5 things to know about new Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football coach Michael Desormeaux
Michael Desormeaux will be the 27th football coach for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns the school announced on Sunday.
Desormeaux replaces Billy Napier who was named coach at Florida after staying on to coach the Cajuns to the Sun Belt Championship game on Saturday. Napier went 40-12 at Louisiana including 2-1 in bowl games.
Here are five things to know about Desormeaux.
Veteran Assistant at Louisiana
Desormeaux joined the Ragin' Cajuns staff as wide receivers coach in 2016 under Mark Hudspeth. He was named Interim coach before Louisiana hired Napier. Under Napier became an assistant head coach and tight end coach before being promoted to co-offensive coordinator.
The Cajuns averaged 397.6 yards a game, which ranked 69th in the nation, and 30.7 points a game, which ranked 50th.
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Former Ragin' Cajuns quarterback
Desormeaux started his collegiate career as an all-purpose special teams member making first-team Sun Belt in 2005 and second-team in 2006.
He became the starting quarterback as a junior and threw for 2,500 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was named to the Sun Belt second team. His senior year he accounted for 2,800 yards and 18 touchdowns while earning Sun Belt Offensive Player of the year.
Short pro stint
Desormeaux signed as a practice squad player with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a defensive back. He stayed on the practice squad for 15 days before being cut.
He saw time in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders on their practice squad.
High school coach
After his professional days were over he returned to his alma mater as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Catholic-New Iberia from 2010-13. He became the coach of Lafayette's Ascension Episcopal where he won 24 games over three seasons and took the program to the Division IV state semifinals in 2015.
Related to a horse Jockey
He is a distant cousin to horse jockey Kent Desormeaux. Kent won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes each three times and Belmont Stakes once. He is a member of the United States' Racing Hall of Fame.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: 5 things to know about Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football coach Michael Desormeaux
