University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Football Closes Regular Season At Florida Atlantic
11/27/2012 9:57:00 AM | Football
Contact: Brian McCann
Complete Release (PDF)
Game 11: Louisiana (7-4, 5-2) at Florida Atlantic (3-8, 2-5)
When: Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012, 3:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. in Lafayette)
Site: FAU Stadium (Grass, 30,000)
TV: None.
Radio: Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network
(Jay Walker, Gerald Broussard & Scott Prather)
Participating Network Stations
KPEL (1420 AM, Lafayette) Flagship
KXHT (107.9 FM, Lafayette)
WGSO (990 AM, New Orleans)
KTUX (98.9 FM, Shreveport)
KLCL (1470 AM, Lake Charles)
KJEF (1290 AM, Jennings)
KRJO (1680 AM, Monroe)
Series: FAU Leads, 5-2
Last Meeting: UL 37, FAU 34 (Oct. 1, 2011 at UL)
New Orleans Bowl Tickets
UL bowl tickets are currently available for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, which will be played in New Orleans on Saturday, Dec. 22. Fans can download the ticket order form located at the Bowl Central page on RaginCajuns.com and submit it via mail, mail or in person to the Cajundome ticket office. The ticket office is open Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Fans can also order tickets by calling the Cajundome ticket office at (337) 265-2170 during business hours. Fans are reminded to purchase tickets only through the Ragin' Cajuns Athletics Department because these purchases help the department continue to establish a history of selling tickets for bowl games. In addition, the athletics department will be allotted the best seats available for the game. In keeping with the priorities established over the last year, RCAF 2012 Annual Fund Donors will receive seating priority based on their donor level, having until Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012 to purchase their tickets.
The Storyline:
With a berth in the 2012 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl already accepted, the Cajuns will close the 2012 regular season when Louisiana travels to Boca Raton, Fla. to face Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Dec. 1 beginning at 3:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. in Lafayette) in FAU Stadium. . . the game will mark the final regular season appearance in the careers of 18 Cajun seniors. . . Louisiana (7-4, 5-2) needs a win over FAU to assure itself of its second straight eight-win season and a second place finish in the Sun Belt standings. . . the Ragin' Cajuns are coming off of a 52-30 win over South Alabama on Saturday (Nov. 24), a win that improved Louisiana to 5-1 at home this year and 10-1 over the last two seasons at Cajun Field. . . Harry Peoples continued his remarkable senior campaign, making five catches for 166 yards and a touchdown, his fourth career 100-yard game. . . Javone Lawson returned to the lineup after missing three games with a wrist injury to catch three passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. . . kicker Brett Baer was perfect on all seven extra point attempts to break the school records for career extra points made (112) and attempted (119). . . Florida Atlantic (3-8, 2-5) has had an extra week to prepare for the contest, claiming a 34-24 win over FIU on Nov. 16. . . the Owls own a 5-2 lead in the all-time series, but the Cajuns won the most recent meeting, a 37-34 decision in Lafayette last year.
UL & The NCAA Statistics:
Ragin' Cajuns players were ranked in the top 50 nationally eight times in this week's NCAA statistics, which were released on Sunday. Brett Baer leads the list with three mentions, including in field goals (18th, 1.55), punting (30th, 42.6) and scoring (33rd, 8.6).
Series vs. Florida Atlantic:
Saturday's contest marks the eighth meeting between Louisiana and Florida Atlantic with the Owls owning a 5-2 lead. The series started in 2005 when FAU joined the Sun Belt in football and the teams have met every year since. Last year, the Cajuns snapped a four-game FAU winning streak with a 37-34 win in Lafayette. Louisiana is 1-2 in games played in Boca Raton.
Black Jerseys Being Auctioned Off:
The black jerseys that the Ragin' Cajuns wore in their 31-27 come-from-behind win over Western Kentucky on Nov. 17 are being auctioned off on RaginCajuns.com with the proceeds going to the football program. The first group of 20 jerseys -- which include the ones worn by Terrance Broadway (8), Torrey Pierce (41), Jake Molbert (59), Leonardo Bates (72) and Cordian Hagans (93) — are available for bids until 9:00 a.m. CST on Thursday (Nov. 29).
Odom Finally Takes A Break:
When senior Jaron Odom left the field for the final three offensive plays of the South Alabama game, it marked the first time in 23 games that Odom was not on the field for an offensive play, a streak of 1,577 conseuctive downs played. Odom lead the team by playing 925 of the 936 offensive downs in 2011, including the final 854 over the last 12 games of the year. He started 2012 with a similar streak, playing the first 723 downs before watching the last three on Saturday.
Anderson Closes In On The Century Mark:
With a game-high 10 tackles against South Alabama, junior linebacker Justin Anderson raised his team-leading tackle total to 92, good for sixth in the Sun Belt. Anderson now needs just eight tackles to become just the third Cajun in the last six seasons to total 100 or more tackles in a season, joining Lance Kelley (118 in 2011) and Antwyne Zanders (103 in 2009). Anderson started the year with just 21 tackles in his first two seasons.
Going Bowling:
After snapping a 41-year bowl-less stretch last year by earning a berth in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, the Ragin' Cajuns have done it again, receiving a bid to play in the 12th edition of the game on Dec. 22 in New Orleans. The Cajuns become just the fourth school in the history of the bowl to go to the bowl in back-to-back years, joining North Texas (2001-02-03-04) & Southern Miss (2004-05 & 2008-09).
Reed This:
With Alonzo Harris out of the lineup against South Alabama, Effrem Reed stepped in and turned in another strong game. He rushed 17 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns against South Alabama, scoring on runs of 19 and one yards. It was his fourth game of 50 yards or more rushing this season and first multiple touchdown game. For the year, Reed has carried 83 times for 411 yards and five touchdowns.
Scoring Balance:
Although Brett Baer is closing in on the season scoring record, the rest of the offense has featured scoring balance. Terrance Broadway leads the team with seven touchdowns while the trio of Alonzo Harris, Harry Peoples and Effrem Reed have five touchdowns each. Ten different Cajuns have at least three touchdowns this year, including Javone Lawson, who returned from injury last week to make his fourth TD catch of the year. The good news for Cajuns fans is that of the 10, seven will return in 2013.
Broadway Hits:
The storybook season for sophomore Terrance Broadway had another chapter added to it when he led the Cajuns back from a 10-point deficit with 6:00 remaining against WKU on Nov. 17 to make the Cajuns bowl eligible.
• Slated to serve as the backup this season to Blaine Gautier, he has played significant time in every game.
• At Troy on Sept. 8, he relieved Gautier (bruised ribs) in the second quarter and completed 10-of-16 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown while rushing eight times for 43 yards in leading the Ragin' Cajuns to the win.
• On Sept. 29 vs. FIU, he took over at the start of the second quarter when Gautier broke his hand and completed 15-of-19 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown and also ran the ball seven times for 28 yards with touchdown runs of 13 and four yards.
• Against Arkansas State on Oct. 23, Broadway set career highs for attempts (39), yards (374) and completions (28). The 374 yards was the eighth -highest single game total in school history.
• His best game came at ULM on Nov. 3 when he accounted for 460 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. He completed 23-of-32 passes for 373 yards and four TD's and rushed 13 times for 87 yards and a score.
• Against WKU on Nov. 17, he accounted for 403 of Louisiana's 582 yards if total offense. He rushed 14 times for a career-high 145 yards and a touchdown and completed 23-of-33 passes for 258 yards and a score. Down 27-17 with 6:00 left, he led the Cajuns to two touchdowns down the stretch, the last coming on his own 14-yard run, to give Louisiana the win.
• Threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns against South Alabama, his third 300-yard pasing game. He completed just 11 passes, averaging 27.7 yards per completion.
• For the season, he ranks first in Cajun history in completion percentage (.651), second in passing efficiency (152.9), fourth in total offense (2,896), fifth in passing touchdowns (15), sixth in passing yards (2,358) and seventh in completions (172).
The Men In Black:
The Ragin' Cajuns surprised their fans for the Nov. 17 game against Western Kentucky by wearing all black uniforms along with a re-designed black helmet. Since the game was promoted as a Black Out with fans in attendance wearing black, the Cajuns debuted the black helmet that featured a fleur de lis in place of the stacked Ragin' Cajuns logo during warmups but the squad was wearing their red uniforms tops with black pants. When the warmups were over and the team returned to the locker room, each player was greeted with a black uniform in their locker. The uniform featured a large Fleur de lis on the front with a small uniform number on the left shoulder. In place of the names on the back were one of four French words. . . fierté (which means pride), croire (believe), unité (unity) and combattre (fight).
Huval Named To Academic All-District Squad:
Center Andre Huval, who owns a 3.52 cumulative grade point average majoring in business accounting, was named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-District team, which is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. A 6-1, 305-pound junior from Scott, La., Huval has taken over a leadership role on a veteran offensive line, playing all but nine snaps this season. Earlier this fall, he was named to the preseason watch list for the Rimington Award, which goes to the nation's top center. Huval is now eligible for Capital One Academic All-America honors, which will be announced on Nov. 29.
Cajuns Excel At Cajun Field:
The win over South Alabama improved the Cajuns to 5-1 at home this year and 10-1 in the two seasons under head coach Mark Hudspeth. Included in that record was an eight-game win streak that began at the start of the 2011 season and included the first three games of this season. It was the third-longest in facility history.
Gautier Stands Out in Return:
After missing six straight games with a broken left (throwing) hand, senior Blaine Gautier returned to action against South Alabama. Taking over early in the fourth quarter, Gautier threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Maxwell on his first play under center and later led UL on a 46-yard drive for the final score of the game. Gautier was the starter for the Cajuns in the first four games before being injured early in the Florida International game.
As a junior in 2011, Gautier took over the starting assignment early in the year, going on to set UL season records for yards passing (2,958), passing touchdowns (23), completion percentage (.628), passing efficiency (153.6), total offense (3,444) and touchdowns responsible for (26).
The Peoples Choice:
With 1,000-yard receiver Javone Lawson on the sideline, senior receiver Harry Peoples has stepped up his performance. He has recorded five or more catches in a game seven times this year, including in each of the last five games that he has played in. Since coming back from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the Arkansas State game, Peoples has made 34 catches for 457 yards and two touchdowns. Included in those totals were 10 catches for 73 yards at Florida, a career-high 13 receptions for 144 yards against WKU and five catches for a season-high 166 yards vs. South Alabama. He now has four career games of 10 or more catches. With 60 catches for 772 yards, Peoples ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in receptions and yardage.
. . . And Peoples Reaches Receiving Milestones:
The 10 receptions against Florida allowed Harry Peoples to become the 11th receiver in UL history to make 100 receptions in a career. Peoples begins the week ranked eighth in UL history with 118 catches for 1,469 yards and six touchdowns in his career. With 60 catches this year, Peoples ranks sixth on the single season list.
. . . And Peoples Keys Win Over WKU:
Harry Peoples caught four pass for 49 yards on the game-winning drive against WKU, finishing the night with a career high 13 catches for 144 yards. He came one reception short of the school record of 14 set by Nick Dugas at Arkansas State on Oct. 13, 2001 while the 144 yards marked the third time in his career that he caught passes for more than 100 yards in a game. His previous career high was a 12-catch game vs. Florida Atlantic last season.
Protecting The QB:
Through 11 games, the Cajun offensive line ranks 18th nationally, allowing 12 quarterback sacks this year. Louisiana let up just one sack in the first four games. When Terrance Broadway took over at quarterback, the line had to adjust and gave up eight sacks over a three-game period. The adjustments have been made however as the Cajuns gave up just one sack at Florida, a team that ranks in the top five nationally in defense this season. Against Sun Belt sack leader WKU (Nov. 17), which had made 31 sacks in their first 10 games, without a sack. That is considerable improvement over the 2011 numbers when the Cajuns allowed 25 sacks totalling 169 yards lost in 13 games.
Baer Named To Mid-Season All-America Teams:
With the second half of the season in process, the national publications each released their mid-season All-America teams and senior kicker Brett Baer fared well. Baer was named a first team selection by ESPN.com, a second team choice by SI.com and a third team honoree by Phil Steele. Baer was the only Sun Belt athlete on any of the mid-season teams.
Mister Can You Spare A Dime:
The Cajuns threw a defensive twist at Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 3, and it appeared to work. UL opened the game and spent a good deal of the game in dime coverage, removing a linebacker and defensive lineman in favor of having two extra defensive backs on the field. On the first play, nose tackle Justin Hamilton and Jake Molbert were on the bench with first-time starters Trevence Patt and Sean Thomas in the secondary.
. . . Or Spare An Extra Lineman:
The defense made another major adjustment for the game at Florida, a change that has for the most part stuck, playing the majority of the game with a four-man front. Again, it paid off as UL registered a season-high five quarterback sacks and continually had the Gators in third and long situations. Emeka Onyenekwu, who went on to make a career-high nine tackles and 2.5 sacks, was the extra starter on the line with freshman linebacker Dominique Tovell moving to a backup role.
Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood:
With Javone Lawson sidelined, Jamal Robinson moved into a featured role and excelled. The sophomore caught eight passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns in the games against Arkansas State and ULM and then came back vs. WKU to make three grabs for 27 yards, including a five-yard touchdown catch that was pulled the Cajuns to within three points late in the game. For the year, Robinson has made 17 catches for 450 yards and three touchdowns, owning an impressive 26.5 yards per catch. He set career highs with five catches and 106 yards receiving against Arkansas State on Oct. 23 and came back to make three grabs for 153 yards and touchdowns of 52 and 81 yards at ULM.
. . . And Robinson Gets A Block:
Jamal Robinson turned in the special teams play of the day against South Alabama, blocking a 42-yard field goal attempt late in the first quarter that would have tied the game at 10-10. It was the first blocked field goal by a Cajun since Le'Marcus Gibson blocked one against North Texas on Oct. 15, 2011.
. . . And It Was Just The Second Miss:
The blocked field goal by Jamal Robinson marked just the second time this year that a Louisiana opponent missed a field goal attempt. In 11 games, Cajun opponents are now 22-for-24 on field goal attempts this season, including makes on the first 14 attempts of the year.
Baer Dominates As Punter:
One thing lost in the kicking exploits of Brett Baer has been his improvement as a punter. Baer, who was sixth in the SBC by averaging 40.3 yards on 79 punts in 2011, ranks 30th nationally (and first in the SBC) with a 42.6 average this year. More importantly, just 14 of his 48 punts have been returned for a total of 79 yards, allowing UL to rank second in the Sun Belt in net punting with a 38.1 average.
. . . And Just Two Touchbacks:
As a junior, Brett Baer punted 79 times with 27 kicks downed inside the 20. Even more impressive was that Baer had just five touchbacks. He has been even better in 2012, punting 48 times with 20 downed inside the 20 and two touchbacks. In the fourth quarter at UNT on Oct. 16, he had successive kicks of 38 yards that were downed inside the 2 and 58 yards downed inside the 1.
Standing Patt:
Given the opportunity to make his first career start in the win at ULM on Nov. 3, Trevence Patt made the most of it. The sophomore defensive back, who entered the game having made nine career tackles, boosted that total significantly by making five tackles, the second-highest total by a Cajun in the game. He remained in teh lineup and made four straight starts, entering the week with 21 tackles this year.
4th Down Exploits:
The Cajun defense has successfully stopped its opponents on seven of its nine fourth down conversion attempts. Four of the stops have come within the 25 and have figured prominently in a pair of UL wins. At Troy on Sept. 8, the Cajuns had stops at their 9 and 25 yard lines when the game was still close. The third stop vs. FIU when UL held on downs at their own 12 in the fourth quarter. On Oct. 16 at North Texas, the Cajun defense held on a fourth-and-goal at the 1. The only fourth down conversion came on a 4th-and-1 at Oklahoma State and on a 4th-and-3 at ULM. Last year, Louisiana opponents were 8-for-21 (.381) on fourth down.
Baer Kicks Way To The UL Record Book:
Senior kicker Brett Baer is enjoying an outstanding senior season, connecting on 17 of his 20 field goal attempts and 44-of-46 extra points this year. Baer. . .
. . . made his first seven field goal attempts to extend his streak of consecutive field goals made to 18 dating back to last year, breaking the Sun Belt record of 17 consecutive field goals made by La.-Monroe's Cole Wilson (2006-07) and besting Mike Shafer's UL school record of 14 consecutive field goals made, which was set in 1994.
. . . tied the school mark for points in a game by a kicker with 16 in the win over Lamar on Sept. 1. He equalled the record of 16 points by Rafael Septien (vs. San Jose State in 1974) and Mike Lemoine (vs. Central Michigan in 1989). Baer's 52-yard field goal to open the scoring was the longest of his career and tied for the seventh longest in school history.
. . . set a career high for field goals made in a game against Lamar, coming one field goal short of the UL school record of five shared by Rafael Septien (vs. San Jose State in 1974) and Mike Lemoine (vs. CMU in 1989).
The Baer Foot:
Just when senior kicker Brett Baer thought he had attempted enough kicks to qualify for the NCAA record for career field goal accuracy, a re-check of the record books shows that the NCAA has adjusted the minimum number of kicks required, leaving Baer eight attempts short of the record. The old record of .878 (43-49) by Florida's Bobby Raymond (1983-84) under a 45-attempt minimum has been replaced with a 55-attempt record of .895 by Nebraska's Alex Henery (2007-10), who was 68-of-76 in his career. Baer is currently just short of the record at .894 (42-47). Baer made all seven attempts in 2010 and was 18-for-20 last year to lead the country in field goal percentage (.900). He is 17-for-20 this year.
. . . And The Baer Truth:
Brett Baer turned in one of the best all-around kicking performances in UL history in 2011, earning second team All-Sun Belt honors as both a kicker and punter while also being a semifinalist for the Groza Award, which is given to the nation's top kicker. Baer. . .
. . . led the nation in field goal accuracy, making 18-of-20 attempts (.900).
. . . ended the season making his final 11 attempts, leaving him three short of Mike Shafer's school record of 14 straight field goals made set in 1994.
. . . recorded the second-highest field goal total in school history (18), one short of the record 19 by John Roveto.
. . . was 46-for-50 in extra points, four short of Drew Edmiston's record of extra points in 2008.
. . . led the team with 100 points, the third-highest total ever and the most by a kicker. He trailed only the 114 points by Tyrell Fenroy (2008) and Brian Mitchell (1988).
. . . won two games with field goals as time expired, a 26-yard kick vs. Florida Atlantic and a career-long 50-yard effort vs. San Diego State in the New Orleans Bowl.
Harris Nears 1,500 Yard Mark:
A 104-yard rushing effort against WKU on Nov. 17 has moved sophomore running back Alonzo Harris within 153 yards of reaching the 1,500 yard mark for his career. In 21 career games, Harris has carried 291 times for 1,347 yards and 13 touchdowns with four 100-yard rushing games. Harris gained 700 yards as a freshman in 2011 and has totalled 634 yards this season. A preseason All-Sun Belt choice this year, he ranks eighth in the league in rushing (63.4 ypg).
Baer Continues Moving Up The Charts:
A 10-point effort against South Alabama on Saturday has allowed Brett Baer to continue his climb up the various Louisiana season and career kicking lists. For the season, Baer ranks third in field goals (17) and both extra points made (44) and attempted (46), fourth in field goal attempts (20) and scoring (95). For his career, he is first in both extra points made (112) and attempted (119), third in scoring (238) and field goals made (42) and fourth in attempts (47).
. . . And Next Up, Baer Must Pass Himself:
With 17 field goals in 20 attempts, 44 extra points in 46 attempts and 95 points this year, Brett Baer is quickly closing in on. . . well. . . Brett Baer. In 2011, Baer ranked second in school history in field goals made (18) and both extra points made (46) and attempted (50), third in scoring (100) and fourth in field goals attempted (20). Baer enters the final regular season games within reach of surpassing each of those 2011 totals.
Hooray For Torrey:
Freshman Torrey Pierce has definitely caught the attention of the coaching staff. He carried five times for 72 yards and a pair of touchdowns against WKU on Nov. 17, that performance coming on the heels of a 13 carry, 72 yards effort in the win at ULM on Nov. 3. At the start of the season, Pierce found himself fourth on the depth chart at running back. He was buried behind a slew of talented runners, each of whom was a freshman or a sophomore. Waiting patiently for his opportunity, Pierce didn't play in either of the first two games and then got five rushes in lopsided games against Oklahoma State (5 carries, 12 yards), FIU (5-28) and Tulane (5-29). For the year, Pierce has carried 37 times for 225 yards and three touchdowns.
A Comeback For Stover:
Another feel good moment this season has been the return to the lineup of sophomore Hunter Stover, who has shared the kickoff chores with Brett Baer. Stover kicked off 47 times in the first eight games for the Cajuns last year before suffering a torn ACL in his right knee at Western Kentucky, requiring season-ending surgery. The surgery was nothing new to Stover. In high school, he tore the ACL in his left knee and a post-surgery infection required a second ACL replacement. The surgeries must have worked as Stover kicked off 26 times this year, recording eight touchbacks and a 62.8 average. Last year, he averaged 60.3 yards with only one touchback.
Brown Breaks In:
Junior receiver Bradley Brown saw the most significant action of his UL career against North Texas on Oct. 16, making six catches for 40 yards to raise his season totals to nine catches for 111 yards. Brown, a transfer from Northwestern State, saw minimal action in the first three games before making two catches for 68 yards against FIU and one grab for three yards vs. Tulane. In two seasons at NSU, Brown made 75 catches for 810 yards and four touchdowns, twice earning honorable mention all-league honors.
. . . And Blocks A Punt:
Bradley Brown turned in perhaps the biggest play against Florida, blocking a third quarter punt that Blake Comminie returned 22 yards for the score to put Louisiana ahead, 17-13.
The Wait Has Been Worth It For Gillis:
It took fifth-year senior Rodney Gillis more than four years to break into the starting lineup, but since earning his first start in the season opener, he has made the most of his playing opportunities. He is second in the Sun Belt and 20th nationally with four interceptions and is second on the team with 61 tackles this year, including a career-high 12 tackles against both Oklahoma State and North Texas. In the season opener against Lamar, he made his first career interception to end one drive and recovered a fumble on the next. He came back to make interceptions in each of the last two games. Gillis joined the program in 2008 and redshirted. He did not play during the 2009 campaign and then tore an ACL in his knee the following spring and missed the 2010 season. Gillis was able to play in 11 games as a reserve last season, making nine tackles.
Coaching Continuity:
UL is one of only 16 FBS schools to return the head coach and all nine assistant coaches from the previous season, according to research by Coachingsearch.com. To take things even further, the Cajuns also bring back the four graduate and administrative assistants on the coaching staff and all three weight room staff members. The other 15 schools with their entire coaching staff back are BYU, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia, Louisiana Tech, Miami (FL), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Northwestern, Oregon, San Diego State, Texas, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
The Line That Plays Together, Stays Together:
Terrance Broadway should feel comfortable under center this year as four of the five starters on the offensive line return, each of whom played in almost 95-percent of the snaps last year. The quartet of seniors Leonardo Bates (LT) and Jaron Odom (RT), junior Andre Huval (C) and sophomore Daniel Quave (RG). The foursome combine to have made 112 career starts, including all the last 24 games together. Odom and Huval each played 925 of the 936 offensive snaps last year with Quave (890) and Bates (887) being not far behind. The fifth starter on the unit this year is Mykhael Quave, the younger brother of Daniel.
. . .And The Line Features Size:
The offensive line not only features experience, but size as well. The five starters average 6-4, 308 pounds, giving UL one of the biggest offensive lines in the SBC. The left side of the line features tackle Leonardo Bates (6-5, 296) and Mykhael Quave (6-5, 300) with Andre Huval (6-1, 290) at center. The right side of the line starts tackle Jaron Odom (6-6, 330) and guard Daniel Quave (6-3, 324).
Remembering Mickey:
The UL football team is honored to include on their helmets in 2012 a decal in memory of 21-year old UL student Mickey Shunick, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle and later murdered in the early morning hours on May 19. The football staff worked with the Shunick family to come up with the design of the decal. It features a drawing of a woman riding a bicycle with her hands in the air with the name Mickey underneath, a design that has become popular among the friends and family of Shunick. “We're just honored to do this for Mickey and her family,” head coach Mark Hudspeth said. “Obviously, what we do on the field doesn't even come close to the kind of courage and fight that she showed. We just want to remember one of our own in a way that would make her proud.”
A Little Of This. . .A Little Of That:
• The wins over Lamar and Troy to open the season allowed the Cajuns to start with a 2-0 record for only the second time since 1990 and the first since 2009.
• The 40-point halftime spread against Lamar allowed Mark Hudspeth to use 68 players in the game, the most since he took over the program (58 was old high vs. North Texas and Middle Tennessee in 2011).
• The 40-0 victory over Lamar on Sept. 1 marked the first shutout for the Cajuns since a 6-0 win at Florida Atlantic on Oct. 18, 2006, a span covering 69 games. Going even further back, the last shutout by a UL squad at Cajun Field came 54 home games prior in a 34-0 win over UAB on Sept. 21, 2002.
• The longest play of the season resulted in no points when Jamal Robinson caught an 86-yard pass from Blaine Gautier vs. Lamar. It was the longest non-scoring pass play in school history, besting the old record of 82 yards of Michael Desormeaux to Richie Falgout vs. FIU in 2008. It was also tied for the fourth-longest pass play as well.
• The Sept. 8 win at Troy saw a pair of extended streaks come to an end. It was the first victory in a road opener since upending Tulane, 48-6 on Sept. 1, 1990, a streak of 21 straight losses. It also halted Troy's 25-game win streak in home openers.
• The month of September has proven to be a good one for the Cajuns under head coach Mark Hudspeth as UL is now 6-2 during the month over the last two seasons. The only team to trip the Ragin' Cajuns up in September is Oklahoma State, which has been responsible for both UL losses in the month.
• In five games last year, the Cajuns drew 145,854 fans to set the school and SBC records for average attendance (29,171) and the SBC mark for total attendance. The total was a Cajun Field record for a five-game season, but fell short of the overall record of 163,143 set in 1976 when the Cajuns played seven home games. The 2011 season produced five of the top 15 crowds in Cajun Field history.
• The Cajuns also led all FBS schools in 2011 with an attendance increase of 11,788 fans per game. UL averaged just 17,383 fans per game in 2010 but improved to 29,171 last year to beat out Arizona State, Stanford, Iowa State, Temple, Florida State and Oklahoma State for the top honor.
• Five Cajuns were named to the 2012 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, which was determined by a vote of head coaches and select media throughout the conference. Seniors Melvin White (CB), Brett Baer (K), Leonardo Bates (OT) and Javone Lawson (WR) and sophomore Alonzo Harris (RB) were each honored.
Next Up:
The Ragin' Cajuns will have three weeks to get ready for their second straight bowl appearance, taking part in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 22 at 11:00 a.m. in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Complete Release (PDF)
Game 11: Louisiana (7-4, 5-2) at Florida Atlantic (3-8, 2-5)
When: Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012, 3:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. in Lafayette)
Site: FAU Stadium (Grass, 30,000)
TV: None.
Radio: Ragin' Cajuns Radio Network
(Jay Walker, Gerald Broussard & Scott Prather)
Participating Network Stations
KPEL (1420 AM, Lafayette) Flagship
KXHT (107.9 FM, Lafayette)
WGSO (990 AM, New Orleans)
KTUX (98.9 FM, Shreveport)
KLCL (1470 AM, Lake Charles)
KJEF (1290 AM, Jennings)
KRJO (1680 AM, Monroe)
Series: FAU Leads, 5-2
Last Meeting: UL 37, FAU 34 (Oct. 1, 2011 at UL)
New Orleans Bowl Tickets
UL bowl tickets are currently available for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, which will be played in New Orleans on Saturday, Dec. 22. Fans can download the ticket order form located at the Bowl Central page on RaginCajuns.com and submit it via mail, mail or in person to the Cajundome ticket office. The ticket office is open Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Fans can also order tickets by calling the Cajundome ticket office at (337) 265-2170 during business hours. Fans are reminded to purchase tickets only through the Ragin' Cajuns Athletics Department because these purchases help the department continue to establish a history of selling tickets for bowl games. In addition, the athletics department will be allotted the best seats available for the game. In keeping with the priorities established over the last year, RCAF 2012 Annual Fund Donors will receive seating priority based on their donor level, having until Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012 to purchase their tickets.
The Storyline:
With a berth in the 2012 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl already accepted, the Cajuns will close the 2012 regular season when Louisiana travels to Boca Raton, Fla. to face Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Dec. 1 beginning at 3:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. in Lafayette) in FAU Stadium. . . the game will mark the final regular season appearance in the careers of 18 Cajun seniors. . . Louisiana (7-4, 5-2) needs a win over FAU to assure itself of its second straight eight-win season and a second place finish in the Sun Belt standings. . . the Ragin' Cajuns are coming off of a 52-30 win over South Alabama on Saturday (Nov. 24), a win that improved Louisiana to 5-1 at home this year and 10-1 over the last two seasons at Cajun Field. . . Harry Peoples continued his remarkable senior campaign, making five catches for 166 yards and a touchdown, his fourth career 100-yard game. . . Javone Lawson returned to the lineup after missing three games with a wrist injury to catch three passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. . . kicker Brett Baer was perfect on all seven extra point attempts to break the school records for career extra points made (112) and attempted (119). . . Florida Atlantic (3-8, 2-5) has had an extra week to prepare for the contest, claiming a 34-24 win over FIU on Nov. 16. . . the Owls own a 5-2 lead in the all-time series, but the Cajuns won the most recent meeting, a 37-34 decision in Lafayette last year.
UL & The NCAA Statistics:
Ragin' Cajuns players were ranked in the top 50 nationally eight times in this week's NCAA statistics, which were released on Sunday. Brett Baer leads the list with three mentions, including in field goals (18th, 1.55), punting (30th, 42.6) and scoring (33rd, 8.6).
Series vs. Florida Atlantic:
Saturday's contest marks the eighth meeting between Louisiana and Florida Atlantic with the Owls owning a 5-2 lead. The series started in 2005 when FAU joined the Sun Belt in football and the teams have met every year since. Last year, the Cajuns snapped a four-game FAU winning streak with a 37-34 win in Lafayette. Louisiana is 1-2 in games played in Boca Raton.
Black Jerseys Being Auctioned Off:
The black jerseys that the Ragin' Cajuns wore in their 31-27 come-from-behind win over Western Kentucky on Nov. 17 are being auctioned off on RaginCajuns.com with the proceeds going to the football program. The first group of 20 jerseys -- which include the ones worn by Terrance Broadway (8), Torrey Pierce (41), Jake Molbert (59), Leonardo Bates (72) and Cordian Hagans (93) — are available for bids until 9:00 a.m. CST on Thursday (Nov. 29).
Odom Finally Takes A Break:
When senior Jaron Odom left the field for the final three offensive plays of the South Alabama game, it marked the first time in 23 games that Odom was not on the field for an offensive play, a streak of 1,577 conseuctive downs played. Odom lead the team by playing 925 of the 936 offensive downs in 2011, including the final 854 over the last 12 games of the year. He started 2012 with a similar streak, playing the first 723 downs before watching the last three on Saturday.
Anderson Closes In On The Century Mark:
With a game-high 10 tackles against South Alabama, junior linebacker Justin Anderson raised his team-leading tackle total to 92, good for sixth in the Sun Belt. Anderson now needs just eight tackles to become just the third Cajun in the last six seasons to total 100 or more tackles in a season, joining Lance Kelley (118 in 2011) and Antwyne Zanders (103 in 2009). Anderson started the year with just 21 tackles in his first two seasons.
Going Bowling:
After snapping a 41-year bowl-less stretch last year by earning a berth in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, the Ragin' Cajuns have done it again, receiving a bid to play in the 12th edition of the game on Dec. 22 in New Orleans. The Cajuns become just the fourth school in the history of the bowl to go to the bowl in back-to-back years, joining North Texas (2001-02-03-04) & Southern Miss (2004-05 & 2008-09).
Reed This:
With Alonzo Harris out of the lineup against South Alabama, Effrem Reed stepped in and turned in another strong game. He rushed 17 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns against South Alabama, scoring on runs of 19 and one yards. It was his fourth game of 50 yards or more rushing this season and first multiple touchdown game. For the year, Reed has carried 83 times for 411 yards and five touchdowns.
Scoring Balance:
Although Brett Baer is closing in on the season scoring record, the rest of the offense has featured scoring balance. Terrance Broadway leads the team with seven touchdowns while the trio of Alonzo Harris, Harry Peoples and Effrem Reed have five touchdowns each. Ten different Cajuns have at least three touchdowns this year, including Javone Lawson, who returned from injury last week to make his fourth TD catch of the year. The good news for Cajuns fans is that of the 10, seven will return in 2013.
Broadway Hits:
The storybook season for sophomore Terrance Broadway had another chapter added to it when he led the Cajuns back from a 10-point deficit with 6:00 remaining against WKU on Nov. 17 to make the Cajuns bowl eligible.
• Slated to serve as the backup this season to Blaine Gautier, he has played significant time in every game.
• At Troy on Sept. 8, he relieved Gautier (bruised ribs) in the second quarter and completed 10-of-16 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown while rushing eight times for 43 yards in leading the Ragin' Cajuns to the win.
• On Sept. 29 vs. FIU, he took over at the start of the second quarter when Gautier broke his hand and completed 15-of-19 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown and also ran the ball seven times for 28 yards with touchdown runs of 13 and four yards.
• Against Arkansas State on Oct. 23, Broadway set career highs for attempts (39), yards (374) and completions (28). The 374 yards was the eighth -highest single game total in school history.
• His best game came at ULM on Nov. 3 when he accounted for 460 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. He completed 23-of-32 passes for 373 yards and four TD's and rushed 13 times for 87 yards and a score.
• Against WKU on Nov. 17, he accounted for 403 of Louisiana's 582 yards if total offense. He rushed 14 times for a career-high 145 yards and a touchdown and completed 23-of-33 passes for 258 yards and a score. Down 27-17 with 6:00 left, he led the Cajuns to two touchdowns down the stretch, the last coming on his own 14-yard run, to give Louisiana the win.
• Threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns against South Alabama, his third 300-yard pasing game. He completed just 11 passes, averaging 27.7 yards per completion.
• For the season, he ranks first in Cajun history in completion percentage (.651), second in passing efficiency (152.9), fourth in total offense (2,896), fifth in passing touchdowns (15), sixth in passing yards (2,358) and seventh in completions (172).
The Men In Black:
The Ragin' Cajuns surprised their fans for the Nov. 17 game against Western Kentucky by wearing all black uniforms along with a re-designed black helmet. Since the game was promoted as a Black Out with fans in attendance wearing black, the Cajuns debuted the black helmet that featured a fleur de lis in place of the stacked Ragin' Cajuns logo during warmups but the squad was wearing their red uniforms tops with black pants. When the warmups were over and the team returned to the locker room, each player was greeted with a black uniform in their locker. The uniform featured a large Fleur de lis on the front with a small uniform number on the left shoulder. In place of the names on the back were one of four French words. . . fierté (which means pride), croire (believe), unité (unity) and combattre (fight).
Huval Named To Academic All-District Squad:
Center Andre Huval, who owns a 3.52 cumulative grade point average majoring in business accounting, was named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-District team, which is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. A 6-1, 305-pound junior from Scott, La., Huval has taken over a leadership role on a veteran offensive line, playing all but nine snaps this season. Earlier this fall, he was named to the preseason watch list for the Rimington Award, which goes to the nation's top center. Huval is now eligible for Capital One Academic All-America honors, which will be announced on Nov. 29.
Cajuns Excel At Cajun Field:
The win over South Alabama improved the Cajuns to 5-1 at home this year and 10-1 in the two seasons under head coach Mark Hudspeth. Included in that record was an eight-game win streak that began at the start of the 2011 season and included the first three games of this season. It was the third-longest in facility history.
Gautier Stands Out in Return:
After missing six straight games with a broken left (throwing) hand, senior Blaine Gautier returned to action against South Alabama. Taking over early in the fourth quarter, Gautier threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Maxwell on his first play under center and later led UL on a 46-yard drive for the final score of the game. Gautier was the starter for the Cajuns in the first four games before being injured early in the Florida International game.
As a junior in 2011, Gautier took over the starting assignment early in the year, going on to set UL season records for yards passing (2,958), passing touchdowns (23), completion percentage (.628), passing efficiency (153.6), total offense (3,444) and touchdowns responsible for (26).
The Peoples Choice:
With 1,000-yard receiver Javone Lawson on the sideline, senior receiver Harry Peoples has stepped up his performance. He has recorded five or more catches in a game seven times this year, including in each of the last five games that he has played in. Since coming back from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the Arkansas State game, Peoples has made 34 catches for 457 yards and two touchdowns. Included in those totals were 10 catches for 73 yards at Florida, a career-high 13 receptions for 144 yards against WKU and five catches for a season-high 166 yards vs. South Alabama. He now has four career games of 10 or more catches. With 60 catches for 772 yards, Peoples ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in receptions and yardage.
. . . And Peoples Reaches Receiving Milestones:
The 10 receptions against Florida allowed Harry Peoples to become the 11th receiver in UL history to make 100 receptions in a career. Peoples begins the week ranked eighth in UL history with 118 catches for 1,469 yards and six touchdowns in his career. With 60 catches this year, Peoples ranks sixth on the single season list.
. . . And Peoples Keys Win Over WKU:
Harry Peoples caught four pass for 49 yards on the game-winning drive against WKU, finishing the night with a career high 13 catches for 144 yards. He came one reception short of the school record of 14 set by Nick Dugas at Arkansas State on Oct. 13, 2001 while the 144 yards marked the third time in his career that he caught passes for more than 100 yards in a game. His previous career high was a 12-catch game vs. Florida Atlantic last season.
Protecting The QB:
Through 11 games, the Cajun offensive line ranks 18th nationally, allowing 12 quarterback sacks this year. Louisiana let up just one sack in the first four games. When Terrance Broadway took over at quarterback, the line had to adjust and gave up eight sacks over a three-game period. The adjustments have been made however as the Cajuns gave up just one sack at Florida, a team that ranks in the top five nationally in defense this season. Against Sun Belt sack leader WKU (Nov. 17), which had made 31 sacks in their first 10 games, without a sack. That is considerable improvement over the 2011 numbers when the Cajuns allowed 25 sacks totalling 169 yards lost in 13 games.
Baer Named To Mid-Season All-America Teams:
With the second half of the season in process, the national publications each released their mid-season All-America teams and senior kicker Brett Baer fared well. Baer was named a first team selection by ESPN.com, a second team choice by SI.com and a third team honoree by Phil Steele. Baer was the only Sun Belt athlete on any of the mid-season teams.
Mister Can You Spare A Dime:
The Cajuns threw a defensive twist at Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 3, and it appeared to work. UL opened the game and spent a good deal of the game in dime coverage, removing a linebacker and defensive lineman in favor of having two extra defensive backs on the field. On the first play, nose tackle Justin Hamilton and Jake Molbert were on the bench with first-time starters Trevence Patt and Sean Thomas in the secondary.
. . . Or Spare An Extra Lineman:
The defense made another major adjustment for the game at Florida, a change that has for the most part stuck, playing the majority of the game with a four-man front. Again, it paid off as UL registered a season-high five quarterback sacks and continually had the Gators in third and long situations. Emeka Onyenekwu, who went on to make a career-high nine tackles and 2.5 sacks, was the extra starter on the line with freshman linebacker Dominique Tovell moving to a backup role.
Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood:
With Javone Lawson sidelined, Jamal Robinson moved into a featured role and excelled. The sophomore caught eight passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns in the games against Arkansas State and ULM and then came back vs. WKU to make three grabs for 27 yards, including a five-yard touchdown catch that was pulled the Cajuns to within three points late in the game. For the year, Robinson has made 17 catches for 450 yards and three touchdowns, owning an impressive 26.5 yards per catch. He set career highs with five catches and 106 yards receiving against Arkansas State on Oct. 23 and came back to make three grabs for 153 yards and touchdowns of 52 and 81 yards at ULM.
. . . And Robinson Gets A Block:
Jamal Robinson turned in the special teams play of the day against South Alabama, blocking a 42-yard field goal attempt late in the first quarter that would have tied the game at 10-10. It was the first blocked field goal by a Cajun since Le'Marcus Gibson blocked one against North Texas on Oct. 15, 2011.
. . . And It Was Just The Second Miss:
The blocked field goal by Jamal Robinson marked just the second time this year that a Louisiana opponent missed a field goal attempt. In 11 games, Cajun opponents are now 22-for-24 on field goal attempts this season, including makes on the first 14 attempts of the year.
Baer Dominates As Punter:
One thing lost in the kicking exploits of Brett Baer has been his improvement as a punter. Baer, who was sixth in the SBC by averaging 40.3 yards on 79 punts in 2011, ranks 30th nationally (and first in the SBC) with a 42.6 average this year. More importantly, just 14 of his 48 punts have been returned for a total of 79 yards, allowing UL to rank second in the Sun Belt in net punting with a 38.1 average.
. . . And Just Two Touchbacks:
As a junior, Brett Baer punted 79 times with 27 kicks downed inside the 20. Even more impressive was that Baer had just five touchbacks. He has been even better in 2012, punting 48 times with 20 downed inside the 20 and two touchbacks. In the fourth quarter at UNT on Oct. 16, he had successive kicks of 38 yards that were downed inside the 2 and 58 yards downed inside the 1.
Standing Patt:
Given the opportunity to make his first career start in the win at ULM on Nov. 3, Trevence Patt made the most of it. The sophomore defensive back, who entered the game having made nine career tackles, boosted that total significantly by making five tackles, the second-highest total by a Cajun in the game. He remained in teh lineup and made four straight starts, entering the week with 21 tackles this year.
4th Down Exploits:
The Cajun defense has successfully stopped its opponents on seven of its nine fourth down conversion attempts. Four of the stops have come within the 25 and have figured prominently in a pair of UL wins. At Troy on Sept. 8, the Cajuns had stops at their 9 and 25 yard lines when the game was still close. The third stop vs. FIU when UL held on downs at their own 12 in the fourth quarter. On Oct. 16 at North Texas, the Cajun defense held on a fourth-and-goal at the 1. The only fourth down conversion came on a 4th-and-1 at Oklahoma State and on a 4th-and-3 at ULM. Last year, Louisiana opponents were 8-for-21 (.381) on fourth down.
Baer Kicks Way To The UL Record Book:
Senior kicker Brett Baer is enjoying an outstanding senior season, connecting on 17 of his 20 field goal attempts and 44-of-46 extra points this year. Baer. . .
. . . made his first seven field goal attempts to extend his streak of consecutive field goals made to 18 dating back to last year, breaking the Sun Belt record of 17 consecutive field goals made by La.-Monroe's Cole Wilson (2006-07) and besting Mike Shafer's UL school record of 14 consecutive field goals made, which was set in 1994.
. . . tied the school mark for points in a game by a kicker with 16 in the win over Lamar on Sept. 1. He equalled the record of 16 points by Rafael Septien (vs. San Jose State in 1974) and Mike Lemoine (vs. Central Michigan in 1989). Baer's 52-yard field goal to open the scoring was the longest of his career and tied for the seventh longest in school history.
. . . set a career high for field goals made in a game against Lamar, coming one field goal short of the UL school record of five shared by Rafael Septien (vs. San Jose State in 1974) and Mike Lemoine (vs. CMU in 1989).
The Baer Foot:
Just when senior kicker Brett Baer thought he had attempted enough kicks to qualify for the NCAA record for career field goal accuracy, a re-check of the record books shows that the NCAA has adjusted the minimum number of kicks required, leaving Baer eight attempts short of the record. The old record of .878 (43-49) by Florida's Bobby Raymond (1983-84) under a 45-attempt minimum has been replaced with a 55-attempt record of .895 by Nebraska's Alex Henery (2007-10), who was 68-of-76 in his career. Baer is currently just short of the record at .894 (42-47). Baer made all seven attempts in 2010 and was 18-for-20 last year to lead the country in field goal percentage (.900). He is 17-for-20 this year.
. . . And The Baer Truth:
Brett Baer turned in one of the best all-around kicking performances in UL history in 2011, earning second team All-Sun Belt honors as both a kicker and punter while also being a semifinalist for the Groza Award, which is given to the nation's top kicker. Baer. . .
. . . led the nation in field goal accuracy, making 18-of-20 attempts (.900).
. . . ended the season making his final 11 attempts, leaving him three short of Mike Shafer's school record of 14 straight field goals made set in 1994.
. . . recorded the second-highest field goal total in school history (18), one short of the record 19 by John Roveto.
. . . was 46-for-50 in extra points, four short of Drew Edmiston's record of extra points in 2008.
. . . led the team with 100 points, the third-highest total ever and the most by a kicker. He trailed only the 114 points by Tyrell Fenroy (2008) and Brian Mitchell (1988).
. . . won two games with field goals as time expired, a 26-yard kick vs. Florida Atlantic and a career-long 50-yard effort vs. San Diego State in the New Orleans Bowl.
Harris Nears 1,500 Yard Mark:
A 104-yard rushing effort against WKU on Nov. 17 has moved sophomore running back Alonzo Harris within 153 yards of reaching the 1,500 yard mark for his career. In 21 career games, Harris has carried 291 times for 1,347 yards and 13 touchdowns with four 100-yard rushing games. Harris gained 700 yards as a freshman in 2011 and has totalled 634 yards this season. A preseason All-Sun Belt choice this year, he ranks eighth in the league in rushing (63.4 ypg).
Baer Continues Moving Up The Charts:
A 10-point effort against South Alabama on Saturday has allowed Brett Baer to continue his climb up the various Louisiana season and career kicking lists. For the season, Baer ranks third in field goals (17) and both extra points made (44) and attempted (46), fourth in field goal attempts (20) and scoring (95). For his career, he is first in both extra points made (112) and attempted (119), third in scoring (238) and field goals made (42) and fourth in attempts (47).
. . . And Next Up, Baer Must Pass Himself:
With 17 field goals in 20 attempts, 44 extra points in 46 attempts and 95 points this year, Brett Baer is quickly closing in on. . . well. . . Brett Baer. In 2011, Baer ranked second in school history in field goals made (18) and both extra points made (46) and attempted (50), third in scoring (100) and fourth in field goals attempted (20). Baer enters the final regular season games within reach of surpassing each of those 2011 totals.
Hooray For Torrey:
Freshman Torrey Pierce has definitely caught the attention of the coaching staff. He carried five times for 72 yards and a pair of touchdowns against WKU on Nov. 17, that performance coming on the heels of a 13 carry, 72 yards effort in the win at ULM on Nov. 3. At the start of the season, Pierce found himself fourth on the depth chart at running back. He was buried behind a slew of talented runners, each of whom was a freshman or a sophomore. Waiting patiently for his opportunity, Pierce didn't play in either of the first two games and then got five rushes in lopsided games against Oklahoma State (5 carries, 12 yards), FIU (5-28) and Tulane (5-29). For the year, Pierce has carried 37 times for 225 yards and three touchdowns.
A Comeback For Stover:
Another feel good moment this season has been the return to the lineup of sophomore Hunter Stover, who has shared the kickoff chores with Brett Baer. Stover kicked off 47 times in the first eight games for the Cajuns last year before suffering a torn ACL in his right knee at Western Kentucky, requiring season-ending surgery. The surgery was nothing new to Stover. In high school, he tore the ACL in his left knee and a post-surgery infection required a second ACL replacement. The surgeries must have worked as Stover kicked off 26 times this year, recording eight touchbacks and a 62.8 average. Last year, he averaged 60.3 yards with only one touchback.
Brown Breaks In:
Junior receiver Bradley Brown saw the most significant action of his UL career against North Texas on Oct. 16, making six catches for 40 yards to raise his season totals to nine catches for 111 yards. Brown, a transfer from Northwestern State, saw minimal action in the first three games before making two catches for 68 yards against FIU and one grab for three yards vs. Tulane. In two seasons at NSU, Brown made 75 catches for 810 yards and four touchdowns, twice earning honorable mention all-league honors.
. . . And Blocks A Punt:
Bradley Brown turned in perhaps the biggest play against Florida, blocking a third quarter punt that Blake Comminie returned 22 yards for the score to put Louisiana ahead, 17-13.
The Wait Has Been Worth It For Gillis:
It took fifth-year senior Rodney Gillis more than four years to break into the starting lineup, but since earning his first start in the season opener, he has made the most of his playing opportunities. He is second in the Sun Belt and 20th nationally with four interceptions and is second on the team with 61 tackles this year, including a career-high 12 tackles against both Oklahoma State and North Texas. In the season opener against Lamar, he made his first career interception to end one drive and recovered a fumble on the next. He came back to make interceptions in each of the last two games. Gillis joined the program in 2008 and redshirted. He did not play during the 2009 campaign and then tore an ACL in his knee the following spring and missed the 2010 season. Gillis was able to play in 11 games as a reserve last season, making nine tackles.
Coaching Continuity:
UL is one of only 16 FBS schools to return the head coach and all nine assistant coaches from the previous season, according to research by Coachingsearch.com. To take things even further, the Cajuns also bring back the four graduate and administrative assistants on the coaching staff and all three weight room staff members. The other 15 schools with their entire coaching staff back are BYU, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia, Louisiana Tech, Miami (FL), Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Northwestern, Oregon, San Diego State, Texas, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
The Line That Plays Together, Stays Together:
Terrance Broadway should feel comfortable under center this year as four of the five starters on the offensive line return, each of whom played in almost 95-percent of the snaps last year. The quartet of seniors Leonardo Bates (LT) and Jaron Odom (RT), junior Andre Huval (C) and sophomore Daniel Quave (RG). The foursome combine to have made 112 career starts, including all the last 24 games together. Odom and Huval each played 925 of the 936 offensive snaps last year with Quave (890) and Bates (887) being not far behind. The fifth starter on the unit this year is Mykhael Quave, the younger brother of Daniel.
. . .And The Line Features Size:
The offensive line not only features experience, but size as well. The five starters average 6-4, 308 pounds, giving UL one of the biggest offensive lines in the SBC. The left side of the line features tackle Leonardo Bates (6-5, 296) and Mykhael Quave (6-5, 300) with Andre Huval (6-1, 290) at center. The right side of the line starts tackle Jaron Odom (6-6, 330) and guard Daniel Quave (6-3, 324).
Remembering Mickey:
The UL football team is honored to include on their helmets in 2012 a decal in memory of 21-year old UL student Mickey Shunick, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle and later murdered in the early morning hours on May 19. The football staff worked with the Shunick family to come up with the design of the decal. It features a drawing of a woman riding a bicycle with her hands in the air with the name Mickey underneath, a design that has become popular among the friends and family of Shunick. “We're just honored to do this for Mickey and her family,” head coach Mark Hudspeth said. “Obviously, what we do on the field doesn't even come close to the kind of courage and fight that she showed. We just want to remember one of our own in a way that would make her proud.”
A Little Of This. . .A Little Of That:
• The wins over Lamar and Troy to open the season allowed the Cajuns to start with a 2-0 record for only the second time since 1990 and the first since 2009.
• The 40-point halftime spread against Lamar allowed Mark Hudspeth to use 68 players in the game, the most since he took over the program (58 was old high vs. North Texas and Middle Tennessee in 2011).
• The 40-0 victory over Lamar on Sept. 1 marked the first shutout for the Cajuns since a 6-0 win at Florida Atlantic on Oct. 18, 2006, a span covering 69 games. Going even further back, the last shutout by a UL squad at Cajun Field came 54 home games prior in a 34-0 win over UAB on Sept. 21, 2002.
• The longest play of the season resulted in no points when Jamal Robinson caught an 86-yard pass from Blaine Gautier vs. Lamar. It was the longest non-scoring pass play in school history, besting the old record of 82 yards of Michael Desormeaux to Richie Falgout vs. FIU in 2008. It was also tied for the fourth-longest pass play as well.
• The Sept. 8 win at Troy saw a pair of extended streaks come to an end. It was the first victory in a road opener since upending Tulane, 48-6 on Sept. 1, 1990, a streak of 21 straight losses. It also halted Troy's 25-game win streak in home openers.
• The month of September has proven to be a good one for the Cajuns under head coach Mark Hudspeth as UL is now 6-2 during the month over the last two seasons. The only team to trip the Ragin' Cajuns up in September is Oklahoma State, which has been responsible for both UL losses in the month.
• In five games last year, the Cajuns drew 145,854 fans to set the school and SBC records for average attendance (29,171) and the SBC mark for total attendance. The total was a Cajun Field record for a five-game season, but fell short of the overall record of 163,143 set in 1976 when the Cajuns played seven home games. The 2011 season produced five of the top 15 crowds in Cajun Field history.
• The Cajuns also led all FBS schools in 2011 with an attendance increase of 11,788 fans per game. UL averaged just 17,383 fans per game in 2010 but improved to 29,171 last year to beat out Arizona State, Stanford, Iowa State, Temple, Florida State and Oklahoma State for the top honor.
• Five Cajuns were named to the 2012 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, which was determined by a vote of head coaches and select media throughout the conference. Seniors Melvin White (CB), Brett Baer (K), Leonardo Bates (OT) and Javone Lawson (WR) and sophomore Alonzo Harris (RB) were each honored.
Next Up:
The Ragin' Cajuns will have three weeks to get ready for their second straight bowl appearance, taking part in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 22 at 11:00 a.m. in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Terrence Williams Media Availability (Dec 12 2025)
Friday, December 12
Tyree Skipper Media Availability (Dec 12, 2025)
Friday, December 12
Jim Salgado Media Availability (Dec 12, 2025)
Friday, December 12
Michael Desormeaux Media Availability (Dec 12, 2025)
Friday, December 12
