Fire on the Bayou|UL-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns Dynasty

[ChosenOne58]

I decided to go ahead and do an NCAA '11 dynasty. The game is too amazing not to do one. I like to go with smaller schools and take them to the top (or at least try to). I decided to go with the first team that I ever reported a dynasty with, the UL-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns. So I think that's it as far as intros go. I hope you guys have as much fun reading as I plan to have posting. All comments/suggestions are appreciated.

DYNASTY RULES and SETTINGS

Platform: PS3

Difficulty: All-American

Recruiting: All-American

Quarter Length: 8 minutes

Players Leaving: Players are allowed to transfer to other universities and transfers are welcome to join the Ragin Cajuns. As far as turning Pro is considered, if a player has an OVR of 90, he can go. I will not spend over 30 minutes convincing a player to stay.

Red Shirts: Freshman can and will be red-shirted, unless they can fill an immediate need on the roster.

Recruiting Rules: Players cannot be more than one star better than the program prestige. These players will all come from pipeline/border states. Players at or below the prestige level can come from any state, but UL-Lafayette has to be in their Top 10. This rule is in effect until UL-Lafayette reaches four star status.

Once I reach four star status, I can recruit up to five players outside of the pipeline that have a five star rating, provided that they have UL-Lafayette listed in their Top 10. All five star prospects in pipeline/border states are fair game, whether or not UL-L is in their top 10. Once the program hits five stars, I can recruit whoever I want.

Schedule: UL-L will play at least one Top 25 team every season. We will start from the bottom of the rankings and work our way up. We will also play one team from the SEC. The 2010 schedule will be played as is.

[ChosenOne58]

"THE SWAMP"

Cajun Field enters its 40th season as the home of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns football. Attendance numbers have spiked in recent years, as two of the five highest attended games ever have occured in the last two seasons (33,828 versus McNeese State in 2007 and 29,031 against FIU in 2008). Those attendance figures also rank No. 1 and No. 7 on the largest home stadium attendance in Sun Belt Conference history.

The fans have also come to support their team during conference play. The Cajuns own seven of the 14 all-time biggest crowds for a SBC game. With a 4-1 record at home in ‘08 and one of the nation’s top offenses, the Cajuns posted their best home average since 1996 with 21,468 per game.

For the first five seasons under head coach Rickey Bustle, the Cajuns posted a winning record at home. In addition, attendance for the first four seasons under Bustle increased 41 percent over the preceding four year period. From 2003-04, Louisiana won six straight home games, the fourth longest streak at Cajun Field. UL currently holds an all-time mark of 109-92-2 at Cajun Field.

Louisiana has enjoyed plenty of memorable moments since the venue opened in 1971. The greatest of those moments came during the 1996 season when the Ragin’ Cajuns opened their 26th season in the facility with the biggest upset in school history, a 29-22 victory over No. 25 Texas A&M in front of a Cajun Field-record 38,783 fans. It is also the largest crowd to ever attend an athletic event in Acadiana.

That mark surpassed the previous record crowd of 36,133 that saw the Cajuns face the Alabama Crimson Tide on Oct. 6, 1990. “ The Swamp” has been the site of much success with four consecutive 4-1 records from 1993-96. The school record for wins at Cajun Field in a season is seven, set during the 1976 season, one of two undefeated seasons at “ The Swamp.”

Cajun Field boasts 2,577 chairback seats and bleacher seating to the capacity of another 28,423, giving “ The Swamp” a seating capacity of 31,000. Cajun Field was built in time for the 1971 football season. The characteristics which helped create the name and traditions have been there since the initial construction.

For the first 17 years, Louisiana’s football stadium was simply known as Cajun Field. In the summer of 1988, then-Strength & Conditioning Coach Mickey Faulkinberry suggested referring to Cajun Field as “ The Swamp”. The name stuck for various reasons. To start, the field surface is set two feet below sea level in a natural bowl. In addition to providing a picturesque surrounding, the sunken facility allows most fans to walk down to their stadium seats. The Cajuns and their opponents must enter Cajun Field through a long tunnel from the Cox Communications Athletic Center.

“The Swamp” nickname also fits in with the geographic makeup of the area, with its many surrounding bayous and wetlands, as well as the close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, which lies just 30 miles south.

In fact, a popular gathering place for Louisiana students and a regular stop for visitors is the small swamp located in the heart of UL’s main campus, which sits adjacent to the Student Union. Ironically, the on-campus swamp, officially named Cypress Lake, lays over the original football field that existed during the early 1900’s, adding to the distinct nickname.

University Information

Name ________________ University of Louisiana
Location ______________________Lafayette, La.

Founded ___________________________ 1900

Enrollment _____________ 15,035 (Spring, 2009)
Nickname ___________________ Ragin’ Cajuns
Colors __________ Vermilion (PMS 193) & White
Stadium (Capacity) _______ Cajun Field (31,000)
Surface _______ Pro Grass Synthetic Turf System
President ____Dr. E. Joseph Savoie (Louisiana ’76)
Athletics Director ___ David Walker (Louisiana ’76)
Website ______________ www.ragincajuns.com

Football History

First year of Football __________________ 1901
Seasons Played _______________________ 107

Games Played ______________________ 1,004

All-Time Record ____________ 472-498-34 (.487)
All-Time Bowl Record ______________ 1-1 (.500)
Last Bowl Appearance _____ 1970 Grantland Rice
Result __________ Lost to Tennessee State, 26-25
Conference Championships ___________ Seven

Retired Numbers

1 - Brian Mitchell, QB (1986-89)
9 - Damon Mason, DB (1994-96)
12 - Jake Delhomme, QB (1993-96)

14 - Brandon Stokley, WR (1995-98)

28 - Glenn LaFleur, RB/LB (1967-69)
32 - Tyrell Fenroy, RB (2005-08)
42 - Orlando Thomas, DB (1991-94)

[ChosenOne58]

Ragin' Cajuns Season Review

2010
Overall Record:
Sun Belt Conference Record:
Preseason National Rank:
Final National Rank:
Bowl Game:
Team Overall:
Team Offense:
Team Defense:
Special Teams:
Average Attendance:


Ragin' Cajuns Greatest Games



1. September 25, 2010 - UL-Lafayette vs. Middle Tennessee State|Score: 608
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[ChosenOne58]

Ragin' Cajuns Record Book

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Ragin' Cajuns Dynasty Award Winners

2010 Award Winners

2010 All-Americans

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Ragin' Cajuns Dynasty Recruiting Classes

2010
Class Rank:
Scholarships Awarded:
Class Breakdown:
Top Recruits:

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NCAA Post Season Wrap-Up

National Champions

2010 -

Heisman Winners

2010 -

Sun Belt Conference Champions

2010 -

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2010 Articles

UL-Lafayette Looking to Improve; Replace Coach Bustle
Week 1: UL-Lafayette at Georgia
Week 2: UL-Lafayette vs. Arkansas State*
Recruiting Update/Week 4 Visits
Week 4: UL-Lafayette vs. Middle Tennessee State*
Special Feature: On the Sidelines with Coach Devereaux - 1st Ed.
Week 5: UL-Lafayette at North Texas*
Week 6: UL-Lafayette vs. Oklahoma State
Special Feature: Under the Helmet - Yobes Walker
Week 7: UL-Lafayette at Troy*