WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:08.759 The injury Bud continues to be unfriendly to Louisiana. Let's 2 00:00:08.759 --> 00:00:26.920 discuss it here on Rage and Rundown. What's good, ladies 3 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:29.120 and gentlemen, and welcome to another episode of Rage and 4 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:32.719 Rundown All Cajuns all the time. I'm your guy, JaMarcus Fitzpatrick, 5 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:34.479 but you know you can always call me fits. And 6 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:38.960 in today's episode, we'll be unfortunately talking about another injury 7 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:46.039 happening for Raging Cajun's football, as linebacker Caleb Edwards will 8 00:00:46.039 --> 00:00:51.280 be sidelined for six weeks after suffering a torn MCL 9 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:54.159 here in fall camp, and it is very early on 10 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:58.039 in the camp process, entering the second week, and with 11 00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:00.840 that being six weeks, Coach Dez said that timeline would 12 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:04.879 be around the USC game. So that's not a terrible 13 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:07.280 amount of time that you're missing out on, but it 14 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:10.879 is something that ultimately you didn't want to see happen, 15 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:14.640 especially after seeing what happened with Sheldon Sampson. 16 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:17.239 And now also you have other. 17 00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:20.079 Injuries that have been factor in factored in as well, 18 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:24.359 some lighter injuries. Coach Dez mentioned that Lavin Struther and 19 00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:27.040 Trenton Cheney, who are both receivers as well have been 20 00:01:27.079 --> 00:01:31.439 dealing with shoulder injuries. Candidly, when I walked out to practice, 21 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:34.680 because they had their first morning practice of fall camp, 22 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:38.120 I was walking around and kind of making mental notes 23 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:40.959 of all right, who's lining up here, who's the starters here? 24 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:43.560 And the first thing I saw was Kayla Edwards with 25 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:47.879 a brace and on crutches, and so before Coach Dez 26 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:51.359 addressed it, I was prepared to ask, Hey, what is 27 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:52.920 the latest on Caleb Edwards? 28 00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:54.920 We saw on crutches, what's the latest. 29 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:58.200 He beat me to the punch answering and getting ahead 30 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:01.000 of that being able to discuss everything, and he pretty 31 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:03.159 much laid out all of the injuries that happened. He 32 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:06.959 confirmed the hyper extended knee of Sheldon Samson, which we 33 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:09.360 talked about here on the show, and I also broke 34 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:13.879 the news first over my day job at KTC. So 35 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:16.400 a lot of injuries that were factored in, and so 36 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:19.960 Coach Diz in his opening statement after practice was over, 37 00:02:20.360 --> 00:02:23.719 talked about all those injuries and how the team is 38 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:25.439 now dealing with them and what they're going to be 39 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:26.319 doing moving forward. 40 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:28.560 And you know, the one serious injury right now is 41 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:33.599 uh Caleb Edwards. He has a partial A C M. C. L. Sorry, 42 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:37.000 but we did get good news yesterday. It looks like 43 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:41.879 six weeks. You know, probably USC would be a stretch. Certainly, 44 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:43.879 we're not gonna push it. He was having a good camp, 45 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:45.520 you know, he kind of you know, it's one of 46 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:47.000 those things he just kind of got fell on. 47 00:02:48.039 --> 00:02:48.240 You know. 48 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:51.159 That's why it's important to stay off the ground. You know, 49 00:02:51.319 --> 00:02:53.879 Trent Chaining and landing Struther have been limited a little 50 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:57.719 bit with Bruce shoulders. It's nothing serious, you know, it's 51 00:02:57.759 --> 00:02:59.800 just you know, they're limited, so you know, they're not 52 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:02.000 take in a bunch of reps, which means you know, 53 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:03.960 you got other guys taking more reps down the line, 54 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:05.840 which I think leads to some of that and then 55 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:10.400 Shelton's deal. So the last ota in the summer, hyper 56 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:12.800 extended his knee and fell on his shoulder. You know, 57 00:03:12.919 --> 00:03:14.879 doctors checked it out. They felt like the shoulder was 58 00:03:14.919 --> 00:03:17.240 more significant at the time. So I was a little surprised. 59 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:19.719 You know, we got to camp. He is moving around 60 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:22.360 a lot better. They don't think structure, there's anything wrong. 61 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:24.120 He did have some swelling the knee, they think, you know, 62 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:26.319 it was hyper extension and some bruising to go along 63 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:28.599 with it. You know, we're gonna do everything to make sure, 64 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:31.000 you know, out of you know, taking all the precaution 65 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:32.879 we can to try to get him back. But he 66 00:03:32.960 --> 00:03:35.919 is moving around better right now. You know, he's still out, 67 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:39.960 but you know, I mean, you know, these things happened, 68 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:41.960 so uh, you know, we got to get through it. 69 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:42.159 You know. 70 00:03:42.599 --> 00:03:44.759 The good thing, you know, like I said, is Caleb's 71 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:47.280 prognosis is pretty good considering what it was, what it 72 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:50.360 could have been, you know, Shelton, you know, we feel 73 00:03:50.360 --> 00:03:51.840 like we'll get out of the woods with that pretty 74 00:03:51.879 --> 00:03:54.520 soon here. And then certainly Trenton and Landing or you know, 75 00:03:54.599 --> 00:03:56.680 they're they're pretty much day to day to being able 76 00:03:56.719 --> 00:03:57.879 to go back to full go. 77 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:01.599 So there you have all of those injuries laid out, 78 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:03.919 and like I mentioned to you, you know, I made 79 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:07.240 my observations when I walked out, saw Keler Edwards on crutches. 80 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:09.800 I saw Sheldon Sampson still in a great jersey, but 81 00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:13.919 in pads like everyone else. Once they went into individual drills, 82 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:16.120 I did not see him running routes, but Trent Cheney 83 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:19.759 and Landon Struther were both running routes catching passes they're 84 00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:23.759 just non in contact. So you're trying to maintain keeping 85 00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:27.000 guys as healthy as possible, which is something that not 86 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:30.120 think just occasions are dealing with, but every team at 87 00:04:30.120 --> 00:04:34.560 all levels of football across the country, because you're going 88 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:37.079 against each other, you're trying to get in good work, 89 00:04:37.319 --> 00:04:40.079 you're trying to work on technique, but you're out there competing. 90 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:45.279 And football is a sport that is not just you know, 91 00:04:45.319 --> 00:04:48.279 a contact sport, it's a collision sport. And so because 92 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:51.079 you're having so many collisions going over and over and 93 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:54.160 over again day to day, especially in fall camp, where 94 00:04:54.199 --> 00:04:57.000 you have opportunities and windows to get in so much 95 00:04:57.040 --> 00:05:01.600 work throughout the time, injuries are going to happen football. 96 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:04.720 You are at a one hundred percent chance of getting 97 00:05:04.800 --> 00:05:07.839 injured at some point. The severity of it all depends 98 00:05:07.879 --> 00:05:12.680 on how blessed you are in your career. From broken 99 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:16.920 fingers to rolled ankles, like things happen in football, because 100 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:19.759 like I said, this is a collision sport. And so 101 00:05:19.879 --> 00:05:22.839 with that in mind, you know many would think, well, 102 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:25.120 how do you manage that? How do you deal with 103 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:28.399 all these guys early on in camp, dealing with early 104 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:30.759 nix and bruises. How do you manage that to make 105 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:33.759 sure that ultimately you can get to the finish line 106 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:36.319 of camp and then can get to week one and 107 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:39.319 continue to keep yourself healthy. So what happened in twenty 108 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:43.199 twenty five does not repeat. And so because of that, 109 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:46.600 I asked coach Dz right after this, how do you 110 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:52.000 manage keeping guys working hard, continuing do the to do 111 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:55.879 the right things without you know, getting them hurt in 112 00:05:55.959 --> 00:06:01.040 instances and opening the window of opportunity injuries to happen. 113 00:06:01.160 --> 00:06:04.040 And how do you manage guys like a Shouldon Samson 114 00:06:04.040 --> 00:06:07.879 who was limited in spring ball and is now not 115 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:10.519 practicing here in fall camp, making sure that they're going 116 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:13.240 to be conditioned form when you actually open the season. 117 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:14.279 So I asked him that question. 118 00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:17.879 Here's you, truthfully, the concern becomes the guys who do practice, 119 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:21.839 if that makes sense, because the work that's spread out 120 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:24.439 now you spread it a little bit less, right, it's 121 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:27.120 a little more accumulated on those guys that are practicing. 122 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:30.160 So that's why getting Trent and land and to continue 123 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:32.120 to go and take those reps, you know, when their 124 00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:34.079 legs are good and all that stuff's just a shoulder. 125 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:37.399 We continue to do that. We you know, and we 126 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:39.519 adjust practice a little bit. You know, we started out 127 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:41.720 a true two spot practice, you know, where it's two 128 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:43.560 different fields and you're getting a few more reps and 129 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:46.120 you're going fast. You know, we trim down a little bit. 130 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:47.720 You know, we're still getting plenty. We're kind of doing 131 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:49.399 like we did in spring where we have you know, 132 00:06:49.480 --> 00:06:52.240 all three groups on the same field. We're still going one, twos, threes. 133 00:06:52.600 --> 00:06:55.839 You just cut back, you know, two reps per per 134 00:06:56.199 --> 00:06:58.560 period with the threes, and you cut back, you know, 135 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:00.639 four reps per period with the one, which you know 136 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:02.319 ones and two is not ideal, but it is what 137 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:04.600 it is. I'm sorry, two reps per period with those guys. 138 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:06.839 So for total, So, I mean, you cut back a couple, 139 00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:09.639 but I think in the big scheme of things, you know, 140 00:07:09.959 --> 00:07:12.959 you can't just continue to wear the tread thin. You know, 141 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:16.120 you got to do what you'd like to do and 142 00:07:16.120 --> 00:07:18.199 what you need to do to try to keep everybody 143 00:07:18.199 --> 00:07:19.519 healthy are two different things. 144 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:23.439 That's a difficult job for any coach across the country 145 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:26.160 trying to maintain intensity for guys, to make sure that 146 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:29.279 you're not coaching up a soft bunch of guys while 147 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:31.920 also making sure that they are healthy enough to be 148 00:07:31.959 --> 00:07:34.600 able to go out and compete when the games actually matter. 149 00:07:34.759 --> 00:07:38.439 So coaches is continuing to work through these things and 150 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:41.040 they're going to continue to battle through to make sure 151 00:07:41.079 --> 00:07:42.800 that they can get to the finish line at the 152 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:44.680 end of camp and to the start of the season. 153 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:47.639 Now, the question is who's the guys that. 154 00:07:47.639 --> 00:07:49.600 Are going to step up to fill in these holes 155 00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:52.000 We've talked about in the previous episode about the receiver room, 156 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:55.240 but there were some guys that Coach Does himself pointed 157 00:07:55.279 --> 00:08:00.240 to one that I talked about. And then also who 158 00:08:00.279 --> 00:08:04.160 steps up into that linebacker position for Kayleb Edwards in 159 00:08:04.199 --> 00:08:08.000 the instances where the Cajuns go three linebacker sets. We're 160 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.319 gonna talk all about that when I come back here 161 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:17.439 on Raging Rundown. Hey, guys, thank you so much for 162 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:19.680 tuning in to another episode of Raging Rundown. We're gonna 163 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:21.600 get back into the action in just a second, but 164 00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:24.800 before we do, if you're watching this podcast on YouTube, 165 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:26.920 please do me a favor like it, share it, and 166 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:29.399 leave a comment down below, But most importantly, make sure 167 00:08:29.399 --> 00:08:32.039 you subscribe to the channel. If you're listening, please follow 168 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:34.480 the podcast, feed, rate the show, and leave us a review, 169 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:36.200 because that's gonna help us get in front of more 170 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:37.200 raging Cajun. 171 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:38.639 Fans just like yourself. 172 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:42.639 So, Kayleb Edwards has a torn MCO and will be 173 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:46.679 out for six weeks, and by all accounts, they are 174 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:48.480 not going to be rushing to get him back in 175 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:52.080 the action, as they shouldn't, mainly because at the end 176 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:53.279 of the day, you want to make sure that this 177 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:55.679 young man is healthy, not just for football, but for 178 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:59.360 life after football. And the second reason that I think 179 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:01.120 that they're still to be in a really good spot 180 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:05.039 is because they have so many other guys that have 181 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:09.720 ability to be able to play. So the Cajuns are 182 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:13.120 a predominantly four to three base defense, where you have 183 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:16.600 four down linemen, you have three linebackers, and then all 184 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:20.120 the guys there in your secondary. Obviously, when they're playing 185 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:23.039 you know, spread teams, you'll see a four two five, 186 00:09:23.320 --> 00:09:25.879 or you may see like a variation of the three 187 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:28.679 to three where you have three down linemen and the jack, 188 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:32.200 who is also an outside linebacker, becomes that third linebacker 189 00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:34.080 for you and can drop in the coverage but also 190 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:37.600 rush the passer. And so you've got to be able 191 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:40.919 to have multiple guys that, Hey, can play Mike linebacker, 192 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:44.039 can play SAM linebacker which is the strong side, can 193 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:46.799 play the Will which is the weak side linebacker, and 194 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:49.559 then the Mike obviously being the middle linebacker, the one 195 00:09:49.639 --> 00:09:52.720 kind of calling the defense and making sure the checks 196 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.799 and things are going down. Okay, So you're almost kind 197 00:09:55.799 --> 00:09:59.039 of cross training in senses to make sure they guys 198 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:02.279 understand the defense will to where hey, if one guy 199 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:04.840 goes down like in this instance, you can bump someone 200 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:07.759 over and say, hey, now you're playing the Sam or 201 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:10.120 instead of you playing the MIC, you're gonna play the Will. 202 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:13.919 And that's gonna help because now you have options across 203 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:14.320 the board. 204 00:10:14.840 --> 00:10:17.480 So they have a lot of guys that are in 205 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:18.639 this linebacker room. 206 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:22.919 And this is a program that outside of when Kcosi 207 00:10:23.080 --> 00:10:25.440 went from I think the twenty three to twenty four season, 208 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:29.600 have seen different starters at the linebacker positions almost. 209 00:10:29.320 --> 00:10:30.600 Every year of the Desert Mooy era. 210 00:10:30.840 --> 00:10:33.000 You think back to when it was Jordan Quibadeau and 211 00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:38.320 Chris Mincrief and then Kcosi and you know, I think 212 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:39.120 it was Kendrick A. 213 00:10:39.159 --> 00:10:40.159 Gant at one point. 214 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:43.440 Then you think about last year with Jayden dugger who's 215 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:45.000 now with the forty nine ers and it's been doing 216 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:48.240 extremely well, So kudos to him. Jayden Duggar and Terrence 217 00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:52.240 Williams like they've seen different variations and combinations of linebackers 218 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:56.519 along the way and now that is once again something 219 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.159 that's looking really good for them. So when I was 220 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:02.519 out in the line watching practice, I walked down to 221 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:06.000 the linebacker drills to get video of them, and the 222 00:11:06.039 --> 00:11:08.960 position coach, Scott Stoker was coaching them on the drill 223 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:11.919 where it was kind of like they were reading downhill 224 00:11:12.159 --> 00:11:14.759 and trying to see whether they needed to scrape over 225 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:16.759 the top or if they were feeling to go and 226 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:20.360 make the tackle down hill. And the first two guys 227 00:11:20.360 --> 00:11:23.639 that were up were Jake said Andre and Connor mcfeuson. 228 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:29.440 And when they were doing other drills like team since 229 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:32.159 drills on the defensive side, the first two linebackers that 230 00:11:32.279 --> 00:11:36.360 ran out again were Connor mcfeuson and Jake said Andre. 231 00:11:37.000 --> 00:11:40.519 So those are kind of your locked guys that you 232 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:42.399 know for certain are going to be in the mix. 233 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:46.200 Caleb was your third, but now other guys that you're 234 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:50.480 going to be looking to Michael Johnson Coach Dez spoke 235 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:52.320 very very highly of which we'll get to that in 236 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:55.399 just a second. Ethanville is another guy who's a red 237 00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:58.440 shirt sophomore out of Zachary who had really really good 238 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:00.399 plays during the spring ball. If you go back and 239 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:03.720 watched that episode or listen to that episode that I 240 00:12:03.799 --> 00:12:06.320 recapped after the spring game, he had a lot of 241 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:09.320 really good plays for you. You even have Hayden Darbon, a 242 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:12.759 former Units product, getting into the mix as well that 243 00:12:12.759 --> 00:12:15.759 can make noise for you. But one player that Coach 244 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:21.759 Dez brought up was true freshman Harrison Cadere, who came 245 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:24.679 from Catholic High School in bad Ruge. He's six foot, 246 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:28.080 one hundred and ninety eight pounds, so he is very young. 247 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:31.399 It doesn't have a lot of experience, but Coach Dez 248 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:35.159 has pointed to the ability that he has. So I 249 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:37.919 asked him about that linebacker room and the makeup that 250 00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:40.360 they have and how important it's going to be to 251 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:43.720 have all of these guys ready once the season starts, 252 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:45.320 especially with Caleb L. 253 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:47.120 Edwards being out of the mix. 254 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:48.919 And here's what he said, that's the question, right, you know, 255 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:51.879 w here's the next one, is it? Prince you know, 256 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:54.320 obviously Caleb out right now, so he's out of the mix. 257 00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:57.120 He was practicing well, but Caleb's out right now, you know, 258 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:01.399 is it Ethanville. Michaeh Johnson has had a outstanding camp. 259 00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:04.440 You know, he's one that I've been I knew last 260 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:07.120 year during the season, you know, when he was still 261 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:08.919 mostly on scout team that he was going to have 262 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:11.480 a great year for us. And he is not disappointed, 263 00:13:12.679 --> 00:13:14.519 you know. And then you know, I think Harrison Kadare 264 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:17.759 is a young one that really I mean, I think 265 00:13:17.799 --> 00:13:19.639 he's gonna play for us this year, you know. I mean, 266 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:22.200 whether it's just on teams or has some stuff on defense. 267 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:26.519 I mean, the kid is really talented. I mean, so's 268 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:27.559 it's a good. 269 00:13:27.399 --> 00:13:27.799 Group, man. 270 00:13:27.799 --> 00:13:29.519 We got a bunch of them that are rolling in there. 271 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:32.240 I think they're playing really well, communicating well, playing physical. 272 00:13:33.639 --> 00:13:33.840 You know. 273 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:36.320 Like I said, we've kind of been in this cycle 274 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:39.279 really every year, you know, other than twenty four where 275 00:13:39.320 --> 00:13:42.279 we had k C coming back as a starter, you know, 276 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:45.879 every year from twenty two, it's been new starters pretty 277 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:48.720 much every year, and you know, it's fun to see 278 00:13:48.720 --> 00:13:50.080 guys rise up to the occasion. 279 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:53.879 Forgot to give a hat tip to Princeton Malbrew, the 280 00:13:53.960 --> 00:13:57.159 Lafayette Christian product. I'm on the roster. They have him 281 00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:59.240 listed as an outside linebacker. So when I was looking 282 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:02.399 at the list, you know, all I could see was 283 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:05.360 just the guys that they have listed as regular linebackers. 284 00:14:05.399 --> 00:14:08.639 He's listed under the outside linebacker or jack position on 285 00:14:08.679 --> 00:14:11.200 the roster, but he is also someone that's in the 286 00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:13.639 mix as well. He looked really good in the drills 287 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:16.720 while I was watching along the way also, so he's 288 00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:18.320 thrown into the mix. So you have a ton of 289 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:21.679 options and you also have a lot of depth at 290 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:25.240 that position. Now where Okay, if Jakes and Andre needs 291 00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:27.759 a breather, you can throw Princeton in in the middle, 292 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:30.840 or if Connor mcphilson needs to come out, you can 293 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:33.799 throw in ethan Ville. You can put in Michael Johnson 294 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:37.759 at the linebacker position where you had, you know, Caleb Edwards. 295 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:40.039 It gives you options, and it gives you opportunities to 296 00:14:40.200 --> 00:14:43.080 let other guys get experience out on the field. And 297 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:46.000 what the Cajuns do a really good job of is 298 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:47.799 if they feel like and this is across the board, 299 00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:51.639 not just on defense, this is across the board, if 300 00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:55.679 they feel like a guy can produce, they'll give him 301 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:58.679 playing time. It may not be a full time starting position, 302 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:00.879 like very seldom have we see a guy as a 303 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:04.000 true freshman come in and just completely take over and 304 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:06.519 start right off the bat, but they could get ten 305 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:09.360 to fifteen snaps, and if those are ten to fifteen 306 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:11.600 impact snaps, then that role can. 307 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:12.879 Continue to progress. 308 00:15:12.679 --> 00:15:16.080 That's the way that they've assumed things, especially under coach 309 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:19.799 days where they are in the business of developing high 310 00:15:19.799 --> 00:15:22.600 school talent. They come in, they get a few reps 311 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:24.759 or they might start on special teams, and then the 312 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:27.519 next season they become more of a reserve role and 313 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:30.279 they get more opportunities, and then their third season they 314 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:33.279 may become the starter and from there you're rolling. And 315 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:37.559 so getting these guys in that helps you when you 316 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:40.000 get in a situation like what you're in now with 317 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:43.559 Caleb not being in the lineup for an extended period 318 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:48.080 of time, which to that point, on the opposite side 319 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:50.960 of the ball in the receiver room, with Sheldon Sampson 320 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:57.440 not practicing, with Trenton Cheney and Lendon Struther being limited physically, 321 00:15:57.519 --> 00:15:59.679 not being able to be in contact situations, but still 322 00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:02.799 running routes. You have other receivers. They now have the 323 00:16:02.840 --> 00:16:06.000 opportunity to step up. And we talked about that in 324 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:08.799 the previous episode when we talked about Shelton being out 325 00:16:08.840 --> 00:16:13.720 with the hyper extended knee and and those guys have been. 326 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:15.519 Stepping up to the play the Kadiri's Wade. 327 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:19.879 At the exposition, the coach dis talked about particularly how 328 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:22.639 important it was not just for those guys to be 329 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:25.480 shining right now, but he mentioned the young guy as well, 330 00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:26.320 here's here's. 331 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:28.399 Some of us really good, right you know, Russ Babenough 332 00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:32.799 has been has been competing his tailoff. I'm like competing 333 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:34.639 on the ball. I mean, doing some really good things 334 00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:35.879 out there. I mean, you know, when you get the 335 00:16:35.879 --> 00:16:37.759 ball in his hands, he's he's he's running and he's 336 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:39.639 doing it the right way. He's competing down the field. 337 00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:42.639 Kadarius Wade, I think has stepped up. Aside from one 338 00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:44.840 day that he didn't have a very good day. You know, 339 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:47.559 the five out of the six were really good. You know, 340 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.799 Christian Brooks is a freshman that right now at X. 341 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:52.159 You know a couple of those guys that we you know, 342 00:16:52.200 --> 00:16:54.120 you want to step up and respond, you know, they're 343 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:57.799 not practicing great, you know. So Christian is and you know, 344 00:16:57.799 --> 00:16:59.600 only thing I've told him since January, I don't care 345 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:01.159 if you've been here, if you got here in June, 346 00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:04.039 or you've been here for six years. We're gonna play 347 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:04.680 the ones that are going. 348 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:10.200 So we're gonna play the ones that are going. I 349 00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:14.640 love to hear it because, especially now with the five years, 350 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:20.400 five seasons eligibility rule that the NCAA has established, you 351 00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:22.160 don't have a rich shirt and so you don't have 352 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:25.759 to worry about whether you can play guys more than 353 00:17:25.799 --> 00:17:29.359 four games or not. If somebody is producing, throw him 354 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:31.119 out there and let him keep playing. So to hear 355 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:34.319 that you have a true freshman in Christian Brooks that 356 00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:37.000 is out there making plays for you, which he is 357 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:39.200 a six foot two, one hundred and seventy six pound 358 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:43.920 freshman coming from Zachary High School, When you're able to 359 00:17:44.200 --> 00:17:48.880 hear that he's coming into camp and is pushing for 360 00:17:48.920 --> 00:17:52.519 an opportunity to play, while you have an older player 361 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:56.680 that is out that's that's something that you like to see. 362 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:59.160 That means that you're going and you're recruiting guys that 363 00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:01.839 aren't just going to you know, settle and wait their 364 00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:03.839 turn that they're going to go and take it. And 365 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:07.039 Coach Dez has made it extremely clear that he's gonna 366 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:09.000 play the best guys that are out there, which they've 367 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:12.759 always done that intently, but he's making it very clear 368 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:16.000 that there's no such thing at this point of if 369 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:18.440 you're a true freshman or not. If they believe that 370 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:20.880 you can go out and can execute what they have 371 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:24.839 in mind, then they're going to go ahead and give you. 372 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:25.960 An opportunity to play. 373 00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:29.960 So Christian Brooks, Cadarious Wade, and then also Russell Babino, 374 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:32.680 a local product coming from a Kadia in a high school, 375 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:35.240 a guy that you know I covered while he was 376 00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:37.079 in high school. And if you know, you know a 377 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:40.480 kadianna does not throw the football nearly as much, so 378 00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:43.400 he's used to blocking more. But the way that they 379 00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:46.440 utilized him sometimes in that offense was on the jet 380 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:49.519 sweeps and you know now screens, the bubble screens out 381 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:51.559 there in space and allowing him to just get out 382 00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:54.880 in the open and work. And so for him to 383 00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:58.680 continue to get these opportunities now with other guys not 384 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:01.319 being in the mix, it's going to be interesting to 385 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:04.759 see because there's only one football. You have lunch Winfield 386 00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:08.000 under center, and he has ability to not just make 387 00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:10.079 plays with his arm, but with his legs. There's only 388 00:19:10.119 --> 00:19:12.559 one football. So it's going to be up to this 389 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:19.160 coaching staff, coach Desimo, offensive coordinator Tim Laja, coach George Munos, 390 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:22.119 with the tight ends, and the entire staff to come 391 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:25.599 together and formulate and say, hey, if Christian Brooks is 392 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:29.880 coming out and he's you know, getting it going, and 393 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:32.680 he's getting open, and he's beating one on one coverage 394 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:35.799 and he's catching the football and he's continuing to stay hot, 395 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:38.519 he might have to be someone that we throw into 396 00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:41.599 the mix. If Russell Babino is getting off whenever we 397 00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:44.480 give him the jet sweep and he's getting you know, 398 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:47.559 five plus yards or even moving the chains every time 399 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:50.000 that he touches it, we might need to implement that 400 00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:53.200 a little bit more in the offense. So it'll it's 401 00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:56.119