Game Report
November 14, 2015
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28 - 38
QB BROOKS HAACK CELEBRATES A THIRD QUARTER SCORE
For the second consecutive week Louisiana found themselves in a battle as they took on a hungry South Alabama team.
"We're the top dogs right now." Coach Porter Davis said after the game. "You expect every team's best shot out there and ultimately surviving that is what really separates the actual great teams from the pretenders."
South Alabama, led by former Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson, started the game off with some fireworks when Johnson ran for a 41 yard touchdown on the sixth play of the game. Johnson completed a 19 yard pass to runningback Chris Dinham on the play before after taking a sack on the play before that.
"He's a heck of a player and they've got something special in him. Can't rattle him." Davis said when asked about Johnson's performance.
Johnson finished the game with 62 yards rushing and 219 yards passing along with a pair of passing touchdowns.
Louisiana answered that score when Brooks Haack found Effrem Reed on a wheel route and he bulled over a South Alabama defender to get into the endzone from 12 yards out.
It took South Alabama just five plays to retake the lead when Johnson connected with redshirt freshman receiver Wes Patton for a 37 yard score.
Louisiana tied it right back up on a two yard Thomas Singleton touchdown run and it was 14-14 after the first quarter.
The second quarter was quiet by comparison with South Alabama's kicker Logan Gunn adding the only points of the frame with a 30 yard field goal early on.
Louisiana had an opportunity to tie it but elected to go for it on fourth and goal just before halftime. Jalen Nixon, who had stepped in for Brooks Haack when he
was shaken up, was stopped on a sneak.
The third quarter saw Louisiana try to pull away with scores by Montrel Carter and Effrem Reed on the ground. Carter started the second half for Louisiana after Kyle Hicks had been largely ineffective in the first half. Louisiana came out hot on their first possession of the second half, Carter carried three times on the drive for 23 yards, including the 13 yard touchdown run. Haack added a pair of runs for 18 yards and Torrey Pierce also contributed on the drive, carrying twice for 35 yards.
Gunn added a 46 yard field goal for South Alabama to make it 21-20 Louisiana.
Following a sack by Dominique Tovell and a great punt return by Effrem Reed the Cajuns had the ball on the Jaguars 36 yard line. On third and eight Haack connected with Adam Savoie for a 26 yard gain. Carter ran for five yards then Reed punched it in from three yards out to make it an eight point lead for Louisiana.
Later, in the fourth quarter Johnson found South Alabama's freshman fullback Dan Dunn, who had lined up in the left slot, on a deep slant and he took it 29 yards to the house. South Alabama got the two point conversion and with 5:55 left to play we had a tied game.
"No one in the entire stadium had any quit in them today and that made for a hell of a game." Davis added during his post game presser. "I'm proud of everyone, our guys, their guys, the fans, the band, just everyone."
Louisiana put together a nine play drive that ended with a 21 yard Jeffery Yatkowski field goal with 1:48 left on the clock.
"Big kick, he grew up a lot on that one." Davis said.
With Johnson ready to lead the South Alabama offense back out there was some concern that Louisiana had left them too much time but also didn't have enough time to hope to get the ball back if Johnson was able to get them into the endzone.
Senior cornerback Jamal Rainey was able to alleviate that concern when he picked off a deep pass by Johnson that was intended for Patton. With only a minute left Louisiana only had to run the clock out to ensure their victory.
Torrey Pierce broke free and scampered down the left sideline for a 78 yard score as time expired, making the final score 38-28 for the Cajuns.
"Like I already said it was a hell of a game and I give everyone on that sideline a lot of credit. Lots of respect for those guys for sure."
Louisiana improves their record to 9-0 on the season while South Alabama drops to 4-5.
The Cajuns will be on the road at Texas State and Arkansas State the next two weeks before wrapping up the regular season by hosting Louisiana-Monroe.
JEREMY JOHNSON PUT SOUTH ALABAMA ON THE BOARD WITH A 41 YARD TD RUN
REED BOWLS OVER A DEFENDER EN ROUTE TO A SCORE
CARTER WOULD NOT BE DENIED ON THIS SCORE
TOVELL WITH A KEY SACK
USA FB DUNN CUTS THE LOUISIANA LEAD TO TWO
RAINEY SECURES THE VICTORY WITH A LATE PICK
PIERCE ADDS A VERY LATE TD
Scoring
USA|14|03|03|08|
28
ULL|14|00|14|10|
38
1Q USA J. Johnson 41 Yd run (L. Gunn kick)
1Q ULL E. Reed 12 Yd pass from B. Haack (J. Yatkowski kick)
1Q USA W. Parron 36 Yd pass from J. Johnson (L. Gunn kick)
1Q ULL T. Singleton 2 Yd run (J. Yatkowski kick)
2Q USA L. Gunn 30 Yd FG
3Q ULL M. Carter 13 Yd run (J. Yatkowski kick)
3Q USA L. Gunn 45 Yd FG
3Q ULL E. Reed 3 Yd run (J. Yatkowski kick)
4Q USA D. Dunn 29 Yd pass from J. Johnson (2 Pt)
4Q ULL J. Yatkowski 20 Yd FG
4Q ULL T. Pierce 78 Yd run (J. Yatkowski kick)
Key Player Stats
Passing: B. Haack 17/29 203Yds 1TD
Rushing: T. Pierce 11/155 1TD, M. Carter 8/61 1TD, B. Haack 6/48, K. Hicks 14/36
Receiving: S. Austin 3/64, A. Savoie 3/61, M. Porter Sr. 5/45
Tackles: J. Watson 5, C. Prater 3, T. Worthy 3, D. Tovell 3, C. Polk 3
Sacks: D. Tovell 3
Interceptions: J. Rainey 1
Special Teams: J. Yatkowski 1/1FG 5/5XP, E. Reed 187 Ret YD
Passing: J. Johnson 16/31 219Yds 2TD 1Int
Rushing: J. Johnson 9/62 1TD, C. Dinham 8/33
Receiving: W. Patton 4/81 1TD, D. Woodson Jr. 3/42, D. Dunn 1/29 1TD
Tackles: R. Sands 7, T. Johnson 7
Sacks: N/A
Interceptions: N/A
Special Teams: L. Gunn 2/2FG 2/2XP, D. Woodson Jr. 59 Ret YD
Key ULL Defensive Stats
Points Allowed: 28
First Downs: 14
Total/Rush/Pass Yards: 314/95/219
Takeaways: 1
Sacks: 3
Coach Davis' Take
It's all in the post game presser. Outstanding game by both teams and we made a couple more plays.
Coach Davis' Player of the Game
Several players stepped up at times and got this win for us.
Next Game
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9-0 (5-0) | 5-4 (3-2)