Photograph: ULL linebacker Kris Moncrief. (Photograph by Mike Curley.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Will a Homecoming game help redirect a football season that has suddenly taken a wrong turn?
That’s what the UL-Lafayette coaches are thinking as they hope to erase a two-game losing streak in a year that began so auspiciously.
First-year head football coach Mike Desormeaux said there are a lot of aspects for the Cajuns to correct before the Saturday 4 p.m. kickoff against Sun Belt Conference West Division opponent South Alabama.
“We’re not where we want to be anywhere,” Desormeaux said during his weekly noon press conference.
However Louisiana is back in Lafayette after two straight road-game defeats and that along with an afternoon Homecoming crowd could provide the spark the Cajuns need for a turnaround, Desormeaux pointed out.
The Cajuns (2-2) did things in losses to Rice and UL-Monroe that reminds Desormeaux of a team that is beating itself.
“There are a lot of things we are doing that are good. We’re not going to sit back and feel sorry for ourselves. We just have to get back to work and fix the things we need to fix and then move forward,” said Desormeaux.
Louisiana however is no longer burdened with maintaining a number of win streaks that were present as the season began.
The Cajuns dissolved a 15-game winning streak with the loss at Rice, a division win streak disappeared at ULM and the loss to the Warhawks last week marked the first time since 2017 that they defeated Louisiana.
Also the Cajuns had never previously lost a football game in Monroe since 2004.
South Alabama arrives in Lafayette at 3-1.
Offensively the Jaguars, Desormeaux noted, have a punishing running game with an option-style quarterback who can throw and run.
What additionally concerns him, Desormeaux said, is correcting the problems the Cajuns experienced against Rice and ULM. Against the Warhawks, the Cajuns were ahead 17-7 at halftime before losing 21-17.
The Cajuns are averaging 105 yards per game rushing.
Establishing consistency in the run game isn’t easy, Desormeaux said, since it requires having five offensive line working in cohesive fashion.
There are also corrections about special teams where bad snaps against ULM led to a missed 23-yard field goal and set up a game-winning touchdown.
Part of the correction process also might include reducing the number of penalties. The Cajuns hav already had opponents accept 34 penalties for 300 yards.
Desormeaux said he’s not worried on using South Alabama for what one television reporter thought might be considered a statement game.
“We’re not worried about a statement. We just want to go out and compete and find a way to win a football game. We operate on the belief that if you continue to work with the principles that you believe in, then you will get better results,” Desormeaux added.
