Game Week- Louisiana

[Wulaw Horn 18963]

I didn’t see it started. The fall camp is nothing but beer talk. 
We’ve got our QB named.  We are healthy-ish. 
We have substantial talent at every level on the defense. 
We have a plus offensive line (probably)
We have the best RB room in college football

Our TE’s are now sponsored by Surly- what could possibly go wrong there  

I’d rather not talk about the WR core- but presumably Sark can scheme around that and there’s always Kai Money  

We have a staff not run by a room temperature moron or a sociopath, or a burn out who was coasting on the fumes of a previous decades good work 

The line is texas -8 and the over under is 58  

I say we fuck them up and win by 21 on our way to the biggest surprise season since Shock The Nation in 1990  

What a glorious week.  Rejoice- game week is upon us  

 

[Hagbard Celine 10734]

this game is going to be a bitch

this team is better than the terrapins that took down the turtle

TEXAS!

[Wulaw Horn 18963]

1 minute ago, Hagbard Celine said:

this game is going to be a bitch

this team is better than the terrapins that took down the turtle

TEXAS!

This is absolutely true. I think we will be very good this year. 

[Iguana 229]

My wish list includes:

1.Winning

2. Blocking a punt.

If we block a punt we will be set up for the rest of the year for awesome punt returns. 

[Walden Ponderer 12639]

13 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

this game is going to be a bitch

this team is better than the terrapins that took down the turtle

TEXAS!

Louisiana is better than Maryland, by a wide margin.

They would crush a Tom Herman or Charlie Strong Texas team.

So the question, really, becomes whether or not our new coaching staff is legit. Are they at least smart enough to limit chunk yards on D, and rely on their RBs and to a lesser extent TEs to grind out yards and points? Or is the game plan to throw 50 unblocked WR screens and hope something happens?

[LTtxfan 48928]

Why 'methodical' football coach Billy Napier is taking his time at Louisiana

It's going to take something special to get Billy Napier to leave Louisiana. John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

6:00 AM    Alex Scarborough ESPN Staff 

Quote

LAFAYETTE, La. -- Billy Napier isn't in a hurry. The football coach sits in his office at the University of Louisiana on a Friday morning earlier this month, leans back in a red leather chair and waits patiently for the question he knows is coming: What's he still doing here?

It's blunt, but there's a sense the 42-year-old can see through useless subtlety. So, sure, wonder aloud why arguably the hottest commodity on the coaching market remains at a relative outpost less than an hour's drive from in-state powerhouse LSU but a world away from all the money and resources and bells and whistles afforded to college football's elite.

On paper, Napier should have left for greener pastures by now. His résumé includes time with Nick Saban and with Dabo Swinney, and he has won big at a place unaccustomed to winning. UL is coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons -- the only 10-win seasons in its history.

His reason for staying is complex. It's part upbringing. It's part that a roller-coaster start to his career caused him to rethink everything. Something special would have to come along for him to leave this place, which has an active swamp in the middle of campus and is surrounded by some of the best talent in the country.

He loves it, Napier says, "this little Cajun culture."

He's his father's son, devoid of flash, having grown up around high school football fields in rural Georgia with his father coaching at the same high school for more than 20 years. Napier played quarterback in the FCS, and his first full-time job was in the MEAC. When UL gave him a new vehicle as one of the perks of his contract, he turned it down. Instead he drives to work every day in his own nondescript, years-old white Ford Explorer.

During each of the past two offseasons, after his name was connected to job openings at places such as Mississippi State, South Carolina and Auburn, he has made statements reaffirming his commitment to UL.

It's not that he didn't think about leaving. Fielding calls during the coaching carousel each winter is enough to make his head spin, he says.

He listened because he's pragmatic and, like everyone in this sport, a competitor. He's confident in his plan and enjoys a challenge, otherwise he never would have come to UL in the first place. "Methodical" is one word staff often use to describe him.

Despite everything the Ragin' Cajuns already have accomplished, he talks about how there's more to be done. Winning a share of the Sun Belt last season was nice, but they want the whole thing. They want to upset Texas in the season opener Saturday. They want to avenge last season's loss to Coastal Carolina, reach a New Year's Six bowl and establish themselves as the top program in the Group of 5.

Maybe after all that, he'll be ready to move on.

Maybe not.

In college football, the window of opportunity can close quickly on up-and-coming coaches. But on the eve of his fourth season in Lafayette, Napier isn't anxious about his career prospects.

His patience has been a virtue that led him to this place and this moment. He's not changing now.

Billy Napier played quarterback at the FCS level at Furman. Alex McMahan/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

HERE'S THE THING about Napier: He has been that guy before. He was only 38 when he got this job -- his first as a head coach -- but this is already his second act in coaching. He was once that young and ambitious hotshot, certain he had it all figured out.

When Swinney became the full-time head coach at Clemson in 2009, he elevated a 30-year-old Napier to offensive coordinator, making him the youngest playcaller in the Power 5. At the time, Swinney called Napier "one of the finest young coaches in the nation" and one who "will be a head coach someday."

Two years later, Swinney fired him.

After Clemson fell from third to 10th in the ACC in points per game, Napier had to drive home and explain to his wife that he was no longer employed. He had poured everything he had into his career, and not in a healthy way. He was a self-described workaholic, getting to the office by 6 a.m. and not leaving until close to midnight.

"I've been on that roller coaster where you think you're going to the top," he says, admitting he was arrogant at the time. "And then you get the rug pulled out from under you."

Getting fired was a humbling experience. He was forced to re-center himself, he says, and accept his reality.

A few weeks after he was let go, Napier got a call that would test his newfound perspective. Saban wanted him to come to Alabama, but he didn't have a coordinator or even a position coach opening available. He offered the role of analyst instead, meaning Napier would not coach in a hands-on capacity.

This was well before Saban had popularized the analyst role, bringing in former head coaches such as Butch Jones, Steve Sarkisian and Mike Locksley. If Napier accepted, it was going to be a very public step down, essentially rewinding his career clock to a decade earlier when he was a graduate assistant straight out of college.

He said yes.

Reinvigorated by the opportunity to learn from arguably the greatest coach in college football history, Napier confirmed some of his core beliefs as a coach and reevaluated others. He began to better understand the value of organization and saw the benefits of delegating to others. Everyone worked hard, of course, but he noticed how they did their best not to get bogged down in minutiae. In other words: With so many people in supporting roles, the workaholic in Napier could have more balance in his life, maybe take a day off every once in a while.

He became a right-hand man to offensive coordinator Jim McElwain, and when McElwain left the next season to become the head coach at Colorado State, Napier followed, returning to on-field coaching. When Saban called a second time to bring him back to Alabama as a receivers coach a year later, he said yes again.

But just as he was getting reacquainted with Tuscaloosa, Napier received devastating news. Right before the season was about to begin, his father had been diagnosed with ALS.

"The reality is, look, he's getting ready to go through a very difficult downhill descent here," Napier says. "There's no cure, there's no doctor, there's no medicine, there's nothing."

Seeing his father navigate such an excruciating disease was gut-wrenching but also inspiring. He saw no self-pity, no temper tantrums in the face of such an unfair outcome.

"That changes you," Napier says, "and I think for good."

Learning from Nick Saban helped reinvigorate Billy Napier's career. Mickey Welsh, Montgomery Advertiser

ON THE TOP floor of Louisiana's new athletic facility, on a wall leading to Napier's office, is a pyramid of 3D boxes that serves as a sort of road map to the upcoming season. There's a box for each regular-season opponent, for the Sun Belt West and for the Sun Belt Conference as a whole. Beneath each box is one of the program's core values -- words like "INTEGRITY" and "RESPECT."

Atop the pyramid is a box with the Ragin' Cajuns logo above the logo of each of the Group of 5 conferences, a nod to the stated goal of being the top program in the G5.

The words inscribed underneath that box are "BE THE DIFFERENCE" and "MAKE AN IMPACT."

They're guiding principles that come straight from Napier's father, who died in 2017.

"He could tell that the ALS thing was eating me up, that I was out of sorts and found it to be challenging," Napier recalls. "So he sat me down and says, 'Look, we're not going to make excuses here, we're not going to complain. We're going to try to make an impact. We're going to try to use this and be a difference-maker.'"

There's a purely football way of looking at those two principles; they're about helping teammates and the program as a whole. But Napier says it's also a lesson for the young coaches here about when they encounter a fork in the road during their careers to make the right turn and be a difference-maker in a positive way.

His time at the crossroads came early, and he made the right decision. He listened to his father and spent four seasons at Alabama. He then broadened his roots by going West to Arizona State and soon afterward found himself as a 38-year-old in the running to take over a program in UL that had fallen on hard times. Its previous coach, Mark Hudspeth, had been fired and had some of his wins vacated due to NCAA sanctions.

Napier knew from his time recruiting at Alabama what a talent-rich area it was. Saban had once left Michigan State for LSU because he understood that no state in the country produced more NFL players per capita than Louisiana.

UL athletic director Brian Maggard saw Napier as someone well beyond his years. He speaks deliberately and takes copious notes.

The only person Maggard says he has ever met like Napier is Bill Snyder, the white-haired dean of coaches who retired from Kansas State at the age of 79. But most of all, Maggard was impressed by Napier's vision.

He came in with a plan. He was determined to beef up the Cajuns' support staff à la Alabama, and because they couldn't afford the same salaries as Saban, he relied on volunteers and young coaches eager to get their start.

His staff meetings even look like Alabama's, with Napier surrounded by some 40 people each morning as he outlines the day ahead. And that's not counting folks in the weight room and nutrition staff, which basically didn't exist before his arrival.

Before a practice recently, a staffer who spent time at Alabama was asked how Napier and Saban differ. He thought for a minute, then another, then shook his head in defeat.

"One guy coaches offense and the other coaches defense," he says. "That's it."

There's no detail too small for Napier to consider. An athletic administrator recalled how Napier once asked him why the team website wouldn't allow the roster to list heights down to the 1/4 inch. While most schools would fudge Levi Lewis' height up to a more quarterback-friendly 6 feet, Louisiana lists him at 5-foot-10.

Linebacker Lorenzo McCaskill joined the program shortly after Napier's arrival in 2017 and felt the impact of his new coach's plan immediately. He watched as Napier pulled together a fractured locker room and was blown away by his level of organization.

"He can tell you what he's gonna do in the next 15 minutes, the next hour, the next two hours," McCaskill says. "He has his whole day planned out, and he can tell you what he's doing around this time next year."

The result is a program that has gone 28-11 in three years. And for the first time in the modern era, the Ragin' Cajuns enter the season ranked.

"I don't know if the word 'surprise' is correct, but certainly it has happened very quickly," Maggard says of UL's rapid ascent under Napier. "Did I think he had the potential to do this and potentially have a sense of success in his first few years? Yes. But to the point of 10-win seasons in Years 2 and 3? It's been a very pleasant experience and ride so far, I'll say that."

But like any ride, it begs the question: When will it end?

UL pays Napier $2 million a year, less than what a handful of Power 5 assistant coaches make. Bryan Harsin took a long-awaited step from Boise State to Auburn this offseason and will earn $5.25 million per year as the Tigers' head coach.

While there was some consternation internally when Napier's name was connected to South Carolina's job opening, Maggard insists he wasn't worried Napier would leave. Maggard believes he has a feel for the boxes Napier wants to check in his next job, and so far, they have yet to be met.

"My intention is to keep him around here as long as humanly possible," Maggard says. "I absolutely believe he can and should be the winningest coach in program history. If this was his first and last head-coaching job, he wouldn't find anybody any happier."

Billy Napier's Ragin' Cajuns have had two straight 10-win seasons, the only 10-win seasons in UL's history. Scott Clause/Montgomery Advertiser via USA TODAY NETWORK

INDUSTRY SOURCES DON'T anticipate a lifetime stint for Napier in Lafayette. There's an anticipation that he'll leave when the right job comes along -- one with a track record of winning, a commitment to football and a clear alignment from the school president to the athletic director.

To that end, Maggard says he'll be happy to help Napier with his next opportunity -- "one he really wants," he says.

Looking ahead, Virginia Tech could be an intriguing option, should it become available, and it's hard to escape the potential of LSU, considering its proximity.

While Napier awaits those difficult conversations to come, he's content where he is. He appreciates that his president is "passionate about athletics" and how he has a good relationship with Maggard, whom he calls a "rising star."

And that's to say nothing of the players. Twenty of 22 starters are back from last year. The offense is poised to be even more dynamic with Lewis returning at quarterback and some young talented receivers ready to make an impact. The defense could be flat-out great with Zi'Yon Hill wreaking havoc on the line and Bralen Trahan and Eric Garror back patrolling the secondary.

Napier has stayed as long as he has in part because of how he has recruited and developed his roster. These kids, he says, are different. They're not sitting around and waiting for the day they'll be drafted.

"They're thinking about, 'I love to play, I love to be a part of the team, I love the things that come with this game,'" he says. "You know, I have a lot of fun with it."

Coaching the players here and becoming part of this community feels a lot like what he grew up watching his dad do at Murray County High School in Chatsworth, Georgia. Maybe he didn't have the best talent, but he built something over two decades there.

Napier smiles and chuckles to himself, thinking about a memory from middle school.

Dad was offered a lot of jobs back then, he says, but this time he was really considering an opportunity that would bring in some more money. And while that in itself was cause for panic for Napier and his brother, Matt, it wasn't the worst of it.

The job was with their rival in a neighboring county.

The boys were distraught. They were all-in on Murray County. They hated their rivals.

No, they told their dad, no way.

Defiant, they said that if he went, well, "We're not going!"

It might have been the only time they ever threatened their dad, which causes Napier to laugh again.

Dad stayed, and the school board put a new roof on the house as a sort of thank-you.

Three decades later, his son stayed where he was and UL gave him a $1 million raise.

It's funny because on the face of it, the situations are so wildly different yet from where Napier sits, they feel so much the same.

It's clear that Napier is holding on to something here, a version of football that's purer than what awaits him at the next level. "Certain things come with that," he says bluntly.

Which isn't to say that he doesn't believe how he coaches won't work at a high-profile program. He's confident it can, but he's still trying to work out how in his head.

"What's it going to look like?" he asks. "How do you create the quality of life and the pace that you want to have?"

He has seen a lot, he explains.

"And I think I'm fortunate in that regard," he says. "So I kind of feel like I know when I've got something that's pretty good."

 

[immamac 42492]

2 minutes ago, Walden Ponderer said:

Louisiana is better than Maryland, by a wide margin.

They would crush a Tom Herman or Charlie Strong Texas team.

So the question, really, becomes whether or not our new coaching staff is legit. Are they at least smart enough to limit chunk yards on D, and rely on their RBs and to a lesser extent TEs to grind out yards and points? Or is the game plan to throw 50 unblocked WR screens and hope something happens?

Yeah man. A bunch of 3 stars and leftover whatever recruits are so good. They will match up awesome against our 4 and 5 stars that actually have coaches with brains. 

Like get the fuck out of here with the Louisiana is good hot takes. 

[Walden Ponderer 12639]

1 minute ago, immamac said:

Yeah man. A bunch of 3 stars and leftover whatever recruits are so good. They will match up awesome against our 4 and 5 stars that actually have coaches with brains. 

Like get the fuck out of here with the Louisiana is good hot takes. 

Oh, they *shouldn't* match up. But then, Maryland *shouldn't* have matched up, either. So, are we really smarter than we were then? Hope so, but show me.

[immamac 42492]

Sark just won a national championship as an OC and had one of the most competent offenses in history and you think that he magically got fucking retarded coming to Texas and keeping the majority of his support staff?

I get it, Sark may not beat ISU and OU, but this Louisiana team is dogshit. 

[ousux 5586]

Louisiana is better than Maryland, by a wide margin.
They would crush a Tom Herman or Charlie Strong Texas team.
So the question, really, becomes whether or not our new coaching staff is legit. Are they at least smart enough to limit chunk yards on D, and rely on their RBs and to a lesser extent TEs to grind out yards and points? Or is the game plan to throw 50 unblocked WR screens and hope something happens?

Are they though? They beat ISU last year courtesy of special team breakdowns by the clones. Look at the rest of their schedule..took overtime to beat Georgia State by 3, beat Georgia Southern by 2, lost to Coastal Carolina, 4 point win over UAB, allowed Texas State to put up 34 points and on and on. Their only blowout win was Louisiana Monroe which wasnt a good team last year.

Not saying they wont have some good athletes on the field and if we struggle early with a new QB/offense/defense anyone can beat us, but I think they have a lot in common with aggy in the fact their record against sub par competition (and signature win) makes them look better than they really are.

[LTtxfan 48928]

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns: CFN College Football Preview 2021

By Pete Fiutak | August 8, 2021 2:52 pm CT

Quote

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns College Football Preview 2021: Offense

– The offense was supposed to be efficient and occasionally explosive, and it was. The Ragin’ Cajuns averaged 423 yards and 34 points per game, but for all of the talent and experience, it should’ve done more – especially on the ground.

Now everyone is back except for two very, very big parts in the backfield. Elijah Mitchell and Trey Regas combined for over 1,600 yards and 18 touchdowns, and now the offense needs the lighter, smaller combination of Chris Smith and Michael Orphey to take over behind …

– Louisiana should have the strongest offensive line in the Sun Belt. This group was among the best in the nation in pass protection and was fifth in tackles for loss allowed. All five starters and most of the key backups return around all-stars Max Mitchell at tackle and O’Cyrus Torrence at guard.

– Levi Lewis is going into his fifth year at quarterback – doing most of his work in the last two seasons – but for all his success and all his experience, he had a worse passing season than he did in 2019. He ran better, but he wasn’t quite as accurate. In comes Lance Legendre from Maryland to push for the backup job.

The receiving corps is loaded with experience. 6-3 Kyren Lacy led team with 28 catches for 364 yards and four scores, and 6-3 Jalen Williams made even more deep plays and scored four times. Adding another big body is 6-2 Peter LeBlanc, who finished third with 23 catches. The tight ends are back, too.

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns College Football Preview 2021: Defense

– The Louisiana defense was great at taking the ball away, it was one of the nation’s most efficient against the pass, and it allowed just 355 yards and 22 points per game. The pass D gave up just 171 yards per game and picked off 16 throws.

All-star safety Bralen Trahan intercepted four passes, corners Eric Garror and Mekhi Garner each came up with three, and they can all tackle.

– Top two tacklers Lorenzo McCaskill (83) and Ferrod Gardner (74) are back to lead the linebacking corps. There’s not a ton of size, but there’s plenty of depth, lots of speed, and a whole bunch of playmakers.

Gardner is great at getting in the backfield – he’s the team’s best pass rusher – from his spot on the inside, and Chauncey Manac is like a hybrid pass rusher on the outside.

– The D wasn’t all hat great against the run, but the line has bulk and a whole lot of experience. 283-pound junior Zi’Yon Hill is the best interior pass rusher and finished third on the team in tackles. 6-5, 333-pound All-Sun Belt performer Tayland Humphrey is a load on the inside.

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns College Football Preview 2021: Top Players

Best Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Offensive Player

QB Levi Lewis, Sr.
Can he improve just a wee bit more as a passer? He ran more in 2020, and he’s been a great leader for the attack for a whole lot of big wins, but he also completed 8-of-23 passes in the close win over Appalachian State, was too inconsistent, and he needs to get his completion percentage up over 60%.

He’s careful with the ball and he’s able to move the chains, but now he’ll have to do even more without his top backs to help carry the attack. Be shocked if he doesn’t finish his career with well over 1,000 yards rushing, close to 9,000 yards passing, and with at least 70 touchdown throws.

2. OT Max Mitchell, Jr.
3. OG O’Cyrus Torrence, Soph.
4. WR Kyren Lacy, RFr.
5. WR Jalen Williams, Sr.

Best Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Defensive Player

DT Zi’Yon Hill, Jr.
A key to the Ragin’ Cajun D line over the last few years, the 6-1, 283-pound veteran has made 149 tackles with 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss over his last three seasons. He’s not massive, but that’s what 333-pound Tayland Humphrey is there for – his job is to eat up everything against the run. Expect a third straight All-Sun Belt season with volume tackles in the interior.

2. LB Lorenzo McCaskill, Jr.
3. LB Ferrod Gardner, Sr.
4. S Bralen Trahan, Jr.
5. CB/KR Eric Garror, Jr.

Top Incoming Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Transfer

RB Jacob Kibodi, Jr.
How do you possibly replace a rushing tandem as strong as Elijah Mitchell and Trey Regas? Louisiana has options, but they best ones are quick and shifty. Enter 6-2, 220-pound Jacob Kibodi from Texas A&M. He only got 45 carries over his three years, but he averaged six yards per pop and scored twice.

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns College Football Preview 2021: Keys To The Season

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Biggest Key: Offense

Be a little better running the ball, and do it without the stars. More on this in a second in the Key Player part, but Elijah Mitchell and Trey Regas combined to run for close to 7,000 yards and 79 touchdowns over their career. Now the Ragin’ Cajuns have to be stronger running the ball without those two.

Along with LB Joe Dillon, those running backs are the only big talent losses, but there are plenty of options ready to step in.

However, the ground game – as good as it was averaging over five yards per carry and hitting 200 yards six times, it wasn’t close to being as dominant and dynamic in 2019. It has to hover around 200 on a weekly basis after not coming all that close four times.

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Biggest Key: Defense

Generate more of a pass rush. The defense was great overall, and it was amazing at coming up with takeaways, but it struggled on third downs and it all showed in the time of possession battle.

It can be fixed by doing more to get behind the line.

Louisiana only averaged 4.3 tackles for loss per game with 47 on the year, and the team went from 33 sacks to 19. Granted, there were three fewer games, but the D has to average closer to 2.5 sacks per game rather than the 1.73 of 2020.

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Key Player To A Successful Season

RB Chris Smith, Soph.
There are other backs in the mix – and Jacob Kibodi is coming in from Texas A&M – but Smith is the most experienced. The 5-9, 194-pound third-leading rusher came up with 350 yards getting a few carries per game and averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

Fast, he can be used more as a receiver and a kick returner, but the offense needs a star back to work around.

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Key Game To The 2021 Season

at Arkansas State, Oct. 21
There might be bigger games overall on the slate against Appalachian State and Georgia Southern – how does the Sun Belt not figure out how to get Louisiana and Coastal Carolina together? – but those are against the other division.

To get to the Sun Belt title game from the West – which is FAR easier than the East – it might take a win on the road over what should be a resurgent Arkansas State team.

2020 Louisiana Ragin Cajuns Fun Stats

– Sacks: Louisiana 19 for 126 yards – Opponents 9 for 69 yards
– Yards Per Play: Louisiana 6.3 – Opponents 4.9
– Time of Possession: Opponents 31:32 – Louisiana 28:28 

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns College Football Preview 2021: What Will Happen, Season Prediction

You probably have Billy Napier for one more year, Louisiana.

You could’ve said that two years ago, too – and I certainly did – but now the resumé is too fantastic to ignore.

28-11 in three seasons, 21-4 last year, three division titles, a share of the Sun Belt Championship last year, three bowl appearances and wins in the last two. And the crazy part about it all was that the Ragin’ Cajuns weren’t quite as strong in their amazing 10-1 2020 season as they were in 2019.

They can do more with the ground game, be stronger against the run, do a better job on third downs, be more efficient in the red zone, cut down on the penalties, improve the passing attack down the field …

They can be better – and they will be.

Even in this crazy year of the super-senior, Louisiana has as much returning talent as anyone in America, the depth is there, and Napier and his staff have found a groove that makes a Sun Belt title run part of the expectations.

SET THE LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS REGULAR SEASON WIN TOTAL AT … 9

Can the Ragin’ Cajuns do to Texas what they did to Iowa State last year? That’s the opener, and while there’s no Coastal Carolina in Sun Belt play, going to Arkansas State, Georgia Southern and Troy will all be dangerous, and dealing with Appalachian State has always been tough for this program.

Throw in the road date at Liberty – one of the teams with as much if not more experience as Louisiana – and it might be tough to get to double-digit wins again, at least without a Sun Belt Championship and/or a bowl victory.

 

[Zeus 5943]

 

 

 

 

 

[D3zii 3637]

[TankedBevo 2482]

Mudhole.jpg

[RexWilson 1341]

24 minutes ago, immamac said:

Sark just won a national championship as an OC and had one of the most competent offenses in history and you think that he magically got fucking retarded coming to Texas and keeping the majority of his support staff?

I get it, Sark may not beat ISU and OU, but this Louisiana team is dogshit. 

This. We all know it takes about two years after winning a national championship as an OC and having a competent offense while keeping the majority of the support staff before the coach becomes magically fucking retarded.

[South Austin 52037]

I’m sure Ida is going to take some toll on the Louisiana team.

[Wulaw Horn 18963]

1 minute ago, RexWilson said:

This. We all know it takes about two years after winning a national championship as an OC and having a competent offense while keeping the majority of the support staff before the coach becomes magically fucking retarded.

To be fair, literally everyone knew his staff was G5 ass my dude other than him. 
this staff is pretty universally liked other than WR and maybe secondary, and this isn’t the easiest group in the world to please. 

[Xcalibur 546]

We’re going to fuck ULaLa up.  We’ll hit them harder than Ida.

[westexhorn 2006]

48 minutes ago, Walden Ponderer said:

Louisiana is better than Maryland, by a wide margin.

They would crush a Tom Herman or Charlie Strong Texas team.

So the question, really, becomes whether or not our new coaching staff is legit. Are they at least smart enough to limit chunk yards on D, and rely on their RBs and to a lesser extent TEs to grind out yards and points? Or is the game plan to throw 50 unblocked WR screens and hope something happens?

Herman plays well against ranked opponents though.

Their weakness is against the run game.  We will run it down their throats all game long.  Also our defense will clamp down on their run game.  As long as QB play is average, we win.

They caught Iowa State flat footed but doubt that's the case this time, especially since they are ranked.

Edited August 29, 2021 by westexhorn

[Vertigo 20257]

28 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

Can the Ragin’ Cajuns do to Texas what they did to Iowa State last year? That’s the opener, and while there’s no Coastal Carolina in Sun Belt play, going to Arkansas State, Georgia Southern and Troy will all be dangerous, and dealing with Appalachian State has always been tough for this program.

Throw in the road date at Liberty – one of the teams with as much if not more experience as Louisiana – and it might be tough to get to double-digit wins again, at least without a Sun Belt Championship and/or a bowl victory.

I am losing sleep at night guys.. Please someone talk me off the ledge. 

Edited August 29, 2021 by Vertigo

[horngasm21 18]

It's going to be up to Card to win. They are going to focus on Bijan on Defense.

[fatheryeet 1531]

boots to asses

[Nueces River Rat 5528]

12 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I’m sure Ida is going to take some toll on the Louisiana team.

Yep. That’s what I posted on another thread.   The upside is they had the beginning of summer camp to prepare for this game.   The logistics of game week prep might take a toll however.   I saw LSU and Tulane relocated to other cities to prepare for this week .   

[chase25 2048]

Whether Louisiana is better than Maryland is irrelevant, this program hasn’t been good enough for the past 10 years to be taking anybody lightly. 
 

Until we get away from living and dying by the play at the QB position, we will be stuck in this state of glorified mediocrity.

[futureman 22411]

54 minutes ago, immamac said:

Yeah man. A bunch of 3 stars and leftover whatever recruits are so good. They will match up awesome against our 4 and 5 stars that actually have coaches with brains. 

Like get the fuck out of here with the Louisiana is good hot takes. 

they are terrible? we should win… convincingly?

[Wishbone 4731]

One of the main things that I am interested in is finding out how well this staff makes in-game adjustments. We haven’t had a staff with that (positive) capability in a long time.

[IDIOTsavant 8437]

[Bullneck 18976]

58 minutes ago, immamac said:

Sark just won a national championship as an OC and had one of the most competent offenses in history and you think that he magically got fucking retarded coming to Texas and keeping the majority of his support staff?

I get it, Sark may not beat ISU and OU, but this Louisiana team is dogshit. 

It's happened before. 🙄

[perfectchaos007 6593]

Joseph Ossai's bro plays for ULL. Hopefully he doesn't ball out against us

[Vertigo 20257]

1 minute ago, Bullneck said:

It's happened before. 🙄

The two areas of the greatest failure in our last decade have been on defense and on the offensive line. That is where we have arguably our two best assistant coaches on the staff right now. It won't be perfect, but I expect our line to be substantially improved, especially in pass pro. Our D is going to shut down some teams this year, and it wouldn't surprise me a bit of ULL was one of them. 

[Huckleberry 32685]

They're not terrible but they're overrated as fuck. They beat Matt Campbell in his annual early season rub shit all over himself game. The rest of their schedule:

W Georgia State 34-31 (OT)
W Georgia Southern 20-18
L Coastal Carolina 27-30
W UAB 24-20
W Texas State 44-34
W Arkansas State 27-20
W South Alabama 38-10
W Louisiana-Monroe 70-20
W Appalachian State 24-21
W UTSA 31-24

That is garbage. They're overrated Cinderella media darlings, we will find out how under, over, or correctly rated we are on Saturday.

[BigHorn'13 3352]

37 minutes ago, RexWilson said:

This. We all know it takes about two years after winning a national championship as an OC and having a competent offense while keeping the majority of the support staff before the coach becomes magically fucking retarded.

Can't tell if this is sarcasm but holy fuck balls batman! Terrible 

[RomaVicta 29756]

1 hour ago, Walden Ponderer said:

Louisiana is better than Maryland, by a wide margin.

They would crush a Tom Herman or Charlie Strong Texas team.

So the question, really, becomes whether or not our new coaching staff is legit. Are they at least smart enough to limit chunk yards on D, and rely on their RBs and to a lesser extent TEs to grind out yards and points? Or is the game plan to throw 50 unblocked WR screens and hope something happens?

Crush a Herman team? Every fucking game no matter the opponent was 7 point margin shitfight.

Louisiana should be taken seriously, but they're not a rolling ball of butcher knives. 

[Huckleberry 32685]

1 hour ago, Walden Ponderer said:

Louisiana is better than Maryland, by a wide margin.

They would crush a Tom Herman or Charlie Strong Texas team.

So the question, really, becomes whether or not our new coaching staff is legit. Are they at least smart enough to limit chunk yards on D, and rely on their RBs and to a lesser extent TEs to grind out yards and points? Or is the game plan to throw 50 unblocked WR screens and hope something happens?

This is wrong.

[Herpa Derpa 6105]

28 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

They're not terrible but they're overrated as fuck. They beat Matt Campbell in his annual early season rub shit all over himself game. The rest of their schedule:

W Georgia State 34-31 (OT)
W Georgia Southern 20-18
L Coastal Carolina 27-30
W UAB 24-20
W Texas State 44-34
W Arkansas State 27-20
W South Alabama 38-10
W Louisiana-Monroe 70-20
W Appalachian State 24-21
W UTSA 31-24

That is garbage. They're overrated Cinderella media darlings, we will find out how under, over, or correctly rated we are on Saturday.

They should win a conference that includes Texas State. They shouldn't be competitive with Texas. Leave no doubt.

[mininghorn88 2260]

In on page 1. Count it as a win.

[MichaelDicksonFanClub 2861]

Fully expect it to end up looking like the La Tech game from 2019

[BigOrange1 6416]

in on page 1 just because i'm excited that game week is finally here.  i'm gonna predict a 34-13 win and bijan rushes for 150 and 2 TD's.

[Anton Chigurh 3318]

Let’s do this shit.

[Helobious 9477]

Are they getting practices cancelled and all that by Ida? Hate to think like that but that’s a big advantage for us.

[BigOrange1 6416]

lotta people posting in this thread who aren't paying players...

[nycHorn 2958]

lotta people posting in this thread who aren't paying players...

Are we not taking it out of the wreath fund?

[BERT 4345]

10 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

lotta people posting in this thread who aren't paying players...

Not everybody is Surly 1%

[bluto 4873]

That isu win last year included an 80 yd bomb, 95 yd ko return, and 80 yd punt return

[HenryJames 65868]

14 minutes ago, Helobious said:

Are they getting practices cancelled and all that by Ida?

[TexArcher 37455]

I think we keep the passing simple.  A couple of deep shots early to keep them honest, but mostly quick slants, WR screens, and the like.  Something like 15 for 25 for 140-150 yds.

The problem for them is that we're going to run it 40 to 45 times for 250+.

 

Lafayette -- 27

TEXAS -- 38

 

[LTtxfan 48928]

25 minutes ago, Helobious said:

Are they getting practices cancelled and all that by Ida? Hate to think like that but that’s a big advantage for us.

No practice today for cajuns -- back at it tomorrow

[lemonandaturd 4285]

So despite losing their two best running backs to the NFL and replacing them with an Army cast off and Jacob Kibodi, they are coming in like a rolling ball of butcher knives on Coach PK's ass.  Okay, gif.  

[sith_horn 2367]

23 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

lotta people posting in this thread who aren't paying players...

[texifornia 56434]

ULaLa is a good G5. We match up well and should handle them. The two things are true at the same time.