Cattouse Runs Wild on Ragin' Cajuns

Saturday, September 22

Lafayette, La.

6:00 PM

Troy University

Louisiana

9/22/2007 5:00:00 AM | Football

LAFAYETTE, La. ? If it were left up to Troy senior running back Kenny Cattouse, the Trojans would play the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns every week.

Cattouse posted his fourth career 100-yard game, his second against ULL, piling up 139 yards rushing and scoring three touchdowns to lead the Trojans to a 48-31 victory in the Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams. Troy evened its season record at 2-2 while dropping ULL to 0-4 on the year.

Cattouse scored on a 36-yard run in the first quarter, a nine-yard scamper in the third and and an eight-yard run in the fourth while senior quarterback Omar Haugabook threw for 297 yards and two scores, and ran for 89 yards and another score, to lead the Trojans to the victory.

"I was scared to death coming into this game tonight because I knew they were struggling and would come out with some fire tonight," Troy coach Larry Blakeney said. "I knew that we would have to match that fire. They were able to move the football on us all night, and we didn't tackle real well, but I am thankful that we were able to move it on them some."

Cattouse was a question mark for the Trojans leading up to the game after spraining his knee last Friday in Troy's win over Oklahoma State. But, having rushed for 261 yards and four touchdowns in two previous games against ULL, he was on the field from the opening possession. His three rushing scores on Saturday give him 13 for his career, seven against ULL.

"I guess it is just a trend for me to come up big when we play Lafayette," Cattouse said. "I had a feeling I would do OK, but I didn't know if I'd even be able to play tonight. Once I got out there, it felt pretty good. Once I got that first touchdown, I was in the zone the rest of the night."

But, if the Trojans came to Cajun Field looking for an easy victory, the home-standing Ragin' Cajuns bloodied their noses on the second play of the game when junior receiver Jason Cherry took an inside handoff 80 yards for a touchdown. With the PAT, ULL led 7-0 just 20 seconds into the game. It was the second longest run from scrimmage ever against Troy.

The Troy offense had early game woes of its own when, on its second play, freshman receiver Jurrel Jernigan fumbled on a reverse, giving ULL the ball at the Troy 34. Freshman linebacker Grant Fleming stayed at home on the play, forcing the fumble that senior safety Lamar Morgan recovered.

The Cajuns used just seven plays to cover the distance to the end zone, the final six on a run, untouched up the middle by sophomore Deon Wallace. Drew Edmiston's second PAT put ULL up 14-0 with 10:42 left in the first quarter.

Troy finally got started on its next possession behind the running and passing of Haugabook. The senior completed passes to three different receivers and then covered the final 15 yards himself on a quarterback draw with 8:13 left in the quarter. Greg Whibbs' PAT cut the Troy deficit to 14-7.

The Trojans drew even on their next possession, after forcing a ULL punt. Haugabook converted one third down with a long throw to Josh Allen and then gave the ball to Cattouse on third and two from the Cajuns' 36. The senior bounced outside, slipped through a ULL tackler and sprinted down the sideline for a touchdown. Whibbs was again good on the PAT, knotting the game at 14 with 4:28 to play in the opening quarter.

ULL reclaimed the lead on its next possession, driving 53 yards in nine plays before having to settle for a 40-yard Edmiston field goal and a 17-14 lead with 1:56 left in the quarter.

Troy finally took the lead with 10:55 left in the half when Haugabook passed the Trojans the length of the field. He completed four straight passes on a six play drive, hitting Gary Banks for four yards, Andrew Davis for 25, Allen for 31 and Travis Boyd for four yards and the score. It was the sophomore tight end's second career reception, and first for a touchdown. Whibbs' PAT gave Troy a 21-17 lead.

The two teams traded possessions through the rest of the quarter, and the half ended when Haugabook was unable to find an open receiver from the ULL 41, running out of bounds at the Cajuns' 17 as the half expired.

The Trojans picked right up in the third quarter where they left off. Haugabook connected on passes to Allen, Banks and Kennard Burton before hitting sophomore Cornelius Williams for a 34-yard score. Whibbs was good on the PAT, increasing Troy's lead to 28-17 with 12:57 left in the third quarter.

Troy pushed its lead to 34-17 on its next possession, driving 55 yards in nine plays, with Cattouse carrying the final nine yards for his second touchdown of the night. Whibbs misfired on the PAT.

ULL cut the Troy lead to 34-24 by taking advantage of a Troy turnover. Haugabook was intercepted by Daylon McCoy after his pass was deflected into the air at the line of scrimmage. A personal foul penalty against the Trojans gave the Cajuns possession at Troy's 34.

It took ULL 11 plays to get into the end zone, with junior quarterback Michael Desormeaux hooking up with senior tight end Kevin Belton for the final yard with 2:46 left in the third quarter.

Cattouse found the end zone again in the fourth quarter, scoring on an eight-yard run to cap a five-play, 55-yard drive. Whibbs' PAT increased Troy's lead to 41-24 with 12:54 to play.

ULL came right back, using just 59 seconds to drive 63 yards, capped by a two-yard touchdown run by Abdule Levier, cutting the Troy lead to 41-31 with 9:01 still left to play.

Senior Elbert Mack sealed the victory for Troy when he picked off a Desormeaux pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown, increasing the Trojan lead to 48-31.

Troy vs. ULL Game Notes

* Game captains were Elbert Mack, Marcus Pittman, Josh Allen and Greg Whibbs. This was Whibbs' third game as a captain and the first game for the others.

* Jerrel Jernigan's fumble in the first quarter was his first of the season.

* Jason Cherry's 80-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was the second longest rushing play against the Trojans.

* Omar Haugabook made his 17^thconsecutive start which ranks him 13^th among active quarterbacks in college football.

* Kenny Cattouse rushed for his 11^thand 12^th career touchdowns in the game.

* Gary Banks extended his consecutive games with a reception streak to 23 games with a catch in the second quarter.

* Travis Boyd caught his first career touchdown pass in the second quarter.

* Marcus Richardson intercepted his first career pass in the second quarter.

* Cornelius Williams scored his first career touchdown in the third quarter.

* Fred Turner caught his first pass of the season in the third quarter.

* Kenny Cattouse rushed for over 100 years for the second time against ULL. He has rushed over 100 yards four times in his career.