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Football: Season to remember 12/11/11Football: Season to remember 12/11/11 Tim Buckley, Daily Advertiser, Dec. 11, 2011 BRUSH WITH GREATNESS
OKLAHOMA STATE 61, UL 34
Sept. 3STILLWATER, Okla. — Thinking upset, the Ragin’ Cajuns rolled into Stillwater to face what was then the nation’s No. 9-ranked team. But Oklahoma State, which would rise to as high as No. 2, had other things in mind — not to mention the country’s best quarterback/receiver combo, Brandon Weeden-to-Justin Blackmon. The Big 12 conference’s Cowboys jumped to an early 10-0 lead, and never trailed. Blaine Gautier started at quarterback and finished 13-of-26 for 106 yards; receiver/return man Darryl Surgent produced 100 all-purposes yards. Cornerback Bill Bentley intercepted Weeden and ran 38 yards for a touchdown, marking the first of seven Cajun pick-sixes heading into the New Orleans Bowl. It also was UL’s first of two pick-sixes in the game, as safety Jemarlous Moten returned another Weeden interception 50 yards. But Weeden wound up 24-of-39 for 388 yards and three touchdowns, including Blackmon’s eight catches for 144 yards. The Cajuns, though, left with heads up. "I told our team, ‘I am not walking out of this lockerroom all in a bad mood, all mad at the world, just start over,’ " Mark Hudspeth said after his debut as UL’s head coach. "We laid a stepping stone." "We kind of were a little slow, but we picked it up throughout the whole game," Gautier added. "We never gave up. We put out so much effort in this game, and I’m proud of my team." And the Cajuns, as the season unfolded, really would become Gautier’s team.
WEATHER RULES
UL 20, KENT STATE 12
Sept. 20KENT, Ohio — In their second road game in as many outings, the Ragin’ Cajuns managed two wins — beating both Kent State, for their first non-conference road victory since upending Houston in 2006, and the weather. Up 17-7 with just more than nine minutes remaining in the third quarter, and with lightning flashing amid monsoon-like conditions, UL endured a one-hour, 22-minute delay. Safety Lionel Stokes got the Cajuns going with their third pick-six of the season, this one a 63-yard return, and tailback Qyen Griffin ran in his second touchdown of 2011 early in the second quarter. But Kent State struck first after the lengthy break, and headed into the fourth quarter down just 17-12. Brett Baer extended UL’s advantage with a 28-yard field goal with 6:08 remaining, though, and UL’s defense then held strong. Defensive lineman Chris Tucker had a critical fumble recovery, and cornerback Bill Bentley’s jarring hit prompted a Sam Kirkland fumble recovered by safety Jemarlous Moten. "It feels great," Stokes said of getting Mark Hudspeth his first win as UL’s coach. "A lot of weight off of people’s shoulders." Fifth-year senior Chris Masson, UL’s starting quarterback in 2009 and 2010, opened for the Cajuns. But junior Blaine Gautier closed, directing a 10-play, 28-yard drive that chewed up 5:34 and ended with the Baer field goal.
EXPERIMENTAL WIN
UL 38, NICHOLLS STATE 21
Sept. 17CAJUN FIELD — With their Sun Belt Conference opener just a week away, UL didn’t reveal much against Nicholls State of the FCS Southland Conference. But big plays carried the Ragin’ Cajuns anyway. Cornerback Melvin White returned Cordian Hagans’ field-goal block 68 yards for a second-quarter touchdown, breaking a 14-14 tie. Cornerback Bill Bentley followed with UL’s fourth pick-six of the season, a 41-yard return. And Brett Baer added a 49-yard field goal, his career long, to make it 31-21 early in the fourth. "The big plays — we expect that," Bentley said. True freshman Alonzo Harris, who would emerge as UL’s starting tailback, rushed 11 times for 78 yards. Quarterback Chris Masson made a second straight start, running in 1 yard for UL’s first touchdown and handing off to Brad McGuire for another as the Cajuns played conservatively, throwing just 15 passes. But Blaine Gautier closed for UL and aired one out, hitting Javone Lawson for a 60-yad TD catch with just under six minutes left. "Blaine came in and gave us another spark, and just moved the football team," coach Mark Hudspeth said. "And that’s what it comes down to, is moving the team, and making some plays, and I think he definitely made a huge play." THE UNVEILING
UL 36, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 31
Sept. 24MIAMI — UL won a wild one at Florida International, saving nothing as the Ragin’ Cajuns upset the bowl-bound Panthers. UL got 221 passing yards and three touchdowns through the air from Blaine Gautier — a performance sealing Gautier’s status as the Cajuns’ starting quarterback over Miami-native and 2009- and 2010-starter Chris Masson. Gautier threw scoring strikes to Ladarius Green, Darryl Surgent and Javone Lawson, and finished 14-of-26 for 221 yards. Freshman tailback Alonzo Harris scored his first collegiate TD. Noseguard Derreck Dean chipped in a safety, UL’s first since 2005. And kicker Brett Baer was stellar, going 2-of-2 on field goals and 4-of-4 on extra points. "Finally, in Game 4," Hudspeth said "our offense really came alive, made some big plays." Gautier’s 46-yard TD pass for Lawson gave UL a 36-24 lead early in the fourth quarter, and after FIU made it 36-31 the Cajuns would have to make two last stands. UL did that, ending the Panthers’ final drive when safety Lionel Stokes picked off Jake Medlock at the Cajun 17-yard line as time expired. "When we play our best game, and we come out firing on all cylinders, offense and defense," linebacker Lance Kelley said, "it shows what we can do."
BUZZER BEATER
UL 37, FLORIDA ATLANTIC 34
Oct. 1CAJUN FIELD — Brett Baer’s 26-yard field goal as time expired lifted UL over a Florida Atlantic team that was winless under retiring coach Howard Schnellenberger until beating Alabama-Birmingham in its second-to-last game of the season. Earlier, Baer had missed two field goals — the junior’s first two career misses — and FAU got back into the game with two late touchdowns. But the Ragin’ Cajun kicker rebounded in the second half to hit one from 47 yards, one from 46 and the game-winner, igniting a dogpile celebration. "I kept saying, ‘Get up, get up.’ I couldn’t breath on the bottom," Baer said. "It was a while before the message got to the top." UL also got 26-of-33 passing for 329 yards and two touchdowns from quarterback Blaine Gautier, 12 catches for 176 yards and one TD from receiver Harry Peoples, two receptions for 47 yards and a TD from receiver Darryl Surgent, 57 rushing yards and a touchdown from tailback Alonzo Harris and one Qyen Griffin TD. Gautier connected on passes to Javone Lawson (for 5 yards), Ladarius Green (12 yards), Surgent (5 yards), Peoples (25 yards), Lawson again (8 yards) and Ian Thompson (10 yards) during a game-winning 10-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Baer’s heroics. Key to the drive — and UL’s fourth straight win — was the catch by Peoples, who reached high to cap a career night. "We work the two-minute offense over and over in practice," Gautier said. "Our motto is take what they give you."
OVERCOMING HISTORY
UL 31, TROY 17
Oct. 8CAJUN FIELD — With ex-starter Chris Masson completing 21-of-29 passes for 211 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions after Blaine Gautier sprained an ankle, UL knocked off one of the Sun Belt Conference’s traditional powers — and won its fifth straight. The victory ended a five-game win streak over the Ragin’ Cajuns that had been owned by Troy, which won at least eight games and at least a share of the league title for five straight years from 2006-2010. "To come out there and beat them feels really great," said Masson, who threw scoring passes to tight end Larry Pettis and receiver Javone Lawson. Tailback Alonzo Harris added a 2-yard TD run and cornerback Melvin White returned a Corey Robinson pass 89 yards for UL’s fifth pick-six of the season. "Everyone came in talking about Troy, saying we have to beat Troy — you know, they’re big dogs of the conference," Lawson said. "You know, we just went out there and made a statement — that things are going to change in this conference." They would, as the Sun Belt’s only bowl-eligible teams this season were UL, Florida International, Western Kentucky and conference-champ Arkansas State.
GRINDING IT OUT
UL 30, NORTH TEXAS 10
Oct. 15CAJUN FIELD — The Ragin’ Cajuns celebrated homecoming by notching their sixth straight win, becoming bowl-eligible and — at 6-1 — getting off to the best start by any Sun Belt team in conference history. In front of a season home-high 32,823, quarterback Blaine Gautier returned from an ankle sprain to go 14-of-20 for 238 and four touchdowns — two to tight end Ladarius Green and one each to receivers Darryl Surgent and Javone Lawson. Down 3-0 and 10-7 early, and leading just 13-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, Gautier guided the Cajuns to 23 unanswered points. "It was a total team effort," coach Mark Hudspeth said. Le’Marcus Gibson’s field-goal block helped, as did an interception, a fumble recovery and eight tackles from fellow linebacker Lance Kelley on a day UL held North Texas running back Lance Dunbar to just 53 yards on 19 carries. "The defensive line really came to play today," Kelley said. "The line made it easy on me to make plays."
DOSE OF REALITY
WESTERN KENTUCKY 42, UL 23
OCT. 15BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — UL’s six-game win streak screeched to a halt with a loss at Western Kentucky, where the Ragin’ Cajuns couldn’t stop Bobby Rainey. The Hilltoppers tailback ran 32 times for 206 yards and three touchdowns on a day 79 of UL’s 121 rushing yards came on a 79-yard Aaron Spikes TD run. Rainey ran in from 1 yard out on Western Kentucky’s first drive, giving the Hilltoppers a lead they never relinquished. His TD run from 5 yards out in the third quarter’s helped make it 28-17, and his 24-yarder with 1:09 remaining was icing for the eventually bowl-qualified Hilltoppers. "I just felt like they wanted it more than we did," said Cajuns tight end Ladarius Green, who caught two touchdown passes from Blaine Gautier on a day UL’s quarterback was 32-of-51 for 419 yards. A 39-yard Kawaun Jakes pass sailed through the hands of linebacker Lance Kelley and into those of tight end Jack Doyle at the 1-yard line, setting up a Kadeem Jones touchdown run that — combined with the fourth of five Jesse Roy extra points — made it 35-23 Hilltoppers with 10:59 to go. "But that wasn’t the difference in the game," UL head coach Mark Hudspeth said. "The difference was they whipped us up front."
THE GROUND GAME
UL 45, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 20
Oct. 19MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Challenged to produce after gaining just 19 yards on nine carries in a loss one week earlier at Western Kentucky, Ragin’ Cajuns true-freshman tailback Alonzo Harris ran 33 times for 189 yards and two 4-yard touchdowns as UL romped at Middle Tennessee. Quarterback Blaine Gautier threw for another 139 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown pass to Javone Lawson, and ran one in himself, from 80 yards out on an option keeper down the left side. "I think we answered a lot of questions — to respond like we did today, and have a great game like we did," senior linebacker Devon Lewis-Buchanan said. The Cajuns never trailed as Darryl Surgent got them going with a 16-yard reverse, and UL led 21-0 at halftime. MTSU quarterback Logan Kilgore was picked off twice. Melvin White got one. So did Lewis-Buchanan, who returned his 55 yards for UL’s sixth pick-six of 2011. "We’re a good team," Gautier said. "Teams know that we’re definitely dominant on offense, and definitely dominant on defense."
MIRACLE OVER MONROE
UL 36, UL MONROE 35
Nov. 5CAJUN FIELD — Unfathomable. Down 11 with just more than two minutes remaining, UL beat UL Monroe to go undefeated at home — 5-0 — for the first time since 1987. "I promised myself I wasn’t going to cry after this game, but there was just so much emotion," said tight end Ladarius Green, who was playing for the final time at Cajun Field. "You see all the people that you work hard with, you play hard with, you bleed with, and you can’t help but get emotional." It was the eighth win in their last nine outings for the Ragin’ Cajuns, who got 13 catches and career-high 136 yards and two touchdowns from Green, 355 yards and four TDs on 30-of-47 passing from quarterback Blaine Gautier, and a game-winning run with one minute and six seconds remaining from true-freshman tailback Alonzo Harris. "These are the games you kind of dream about," said Gautier, who threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Daryl Surgent with 2:05 to go, making it 35-30 Monroe. Green then recovered Brett Baer’s onside kick, but only after ex-Cajun punter Spencer Ortego retrieved the kicker’s special tee from the UL equipment room. That set up a three-play, 39-yard drive that started with Gautier’s 12-yard screen pass to Rob Walker, featured a 24-yard Gautier-to-Javone Lawson pass and ended with Harris running in from 3 yards out. Six plays later, UL quarterback Kolton Browning, chased by Bernard Smith much of the night, ran harmlessly out of bounds — and the Cajuns partied, some shedding tears, others jumping with joy. "The way the game ended: storybook," defensive lineman Tyrell Gaddies said. "Storybook, man."
THE TURNOVER GAME
ARKANSAS STATE 30, UL 21
Nov. 12JONESBORO, Ark. — With at least a share of the Sun Belt Conference championship on the line for UL, the Ragin’ Cajuns crumbled at Arkansas State Cajun quarterbacks were picked off four times — with Gautier, who has thrown just five interceptions this season, throwing three and backup Chris Masson one — and UL let another one get away on a Harry Peoples fumble. "Obviously we’re not proud of the way we played tonight," Cajuns coach Mark Hudspeth said. "Would love to gave a do-over. But don’t get do-overs." Arkansas State jumped to an early 17-0 lead, but UL went up 21-20 after two touchdown passes from Gautier to Darryl Surgent, a 4-yard Alonzo Harris touchdown run with nine minutes left in the third quarter and three Brett Baer extra points. Red Wolves quarterback Ryan Aplin, who finished 20-of-32 for 226 yards and two touchdown passes, ran in from 4 yards to help put ASU back up 27-21 with 1:31 left in the third quarter. That score stemmed from the interception thrown by Masson, who entered after Gautier had the breath knocked out of him. Two ensuing Gautier-directed UL drives failed, and it was over for the Cajuns after Brian Davis’ 21-yard field goal gave Arkansas State a nine-point lead with 2:49 left.
COULDA, SHOULDA, WOULDA
ARIZONA 45, UL 37
Nov. 26TUSCON, Ariz. — The Ragin’ Cajuns got into a shootout at Arizona of the Pac-12, and came home wondering about what might could been after falling for the third time in their final five regular-season outings. Quarterback Blaine Gautier went 24-of-36 for 315 yards while throwing for one touchdown and running for another, and tailback Alonzo Harris had one rushing TD and one receiving TD. Jemarlous Moten returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown, too — UL’s seventh pick-six of the season, tying the 1971 national record set by Tennessee (and broken on Dec. 3 when Southern Mississippi notched its eighth). But UL was done in by at least three controversial penalty calls that went against them, a 15-yard penalty on Moten for his end zone celebration following the pick-six and 33-of-43 passing for 352 yards and three touchdowns from NFL-prospect quarterback Nick Foles. "Penalties," coach Mark Hudspeth said, "absolutely killed us." "We’re kind of down about this game," added Cajuns receiver Javone Lawson, who caught five passes for a game-high 137 yards. "But we’ve got a big game in New Orleans."
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