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Monroe tops Lafayette, 45-42, at Battle of the Bottom

 Lafayette, LA – In a battle of winless, inept teams from Louisiana scraping the bottom of the 1A barrel, the Indians of Monroe (1-6) defeated the Ragin’ Cajuns of Lafayette (0-7) in a thrilling, exciting down to the wire football battle, 45-42.  A 31-yard FG by Monroe’s PK Tyler Kuecker (appropriately pronounced "kicker"), produced the final margin with 1:46 remaining, but not before the host team came up one yard shy of a first down on its final drive of the game to kill its surging momentum.  CFF.com saw team #s 86 and 87 toward The Goal!  Despite being rated as the two worst in 1A by ESPN.com during the prior week, the equally talented teams played a spirited, competitive game for the Cajuns’ homecoming.  Things worked out well for CFF, which originally tried to attend the annual Red River Shoot-out between Texas and Oklahoma that ended in a Sooner route, 65-13!  Instead, we enjoyed a memorable game at the opposite end of the spectrum that allowed us to see two new teams instead of one (the Sooners).  After the first play from scrimmage at Cajun Field, a completed Monroe pass, I laughed, shook my head, and said aloud to myself, “I can’t believe I’m really here!”  In the end though, the timing couldn't have been better to watch these two play one another.

     RB Kevin Payne (28 carries for 148 yards) scored the only TD of the first quarter on Monroe’s first drive, bursting through the left side for a 15-yard TD run.  Cajun QB Eric Rekieta was rushed heavily on 3^rd and 11 on his first series and lofted a punt-like pass to end his team’s possession with an interception by Indian FS Chris Harris at the Monroe ten.  The Indian pass rush was indicative of the sieve-like blocking capabilities of the Cajun offensive front, but Head Coach Ricky Bustle’s coaching staff would eventually make adjustments later to compensate for his team’s evident weakness.  For the rest of the period, the two teams demonstrated why they are ranked at the very bottom of 1A football.  On six consecutive series between the two, both teams generally moved backwards if at all due to poor blocking, game delays and motion penalties.  Both teams started most series on 1^st and 15 or more.  Even the guy running the electronic scoreboard at Cajun Field felt frustration.  A Monroe punt from the six-yard line on 4^th and long prompted the scoreboard message, “Nice play!”  Surely, the message was programmed for something more significant than this.

     That punt would eventually lead to Lafayette’s first scoring drive of the game.  A sweep right by RB Chester Johnson on 4^th and one at the 48 kept the drive alive.  QB Rekieta then fired a 28-yard scoring pass to diving WR Fred Stamps at the back of the end zone to knot the score, 7-7.  With some trickery, Monroe took the lead back on a 35 yard HB option pass from Kevin “Payne or no gain” to wide open Mack Vincent for a 14-7 lead.  The Cajun response was an ill-advised pass by Rekieta on the next series picked off by the Indians and set up at the Lafayette 28.  QB Steven Jyles lobbed a pass to WR Roshon Jacobs on 4^th and eight to get to the seven-yard line.  It was one of several thrown balls where Cajun DBs provided close, but unaggressive coverage, another glaring weakness among the weakest of the weak. Two plays later, Jyles connected with Vincent on a down and out on the left side in the end zone to go up, 21-7.  Forcing a Cajun punt, it took two plays for the Indians to score again as Jyles faked a handoff on an inside-reverse trap, and galloped around right end for a 64-yard TD jaunt, outracing the Cajun defenders the length of the field.  Smiles indicated a comfort level along the 0-6 Monroe sideline noted from seats about 20 rows up from the 30-yard line behind their bench.  The game seemed well in hand for #116 leading against #117, 28-7, with exactly 2:00 minutes remaining in the half.  “I can’t believe I’m really here!” However, the Cajuns came out with some adjustments to change the complexion of the game rather quickly.  Running from the shotgun with a no-huddle strategy, the Lafayette offense began to click.  A critical pass to Stamps for a 26-yard gain to the Monroe 22 on 4^th and 8 preceded a 22-yard completion to Stamps on the 1-foot line on the very next play.  Rekieta took it in himself on the next play with :13 remaining to cut the score in half, 28-14.  A 60-yard kick-off return was the final scoring threat of the half before the two bottom feeders retired to their respective locker rooms.  During halftime, Lafayette-Louisiana (formerly SW Louisiana) introduced two distinguished alumni, including CY Young Award Winner (among other awards) and former NY Yankee, Ron “Gator” Guidry.  Can’t remember the other alum, some government figure.  Had to wonder if Ron was somehow paying attention to the Yankee-Bosox skirmish going on while attending homecoming festivities, which included a Cajun-cooking contest.

     The Ragin’ Cajuns received the second half kick-off, and went right back to the no-huddle, shotgun offense.  Three consecutive completions moved the ball quickly to the Monroe 35 against what seemed like a suddenly tired, Indian defense.   An 11-yard pass to RB Chester Johnson got a critical first down for the Cajuns at the Monroe 24.  On the next play, Rekieta connected again with his favorite target, Fred Stamps (198 receiving yards), at the one-yard line.  Johnson took it in on the next play to make the score 28-21.  “Mo” was on the side of the red Ragin’ Cajuns.  Monroe drove down to the Cajun 28 on its next series where Lafayette halted the drive on a 4^th and six.  Three plays later, the Cajuns capitalized with the shotgun again as Rekieta fired to the streaking Stamps down the left sideline for a 64-yard TD pass to tie the score at 28-28.   It was a brand new ball game.  The smiles were gone from the Indian sideline.

    Unsuccessful for several consecutive series, QB Jyles was replaced by fellow SR QB Dan DaPrato.  Also converting briefly to the no-huddle, DaPrato faked an inside handoff and bolted 45 yards to the Lafayette 5.  The change worked as FB Jason Schule scored on a one-yard plunge to take back the lead, 35-28. 

     After several non-scoring series, Monroe was first and goal at the four to begin the last quarter.  RB Payne put Monroe up by 14 again with a 2-yard run to go up, 42-28.  “I can’t believe I’m really here!” A personal foul against the Indians after the PAT forced them to kick off from the 20, and Lafayette would start from its own 34.   Back in the no-huddle, UL-L made up for lost yards from a sack with a long pass to WR Eric Bartel at the UL-M 27.  A 22-yard completion to Bartel brought the red clad Cajuns to the 5, first and goal.  From there, Rekieta fired to TE Josh Joerg for his first reception with a diving catch in back of the end zone to cut the score to 42-35.  The Cajuns had “Mo” on their side again.  The Cajun “D” got a big break on the subsequent series when a snap from center sailed way over DaPrato’s head in the shotgun for a 24-yaard loss.  Lafayette blocked the punt attempt, but a celebration penalty pushed them back to their own 42.  On 3^rd and six from the Monroe 22, Rekieta threw his fourth TD pass of he day to WR Bill Sampy.  With plenty of time remaining, 5:23, the score was evened at 42 each!  “I can’t believe I’m really here!” With that TD pass, it was announced that Rekieta had set the all time individual passing game record for his school with 433 yards.  This was the second time CFF had witnessed such a record this year when we saw Texas Tech’s B.J. Symons throw for 586 against NC State.  Rekieta would finish with 474.  Like Symons, his record-setting performance would take a backseat to his team’s final result.  On a 3^rd and 14 on their next series, the Indians turned to deception again running a double reverse option pass to WR Mack Vincent (166 yards) who hauled it in at the Lafayette 34.  On 4^th and 4, Kuecker booted it through with 1:46 left in the game.  Without huddles or time-outs, the Cajuns moved form the 23 to the 49, but three consecutive incompletions put them in a 4^th and ten situation.  Rekieta found his favorite target Stamps, but in vain as the completion was only good for nine yards.  UL-M took over, ran out the clock, and the now 1-6 team, formerly Northeast Louisiana, congratulated their vanquished foe, prayed with them and the sprinted to their contingency of fans to celebrate like it was the national championship.  “I can’t believe I’m really here!”

     All things are relative, and such was that for a team that had won the “Louisiana division” of the lowly Sun Belt Conference as well as its first victory of the season.  Despite the ineptitudes on both sides, it was a hard fought game by both teams in a truly exciting, memorable game for CFF.com!  If you can believe this, and have interest, and we can’t figure out who does, Lafayette will host New Mexico State this Thursday in a nationally televised game.  Yes, the winless Cajuns host (“wear your red! Show your spirit!” blared the P.A. announcements) the Aggies who also lost last Saturday to winless Middle Tennessee State who lost to winless Temple the Saturday before!  Isn’t there some kind of a baseball game on TV that night?  What'll Guidry be watching? Monroe plays its next game in two weeks against those same Aggies.  These games should unravel the Sun Belt, from the bottom up!

Extra points:  Quote of the day came from a young, Lafayette coed who ran down from the loud cheering student section to converse on her cell phone.  With the score knotted at 42, she intently read the scoreboard into her phone.  “It’s the 4^th quarter.  We just scored. It’s 42-42. There’s 4:17 left.  This is serious!  I have a dollar on this game!”  It was cute.  She ran back to her seat.  I should’ve thrown in another dollar to make it twice as serious!

There were some other good one-liners from the Cajun faithful (very faithful, we may add): One may have been sarcastic but prophetic for the day, “ Rekieta for the Heisman!” followed by some laughter, followed by 474 yards on the day and 4 TD passes. Not bad for a guy with no one blocking for him.   Another one quipped after a big hit by 6-1, 230 lb. Cajun LB, “Brupbacher, sounds like a linebacker.”  A gentleman cheering his Cajuns on saw me scribbling and asked, “Sir, are you scouting?” I laughed and explained the website briefly.  I should have told him that yes I was scouting for the Giants, and where does his boy play?  I’d have gotten a much more interested response.  

The loudest cheers of the day came from the combined U of L stands (13,540 in all) when LSU scores were announced on the short end of the Florida game, reminiscent of Penn State scores announced at Rutgers games.  The Bayou Bengals eventually lost, 19-7.  People couldn’t have been happier at Cajun Field!  Call it jealousy or lack of respect, but there’s pure Ragin’ Cajun hatred here for the SEC’s Tigers.  Two girls wore the shirts with a message on back reading, “If you don’t support the Cajuns, move to Baton Rouge!” 

     Monroe is coached by Charlie Weatherbie who we’ve seen coach some Navy games in the past including an exciting 28-24 loss to Army in ’96 before his team eventually went on to win the Aloha Bowl against Cal.  Weatherbie only took over at UL-M back in March so he’s had no influence in recruiting there yet, but it sure looks like he should scout for some offensive lineman with some quickness off the ball.

   A major difference in the bottom of the 1A relative to the upper echelons is overall team quickness and speed.  The offensive lines weighed in like most others at this level averaging 300 lbs, but both unit lacked quickness.  When you note names of players from both schools playing pro ball – Giant Brain Mitchell, Panther QB Jake Delhomme, Bear rookie CB Charles Tillman – most play speed and skill positions.  Their guys up front aren’t too sought after, and that’s where the difference lies between these and the top schools. 

     CFF loves non-TV games because of the continuous action.  It will be a big adjustment for Cajun fans on Thursday when they have to sit through TV time-outs.  However, we can’t figure who’s going to advertise.  The Cajuns’ free game program is a small 8-page, 4 color glossy with team rosters, depth charts and a couple of local ads.  Did I mention there might be some kind of baseball game on that night as well?

     CFF loves Louisiana.  People down there start with Mardi Gras in New Orleans and party throughout the state for the rest of the year.  People still drive with beers in hand and there are Margarita drive-thru's.  Walking up to the visitor’s side of Cajun Field prior to the game was like a ghost town before the empty stadium about 40 minutes prior to kick-off.  I made my way around to find a lively parking lot with a rock band and Cajun tailgate homecoming parties. In the middle of it all was a Budweiser beer wagon, an oasis of happiness after a three-mile walk from the hotel and no immediate tailgate plans.  Only in Louisiana, but outdone at Syracuse, of all places, where they sell beer right in the Carrier Dome.  After the game, I found Legends Sports Bar on Bertrand not far form the Stadium.  There I watched games, drank beers and $3 Hurricanes, had a good burger and enjoyed excellent service from the girls working the bar.

    Taking the economical route to this game, CFF used FF miles, stayed at a $40 hotel, used $5 cab fares to and from the airport and thus avoided rental cars.  According to maps, everything I needed to see was within a few miles, walking distance.  When inquiring for directions and distances from the cabbie and the hotel clerk, both gave double-takes but gave good directions.  I learned that people in Lafayette must not do much walking as evidenced by their sidewalk system.  Some streets have them, others don’t.  Some end and continue as dirt paths, some over people’s lawns, and some merge into roads with heavy traffic.  There are no pedestrian crossing lights at any major intersections that prompted me to “sprint” (as best I still can at 47 now) across busy streets where drivers still might have a beer in hand.  You can probably find a gator somewhere in those neighborhoods.  The concept might make a great video game.  Call it "Loafing through Lafayette!"

    CFF has seen a lot of kickers boom it consistently through the end zone this year including Lafayette Soph Sean Comiskey.  It seems like many have good capabilities.  Even HS kicker David Rosenbaum knocked in a 61-yard extra point two weeks ago. Why the plethora of good kicking, and what is it that makes the guys who make to the NFL different than the guys who don’t?  CFF attributes the first to the number of kids who now play soccer in their formative athletic careers.  The aforementioned Rosenbaum will attend UVA on a soccer scholarship next season.  The second point is addressed by who can still be successful in the most severe of all weather conditions.  Thus far, we’ve seen successful kickers in dry weather with little wind from South Bend to Raleigh to Lafayette among others, but the guys who come through in the cold, harsh, windy climates of November and December will be the ones who will play on Sundays.