Football: Punter a key to opening victory for UL – Spencer Ortego SBC Special Teams POW

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • September 8, 2009

In the game of football, punters rarely grab any headlines.

UL punter Spencer Ortego broke that trend after being named the Sun Belt Conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday following a strong outing in last week’s 42-19 win over Southern University.

The junior averaged 54 yards on two punts and placed one inside the Jaguars’ 20-yard line. Southern managed only two punt return yards, sending the Cajuns into Week 2 as the national leader in net yards per punt (53.0).

It’s another step forward in Ortego’s college career; he was a walk-on out of Teurlings Catholic when he came to UL in 2007. He earned a scholarship after starting as a freshman and has developed into an unlikely weapon for the Cajuns over the past two years.

"Spencer is a very talented punter," UL head coach Rickey Bustle said. "He has a great leg on him. He really showed that from midseason on last year as a sophomore."

In addition to Ortego’s strong punting, junior kicker Tyler Albrecht successfully converted all six of his extra-point attempts after being hampered in fall camp with a leg injury.

Albrecht is replacing two-time all-conference kicker Drew Edmiston, who exhausted his eligibility last fall.

Some of the credit for the success in the punting and kicking game, Bustle said, must go to senior long-snapper Scott Hayes.

"Scott Hayes is just incredible," Bustle said. "The number of snaps he has made for us since he was a freshman is just incredible. I know we didn’t kick any field goals, but we were solid on our extra points."

Injury update

On the injury front, Bustle said that the team was "a little more dinged up then we thought" after the win over Southern.

Bustle said starting running back Undrea Sails (clavicle) is "questionable" for Saturday’s home game against Kansas State.

Starting linebacker Antwyne Zanders (separated shoulder) was hurt on last week’s opening kickoff but said he was "OK."

Four receivers sat out Sunday’s practice, including Richie Falgout (ankle) and Marlin Miller (muscle cramps).

National rankings

On top of leading the country in net yards per punt, the Cajuns are ranked nationally in several team and individual categories.

In the national team rankings, UL is fourth in pass efficiency (224.8), 13th in pass offense (325.0 yards per game), 15th in total offense (533.0 ypg) and 22nd in scoring offense (42.0 points per game). The Cajuns are also tied for 27th in turnover margin (plus-1.0 per game), 28th in punt returns (12.0 yards per return) and 34th in rushing offense (208.0 yards per game).

Individually, quarterback Chris Masson is seventh in the nation in pass efficiency (201.55) and total offense (319.0 yards per game).

Running back Undrea Sails is 19th in scoring (12.0 points per game), 24th in rushing (114.0 yards per game) and 27th in all-purpose running (170.0 ypg).