UL Ragin Cajuns settle on backfield depth
The chase to determine UL’s back-up quarterback and running back lasted until the end of preseason camp.
In the end, two youngsters are listed No. 2 on the depth chart at both
positions behind a pair of seniors going into the Aug. 30 season opener at Southern Miss.
Ragin’ Cajun head coach Rickey Bustle told
The Daily Advertiser on Friday that Brad McGuire, a redshirt freshman from Gulf Breeze, Fla., will open the season as the back-up quarterback behind returning starter Mike Desormeaux. The news was first reported at theadvertiser.com.
McGuire beat out another redshirt freshman, Miami native Chris Masson, for the second-string job. UL players are prohibited from conducting media interviews until next week.
“He’s edged himself out because he can run the football,” Bustle said of McGuire. “It’s still a good situation. Nothing crazy has happened. We just think Brad was just a little further along.”
Masson will open the season third on the depth chart, or as Bustle said “2B” ahead of true freshmen Blaine Gautier, Keldric White and Brady Thomas.
In UL’s first preseason scrimmage, Masson accounted for both touchdowns. He was sacked eight times in the second scrimmage as McGuire sat out with a groin injury. In Wednesday’s scrimmage, McGuire went 5-of-6 passing for 67 yards and tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Louis Lee. Masson threw an interception to end the scrimmage’s second drive and finished 11-of-16 through the air for 115 yards.
“To be honest, it was a really close race,” said Jorge Munoz, UL’s quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator. “They (McGuire and Masson) both did really good things and have come a long way since the spring. It was a hard decision. Since we were forced to make a decision, we leaned toward Brad right now.
“He showed some leadership qualities, and he organized the offense well.”
McGuire passed for 6,705 yards and 62 touchdowns in four years at Gulf Breeze High, which is located about seven miles south of Pensacola. As a senior, the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder earned second team all-state honors after completing 67 percent of his passes.
Last season, McGuire was named UL’s offensive scout team player of the week the week of the Florida International game.
“I think he’s a little blend of everything,” Munoz said. “He’s not quite the runner that Mike Desormeaux is, but I don’t know who is in the country. I think Brad has one of the stronger arms of the guys we have. He has a good understanding our schemes and where the ball should be going.
“He’s just a good, physically tough kid.”
Bustle said Yobes Walker, a true freshman from Houston, will start the season as the second-string running back behind returning starter Tyrell Fenroy. Matt Dupre, a junior from New Orleans, is also in the mix to see time in the backfield, according to Bustle.
Walker led the Houston area in rushing with 2,174 yards on 324 carries and 17 touchdowns as a senior for Class 5A Brazoswood High. The 5-10, 191-pounder was a second team all-state selection after rushing for at least 200 yards in six games.
For his career, Walker rushed for 5,647 yards and 56 touchdowns.
Walker led the Cajuns in rushing in all three scrimmages, rushing for 151 yards on 33 carries.
“I think he’s physical,” Bustle said. “He’s run the ball well and caught onto the offense well.”
Undre Sails, a junior college transfer from College of the Desert in California, has been practicing with the team but is still waiting for his final class to be processed. Sails accounted for 11 touchdowns and rushed for 639 yards on 119 carries as a sophomore.
Desormeaux and Fenroy figure to lead the Cajun offense after both rushed for at least 1,000 yards a season ago. Desormeaux accounted for 2,546 yards and 17 touchdowns – including a team-high 1,141 yards on the ground. Fenroy is second among active running backs with 3,271 career yards and looks to become the seventh player in NCAA history to post four 1,000-yard seasons.
http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008808230325
August 23rd, 2008 by Ragin Cajun /
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