Aug 17th:
Prime time: Cajuns' defense proving to have some bite
It only took Michael Desormeaux five snaps before the whispers started.
On a quarterback sprint out, Desormeaux threatened the defense with the run, then pulled up and hit a streaking Jason Chery behind a fooled secondary for a 64-yard touchdown bomb.
And just that quick, on the second series between UL's first team offense and defense during Saturday's scrimmage, the nightmare of the 2007 season was unraveling again at Cajun Field.
Or was it?
"We had a little down period toward the beginning, but then we got the momentum and built on that," UL senior linebacker Antwyne Zanders said. "We made progress today. I think everybody saw that."
Which, surprisingly, ended up being the story following the Cajuns' second scrimmage of fall camp.
By the end of nearly two hours and 28 scripted series, one of the Sun Belt Conference's worst units last year had dominated one of its best.
And it only seemed fitting that the day ended after a jarring tackle on running back Ian Roberts created a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Fred Okoye. That turnover came on play No. 5 to close a pair of possessions that started at the 5-yard line. The offense managed zero yards on the previous four snaps.
"Our defense showed they worked hard this summer and they're working hard in this camp," said Desormeaux. "They've got a backbone, man. They held up a lot of times in the red zone and that's what we need. We have to get a little better when we get down there, but they did a good job."
And what a change the day was for Cajun fans that experienced one failed defensive performance after another in 2007 as the program slid to 3-9.
Following are some 2007 defensive lowlights:
# UL was last in the Sun Belt in opponents' third-down conversion rate (45.8%).
# UL was next-to-last in passing percentage (63.0%), interceptions (9), rush defense (228.4 ypg), pass efficiency defense (142.7), opponents' first downs (281) and red zone defense, allowing opponents to convert 44-of-48 (91.7%) chances and score 37 touchdowns.
But that tide appears to be turning following a brilliant morning session just two weeks before the season-opener at Southern Miss.
With Desmoreaux at quarterback, the first team offense scored touchdowns on two of eight possessions - including All-American candidate Tyrell Fenroy scoring on a 45-yard burst. But other than that, the final six possessions were dominated by the defense, including a pair of fumble recoveries.
Overall in the scrimmage, UL's defense recovered five fumbles by Okoye, Daylon McCoy, Emeka Onyenekwu, Julian Jones and Grant Fleming, and had nine sacks. Redshirt freshman Chris Masson, a leading candidate to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Desormeaux, had a miserable scrimmage after being sacked eight times and completing just 2-of-8 passes for 43 yards.
"I looked on the schedule and we didn't play UL, so we'll see how we play against Southern Miss," defensive coordinator Kevin Fouquier said. "But if we continue to grow as a team - not just a defense, but as a team - I think this team has a chance to be pretty good.
"As a defense, we didn't hold up our end of the bargain last year, but that was last year. I hate to keep talking about last year - this is a whole new team with a whole new attitude. The kids worked too hard this summer."
Offensively, Desormeaux was productive, hitting 12 of his 18 passes for 192 yards, including the bomb to Chery early in the scrimmage. Fenroy was limited to three carries for 55 yards, while freshman Yobes Walker was the next-leading rusher with a team-high 12 carries for 47 yards.
Chery and freshman Ladarius Green - who caught a 4-yard TD pass from freshman Brady Thomas - each had three receptions. Chery's catches covered a team-best 83 yards.
Freshman quarterback Blaine Gautier had what amounted to a breakout performance by completing all six of his passes for 90 yards. The Lutcher High grad also rushed six times for 53 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown run.
But the offense only managed a 4-yard scoring run by Matt Dupre during its 12 possessions in the second half of the scrimmage. The defense, on the other hand, created three turnovers and had three sacks.
"It was a better scrimmage today then it was last Saturday and that shows we're improving," UL coach Rickey Bustle said. "You take the good things and you build on them, and you correct the bad things. And sometimes on film things aren't ever as good or bad as they seem, so the obvious things we can correct hopefully, and just keep building on them."
The Cajuns will be off today and return to their regular 3:30 p.m. practice schedule on Monday and Tuesday. Camp closes on Wednesday with the team's final preseason scrimmage at Cajun Field.
