By Rick Figurin
pigskinpress.com

Everybody has got their own idea of what makes the perfect gumbo. Some people gotta’ have crawfish, while others need extra okra. On occasion you’ll find it with nuthin’ but seafood, while many would consider leavin’ out the sausage a sin against the Cajun Cookin’ Gods. For the better part of his football career, University of Louisiana Quarterback Michael Desormeaux has been asked to be everybody’s perfect gumbo. Some fans love a quarterback with impeccable wheels, while others think he should just sit back and use his arm all game long. Regardless of how you take your gumbo, or your quarterbacks, you’ve always gotta’ have the perfect combination. In 2008, the senior standout will look to shed the expectations of the football culinaries and create his own perfect recipe: 1/3 winning, 1/3 versatility, and 100% heart.

The fleet-of-foot Desormeaux took time out to chat with pigskinpress.com about his critics, the importance of consistency, and how to re-ignite the fire in the Ragin’ Cajun faithful.

Pigskinpress.com: Michael, fill our readers in a little bit on why you chose Louisiana as the place to play your college football.

Michael Desormeaux: “Out of high school I wasn’t a high recruit or anything; it was mostly in-state schools. I’m from right down the road, I grew up 30 minutes from Lafayette and it just fit me. My family could see me play every game and like I said I grew up in the backyard so it was the right choice for me.”

PP: A couple of seasons back, you played all over the field: slot-back, special teams, defense. With the coaching staff’s willingness to make you a little more vulnerable to injury, did you worry that maybe they weren’t really sold on you as their future quarterback?

MD: “No, that never really crossed my mind. Honestly, quarterback wasn’t something I was dead set on playing either. It didn’t matter to me if someone else was going to be the quarterback- I was fine with that. I was just happy they were trying to get me on the field. I went to (the coaching staff) asking them to play so it was really my idea and you know I enjoyed that year very much. It felt good that they needed me out there and to just get to play. I had no problem with it.”

PP: Last season you became only the 24th quarterback in NCAA history to rush for 1,000 yards. Talk a little bit about that accomplishment.

MD: “It was something that came out of necessity really. We were planning on throwing the ball a little more than we did in the beginning of the year and our offense just evolved to more of a running game. I was just glad that I could help out. I think me being able to run the ball a little better helped (RB Tyrell) Fenroy out up the middle. You can’t say enough about our offensive line they get after it every day, so you know it was a team effort. It was a great accomplishment; it was an honor to have done it but I would trade that for a few more wins this year for sure.”

PP: You say that it was out of necessity, but when scouts show up to individual games they don’t always get the whole picture of a season. Do you worry that when scouts see that you have 1,000 yards rushing they may see you as one dimensional QB?

MD: “I’ve had that label ever since I got into college really. They say, “He’s just a runner, and not really capable of throwing the ball.” I think whenever I’m given an opportunity and we do throw the ball I think I throw it effectively. You know, scouts know what they’re looking for and it doesn’t really concern me because there’s nothing I can do about it. They’ll either like me or not like me and they’ll go from there. If we could just get it together and win a few more games this year and be a little more successful in the win/loss column than I’d have no problem running it 40 times a game if I have to.”

PP: You showed moments of brilliance last season, for example, your game against Ohio. But at other times you really struggled in the passing game. What have you focused on to remedy that this off-season?

MD: “Consistency is a big thing at quarterback and there were a couple of games last year where I didn’t throw the ball very well. I had some problems and as a quarterback you have to fight through those kinds of things. At times I didn’t do a great job at that. Sometimes I almost made the situation worse by trying to do too much. What I try to do is know my playbook, front and back, and know everything that’s happening on the field and (rely on) all the training from the spring and two-a-days and try to fall back on that. I’ll try to do what’s natural and make the reads and not attempt to force things anymore.”

PP: You’ve got a new quarterbacks coach in George Munoz? What has he told you about his vision for the offense in 2008?


MD: “He and Coach Hudson (Offensive Coordinator) and I have talked about it. Last year I ran around 15-18 times per game. They would like to take about 5 runs away and give me about 5 more passes. We’re not trying to totally turn it around and be a passing team because we obviously have a great running back and a great offensive line. We’re going to keep running the ball because that’s what we do well but were gonna’ try to throw the ball downfield a little more this year. We really worked hard in the spring and I feel that the receivers and I are on the same page…..we’re just gonna’ try to be a little more vertical this year. Last year we ran a lot of screens and a lot of short game.”

PP: You’ll have two great senior-targets in Derrick Smith and Jason Chery. Talk about what they bring to the offense and what they bring to the locker room?

MD: “They bring speed to the offense without a doubt. Those are some burners right there! They know how to get down field and make things happen. In the locker room, they’re good guys. Derrick had some problems this spring; he had to get his grades right, so it hurt not having him in the locker room but they’re hard workers and they get out there and compete when we do pass drills and things like that. As much as they can compete and keep things going, it will help the younger guys to see the seniors still working hard.”

PP: It’s been a while since the Ragin' Cajuns found themselves in a bowl game. What would you say is the attitude on campus, and in Lafayette, towards Louisiana football?

MD: “You know, the fans don’t really have a lot of expectations for us and rightfully so. Last season we should have been a pretty good football team and we didn’t do much. People are a little bit down on us around here but in the locker room and in our circle around here we have high expectations for this season and we feel like we can be something special. Every year the fans get the fever right before the season starts and we’ll have a good following early. We need to win some games early and get things going the right way and it’s gonna’ be great around here. The atmosphere is unbelievable when things are going right…”

PP: You’ll open up at Southern Miss, a well regarded team whom you guys compete with for recruits. What would a win at Hattiesburg say about the direction of the Cajuns' program?

MD: “It would say a lot. Anytime we can step up and win out of conference that’s big for us. Going back to Hattiesburg, that’s an old rivalry. UL (USL) used to play Southern Miss every year. They had some great games, some real battles and I would like to see us restart that rivalry again. It would be huge to step up in the first week, win a game on the road and get this thing going again. People around here need something to be excited about again…To step up and win a game like that would be big for us. We’ll have to go in there and play well, but it’s something were capable of doing.”

PP: Your brother Matt is also on the team. How does being on the same team change or shape his role as both your teammate and a brother?

MD: “I expect a lot of him, more so than other people because he is my brother. He does well with it though, he’s an extremely hard worker; no one outworks him. They’ve asked him to change positions and be a little bit of an H-back instead of a fullback and he’s taking it in stride and doing well this spring…He’s the kind of guy you want on your team. He’ll go out there everyday and give it up for the team and I’m excited he’s here with me.”

PP: A lot of the athletes that we talk to have had to overcome adversity to be successful. Sometimes it’s poverty or a rough past. Other times it’s the death of a family member. What has been the biggest obstacle that you’ve had to overcome to get where you are today?


MD: ”There are always people who doubt you. In high school they said, "You don’t have a good enough arm to play in college" or "you’re not fast enough" or "you’re not big enough" and there are always people who doubt you. I don’t really see it as a negative thing because it kind of feeds me and drives me. It still continues- people now say I don’t throw well enough and that’s fine because it gives me something to work for, it fuels my fire. I don’t get upset I just keep working at the things they say I don’t do well and I hope to prove them wrong.”

PP: Louisiana has made a knack of putting QB’s in the NFL-Brian Mitchell, Jake Del Homme, and Jerry Babb. If I’m an NFL general manager looking for a QB in the late rounds next year, convince me why I should add you to that list.

MD: “I would say look at my tape, and hopefully I’ll fit what you’re trying to do. Ask anybody around here, I don’t get into trouble. I do the right things on and off the field, and I try to lead by example. I think that’s what a quarterback should be. Like I said, I would never sit down and try to convince someone but the things I’ve done speak for themselves and if it’s good enough than hopefully I can make a team. If not, so be it.”

Louisiana opens their 2008 campaign on August, 30th at Southern Mississippi.