Scouting report, prediction: Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football vs. UL Monroe Warhawks
Billy Napier and the No. 23 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns have won 10 straight since a season-opening loss at Texas.
Terry Bowden and the UL Monroe Warhawks have lost four straight and haven’t won since an Oct. 23 victory over South Alabama.
UL (10-1, 7-0 Sun Belt Conference) and ULM (4-7, 2-5) close the regular season Saturday (3 p.m., ESPNU) at Cajun Field.
As Napier’s name swirls in coaching searches elsewhere, UL’s season will continue after Saturday when it plays host to Appalachian State in the Sun Belt championship game on Dec. 4 (2:30 p.m., ESPN).
UL is coming off a 42-14 non-conference win at Liberty. ULM lost 27-14 at LSU.
The Cajuns have won three straight over the Warhawks, including last season’s 70-20 win in Monroe.
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Levi Lewis and UL receivers
Levi Lewis, a super senior, is 32-7 as UL’s starting quarterback.
Lewis has thrown for 2,274 yards and 18 touchdowns this season with a 61.4 completion percentage (189-of-308) and four interceptions.
His favorite receiver is Peter LeBlanc (31 catches, 319 yards, one touchdown).
But Kyren Lacy and TCU transfer John Stephens Jr. are tied for the team lead in touchdown catches with four apiece, including one each on throws to the end zone at Liberty.
ULM quarterbacks and Boogie Knight
Warhawk QBs Rhett Rodriguez, son of offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez and a transfer from Arizona, and Chandler Rogers, a juco transfer who appeared in two 2019 games for Southern Miss, both played against LSU.
But Rodriguez handled most of the workload for ULM’s methodical offense, which is susceptible to a strong pass rush (3.36 sacks per game allowed, 11th worst nationally).
Rodriguez, who missed six games due to a punctured lung sustained in a Sept. 25 win over Troy, completed 12-of-22 passes for 157 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Rogers, who’s been dealing with a groin pull, has thrown for 1,295 yards and three touchdowns with a 62.94 completion percentage (107-of-170) and three touchdowns.
Their top target is Boogie Knight (43 catches, 541 yards, two TDs). But tight end Zach Rasmusen has a season-high three touchdown receptions.
Cajun running backs
Napier said last week that the Cajuns would return to a three-man rotation when reserve running back Emani Bailey returned from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Bailey did rush for a team-leading 60 yards and a late-game touchdown, but most of his 13 carries came with the outcome no longer was in doubt.
Chris Smith and freshman Montrell Johnson Jr. handled the bulk of work when things still were tight. Smith (803 rushing yards, eight touchdowns) and Johnson (714 yards, 11 TDs) give UL quite a 1-2 punch, with Bailey not far behind.
UL’s offensive line
UL’s balanced offense, which averages 408.8 yards per game including 214.1 passing and 194.7 rushing, works largely because of a Joe Moore Award-semifinalist offensive line led by right tackle Max Mitchell, center Shane Vallot and left tackle Ken Marks.
Marks is a seventh-year senior. Mitchell, who’s accepted a Senior Bowl invitation, is a product of Monroe’s Neville High.
O’Cyrus Torrence
Usual starting left guard O’Cyrus Torrence won't play Saturday, Napier said after practice Wednesday.
Torrence traveled to Liberty but didn’t play due to a concussion sustained when, according to Napier, his truck was totaled in a Nov. 18 traffic accident.
With Torrence out, Lafayette High product David Hudson – son of former UL offensive coordinator and current New Mexico Highlands offensive line coach Ron Hudson – made his second career start at Liberty. Hudson’s first start came last season – against ULM.
Prediction
UL 38, ULM 17: ULM can play loose and with little to lose. But UL should handle the Warhawks easily, unless the Cajuns lose their focus with the Sun Belt title game awaiting and Napier on a job hunt.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns vs. UL Monroe: Scouting report, prediction
