3

The Cane Row Golf Club was the site of an evening with UL football coach Michael Desormeaux on Thursday.

Local attorney and Ragin’ Cajun alum Eric Haik hyped the crowd, which was already fired up after watching a highlight video, with only two words: “Let’s go!”

Desormeaux said it’s an understatement to call the program “excited” about this season, which is the first time he’s had a veteran team. When he was hired in 2022, he placed an emphasis on recruiting high school players instead of the NCAA transfer portal.

“This team chose UL for the right reasons,” he said. “Because of people like you. There is nothing more Ragin’ Cajun than New Iberia. We’re tough.”

The Cajuns had the second-lowest number of transfer portal entries in the NCAA. Quarterbacks Ben Wooldrige, who was recently named the starter, and Chandler Fields, have a combined 13 years of college experience.

Desormeaux said UL has been at its best with a stout offensive line, and this year’s unit returns four of five starters, including Landon Burton, who was at Cane Row on Thursday.

The Cajuns targeted defensive linemen in the transfer portal, Desormeaux pointing out that while he has “elite pass rushers,” they can’t rush the passer if the offense is consistently getting in 3rd-and-2 situations. Fitzgerald West, a transfer defensive tackle from LSU, is expected to make a big impact.

Offensively, Desormeaux mentioned receiver Harvey Broussard, who is coming off a productive true freshman season, and a three-headed monster at running back that includes former Franklin Sr. High player Zylan Perry.

In addition to providing insight on the team and the $60 million dollar stadium project, the primary purpose of Thursday’s event was to talk about Name, Image and Likeness, or NIL, which allows college athletes to be compensated for appearances and services.

Desormeaux and athletic director Bryan Maggard asked the crowd to join Krewe Allons, UL’s official NIL collective, with a monthly pledge of $10 and to consider an additional one-time gift. The football program, Maggard said, needs 2,000 monthly donors and baseball, softball and men’s basketball need 1,000 monthly donors apiece.

“We want you to put a $10 dollar charge on your credit card each month and forget about it,” he said. “We have to overcome the advantages the Power Four schools have. We have to bridge the gap. We want to separate ourselves from the other Group of Five schools.”

Maggard said the Cajuns are ahead of the game as the only Sun Belt Conference program with a collective but also cautioned that the program will need to double its NIL budget in the coming years.

Desormeaux has a goal of separating the Cajuns from their fellow Group of Five schools in another way.

“We want to be in that top 8.9%,” he said, making reference to the expanded NCAA college football playoff system where 12 of the 134 FBS programs will make the playoffs. “We don’t care who is scared of it.”