Michael Desormeaux heard it all when he took over the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns football program.
He heard that you just “can’t” do it with high school recruits anymore.
He heard that the transfer portal was going to wreck programs like his.
Through all that, however, he and his staff have stayed true to their original plan: recruit high school players, retain them, develop them, and supplement the roster through the transfer portal.
“Recruit, develop, and retain… We’re extremely proud that we have been able to keep our roster together over the course of the last three years,” Desormeaux mentioned about the Cajuns’ roster philosophy.
There is no better example of this philosophy than the 2025 Ragin’ Cajuns’ offense. The offensive line features Jax Harrington, a sixth-year player who started with the Cajuns and stayed with the Cajuns. Additionally, almost every piece in that room is an original recruit of the Vermilion and White.
The same can be said for the running back room. Bill Davis and Zylan Perry expect to carry the load, both players who have started and stayed with Louisiana.
On the other hand, Coach Des utilized the last part of that formula, the one about supplementing the roster through the transfer portal, when it comes to the quarterback room. They added former STM standout Walker Howard.
“We had young quarterbacks that are really talented, and I think we have the chance to have a really good football team this year, so we wanted to make sure that we had an older quarterback in that room that had been in quarterback competitions and could handle that type of pressure and go out and compete,” Desormeaux said of the decision to add Howard via the portal.
Last season, the Cajuns came closer than ever to their ultimate goals under Coach Des. 10 wins, an SBC West Title, and a trip to the SBC Championship game were all boxes that were checked off for the first time. However, he knows that the Cajuns are not yet where they want to be.
“I’m proud of last year, but we’re not there yet. That’s the first thing I told this team in January. There’s more work to do. We’re confident and we’re excited about 2025, but there’s more work to do,” Desormeaux described.
The Cajuns get their chance to reach that ultimate goal in just over a month. They open the season on August 30th inside the newly renovated Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium against the Rice Owls.
ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles’ Sun Belt Media Day 2025 coverage is presented by Morain Coffee Co. and The Wetlands.