(QB Chandler Fields – AP Photo)
Key Players Returning:
QB Chandler Fields, RB Dre’lyn Washington, WR/PR Jacob Bernard, WR Robert Williams, TE Terrance Carter, OC Landon Burton, OG AJ Gillie, OG Jax Harrington, OT George Jackson, DE Antoine Baylis, DT Mason Narcisse, LB Kailep Edwards, LB KC Ossai, LB Cameron Whitfield, CB Caleb Anderson, CB Keyon Martin, NB Courtline Flowers, FS Jalen Clark, FS Tyree Skipper, KR Zylan Perry, and PK Kenneth Almendares.
Key Players Departing:
QB Zeon Chriss (Houston transfer), RB Jacob Kibodi, WR Peter LeBlanc, TE Neal Johnson, OT Nathan Thomas (Cowboys R7), DE Tyler Guidry, DE Jordan Lawson, NT Sonny Hazard, LB Kendre’ Gant (Houston transfer), LB Jasper Williams, NB Patrick Mensah, and PT Thomas Leo.
(WR Vosky Howard – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: OT Zay Alexander (Mississippi State transfer), EDGE Ashley Williams (Arizona State transfer), WR Rahji Dennis (New Orleans, Louisiana), WR Vosky Howard (Timpson, Texas), DS Jaden Dugger (Georgetown transfer), QB Samari Collier (Hutchinson, Kansas), OT Ryder Bentley (Monroe, Louisiana), DL Fitzgerald West Jr. (LSU transfer), OL Djay Wiilliams (Aledo, Texas), and EDGE NaTori Brown (Southaven, Mississippi).
2023 Results:
G01 NORTHWESTERN STATE W 38-13
G02 @ Old Dominion L 31-38
G03 @ UAB W 41-21
G04 BUFFALO W 45-36
G05 @ Minnesota L 24-35
G06 TEXAS STATE W 34-30
G07 GEORGIA STATE L 17-20
G08 @ South Alabama W 33-20
G09 @ Arkansas State L 17-37
G10 SOUTHERN MISS L (OT) 31-34
G11 @ Troy L 24-31
G12 UL-MONROE W 52-21
BOWL vs. Jacksonville State L (OT) 31-34
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 6-7 (5th in SBC West)
Home: 4-2
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-1
SBC: 3-5
Non SBC: 3-2
Head Coach: Michael Desormeaux
Louisiana: 13-14
Career: 13-14
Bowls: 1-2
(RB Dre’lyn Washington – Josh Auzenne Photo)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Chandler Fields (96-143, 1069 yards, 67.1%, 7.5 avg., 7 TD, 3 INT)
Rushing: Dre’lyn Washington (92 car., 515 yards, 5.6 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: Jacob Bernard (39 rec., 476 yards, 12.2 avg., 1 TD)
TD’s Scored: Robert Williams (4)
Sacks: Cameron Whitfield (8)
Tackles: KC Ossai (95)
Interceptions: Jalen Clark/Tyrone Lewis Jr./Tyree Skipper (3)
Pass Deflections: Keyon Martin (7)
Tackles For Loss: Cameron Whitfield (9)
Forced Fumbles: Cameron Whitfield (3)
Kick Returns: Zylan Perry (34 ret., 862 yards, 25.4 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: Jacob Bernard (17 ret., 89 yards, 5.2 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Kenneth Almendares (14-16 fg/fga., 88%, 50-51 xp/xpa., 92 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 18 Chandler Fields (RS SR)
RB: 20 Dre’lyn Washington (RS JR)
WR: 3 Harvey Broussard (SO)
WR: 15 Robert Williams (RS JR)
WR: 4 Jacob Bernard (RS SR)
TE: 0 Terrance Carter (RS SO)
LT: 64 Bryant Williams (RS SO)
LG: 53 AJ Gillie (RS SR)
OC: 55 Landon Burton (RS SR)
RG: 70 Jax Harrington (RS JR)
RT: 71 George Jackson (RS JR)
KR: 21 Zylan Perry (RS SO)
PK: 45 Kenneth Almendares (RS SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 2 Antoine Baylis (SR/TR)
NT: 93 Kyron Mims (RS SR/TR)
DE: 69 Mason Narcisse (SR)
LB: 19 Cameron Whitfield (RS JR)
LB: 8 KC Ossai (SR)
LB: 6 Terrence Williams (RS JR)
NB: 7 Courtline Flowers (RS JR)
CB: 11 Caleb Anderson (RS JR)
CB: 21 Keyon Martin (RS SR/TR)
FS: 20 Jalen Clark (RS JR)
SS: 3 Tyrone Lewis Jr. (RS SR/TR)
PR: 4 Jacob Bernard (RS SR)
PT: 45 Kenneth Almendares (RS SR)
(FS Tyrone Lewis Jr. – Ragin’ Cajuns Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: A
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 GRAMBLING STATE TIGERS | Louisiana won (49-17) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
09/07 @ Kennesaw State Owls | First meeting between schools.
09/21 TULANE GREEN WAVE | Louisiana trails the series 4-23. The Ragin’ Cajuns lost (24-41) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
09/28 @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons | First meeting between schools.
TBA APPALACHIAN STATE MOUNTAINEERS | Louisiana trails the series 3-8. The Ragin’ Cajuns won (24-16) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
TBA ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES | Louisiana leads the series 28-21-1. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 7-3 since 2014, and their last series win (38-18) as in 2022.
TBA SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS | Louisiana leads the series 9-3. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 8-2 since 2014, and their last series loss (17-20) was in 2022.
TBA TROY TROJANS | Louisiana trails the series 9-11. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 4-2 since restarting the series in 2015, and their last series win (35-21) was in 2021.
TBA @ Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | Louisiana trails the series 1-2. The Ragin’ Cajuns lost (27-30) the last meeting between schools in 2020, and their only series win (48-7) was at the prior meeting in 2019.
TBA @ UL-Monroe Warhawks | Louisiana leads the series 32-26. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 8-2 since 2014, and their last series loss (17-21) was in 2022.
TBA @ Southern Miss Golden Eagles | Louisiana trails the series 11-41-1. The Ragin’ Cajuns lost (31-34) last season’s meeting between schools, and they lost (24-39) the prior meeting in 2022.
TBA @ Texas State Bobcats | Louisiana leads the series 10-0. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 9-0 since 2014, and they won (34-30) last season’s meeting between schools.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
SBC: 4-4
Non-SBC: 2-2
Overall: 6-6 (3rd in SBC West)
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