Football: Ragin’ Cajuns Featured on USA Today

Feature in USA Today on October 16, 2008

Courtesy: RaginCajuns.com
http://www.ragincajuns.com
Tyrell Fenroy ranks fifth nationally in rushing at 140.3 yards a game for Louisiana-Lafayette, which leads the nation in rushing at 332.1 yards a game. "It’s a ton of fun right now," says QB Michael Desormeaux, the Sun Belt’s total offense leader at 297.3 yards an outing.

Ragin’ Cajuns light up the Sun Belt

By Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY

If you think a running game can’t be spicy, you’ve never seen it Cajun style.

The most productive rushing offense in major college football is Louisiana-Lafayette’s lofty 332.1 yards a game.

But this is no wishbone team that relies on time-consuming drives. The Ragin’ Cajuns can do that, but they’re just as likely to burn defenses with quick strikes. ULL has 19 touchdown drives that have taken less than two minutes this season. They have 18 offensive touchdowns on drives of five plays or fewer; 11 scoring plays from scrimmage have been 50 yards or longer. And that doesn’t even count their explosive return game.

"They have some guys who can really, really run, and if you miss one assignment it can go for a touchdown," says Arkansas State coach Steve Roberts, whose Red Wolves (4-2, 2-0 Sun Belt Conference) will try to cool the Cajuns (3-3, 2-0) on Saturday in Lafayette. A share of first place in the conference will be at stake. "We’ve got to do everything in our power to run to the ball and communicate on defense."

Leading the Cajuns’ ground gainers is Tyrell Fenroy, a senior who ranks fifth nationally at 140.3 yards a game. He is 158 yards from becoming only the seventh player in NCAA history to produce four 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He had a career-best 297 yards two weeks ago in a win at Louisiana-Monroe.

"I think about it a little bit," Fenroy says of the milestone. "It’s just going to come when it comes. Really, I just go out and practice every day and make sure I leave everything on the field."

Fenroy’s backfield mate, Michael Desormeaux, is also a dangerous runner. He ranks second in the conference to Fenroy at 118 yards a game, tied for 11th in the country and tops among quarterbacks. Ironically, the senior says he was drawn to ULL by its passing reputation.

"The thing I liked coming out of high school was that they were throwing 30 to 40 times a game," he says. "The quarterbacks ran enough where I thought I would be effective."

He is, passing for 179.3 yards a game. Combined with his rushing numbers, he is the Sun Belt’s total offense leader at 297.3 yards an outing.

"It’s a ton of fun right now," Desormeaux says of directing the Cajuns’ offense. "We’ve got guys who are playing really well right now and we’re getting W’s. That’s the big thing."

As if Fenroy and Desormeaux weren’t enough to give defensive coordinators sleepless nights, the Cajuns have another hot star in receiver Jason Chery. The senior has topped 300 all-purpose yards in his last two outings, and he had a first half last week at North Texas most players can only dream about. He took an end-around 81 yards for a touchdown on the Cajuns’ first possession. He later took a kickoff 97 yards. He also took all three of his receptions to the end zone, giving him five touchdowns three different ways before halftime.

"It wasn’t planned at all," Chery says. "But we were just prepared for all those different situations. Having them (Fenroy and Desormeaux) has boosted my status. If they’re being zoned in on, that makes me a good option on the outside."

But Arkansas State has some big-play guys, too. Running the show for the Red Wolves is Corey Leonard, second to Desormeaux in total offense in the Sun Belt.

"He’s a guy who can beat you by himself if you’re not careful," Cajuns coach Rickey Bustle says. "He’s a smart young guy and he’s a winner. He runs their offense extremely well. It’s going to be a battle of heavyweights."