Long live the king! Delcambre’s Broussard dethrones NISH’s Hutson at luncheon

Published 6:00 am Thursday, August 24, 2017

It’s not easy to take down, or in this case dethrone, New Iberia Senior High School head football coach Rick Hutson when he’s in his element at the Iberia Parish Sugar Cane Jamboree Football Coaches Luncheon.

The NISH coach has won eight “Not-So-Sweet” Awards which are given to the coach of the participating teams in the jamboree who has the lowest expectations for his team for the season.

But that didn’t deter Delcambre High coach Marc Broussard from going after the reigning king, literally, at the annual luncheon sponsored by Community First Bank and The Daily Iberian which was held Wednesday at Landry’s Cajun, Seafood and Steakhouse.

Following Hutson, who led off with a great bit in the style of former LSU football coach Les Miles, Broussard talked about how Hutson cost him $700 at the casino; how he ended up in a walking boot; comparing his team to the question of how he ended up in the walking boot; making changes to his offensive and defensive teams on the fly, and the players on his team.

“I’ve learned that my kids are tempermental,” Broussard said. “They’re 90 percent temper and 10 percent mental.”

He followed that zinger with one about setting a reasonable goal for his team this year.

“The guys said ‘Coach, let’s shoot for 5-5,’” said Broussard. “And I’m thinking that’s reasonable. But then I’m thinking to myself, ‘Are they thinking about five home losses and five road losses?’”

By the time Broussard finished, it’s was apparent that the DHS coach was going to give Hutson a run for his money for the “Not-So-Sweet” award.

Broussard edged out the NISH coach to take the crown and his first “Not-So-Sweet” award.

Hutson and Jeanerette football coach Ananias Johnson didn’t make the decision easy.

Hutson started strong about how last year Donald Trump was in line to take over the NISH football coaching job but had to turn it down because he was eventually elected President of the United States.

The NISH coach lamented having to take the coaching gig back again so this year he told the assembled diners, which included NISH principal Curt Landry, that he was quitting and picked up his papers and walked out of the room.

“Curt asked several people to take the job, none of them would take it and he had to grovel back to me and asked me to come back this season,” Hutson said. “Every time I think about the way I was treated last year I get madder and madder and madder. 

“I got to tell you something Curt. I’m out, find yourself a new coach this year.”

A few minutes later, after Landry made a phone call looking for a new coach, Hutson walked back into the room with a picture of former LSU head football coach Les Miles taped to a stick and proceeded to do the rest of his skit pretending to be Miles, answering question as if he were in a press conference.

“Man oh man it’s great to be coaching again,” said Hutson as Miles, who proceeded to answer questions from the diners to finish out his time at the podium.

Johnson gave a good effort at the award, thanking various people in the Iberia Parish Education system including Superintendent Dale Henderson, his former coaches, his principal and representatives from jamboree co-sponsor Coca-Cola and luncheon co-sponsor Community First Bank.

“I want to thank Community Trust, because I may need a loan from them,” said Johnson before being playfully corrected by Community First Bank Senior Vice President Larry Hensgens that it was Community First Bank. 

“Community First, Community First. I get it, I get it,” said Johnson, quickly atoning for his error.

Bits by Highland Baptist coach Scottie Williams, Loreauville coach Rhett Peltier and Westgate assistant coach Derek Landry, subbing for head coach Ryan Antoine for the second straight year, rounded out the luncheon.

In the end though, it was Broussard standing tall with the coveted “Not-So-Sweet” award, stealing the crown, and the show, from the champ.

The Iberia Parish Sugar Cane Jamboree will be played Friday at New Iberia Senior High with Loreauville and Delcambre starting at 5:30 p.m. followed by Jeanerette and Highland Baptist at 7 p.m. and closing with New Iberia Senior High and Westgate at 8:30 p.m.