University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Offense Rebounds From Slow Start To Control Practice
3/20/2012 6:03:00 PM | Football
LAFAYETTE, La. – Just like a football game in which the momentum changes after the halftime break, the 10th practice of the spring season for the Ragin' Cajuns football team featured a significant change midway through as the offense rebounded from a slow start to end the session on a high note.
The defense dominated the early part of the team session before the offense emerged in the final periods to win the final red zone drills.
“I thought for the first half of the practice, the defense did a great job of pressuring the quarterback and creating turnovers,” head coach Mark Hudspeth said. “They were really getting after it and the intensity showed.
“Things changed in the final part of the day when the offense regrouped and took over. That disappointed me because when we have to learn that when we are dominating defensively, we can't let up. We have to push even harder and finish the game strong.”
Hudspeth was pleased with the continued development of the several relative newcomers to the defense, singling out safeties Darius Barksdale and Rodney Gillis and linebacker Qyendarius Griffin.
Gillis has the most experience on the defensive side of the ball, making a pair of tackles last year while predominantly being used on special teams. Barksdale, who set a Mississippi Class 5A state record with 2,917 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior, sat out the year after transferring from Mississippi.
A former Mississippi Mr. Football in high school, Griffin rushed for 210 yards and three touchdowns last year as freshman, but really made his mark on special teams where he was third on the team with nine tackles. He requested to move to linebacker this spring and has stood out on a unit looking for regulars after losing a pair of starters from 2011.
“Those three guys made some plays today and that is a good sign,” Hudspeth said. “We have worked all spring to see which players are going to step up and claim so as the spring season winds down, it is good to see the players respond.”
After being pushed around early in the practice, the offense responded in the final quarter and finished strong. In the practice-ending red zone scrimmage, the offense scored touchdowns on four of its final five possessions.
“The offense came on and finished strong,” Hudspeth said. “I was happy to see Montrel Carter run the ball hard and (tight ends) Ian Thompson and Larry Pettis stepped up and made some plays.”
With four practices to go before the Cajuns end spring drills with the annual spring game on Saturday, March 31 at 1:00 p.m. at Cajun Field, Hudspeth expects UL to finish strong.
“We've worked hard this spring to give our players the opportunity to show themselves,” Hudspeth said. “Over the next 12 days, we want to continue to expediate the progress of the squad and continue to improve.”
The defense dominated the early part of the team session before the offense emerged in the final periods to win the final red zone drills.
“I thought for the first half of the practice, the defense did a great job of pressuring the quarterback and creating turnovers,” head coach Mark Hudspeth said. “They were really getting after it and the intensity showed.
“Things changed in the final part of the day when the offense regrouped and took over. That disappointed me because when we have to learn that when we are dominating defensively, we can't let up. We have to push even harder and finish the game strong.”
Hudspeth was pleased with the continued development of the several relative newcomers to the defense, singling out safeties Darius Barksdale and Rodney Gillis and linebacker Qyendarius Griffin.
Gillis has the most experience on the defensive side of the ball, making a pair of tackles last year while predominantly being used on special teams. Barksdale, who set a Mississippi Class 5A state record with 2,917 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior, sat out the year after transferring from Mississippi.
A former Mississippi Mr. Football in high school, Griffin rushed for 210 yards and three touchdowns last year as freshman, but really made his mark on special teams where he was third on the team with nine tackles. He requested to move to linebacker this spring and has stood out on a unit looking for regulars after losing a pair of starters from 2011.
“Those three guys made some plays today and that is a good sign,” Hudspeth said. “We have worked all spring to see which players are going to step up and claim so as the spring season winds down, it is good to see the players respond.”
After being pushed around early in the practice, the offense responded in the final quarter and finished strong. In the practice-ending red zone scrimmage, the offense scored touchdowns on four of its final five possessions.
“The offense came on and finished strong,” Hudspeth said. “I was happy to see Montrel Carter run the ball hard and (tight ends) Ian Thompson and Larry Pettis stepped up and made some plays.”
With four practices to go before the Cajuns end spring drills with the annual spring game on Saturday, March 31 at 1:00 p.m. at Cajun Field, Hudspeth expects UL to finish strong.
“We've worked hard this spring to give our players the opportunity to show themselves,” Hudspeth said. “Over the next 12 days, we want to continue to expediate the progress of the squad and continue to improve.”
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