Football: The Bustle boys face final game

Football: The Bustle boys face final game

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • November 26, 2009

The emotions begin to show whenever UL coach Rickey Bustle starts talking about his team’s final game of the regular season.

For Bustle, Saturday’s game against Troy (8-3, 7-0 Sun Belt) is not only the final one this year at home for the Ragin’ Cajuns (6-5, 4-3) as they fight for that elusive seventh victory and a possible bowl berth.

It also will mark the final home game for him to coach his son, senior left guard Brad Bustle.The Bustles are one of six father-son combos this season in NCAA football. The other five are at North Texas (Todd Dodge and Riley Dodge), Colorado (Dan Hawkins and Cody Hawkins), Fresno State (Pat Hill and Zak Hill), Memphis (Tommy West and Turner West) and South Carolina (Steve Spurrier and Scott Spurrier).

"It’s been awesome," coach Bustle said of coaching his son. "The big thing that we all get out of coaching is to watch young men come into our program and become men. To have the opportunity to see my son do that has been tremendous."The crazy thing is that it almost didn’t happen.

After earning all-district honors as a defensive lineman as well as punting at Lafayette High, Brad Bustle was recruited by his dad to play for the Cajuns but didn’t receive much other interest because he started only one year.Instead, he accepted an invitation to join Southeastern Louisiana’s program in 2005 as a walk-on and possibly earn a scholarship after that first year.

"I just had it in my mind at the time that I wanted to create my own path," Brad Bustle said. "I didn’t know how people would handle me being the coach’s son, so I decided to get away."Bustle spent the summer following his senior year working out on UL’s campus but later found it difficult to go off to Hammond after forming some strong bonds with the Cajun players.Still, he honored his commitment and went to Southeastern — where he stayed for all of two football practices before coming back to Lafayette and enrolling at UL.

"It was hard for me to leave for Southeastern, and once I got there I realized that UL was where I wanted to be," Brad Bustle said. "I realized that summer that as long as you work hard to attain the same goals everyone else is working for, which is to win, that they will respect you no matter who you are."

So Bustle sat out the 2005 season as a redshirt and played on the defensive line for UL’s scout team.

The following spring, Bustle made the move to the offensive line — where his dad always thought he would play in college because of his good footwork and strong understanding of the game.

The move has definitely paid off.Bustle, who earned a scholarship before the 2006 season, has played in all but two games over the past four seasons (both missed due to injury) and has made 35 starts for the Cajuns.

As a junior, he earned first-team all-conference honors after UL ranked in the top 25 nationally in rushing, total offense and scoring. This season he was named to the Lombardi Award watch list and will likely earn first-team all-league recognition again as the Cajuns are tied for 11th in the nation in sacks allowed (11).Along the way, Brad Bustle has been accepted by his teammates because of his leadership and work ethic.

"He’s been one of us the whole time," said deep-snapper Scott Hayes. "He might know if we’re going to be practicing in shorts or in full pads a little earlier than most players, but other than that it’s like he’s just a normal player."Coach Bustle appreciates the chance he has had to be around his son on a daily basis at the NCAA’s highest level of college football.

"I know a lot of coaches who can’t watch their sons play because they’re going to school somewhere else, so I feel very fortunate," coach Bustle said. "It’s been great to watch him excel, and it’s going to be tough to see him go."NFL scouts have expressed some interest in Brad Bustle playing at the next level, and he wants to pursue that dream before eventually becoming a coach.

After graduating in December with his undergraduate degree, he will train for his shot at pro football in the spring. He also plans to take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) to be prepared if a graduate assistant position opens up.For now, Brad Bustle is focused on helping the Cajuns upset Troy, hit the seven-win mark and possibly secure a bowl bid for the first time since 1970 on what will be an emotional night at Cajun Field.

"I’ve been here with my dad and seen what he’s gone through," he said. "It would definitely be a big deal if I could help my dad reach that next step and get seven wins and get us to a bowl game."