there.

"I liked hanging out here today," she said. "And I like when they came to my club. We had a Foosball tournament to see who won out of the football players and the kids."

"I got to hang out with a bunch of football players, which is cool," said Leonardo Peterson, 13. "When they visited us, we played football on the basketball court at our club."

"They have free rein. They can play with all the guys and they are really having fun. They really need the interaction. They learn some football skills and they have a lot of leadership skills they are learning."

Anthony Priestly, 17, was especially interested in the football skills. The Lafayette High wide receiver was soaking up as much of the atmosphere in the practice facility as he could.

"It gave me a chance to run my routes," Priestley said. "Adam (Savoie), I played with him last year. He taught me a lot."

Afterward, as the team and their guests grabbed burgers from the grill set up in the parking lot outside, some of the players watched the kids waiting in line to get their plates.

"That’s my little project there," Smith said with a smile in his voice, nodding toward Wilridge. "He’s a real talented kid. Threw him some balls, three in a row, all across the field and he caught them back to back. He has so much talent.

"I was telling him it’s about the company that you keep," Smith continued. "When you are loyal you make sure you are loyal to the right company."

"Football is a lot of fun," Wingerter said. "And when you are having fun playing football, you are usually doing right."