Welcome everyone to another edition of #4Downs!
1st Down: “A” For Effort
Despite what could be amounted to a trainwreck of a first half, the Cajuns showed that even though they may be losing by a significant amount, they can get themselves back in a game quicker than you can say Geaux Cajuns. Not exactly a good sign that the Cajuns can’t adjust what they’re doing on the fly. Overall, this felt like an almost mirror image of the Kentucky game. Started off with an awful first half, but rallied back in the second half only to come up short. Heck, there was even a statue of liberty play that was tried when they attempted to score two points to make it an eight point game. Felt like a carbon copy of week 1. Only difference was the quarterback.
2nd Down: McGuire is Nixon’s main target
After a first half that was marred by several bad passes from Nixon that were either underthrown or dropped, Nixon started to go for the short passes and screens to Elijah McGuire who had been shut down in the run game went off for 134 yards on 10 touches. Perhaps Nixon is still having issues with his shoulder which is why he is throwing these dink and dunk types passes. He does sling the ball out from time to time but it doesn’t seem to have that zip you want your quarterback to have when it comes to those deep passes.
3rd Down: Special Teams not so special
One big issue coming away from this is that the special teams aren’t playing as well as expected at this point in the season. Stevie Artigue is recieving the brunt of the heat with kickoffs being returned and giving Arkansas State less real estate and missing a field goal on the Cajuns opening drive. When it comes to the opening drive in a game, the Cajuns needed to set the tone for the game. Getting that field goal early on would have most likely swung the momentum in the Cajuns favor. The freshman kicker out of Lafayette High has only kicked three field goals in college heading into this game and made two of them and a 42-yarder isn’t exactly a chip shot, so it’s a learning experience for Artigue.
4th Down: Defensive Scheme needs to change
Something about what happened with this Cajuns defense since last season needs to be fixed. Perhaps it’s how Melvin Smith has these things set up. Maybe it’s complicated playcalling with Smith’s previous experience as a coach in the SEC. But whatever it is, the Cajuns defense needs to learn how to wrap up tackles. A lot of the big plays the Red Wolves got off was because of half-hearted tackles. This needs to be addressed with the extra time to get ready for in-state rival UL-Monroe because the Cajuns can’t afford to have the wheels fall off right now.
-Clint Domingue