2013-14 Football Previews – (Sun Belt) – Ragin’ Cajuns
The Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns found a great coach in Mark Hudspeth. In three years as head coach of this program, Hudspeth has led Lafayette to an 18-8 record. The Ragin’ Cajuns won the New Orleans Bowl last year to finish 9-4. It was their second straight New Orleans Bowl victory.
Sun Belt 2013 College Football Previews: UL Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns
Head Coach: Mark Hudspeth
2012 Record: 9-4
Louisiana-Lafayette Gambling Odds to win BCS Championship: +2,000 (Part of Field)
Louisiana-Lafayette Gambling Odds to win Sun Belt Conference: +200
They were tied for second in the Sun Belt Conference. This is a team that is shooting for a conference title this year.
While Lafayette did lose some key players from last year’s team, overall they return 56 lettermen from a very good 2012 squad. Hudspeth’s team has been reloading well the last couple years, and the oddsmakers have made them the favorite in the Sun Belt this year.
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Let’s take a close look at the team the oddsmakers have made favorites in the Sun Belt. Can they make the move from second to first in the standings?
Team Strengths:
Terrance Broadway didn’t even start last year as the quarterback for the Ragin’ Cajuns, but he was the New Orleans Bowl MVP by the end of the season. He started slowly, but Broadway’s play making abilities fit right into this offense by the time he settled down. In the last nine games of the year, Broadway ran for 764 yards and completed 65 percent of his passes.
He is the team’s most versatile player, and he is a real weapon at quarterback.
Broadway will have running back Alonzo Harris in the backfield to help him out. Harris was the team’s leading rusher last year with 881 yards and 10 touchdowns. Harris is a very good runner who also protects the football well and is a good pass protector.
Lafayette has a lot of talent on the defensive line. Defensive end Christian Ringo has the highest upside of the group, and he can really get after the quarterback.
Defensive tackle Justin Hamilton is a good run stuffer. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Team Weaknesses:
The single biggest weakness on this team is their secondary. There isn’t any particular player in the secondary who stands out as a star, and this unit struggled to get off the field on third downs last year. The secondary didn’t get beat deep very often, but they just couldn’t slow down opponents on the key passing downs.
They might have to get a little more aggressive in the secondary to try to force some mistakes.
Lafayette loses two of their top three receivers, which could slow Broadway and the passing game down a bit this season. Hudspeth likes to mix in the running game, but Lafayette generally flourishes with a spread offense that airs it out pretty often.
Any slowdown in the passing game will certainly hurt the ability of this team to win close conference showdowns.
2013-2014 Louisiana-Lafayette Football Prediction: 9-4
The Ragin’ Cajuns should have another very good season. Hudspeth knows how to get his team ready, and they have one of the most talented rosters in the Sun Belt. I do think their conference schedule is a little tougher than some of the other top contenders in the conference. Back to back games at Western Kentucky and Arkansas State in the middle of October will be huge for this team.
Expect them to be battling with Louisiana-Monroe for the Sun Belt title.
I’ll predict them to finish with a 9-4 record for a second straight year.
2013 Ragin’ Cajuns Schedule
8/31/13 4:00 PM ET @ARK
9/7/13 6:30 PM ET @KSU
9/14/13 7:00 PM ET NICH
9/21/13 6:00 PM ET @AKR
10/5/13 TBD TXST
10/15/13 8:00 PM ET @WKU
10/22/13 8:00 PM ET @ARST
11/2/13 5:00 PM ET NMSU
11/7/13 7:00 PM ET TROY
11/16/13 2:00 PM ET @GSU
11/30/13 TBD ULM
12/7/13 TBD @USA
