When you talk to Ascension Episcopal athletic director Eric Mouton about all the things he liked about prospective new head football coach Michael Desormeaux, the list is seemingly without end.

To hit on a few highlights, however, he and the AES administration liked the fact that he’s got great name recognition around the Acadiana area as a former star quarterback for the UL Ragin’ Cajuns.

They liked the fact that Desormeaux was a four-sport standout during his high school days at Catholic High of New Iberia and still believes in sharing athletes with other sports around the campus.

They liked the fact that he’s coached both boys and girls sports and thinks they’re all important.

They liked the fact that he was also a standout in the classroom and he also attended a private Christ-based school and understands those demands as well.

When they looked at those and many other factors, the conclusion was a fairly easy one.

Offer the job of transforming Ascension Episcopal’s football program to Michael Desormeaux "» and he gladly accepted.

"We knew we’d get some really good applicants from around the area and really around the South," Mouton said. "But after we reviewed all of them, there was one name that stood out and that was Michael Desormeaux. We’re very excited about it. The buzz is going to be big."

For Desormeaux, he didn’t coach as the offensive coordinator at Catholic High for the past few years thinking about being a head coach this season, but feels that the experience as a coordinator certainly prepared him.

"I feel like I’m ready," Desormeaux said. "I kind of always felt like I’d be the next head coach at Catholic High some day, but after talking to Dr. (David) Rath and everyone over there, I feel like this is a great opportunity. I couldn’t be more excited."

Desormeaux said taking over a program still very much in the building stage was even more attractive.

"You want to be feel like you’ve have an impact on a program," he said. "That definitely is appealing to me — to go to a place where you feel like you can have a big influence."

Desormeaux played from 2005 to 2008 at UL and his name is all over the record books. He’s the seventh-leading passer in school history and fourth in total yards with 6,736 behind only Jake Delhomme, Brian Mitchell and Jerry Babb.

"We are thrilled that Mike Desormeaux will be joining the Ascension Episcopal School community," AES head master Dr. David Rath said. "Mike is a man of great character, and in addition to being a phenomenal football coach, he is also a fantastic teacher. We are confident that Mike will be a wonderful long term fit for our school community."

Desormeaux said he and the school’s administration have the same philosophies about a school’s athletic department.

"That definitely was one of the biggest things I spoke with Dr. Rath about," Desormeaux said. "It’s not just about my team. It’s about the whole athletic department — from sport to sport to sport. You want to have total athletic success. That’s what you want to build."

While Desormeaux is excited about the program’s future, he admits that he’s entering it "totally blind" having never played or even seen the Blue Gators on film against a Catholic High opponent.

What’s not an unknown to Desormeaux is what it takes to mold an explosive offense.

"My experience as a coordinator was very important," he said. "I didn’t make the practice schedule, but I did everything that filled the practice schedule. Learning those organizational skills is a big part of being a head coach. I definitely don’t think I’d be as prepared to be a head coach if I was coming from being a position coach. That experience as a coordinator was very important."

With that said, Desormeaux said that it’s also appealing to him that at a small school, he’ll also get a little touch of coaching defense as well.

Desormeaux takes over a program that was 1-9 last season after going 3-6 in 2001 and 6-5 with a playoff appearance in 2010 and 2-7 in 2009 — all under coach Randy Johnson, who originally came to AES to serve as an assistant principal and was pressed into the role as football coach as well.

"I just feel like he’s the perfect fit for us in the classroom, on the church side, on the football field and in our strength and conditioning program," Mouton said. "Most of our football players play other sports, so that’s going to help the entire athletic department."