Spring Football Ends With More Questions

The Ragin’Cajuns ended spring football with the annual red-white spring game Saturday with several good performances and a few concerns at certain positions. The Cajun RedZone looks at the good and bad on the offensive side of the ball.

Spring football usually provides football staffs around the country with the opportunity to move a few athletes around and give underclassmen more repetitions looking to develop depth. This spring has been no different for the Cajun football staff as athletes had been moved around to add depth or create competition at positions throughout the roster. Some of the decisions to move athletes around were predicated by injuries or absences due to academics at several key positions. The offensive line was one area were spring injuries really hampered the staff from evaluating development of some underclassmen on the roster.

Despite missing key starters and backups on the offensive line, senior quarterback Michael Desormeaux showed his maturity and development this spring Saturday during the game. Desormeaux directed the first two scoring drives, including a 12-play, 94-yard drive that put the offense on the board.

Desormeaux hit a streaking Lance Kelly for a 33-yard strike, over CB Justin Branden whom appeared to give up on the route. On the second scoring drive, Desormeaux found a wide open Jason Chery with a 60-yard bomb. Chery blew by sophomore CB Orkeys Auriene while he looked back to peak at Desormeaux in the backfield. After missing the extra point on the first touchdown, Desormeaux made an outstanding play to run for the two-point conversion. Both scores came in a 2:34 span of the second quarter.

Desormeaux did not play in the second half and finished the game hitting on 12-of-16 passes for 158 yards and 2 Td. Dersormeaux scrabbled for 9-yards on attempts in the game as well.

Both young quarterbacks Chris Masson and Brad McGuire both had their moments during the game. Masson finished the game hitting 7-of-19 passes for 78 yards and 1 td. Masson hit Louis Lee with a nice touch pass down the seam for the only other score of the scrimmage. Lee, looking to return to form after a disappointing season in 2007 due to injuries and the death of his aunt, finished that with 2 catches for 55 yards.

Brad McGuire had his share of tough moments during the game, being sacked four times. Two sacks were caused by poor snaps from the center in the shot gun formation and another on a mishandled hand off to red-shirt freshman RB Jonathan Thomas. McGuire overcame some of tough times during the scrimmage staying within himself and not forcing passes into coverage. While McGuire’s stats were not great on the day, he did show a great deal of poise completing 6-of-10 passes for 51 yards.

Heading into the fall, McGuire will be the unofficial #2 behind Desormeaux with Masson challenging him for the position.

With Derek Smith out this spring to concentrate on academics, the Cajuns staff was hoping to see several other receivers step up this spring besides Jason Chery. Marlin Miller, Louis Lee, Lance Kelly and Jawanza Mitchell all showed good progress. Verlin Moore, Ross Goodlett and Richie Falgout also showed they are capable of contributing this season.

Tyrell Fenroy once again showed why he has rushed for over 3,200 yards in his college career. Fenroy finished the spring game with 50 yards on 10 attempts. But with Deon Wallace out of spring with academics and Julian Shankle out with a broken ankle, neither Matt Dupre or red-shirt freshman Jonathan Thomas established themselves as capable backups. With the uncertainty of Shankles injury and just incoming freshman Draylon Booker to add to the mix, look for the Cajun staff to possibly bring in another back before the fall.

The offensive line depth was decimated by injuries this spring, not allowing the staff to work with different groups of lineman in the mix. Tackle Kyle Pirtle was held out of spring rehabbing a torn ACL, with Brad Bryant, Brad Bustle, Chris Fisher and Josh Robinson all being held out after injuries this spring. The Cajun staff had to look to youngsters Nasser Jamal, Colin Windsor, Kyle Pouhlar, Jaron Odom and Matthew Autry for the majority of the spring game along with returning starter Jonathan Decoster. The changes hurt consistency in the line throughout the spring game, but Jamal, Windsor, Pouhlar and Odom all showed good potential at times. This group of young linemen and those returning from injuries could provide the Cajuns with the most depth on the offensive line in a few years.