McNeese 10, Texas 7

[JohnStOnge]

Actually, Technically, it was Louisiana All Stars 10-7 over Texas All Stars at the Bayou Bowl at Baytown, Texas, last night on Fox SW. However, McNeese signees scored all of Louisiana's points. Kicker Blake Bercegeay kicked a 40 yard field goal and an extra point while receiver P.J. Brown caught the winning TD pass with about 30 seconds left.

I think another McNeese signee, Immanuel Friddle, was the game's leading receiver (6 catches for 60 yards) but I can't be sure because I can't find the stats. He looked really good and was defintely Louisiana's go to guy in the passing game.

For me it was especially neat because everybody involved in Louisiana's scoring was somebody I watched play high school football here in the parish (that's county in most places) I live in (Ascension Parish). Bercegeay went to East Ascension High School, P. J. Brown went to a school called St. Amant (name of a town...not a Catholic School), and the QB who threw the winning TD pass was Brown's St. Amant team mate Brian Babin...who's headed for Southeastern Louisiana.

Another Southeastern signee, linebacker Keithshone Dantzler, had at least three tackles for losses. A Northwestern State signee, Brandon Brumfield (I think that's his name) was involved in one of the games biggest plays when he scooped up a Texas fumble late in the contest and returned it to about the Texas 40 to set up the game winning drive.

It was the third Bayou Bowl and Louisiana's first win, but all three games have been won by 3 points. Texas won the first one 32-29 on a field goal as time ran out then won the second one 18-15.

[bobcatfan06]

Do you know how Morris Crosby (Texas State signee, Alief Elsik HS) did?

[TexasTerror]

Texas 7? More like Houston All-Stars since for this particular game, the team was all Houston area guys.

Your team had guys from all corners of your state. Texas plays in several HS all-star games featuring stars from various corners of our state. So, not Texas there Cowboy. Houston..

[JohnStOnge]

Yes, the Texas All Stars were mostly from the Houston area. The promoters of the game call it Texas All Stars vs. Louisiana All Stars. As is the case with just about all All Star games like that, neither team is really an "All State" squad. I checked the roster to make sure but as I thought the "Louisiana" roster is actually "I-10/I-12" corridor." They had one guy from Bastrop (who was not highly recruited and hasn't signed with anybody)...which is near the northern border of the State. They had one guy from Kentwood...which is in South Louisiana about 25 miles north of Lake Pontchartrain...and one guy from Amite...about 15 miles north of Lake Pontchartrain (those guys also haven't signed with anybody). Otherwise, it looks like every school represented on the roster is within about 15 miles one way or the other from I-10.

So what you're really looking at is the South Louisiana I-10 corridor vs. Southeast Texas...and maybe I'd be calling it the Southeast Texas I-10 corridor if I knew where all the schools are like I do for Louisiana.

Louisiana did have 9 of its top 25 2005 prospects according to one web site on the team, but it had a pretty big notable absence in that the state had the #1 rated QB recruit in the country that year and he didn't participate. Plus he was the super-strong-arm-plus-fast-with-lots-of-mobility type that really would've helped in an All Star game.

Couldn't tell about Texas because I couldn't quickly find any top 25. I found the Houston Chronicle top 100 but it doesn't have the players ranked in order. Did see that running back that's going to Northwestern on there, though...which is not a surprise.

Anyway, the important thing to me is that the McNeese recruits I saw performed well...especially that Friddle guy. He looked to me to be a little better than a I-AA would normally expect to be able to get...but he is from McNeese's backyard in the Lake Charles metro area so maybe that helped.

[JohnStOnge]

By the way, I wish there WAS a Texas/Louisiana All Star game where they had just about all of the top talent from each state play. It'd make more sense than a Texas/Oklahoma game because Louisiana produces a lot more talent than Oklahoma does. Another interesting thing would be a combined MS/LA team vs. Texas to kind of even the scales a little bit in terms of population size.

When Rivals did it's thing on where NFL players came from in 2004, Texas was #3 at 181 NFL players produced (behind CA at 194 and FL at 187). Louisiana was #5 at 74 (Georgia was 4th at 94). Mississippi was 10th at 49. Oklahoma was not among the top 15 they had listed (which means they had fewer than 42).

Mississippi and Louisiana were 1st and 2nd among states in per capita production with 17.06 and 16.51 NFL players produced, respectively, per million population. Texas was 8th at 8.31.

I think that though Texas would probably win more than it lost because its population is about 5 times that of Louisiana's, Louisiana would win some in such a series and it could be some very entertaining games between two of the nation's top 5 talent producing states. Adding Mississippi to the mix could make it even better.

It would tough, though, to ever get to the point where most of the top players in both states (or the three states) participated. In any case, if you're Texas and you're looking for a nearby state that's going to have enough talent in it to be competetive the obvious choice isn't somebody like Oklahoma, Arkansas, or New Mexico. It's Louisiana.

[TexasTerror]

Right, the whole reason I brought up the Houston thing was because it seems all these HS all-star games feature folks from one side of Texas or another. The state is so big as we all know. Just ruins things and due to a lack of practice, come on now, four days?!? The football is sloppy!

[buckp]

Just caught the tail end when 'P.J.' Brown caught the winning pass. The kid could go far at McNeese with talent and initials like that.....;)

[JohnStOnge]

FYI, the game will be replayed on Fox SW this Thursday, June 16, at noon.

Buckup, you have GOT to tape it so you can see how good Immuanel Friddle looked. Big, very smooth, quick, looks very natural catching the ball, very quick in avoiding the initial defender then running well after the catch, and appears to be enthusiastic about blocking. Of course you may have already seen him play since his High School is so close to Lake Charles but I hadn't. Really excited about McNeese getting him.

I don't think I'm being a "homer" when I say that if I'd been watching without audio and didn't know anything I'd have assumed he would've been a BCS league recruit. You can never tell for sure from All Star games but he appeared to be one of the better players on the field. An all around football player.

I also read an article since the game that the plan was to go to Friddle on the TD play late but the way things worked out Babin went to Brown. But the fact that the plan was to go to Friddle tells you something. He was "Louisiana's" go to guy in the passing game.

[JohnStOnge]

Kat, I know it's always going to be somewhat sloppy but I actually thought "Louisiana's" coaching staff did an excellent job. After the first one or two series I thought they executed remarkably well on offense given the circumstances. Also really something that they were able to install two different offenses...running spread most of the time then changing everything at key stages by putting in the sprinter that's going to Tennessee and letting him run option (which is what he did as QB for Carencro High School).

In fact, as much as was pulling for Louisiana players I think the "Texas" staff got outcoached. Only quibble I have is that I think it'd have been prudent to try some field goals a few times instead of going for it on fourth down. The "Louisiana" kicker's got a leg...over 40 touchbacks kicking off in high school and some plus 50 yard field goals to his credit.

But Louisiana's coach is somebody I've watched before cuz St. Amant high is in my parish. He's a Hal Mumme type when it comes to going for it on fourth down. Does it a lot. Also will do things like kick an onside kick on the opening kickoff. Gambler.

[buckp]

FYI, the game will be replayed on Fox SW this Thursday, June 16, at noon.

Buckup, you have GOT to tape it so you can see how good Immuanel Friddle looked.....

Thanks, John.....I will. :nod:

[wkuhillhound]

I've always wanted to ask this question. How did McNeese State get its name?

[buckp]

I've always wanted to ask this question. How did McNeese State get its name?

"McNeese State University was founded in 1939 as a division of Louisiana State University, offering only the first two years of higher education. Originally called Lake Charles Junior College, the name became John McNeese Junior College in 1940 by resolution of the University Board of Supervisors in honor of a pioneer Southwest Louisiana educator....."

http://http://www.mcneese.edu/parents/history.htm

Yes, we were a mini-LSU at one time.....:rolleyes:

[wkuhillhound]

I wish that I can finish the rest of the but it has a "page cannot displayed" message when clicking on the link. Seems like a great educator, especially since a university is named after him.

[buckp]

John McNeese is considered the 'Father of Education' in Calcasieu and was the Superintendent of Education for many years, but I think that might have include all the surrounding parishes (counties) also since 'Imperial Calcasieu' was at one time most of S.W. Louisiana.

http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/PSL/image/37528151722004_4333917220042.jpg

Sorry about the link....it is 'protected'. :(

[JohnStOnge]

Very scientific looking fellow.

[wkuhillhound]

John McNeese is considered the 'Father of Education' in Calcasieu and was the Superintendent of Education for many years, but I think that might have include all the surrounding parishes (counties) also since 'Imperial Calcasieu' was at one time most of S.W. Louisiana.

http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/PSL/image/37528151722004_4333917220042.jpg

Sorry about the link....it is 'protected'. :(

Was he from Lake Charles?