A team that ranked seventh nationally in rushing and returns its top two rushers, two starting wideouts and four starting offensive linemen shouldn’t have offensive concerns. But UL Lafayette is in desperate need of balance. The Ragin’ Cajuns were the nation’s only team with two top-40 rushers — quarterback Michael Desormeaux and tailback Tyrell Fenroy — in 2007. However, ULL ranked 115th in the country in passing offense and had more interceptions (13) than touchdown passes (12).

Coach Rickey Bustle brought in quarterbacks coach Jorge Munoz to correct that inequity, and Munoz has a terrific athlete to work with in Desormeaux. Last year, Desormeaux rushed for 1,141 yards on a 6.1-yard average. But teams that stacked the line of scrimmage and forced the Cajuns to throw last season had success.

A healthy Fenroy will take some of the pressure off Desormeaux. Fenroy missed one midseason game and the majority of another game with an ankle injury but still enjoyed a third straight 1,000-yard season, a first in program history.

Desormeaux has a pair of seniors, the consistent Derrick Smith and the speedy Jason Chery, back at wideouts. Smith missed spring drills to concentrate on academics — not a bad thing since an inexperienced set of backups logged some time. Last year’s third-leading receiver, junior Phillip Nevels, was a spring switch to free safety.

Center Chris Fisher, a former walk-on who became a starter as a redshirt freshman in 2006, has established himself as the leader of an experienced offensive front that needs depth and must remain healthy.

Defense

There are some alarming defensive trends that need to be fixed this season: Last year, opponents converted 45.8 percent of their third down attempts; they possessed the ball, on average, for over 17 minutes of the second half; and they completed over 50 percent of their passes in all 12 games. The ULL secondary intercepted only eight passes.

For the second straight season, the linebacking corps will be the strength of the Cajun defense. And, for the second straight year, the Cajuns need to improve both in front of and behind that group.

Linebackers Antwyne Zanders (93), Grant Fleming (71) and Brent Burkhalter (65) were the team’s top three tacklers a year ago, and this group should form the top unit in the Sun Belt this fall. Fleming stepped into a starting role as a true freshman last year.

The rest of the defense is a crapshoot. LaQuincy Williams is the only full-time starting down lineman returning, and returning free safety Gerren Blount missed spring drills with academic issues.

Specialists

Drew Edmiston has missed only six field goals in two seasons and didn’t miss inside 40 yards last year. Spencer Ortego, forced into punting duties as a freshman walk-on, should be more consistent. Deon Wallace provides a breakaway kickoff-return threat.

Final analysis

The Cajuns were the nation’s sixth-youngest team last season, playing 21 freshmen and 18 sophomores. They played like it en route to a 1–8 start. The Cajuns rebounded to win their last two road games, but with Southern Miss, Illinois and Kansas State on the September slate, another tough start seems inevitable. Desormeaux and Fenroy will allow the Cajuns to move the ball, but to score consistently they must improve the passing game. Also, stopping the pass is key for a defense that gave up big plays at the most inopportune moments last year.