Football: Six Cajuns on All-Sun Belt Team

Daryl Cetnar, Sports Information –

NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns landed six players on the 2006 All-Sun Belt team, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday. 

The Cajuns were led by three players on the first team.  Tyrell Fenroy, Brandon Cox and Drew Edmiston all earned first team honors.  Michael Desormeaux earned second team honors as an all-purpose specialist and Rodney Hardeway and Jesse Newman claimed honorable mention.

            Fenroy, a second team selection last season, led all players in rushing yards and all-purpose yards by a wide margin in ‘Belt games.  He averaged 5.5 yards per carry on the season and posted six 100-yard games.  His 1,197 rushing yards were the most in school history by a running back and made the sophomore the only player in school history with two 1,000-yard rushing seasons.     

            Cox was named to the first team for the second straight season.  He started a school-record 46 consecutive games and was a big part of the Cajuns offensive line that ranks 14^th in the nation and led the Sun Belt with 188 rushing yards per game.  Cox accepted an invitation to play in the 2006 Magnolia Gridiron Classic all-star game to be played on Dec. 23.

            Edmiston finished second in the conference in scoring, converting 11 field goals and 27 extra points.  He was on pace to break the school record for field goals, but attempted just one kick over the final five games, as the Cajuns attempted 17 fourth down conversions over that span.  His eight 40� yard field goals were more than any other kicker in the Sun Belt.  He was named SBC Special Teams Player of the Week twice during the season.

Desormeaux was one of only 10 players across the country to play offense, defense and special teams – and was just one of two quarterbacks on that list.  He was a true all-purpose player, taking snaps at quarterback, lining up at wide receiver, playing defensive back in nickel and dime packages, serving as the personal protector on punts, playing on the punt block team and he recovered an onsides kick on the hands team.

Hardeway led all Cajuns defensive linemen in tackles, tackles-for-loss and sacks.  He led the team with three forced fumbles and was among the SBC leaders in sacks and forced fumbles.  Each of his forced fumbles came at a crucial time in Sun Belt games.  Hardeway had 24 tackles in seven SBC games, including seven tackles vs. ASU.

Newman started every game in 2006 at left tackle.  He was a second team selection last season.