In a recent budget meeting, a Louisiana Board of Regents member suggested ULL, ULM and Louisiana Tech should drop to the FCS. Kace Kieschnick has the story.
Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”
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The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs secures a major grant to establish a Veterans Business Outreach Center. Andrew Greenstein reports.
Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
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Louisiana ranks first among all states for the largest percentage increase in students who score well enough on AP exams to earn college credit. Jeff Palermo has the story.
Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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Could a trio of Louisiana college football teams step down a level? That’s what one member of the Louisiana Board of Regents is suggesting. During the University of Louisiana System budget hearings, Wilbert Pryor suggested UL Lafayette, ULM and Louisiana Tech should all drop from the FBS to the FCS. Pryor, who’s a Shreveport attorney, says all three of the schools’ athletics departments are operating in deficits.
Cut 4 (09) “…10-million-dollars.”
UL System President Rick Gallot agreed that cost reduction steps must be taken but is waiting on a sustainability evaluation from Deloitte to make his recommendations to the board. He says the board will not shy away from tough decisions.
Cut 5 (09) “…like for athletics.”
Pryor says he doesn’t think much of the public will tell the difference if all three schools play at the same level.
Cut 6 (12) “…with your enrollment.”
Other UL system schools — Grambling, McNeese, Nicholls, Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana — already play in the FCS.
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The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs secures a grant of 175-thousand dollars a year for the next five years from the Small Business Administration to establish a Veterans Business Outreach Center in the state. The V-BOC will fund entrepreneurship training, counseling and technical assistance at no cost to veterans, active-duty service members and their families. Secretary Charlton Meginley notes that currently, the closest one from Louisiana is in Starkville, Mississippi.
Cut 7 (06) “…all the opportunities.”
Meginley says the V-BOC will be established and operated by The Boot, an organization dedicated to attracting, retaining and advancing military talent across the state.
Cut 8 (12) “…house the V-BOC.”
The Boot CEO Ben Armstrong says the organization will assist entrepreneurs at every stage of business ownership.
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If you have plans to enjoy the great outdoors this weekend, you might want to rethink those plans. That’s because Mother Nature has other ideas. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says remnants of Hurricane Polo in the Eastern Pacific will be dumping heavy rains throughout the state starting tomorrow.
Cut 10 (13) “…sweep across Louisiana.”
Keim says we will see a lot of rain this weekend.
Keim says the weather could also put a damper on high school and college football throughout the state this weekend, including Saturday night’s LSU game against McNeese.
Cut 12 (07) “…very low expectation.”
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The percentage of AP exams taken by Louisiana students that earned a high enough score for college credit has increased by more than 30 percentage points since 2019 — the largest increase of any state. Deputy State Superintendent of Education Dr. Jenna Chiasson says the results show Louisiana students can meet college-level expectations, while teachers are helping them get there.
Cut 13 (08) “…teaching these students”
The share of Louisiana AP exams earning a qualifying score rose from 37-percent in 2019 to 69-percent in 2026.
Chaisson says an AP Exam score 3, 4 or 5 can qualify high school students for college credit at many colleges and universities.
Cut 14 (07) “…whatever comes next.”
Doctor Chiasson says Louisiana’s AP score rate has improved at more than twice the national rate of growth.
Cut 15 (07) “…Advanced Placement scores.”
This data comes from the College Board, a non-profit that oversees the Advanced Placement program. The College Board recognizes Louisiana’s tremendous gains, and it also notes that just under 11-percent of Louisiana students who graduated from a public school last year earned a 3 or above, compared to 25-percent nationally.
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3-and-1 UL Lafayette kicks off Sun Belt action with a big West Division game against Arkansas State on Saturday. The Cajuns have the top-ranked total defense in the conference and the second-best scoring defense. Head coach Michael Desormeaux says the staff has put together game plans that allow the players to execute well, and that’s what they’re doing.
On offense, quarterback Lunch Winfield has thrown for over 600 yards and rushed for nearly 300. Behind him on the ground, UL features a running back rotation of Anthony Reagan Jr., Steven Blanco, and J.J. Garner. Desormeaux says that won’t change.
The Red Wolves are 2-and-2 to start the season, coming off a 17-14 win over Kennesaw State. Third-year quarterback Trey Owens is fifth in the conference with over 800 passing yards this year. Desormeaux says they’re a good team still finding their offensive identity.
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McNeese heads to Baton Rouge this weekend to take on 11th-ranked LSU. The Cowboys are 2-and-3 to start season two under head coach Matt Viator with six Southland Conference games remaining. He says the trip to Baton Rouge will be more about the Cowboys than the Tigers.
Viator says he and many of his players are from Louisiana, so they’re excited for the opportunity to play in Tiger Stadium. For many athletes at FCS schools, big games like this are a chance for athletes to put their best on film against a Power Four opponent, but Viator says he won’t be worried about roster retention when his team takes the field.