After a morning practice Thursday, the Ragin’ Cajuns took time from focusing on handing San Diego State a loss Saturday and instead handed gifts to sick kids during a visit to Children’s Hospital in New Orleans.

Other UL players accompanied children from Young Audiences — a nonprofit organization aimed at improving academic skills and fostering an appreciation for arts — to the Audubon Zoo.

For UL coach Mark Hudspeth, it was about putting a different — and, he said, important — focus on the week.

"To me it just puts all of this in perspective, and it’s a great opportunity for all of us to give back to people that are going through some hard times because we are very fortunate to play this great game of football," Hudspeth said. "To see our guys have the chance to interact with (the kids) kind of puts them in the moment to say, ‘You know what, I’m pretty blessed and I need to take this moment to hopefully give back a little bit.’ "

More than a dozen UL players toured the hospital for nearly an hour, passing out books and chatting with the parents and children, offering a few moments of relief for tykes spending their days in the hospital.

Such was the case with Robert "Boo" Maddox V, who has spent more than two years Children’s Hospital dealing with complications from contracting swine flu in 2009.

"It means a lot," his mother Renee said. "We appreciate it."

The UL players seemed to enjoy their visit too.

"To have my seniors come to my city and do this and be here amongst the kids and see us put a smile on their faces, it was very successful and also a blessing," said senior defensive end and New Orleans native Tyrell Gaddies. "I like to smile, and I had fun."

Children’s Hospital Communications Manager Chris Price echoed the sentiment, saying said community outreach events like this inspire the hospital and the community.

"These are heroes that they look to every weekend; they see them on TV, they go to the games. They inspire our kids, and they want to be like their heroes so they try," Price said.

After the visit, UL’s players boarded their bus and got back to the game of football again.

"Do us proud," Price shouted as the bus pulled away.