Viator, Desormeaux Follow Familiar Paths
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
There won’t be a need for formal head coaching introductions Saturday night at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium.
Mike Desormeaux and Matt Viator certainly know each other well enough to dispense with the handshake and perhaps engage instead with a bro hug or two.
That display of friendship wouldn’t necessarily be out of place, considering the intersecting routes each coach has experienced as they’ve ascended to oversee two Louisiana college football programs.
Viator, who has returned for a second tenure at McNeese State, is now the winningest coach in the history of that program, while Desormeaux has recorded 23 wins at Louisiana, giving him the second-most victories through an initial three seasons as a head coach.
How They Started
There’s also a grassroots similarity in the careers of both coaches.
Each was a successful high school head football coach before entering into college coaching.
Desormeaux was the head coach at Lafayette’s Ascension Episcopal, where he guided a previously winless football program that two seasons later reached the state semifinals.
While Desormeaux remained close to his New Iberia-Lafayette base, Viator maintained his presence in the Lake Charles area, as his Jennings High team won a 1992 state football title.
As recent college assistants, the two shared information and strategies in the same offensive room under former Cajuns head coach Billy Napier.
Praising The Program
At his Monday press conference Viator praised Desormeaux for his offensive acumen and what Viator described as a coach who exhibits exceptional care for his players and coaches.
“I think that this being my second time around here, I will be a better head coach because of (Desormeaux). I know this game is going to be fun. We will coach against one another, try to beat each other’s brains in and then after the game, we’ll meet up with a handshake and a hug,” Viator added.
Pre-Game Outlook
McNeese enters the game 1-0 after beating NAIA Louisiana Christian University (54-9), while the Cajuns experienced a disappointing loss to Rice last Saturday night at the Lourdes Stadium grand opening.
Viator said playing in Lafayette this Saturday is a different matter.
“It’s definitely a step up in competition. They have a solid program. That’s due to the way (Louisiana) has recruited. Coach Des has done a good job of recruiting players along with roster management. We are trying to do something similar here,” said Viator.
What’s In The Past
There was a time however when the Louisiana-McNeese rivalry didn’t provide such cordial pre-game discussion.
During the 1970’s-era and again in part of the following decade, the McNeese-Louisiana (then USL) contest displayed its share of fan base acrimony, as the programs competed for the same top conference spots and postseason berths.
McNeese head coaches Jack Doland and Ernie Duplechin always had their teams prepared to play the Cajuns of Russ Faulkinberry, Augie Tammariello and Sam Robertson.
Many of the standout McNeese players during those years such as Doug Fruge, Tommy Tate, Keith Ortego, Rusty Guilbeau and Vance Robichaux came from St. Landry Parish.
And the McNeese coaches at the time made sure each of those players knew that they had been overlooked in recruiting by USL.
Viator said on Monday that he’s aware of the previous scope of intensity that has occurred McNeese and Louisiana play in football. Viator added that he saw the same thing as the former head coach at UL-Monroe.
“I know all too well what McNeese and (Louisiana) is all about. It’s always a fun game and I have respect for Ragin’ Cajuns football,” Viator said.
