Troy University Athletics
Cattouse, Offense Power Trojans to 42-28 Homecoming Victory over Cajuns
11/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
TROY, Ala. - Kenny Cattouse rushed for a career-high 172 yards and two touchdowns and Troy posted its most points in more than two years to defeat the University of Louisiana-Lafayette 42-28 on homecoming Saturday night at Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium.
I am proud of this football team, these coaches and all the Troy people,” Troy coach Larry Blakeney said. There were a bunch of folks that missed it that I wish had been here, but we had a good crowd. I'm tickled to death with the win."
Cattouse, who finished with two more total rushing yards than the Ragin' Cajuns rushed for as a team. It was the fifth-highest total by a Troy player in the schools' Division I-A history.
He knows how to run the ball,” Blakeney said. All we have to do is give him a little crease.”
Louisiana got on the board first with a 15-yard pass from Jerry Babb to Phillip Nevels midway through the first quarter.
The Cajuns opened the lead up even more with a 10-yard run by Deon Wallace early in the second quarter to make the score 14-0.
They got off to a fast start and we got off to a slow start,” Blakeney said. Momentum was a part of this game and it wound up in our pockets for the long haul.”
The Cajuns didn't see the end zone again until the second half.
The Trojans posted 21 points in the second quarter to claim the lead. That mark tied the 21 points the Trojans put up against Alabama State in the season opener and equalled the points Troy scored in the fourth quarter at ULL last year to force overtime.
We played a lot better today,” offensive coordinator Tony Franklin said. We started slow again. We had open receivers, but Omar (Haugabook) didn't throw the ball well early.”
The first score from the Trojans came on a Justin Brooks 1-yard run that followed Cattouse runs of 24, 15 and five yards to get the Trojans into scoring position.
The drive took six-plays, covering 68 yards and took 2:11 off the clock.
Junior Leodis McKelvin provided another spark with a 53-yard punt return to put the Trojans in good field position. It was the longest return of the season for the Trojans.
Haugabook had a 13-yard run, down to the 7-yard line, to set up Cattouse's first touchdown run of the night.
On Troy's next offensive possession, Haugabook threw a backside screen pass to Fred Turner for 17 yards. On the next play, Cattouse ran for 11 yards to set up a 15-yard Haugabook quarterback keeper for a touchdown to make the score 21-14.
Troy's defense stepped up to hold the Cajuns on a couple deep threats. Defensive end Brandon Lang got a sack to end the first half.
The Cajuns tied the game in the third quarter with a Babb screen pass to Tyrell Fenroy for 41 yards. But Troy answered later in the quarter with a 58-yard pass from Haugabook to Gary Banks on third down.
It was Troy's longest touchdown reception of the season. The previous long was a 42-yard touchdown pass by Banks to Toris Rutledge against Florida State.
Banks finished with three catches for 62 yards and a touchdown to celebrate his 25th birthday.
Haugabook finished 12-for-19 passing with one touchdown, one interception and 21 yards rushing and one touchdown on seven attempts.
On Louisiana's next possession, Terrence Moore intercepted a Babb pass to give the Trojans the ball at the Cajuns' 24-yard line.
After the turnover, Troy threw a screen pass to freshman Andrew Davis down to the 8-yard line where a fumble was called on the play. The play was reviewed in the booth and reversed to give the Trojans a first and goal.
I couldn't believe it was called a fumble in the first place,” Blakeney said. We had to wait around until they got it right.”
On the next play, Cattouse scored his second touchdown of the night to make the score 35-21 with 2:00 left in the third quarter.
I asked Kenny about a week ago, ?˜Didn't you run for 50,000 yards in high school?' " Franklin said. I told him that I'd like to see him break a run and do something special.”
The Cajuns completed a 51-yard pass from Babb to Derrick Smith down to the Troy 27-yard line near the end of the third quarter and Babb capped off the drive with a 13-yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown to make the score 35-28 early in the fourth quarter.
After a couple possessions, the Trojans reclaimed the ball with 9:04 left and produced one last drive to seal the game.
The drive was highlighted by a fourth-and-two from the ULL 32-yard line. The Trojans went for it and Haugabook ran three yards to the 29 for a first down.
I was most proud of that last drive because we took it and rammed it down the field," Franklin said. "On the fourth down play we were in the huddle and Omar looked at me and said ?˜Run me, I will make the first down. Give me the ball.' He got hit a yard short of the first down and kept powering and powering and gave everything he had out there tonight.”
Cattouse added a 24-yard line down to the 12-yard line. Two plays later, backup quarterback Julian Foster, in for a cramping Haugabook, scored on a 15-yard run with 2:11 left in the game.
The Cajuns drove down to the Troy 27-yard line but turned the ball over on downs as the clock expired.
With the win, Troy improved to 3-0 in the Sun Belt and 4-4 overall on the year. ULL is now 4-4 overall and 1-2 in league play.
I don't know if anybody would have thought we could do this,” Blakeney said. We started to build a confidence level to where we might be able to come back and get involved in this race.”
The Trojans are in second place in the conference behind Middle Tennessee State, which sits at 5-0 in the conference.
Middle won again today so they are still the team to beat in the league,” Blakeney said.
Troy will hit the road next week as they will take on Florida Atlantic. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m. in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
