Ragin’ Cajuns primed to take next step in 2020

There have been surprising college football teams who have risen from the ashes in the recent past.

Boise State upended Oklahoma in the wild 2007 Fiesta Bowl, finishing 13-0 in 2006 and ranked fifth in the AP Poll. The Broncos have been a power out west since.

Not long after a winless season, Central Florida had a 25-game winning streak that ended in a 40-32 Fiesta Bowl loss to LSU to start 2019. The Golden Knights were sixth in AP Poll after a 13-0 record in ’17.

If you’re looking for a potential up-and-comer to burst on the scene during the ’20 college football season, look no further than Cajun country.

Louisiana-Lafayette has made a quantum leap under third-year head coach Billy Napier, a 40-year old coming off a season where he was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year after an 11-3 finish. He signed a new agreement which runs through the 2025 season to stay as head coach of the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Napier inherited a program that posted a 15-22 mark over the previous three campaigns before he arrived. His squad has gone 18-10 since then with a pair of Sun Belt title game appearances.

College football requires team chemistry in order to gain success. The Cajuns roster is littered with underdog types, overlooked recruits who have blossomed during their time in Lafayette.

Senior quarterback Levi Lewis threw for 3,050 yards last season, becoming the first in school history to exceed 3,000 passing yards in a single season. He tossed for 26 touchdowns and only four interceptions, completing 64.3% of his throws. In the Sun Belt title game at Appalachian State, Lewis threw for 354 yards and four scores.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound lefty out of Scotlandville was recruited by some schools as an athlete and had offers from Tulane, Army, Jackson State, Howard University, UTSA and Iowa State. As a senior, Lewis accounted for 31 touchdowns in ’16 as the Hornets averaged 41.9 points per game in an uptempo offense. Former Cajuns coach Mark Hudspeth was drawn to his accuracy and decision making.

That said, ULL is built to run. A duo of seniors, Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas, have accumulated more career rushing yards (5,203) and touchdowns (61) than any other current combo in the country.

The Cajuns were were in the top 10 nationally in total offense, scoring offense and yards per play. They outscored opponents by 18 points per outing.

Mitchell, a converted receiver from Erath, received only token interest from Tulane, ULM and Army. He currently has 4,312 career yards with 42 touchdowns. Just 335 yards away from overtaking Tyrell Fenroy as the school’s all time rushing leader, Mitchell is also seven touchdowns shy of becoming the Cajuns’ leader in that category as well.

Ragas (5-10, 218) amassed 3,741 yards and 44 scores in his final two seasons at Archbishop Shaw. He drew offers from Ole Miss, Indiana, Kansas, Southern Miss, ULM and western Kentucky.

The defense ain’t chopped liver either. Boasting the top scoring defense in the Sun Belt last season (19.7 points/game), the Cajuns were the best against the pass in allowing 197.7 yards per game.

Senior linebacker Joe Dillon leads the group after recording seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss last fall. With his 18.5 career sacks, he is three away from becoming the school’s all time sack leader.

Junior defensive tackle Zi’Yon Hill (6-2, 279) added 53 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Junior safety Percy “Flash” Butler (6-0, 190), a converted receiver, managed 54 stops.

Keep an eye on new arrival Tayland Humphrey, a 350-pound nose tackle who sat out 2019 after transferring from Florida International. He was the highest rated recruit in FIU history after drawing interest from Alabama and Auburn.

The Cajuns dropped the curtain on a successful 11-3 campaign with an impressive 27-17 win over Miami (Ohio) in the Lending Tree Bowl. Hopes are high for the Vermilion and White to do much more in 2020.