Started off by addressing injuries. Tyler Johnson and Jaylen Veasley both practiced last night after going out of App game with injury. Marcus Hubbard worked out as well, but with a hamstring you never know. Ben Luckett suffered a concussion in practice leading up to App week, which is why he missed that game. He had a light workout last night at the practice, but they're taking it easy with him. Should be good to go with 2+ weeks off though.
ABOUT ULL:
ABOUT ULL:
- ULM will wear a #48 helmet sticker to honor Louis Blanchard if the stickers come in in time. Also sent some things for the funeral this week from ULM Football.
- Says they are "Huge on offensive and defensive lines...really impressed with the linebackers and safeties."
- Receivers for ULL are improving and can be dangerous. With that, star RB Elijah McGuire lined up in slot some last week against Ark State and can either run short routes as receiver or motion back into backfield.
- Speaking of McGuire, V said he is really, really good if healthy. LSU transfer Anthony Jennings runs the ball well (probably better than he passes...that's not V, that's me).
- ULM will "treat this as our bowl game...we had time off like a bowl game, and if we had beat App we'd be playing for a spot in one"
- HUGE recruiting weekend. A lot of official and unofficial visits coming in to watch this game. Also about recruiting, V says high school coaches in the state see that V and his staff "Do Things the right way."
- I asked V how the O-Line has developed this year, and he was really happy. "Those guys have gotten a lot better, especially in the last third of the year. We were able to run the ball on some good run defenses in South Alabama and Georgia State. While we lost at App, I think we ran the ball as good as anyone has on that defense." Says even the seniors have improved a lot, and specifically said that while Baltazar has always had the athleticism, he's gotten a lot tougher this season. Was proud of OL considering they lost Keaton Baggs in first game of the season. Said Eastwood Thomas has improved and Devin Jackson is a good player with a bright future. Mentioned Alec Osborne at TE and how his high motor was a great example for the team.
- While goal for the year was to win the SBC, V said winning this week would be a huge mark of improvement. Warhawks would finish conference play at 4-4 and around 5th in the conference. "Finishing in the top half for a team that was picked last in the conference is saying something."
