Photograph: University of Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (Photograph by Mike Curley.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
There will be a certain amount of familiarity Thursday night when the UL-Lafayette football team travels to Hattiesburg, Miss. to play a nationally-televised Sun Belt Conference football game.
Louisiana fans might recognize Southern Mississippi head football coach Will Hall, who was the Cajuns’ offensive coordinator in 2017.
Also coaching Southern Mississippi will be Reed Stringer, who for seven years was an offensive assistant in Lafayette.
Current Louisiana head football coach Mike Desormeaux probably remembers the atmosphere in M.M. Roberts Stadium. Desormeaux was the Cajuns’ starting quarterback the last time Louisiana played Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
Amid those remembrances and intersecting memories is a Louisiana-Southern Mississippi football series that has been played 52 times already and that will be part of the aura surrounding the teams’ 6:30 kickoff on ESPN2.
The game is also significant for both West Division teams.
Louisiana (3-3, 2-2) is on a two-game conference winning streak after losing the first two SBC games. Southern Mississippi (4-3, 2-1) and like the Cajuns gained some momentum after winning at Texas State (20-14) last week with 32 seconds remaining.
The Southern Mississippi roster is packed with junior college transfers and those who have played elsewhere previously on Division 1 teams such as Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arkansas and West Virginia.
What could affect the outcome of the Louisiana-USM matchup are comparative turnover margins.
Southern Mississippi has been intercepted 11 times and lost six fumbles. Comparatively Louisiana has failed to recover only one fumble and has nine interceptions for a seven-turnover edge in the two ratios.
Offensively Louisiana has won two straight games with junior transfer Ben Wooldridge at quarterback. Wooldridge passed for 316 yards in last Saturday’s 38-18 victory over Arkansas State. This season Wooldridge has thrown for 986 and 10 touchdowns and has been intercepted once in 86 passing attempts.
“Wooldridge is playing at a high level right now,” Desormeaux said following the Arkansas State victory. “Even in practice Ben is competing every day. He’s been making good decisions,” Desormeaux said.
One offensive aspect that has aided Wooldridge is the Cajuns’ running game which has improved as the offensive line has found a groove.
Leading rusher Chris Smith didn’t play against ASU, but the Cajuns still ran for 206, using a committee led by Terrence Williams and Jacob Kibodi.
Wooldridge admits that part of his emergence is also due to a group of wide receivers that are deep and talented. The Cajuns have had 15 players catch passes this year.
Defensively the Cajuns have intercepted 11 passes, which might present a problem for USM freshman quarterback Zach Wilcke, who has eight interceptions registered among a season passing resume of 979 yards.
USM’s run game is led by freshman Frank Gore Jr., who has gained 600 yards. Gore has over half of the Eagles’ 1,005 yards rushing this season.
