11/17/2022 football Edit

Preview: FSU vs. Louisiana

Michael Jefferson has 39 catches for 669 yards and six touchdowns. (USA Today Sports)

Patrick Burnham • TheOsceola

Football/Recruiting Analyst

Florida State (7-3, 5-3 ACC) will host Louisiana (5-5, 3-4 Sun Belt) to start a two-game homestand that will finish off the Seminoles' 2022 regular season. FSU enters the game on a three-game winning streak and are a 24-point favorite entering the game. The game will be televised on Regional Sports Networks (affiliates listed here). Kickoff is set for noon.

Louisiana Schedule and Results

Louisiana 24 Southeastern Louisiana 7

Louisiana 49 Eastern Michigan 21

Rice 33 Louisiana 21

ULM 21 Louisiana 17

South Alabama 20 Louisiana 17

Louisiana 23 Marshall 13

Louisiana 38 Arkansas State 18

Southern Miss 39 Louisiana 24

Troy 23 Louisiana 17

Louisiana 36 Georgia Southern 17

Louisiana by the numbers (FBS Rank/Per Game Average)

Offensive Numbers:

Rushing Offense - 78th @ 141.8 YPG

Passing Offense - 75th @ 226.9 YPG

Total Offense - 83rd @ 368.7 YPG

Scoring Offense - 81st @ 26.6 PPG

Sacks Allowed - 51st @ 1.8 SPG

TFLs Allowed - 36th @ 4.7 PG

Third-Down Offense - 63rd @ 39.1 percent

Defensive Numbers:

Rushing Defense - 31st @ 123.3 YPG

Passing Defense - 75th @ 231 YPP

Total Defense - 40th @ 354.3 YPG

Scoring Defense - 30th @ 21.2 PPG

Sacks Made - 41st @ 2.5 SPG

TFLs Made - 86th @ 5.3 PG

Third-Down Defense - 53rd @ 36.7 percent

Louisiana coaches

Michael Desormeaux is 5-5 in his first year as the Louisiana coach. The former Louisiana quarterback has served under two coaches at his alma mater. His first two seasons, 2016 and 2017, he was an assistant for Mark Hudspeth. From 2018-21 he worked for now-Florida head coach Billy Napier. Prior to returning to his alma mater in 2016, Desormeaux was the head coach at Lafayette (La.) Ascension Episcopal School from 2013-15.

Tim Leger is the team's offensive coordinator and is in his fifth season as an assistant at Louisiana. Leger has spent time as an assistant coach at Louisiana-Monroe (2016-17) and McNeese State (2007-15).

Lamar Morgan is the team's defensive coordinator. Like Desormeaux, he is a former player for the Ragin Cajuns. Last season Morgan was the cornerback coach at Vanderbilt. Morgan also has spent time as an assistant at Houston (2018), Louisiana-Monroe (2016-17) and Western Carolina (2014-15).

Louisiana on offense

Louisiana's very balanced (50% run vs. 50% pass) shotgun, spread offense is led by redshirt junior quarterback Ben Wooldridge (6-4 and 211 pounds). Wooldridge has thrown for 1,661 yards this season while completing 138 of 244 passes, including 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also rushed for 188 yards (fourth most on team) on 48 carries. Wooldridge originally signed with Fresno State out of high school.

The running game is led by junior Chris Smith (5-9, 200) and sophomore Terrence Williams (6-1, 231), who spilt time. Smith leads the team in carries (93), rushing yards (487) and yards per carry (5.5). He is also versatile, grabbing 17 passes for 155 yards this season. Smith also led the team in rushing last season. Williams is second on the team in carries (89) and rushing yards (325). He hasn't been used quite as much in the passing game having caught just 6 passes for 44 yards in 10 games.

Wooldridge does have some talent in the wide receiver and tight end corps. Seven Ragin Cajun receivers have 15 or more catches or more this season, so they do spread the ball around. However, senior wide receiver Michael Jefferson (6-4, 205) and junior tight end Neal Johnson (6-4, 247) are his favorite targets. Jefferson has a team-high 39 catches for 669 yards and six touchdowns. He leads all wide receivers with 481 yards last season after transferring from Alabama State. Jefferson is considered the team's biggest playmaker. Johnson has 20 receptions for 257 yards and two touchdowns.

Louisiana has a very young and inexperienced offensive line. The veteran of the group is redshirt sophomore left guard AJ Gille (6-2, 321), who has 22 career starts. Junior right tackle Carlos Rubio (6-3, 295) has 15 career starts. Redshirt senior center David Hudson (6-0, 269) has 12 career starts, while redshirt sophomore left tackle Nathan Thomas (6-5, 328) and redshirt freshman right guard Jax Harrington (6-3, 322) have a combined 12 career starts.

Louisiana on defense

The Ragin Cajuns run a base 3-4 defense but will play a lot of base nickel (3-3-5) depending on the situation and opponent. The defense has been the strength of the team this year, ranking 40th or better in all of college football in rushing, scoring and total defense.

Louisiana isn't very big up front on its defensive line but has a very disruptive force in senior defensive tackle Zi'Yon Hill (6-0, 285). Hill has 39 tackles and spends a lot of time on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage. He leads the team with 12.5 TFLs and seven sacks. Sophomore nose tackle Sonny Hazard (6-0, 310) and redshirt freshman Jordan Lawson (6-4, 246) are the other two starters up front and they have combined for 42 tackles.

The linebacking corps is very active. Senior inside linebacker Jourdan Quibodeaux (6-0, 217) leads the team with 81 tackles, including 4.5 sacks. Fellow inside linebackers Kris Moncrief (6-1, 242) and KC Ossai (6-0, 242) split time playing next to Quibodeaux and have been highly productive. Moncrief, a senior, has 56 tackles this season and Ossai, a sophomore, has 54 stops (including 4.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks). Redshirt senior Andre Jones (6-4, 258) is the team's most effective edge player, where he has made 42 stops (including 7.4 TFLs and 6.5 sacks) from his outside linebacker spot.

The Rajin Cajuns have a veteran secondary but have struggled against the pass all the same. Senior safety Bralen Trahan (5-11, 201) is the most productive and veteran of the group. He is second on the team with 62 tackles and also has four interceptions. Trahan is a four-year starter. Redshirt junior Kam Pedescleaux (5-10, 190) is in his second season as a starter and has racked up 59 tackles, which ranks third on the team. He also has an interception and six pass breakups. Senior Eric Garror (5-9, 178) and redshirt sophomore Trey Amos (6-1, 197) are the starters at cornerback. Garror is another four-year starter in the secondary for Louisiana. He has made 25 tackles and has broken up six passes. Amos has 24 tackles and has also broken up six passes.

Louisiana on special teams

Sophomore Kenneth Almendares has handled the vast majority of the place-kicking duties this season. He is 12 of 17 on the season and has made all three of his attempts from 50-plus yards. Senior punter Rhys Byrns is having an outstanding season: He is averaging 43.8 yards on 43 punts with seven of those traveling over 50 yards.