UL-Lafayette head football coach Mark Hudspeth has hired former Auburn assistant coach Melvin Smith to be his new assistant head coach. Smith will also serve as the Cajun’s defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator. While at Auburn, Smith helped the Tigers to the 2013 SEC Championship and the BCS Championship game.

The Ragin’ Cajuns also received a National Letter of Intent from Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College defensive back Christian Goodlett. Goodlett selected UL-Lafayette over Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech.

LSU announced that its 2017 football season will kick-off at N-R-G Stadium in Houston in the Advocare Texas Kickoff against B-Y-U. It will be the first ever meeting between the Tigers and Cougars on the gridiron.

Louisiana Tech has announced its 2015 non-conference schedule. The Bulldogs kick-off the season September fifth in the newly expanded Joe Aillet Stadium against Southern. Tech travels to Kansas State on September 19th, host U-L Lafayette October 3rd and visit Mississippi State on October 17th.

In college basketball action last night, LSU dropped its SEC opener to Missouri in overtime, 74-67. Missouri sophomore forward Johnathan Williams III lead all scorers with 21 points. LSU sophomore guard Tim Quarterman came off the bench to lead the Tigers with 19 points. Missouri held Jordan Mickey and Jarell Martin to just nine points each. LSU falls to 11-3 on the season and will host Georgia Saturday night.

UL-Lafayette remains undefeated in the Sun Belt as they downed Georgia State 84-80. Brian Williams lead the way with 20 points as all five Cajun starters scored in double figures. UL-L is 10-5 and a perfect 4-0 in conference play. They next face Georgia Southern on the road Thursday night.

Also in the Sun Belt, ULM improves to 2-1 in league play as they defeated Texas-Arlington 76-73. Senior Center Marvin Williams poured in 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the win. The Warhawks are 8-6 overall on the season and will take on Texas State Saturday night.

And Louisiana Tech stays undefeated in Conference USA play with a 58-45 win over UTEP.

Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop reportedly interviewed with Les Miles, but decided to remain with the Nittany Lions. Glen Guilbeau says Shoop was the best candidate out there named so far….

cut 13 (08) “…Coach Chavis”

A top candidate for the vacant LSU Defensive Coordinator position is no longer under consideration. Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop reportedly interviewed, but decided to remain with the Nittany Lions. LSU beat writer for Gannett newspapers Guilbeau says Shoop was the best candidate Miles has spoken to so far…
CUT 13 (08) Q: ‘coach Chavis’

In college basketball…U-L Lafayette hosts Georgia State in a Big Sun Belt match-up. Both teams are 9-and-5 overall and Georgia State is led by Ryan Harrow, who is averaging 20 points a game. Cajuns Coach Coach Bob Marlin…
cut 19 (22) “…some success”
Tip-off is at 7:15.

Ryan Pace has left as the Saints director of player personnel to become the new general manager of the Chicago Bears. Pace has spent the last 14 seasons in the front office of the Black and Gold. Saints G-M Mickey Loomis said earlier this week that Pace is a talented person, who he expected to lose at some point.

LSU announced today that it will kick-off the 2017 season against B-Y-U in the Advocare Texas Kickoff at N-R-G Stadium in Houston. It will be the first meeting between the Tigers and B-Y-U on the gridiron.

Louisiana Tech has announced its 2015 non-conference schedule. The Bulldogs kick-off the season September fifth in the newly expanded Joe Aillet Stadium against Southern. Tech travels to Kansas State on September 19th, host U-L Lafayette October 3rd and visit Mississippi State on October 17th.

And the 2014 Duck Commander Independence Bowl had its highest TV rating since 2006.

The search for a new LSU defensive coordinator doesn’t appear to be going so well. Coach Les Miles has reportedly interviewed or spoke with several candidates, but so far a front-runner has yet to emerge. LSU beat reporter for Gannett Newspapers, Glen Guilbeau, says Miles may have to promote defensive line coach Brick Haley to replace the departed John Chavis…
cut 11 (07) “…look good”
Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop reportedly interviewed, but has decided to remain with the Nittany Lions. Guilbeau xays Shoop was the best candidate out there named so far.

Louisiana Tech has finalized its non-conference football schedule for next year. The Bulldogs will kick-off the season by hosting Southern on September 5th, Tech will visit Kansas State on September 19th, host U-L Lafayette October 3rd and travel to Mississippi State on October 17th.

And the 2014 Duck Commander Independence Bowl had its highest TV rating since 2006 with a 2.5 rating.

Tough loss for the Pelicans last night as they fell to the Charlotte Hornets 98-94. That spoiled another great outing from Anthony Davis, who had 32 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots.

In college basketball tonight…LSU and Louisiana Tech face tough challenges on the road. The Fighting Tigers are at Missouri. LSU Coach Johnny Jones likes how sophomore guard Tim Quarterman is playing…
cut 17 (11) “….fun part”

And Louisiana Tech is at UTEP. Bulldogs Coach Michael White is hoping for a big game out of Raheem Appleby, who is averaging 17 points a game…
cut 20 (20) “…our league”
Tip-off in El Paso is at 8 PM.

Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop will stay put and not join the LSU Tiger coaching staff, according to a twitter posting on his account last night. Shoop interviewed with head coach Les Miles yesterday, although it is unknown if Shoop was offered the defensive coordinator position. LSU defensive line coach Brick Haley, Alabama linebackers coach Kevin Steele, and Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops are names still considered in the running.

The LSU men’s basketball team begins conference play tonight as they visit the Missouri Tigers in a game that will tip-off at 6 P-M. The Bayou Bengals enter league play with an 11-and-2 record and eight-game winning streak. But Coach Johnny Jones says a whole new season begins tonight…

cut 16 (15) “everything changes”

LSU is led by sophomores Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey, who are averaging 18 points and 16 points a game respectively.

The Ragin Cajuns are 3-and-0 in the Sun Belt, the only team in the league with an undefeated conference record. But tonight U-L Lafayette hosts defending Sun Belt regular season champion and this year’s preseason favorite, Georgia State. Cajuns Coach Bob Marlin says turnovers will be a key stat to watch….

cut 18 (17) “certainly help’

Both teams are 9-and-5 overall and Georgia State is led by Ryan Harrow, who is averaging 20 points a game.

Despite 32 points and a dozen rebounds from Anthony Davis, the Pelicans lost to the Charlotte Hornets last night, 98-94. Jrue Holiday added 16 and Eric Gordon contributed 14 points in the defeat. The Pels have lost two straight as they head back to the Smoothie King Center to take on the Memphis Grizzlies Friday night.

In college basketball last night, Tulane fell to Temple, 64-56.

Several media reports are out that say Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will return for a third season. New Orleans finished next to last in yards allowed in 2014, but NFL analyst Mike Detillier says that’s not all Rob Ryan’s fault…
cut 11 (07) “…defensive coordiantors”
Detillier expects Saints to try to overhaul the defensive players they have on their roster.

The Saints are also not making a change with their training camp site. Some fans thought that holding training camp in Greenbrier, West Virginia, led to their seven and nine record, General Manager Mickey Loomis disputes that opinion…
cut 30 (17) “…part of the solution”

Former LSU Tiger Odell Beckham Junior has been added to the Pro Bowl roster. An injury to Detroit’s Calvin Johnson opened up a spot for Beckham, who had a huge rookie season for the New York Giants. The former Isidore Neman star caught 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games.

Louisiana Tech made it official today as they added former Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel to the Bulldogs roster. Driskel threw for 34-hundred yards, 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions during his time in Gainesville.

And Tech Head Coach Skip Holtz has reportedly hired an offensive line coach. His name is Robert McFarland, who is a former head coach at Stehen F Austin. He most recently was the offensive coordinator at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi.

In the NBA…the Pelicans are at the Charlotte Hornets. New Orleans is 17-and-17, while the Hornets are 12-and-24, but they have won two in a row. Tip-off is at 6 P-M.

Several media outlets are reporting Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will return next season. Ryan was placed on the hot seat by media and fans after the Saints finished the 2014 season 31st in the NFL in yards allowed. But even though it was a trying season, the players had expressed support for Ryan.

So the Saints will now look at trying to improve the personnel on the defensive side of the ball. But will they be able to, because of salary cap constraints. In a 30-minute meeting with reporters yesterday, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis downplayed those concerns…
cut 17 (16) “….salary cap”
Loomis says they’ll wait to make decision on the recently arrested Junior Galette until a legal and NFL investigation is completed.

LSU offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins and defensive back Jalen Mills will reportedly return next season. Hawkins is a draft-eligible sophomore, while Mills was seventh on the team in tackles last season.

Former Southeastern Louisiana head coach Mike Lucas will be a defensive assistant for head coach Mark Hudspeth at U-L Lafayette. Lucas was the defensive coordinator for Northwestern State last season. Demons head coach Jay Thomas says he’ll take his time in finding a replacement for Lucas.

Bastrop Head Coach Thomas Bachman has announced he’s stepping down. The Rams were 7-and-4 last season and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

In the NBA…the Pelicans are at the Charlotte Hornets tonight. It’s a good opportunity for New Orleans to come up with a win on the road as the Hornets are 12-and-24 on the season.

In college hooops…Tulane hosts Temple in their first ever American Conference home game. The Green Wave are off to a 2-0 start in league play after beating Memphis on Saturday.

After a very disappointing 7-9 season, Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis held a 30-minute meeting with reporters yesterday. Loomis is not ready to comment on whether defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will return next season and says they are still in the process of evaluating the entire organization….

cut 16 (19) “to be adjusted”

There have been reports the Saints will have trouble improving their roster, because of salary cap limitations, but Loomis downplayed those concerns

The lawyer for recently arrested Saints linebacker Junior Galette expects his client will be exonerated once all of the facts are presented. Galette was booked by Kenner Police Monday on a charge of simple battery with domestic violence. Attorney Ralph Whalen says the alleged victim in this case refused to leave Galette’s home and grabbed a knife, threatening Galette and four other people in the home.

It looks like LSU is moving forward in their search for a defensive coordinator. It’s being reported that Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop will interview for the job in the very near future. Shoop just finished his first year in Happy Valley. Prior to that, he served three years as defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt, where the Commodores were never outside the top 25 in total defense. LSU is looking to fill the vacancy left when John Chavis accepted the defensive coordinator position at Texas A&M.

In other college football news…former Southeastern Louisiana head coach Mike Lucas has been added to Mark Hudspeth’s staff at U-L Lafayette. It’s been reported Lucas will coach the Ragin Cajuns defensive backs. He spent last season as the defensive coordinator at Northwestern State. Demons Head Coach Jay Thomas says they will take their time in naming a new defensive coordinator.

In the NBA, the Pelicans are on the road to take on the Hornets in Charlotte tonight. The Pels hope to return to their winning ways. They are 2-and-a-half games behind Phoenix for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

In college basketball, Tulane takes on Temple in a game you can catch on ESPNEWS beginning at 6PM.

The lawyer for recently arrested Saints linebacker Junior Galette expects his client will be exonerated once all of the facts are presented. Galette was booked by Kenner Police yesterday on a charge of simple battery with domestice violence. Attorney Ralph Whalen says the alleged victim in this case refused to leave Galette’s home and grabbed a knife, threatening Galette and four other people in the home.

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller has reportedly expressed interested in transferring to LSU. There’s also a report that Notre Dame signal caller Everett Golson is also considering LSU. Both players would be eligible to play for LSU in 2015, but Bayou Bengals Insider Publisher Derek Ponamsky says LSU can’t talk to Miller or Golson until respective schools grant them a release from their athletic scholarships…
cut 10 (12) “…gonna be mentioned”

It looks like Louisiana Tech has its starting quarterback for next season. Former Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel will transfer and be eligible to play for the Bulldogs next season. Bleed Tech Blue publisher, Jonathan Ford, says Driskel is your likely starter in 2015 and could have a lot of success…
cut 18 (14) “./..that stature”

In other college football news…former Southeastern Louisiana head coach Mike Lucas has been added to Mark Hudspeth’s staff at U-L Lafayette. It’s been reported Lucas will coach the Ragin Cajuns defensive backs. He spent last season as the defensive coordinator at Northwestern State. Demons Head Coach Jay Thomas says they will take their time in naming a new defensive coordinator.

And in high school, Thomas Backham is stepping down after four years as head coach of Bastrop. The Rams were 7-and-4 last season.

A Baton Rouge TV station reports Ohio State Quarterback and two-time Big 10 MVP Braxton Miller is considering transferring to LSU. A shoulder injury kept Miller from playing this season and two younger QBs passed him up on the Buckeye depth chart. Bayou Bengals Insider publisher Derek Ponamsky says it’s not a surprise to hear Miller might be interested in LSU…
cut 9 (10) “….talk about lot”
Notre Dame Quarterback Everett Golson’s name has also been rumored as a possible transfer candidate to LSU.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis met with the media today for the first time since the season ended. Loomis talked about the disappointment of finishing seven and nine and said they are evaulating the entire organization and that includes the future of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.

Former Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel will reportedly enroll at Louisiana Tech in March after he announced yesterday that he’ll finish his college career in Ruston. Jonathan Ford, publisher of Bleed Tech Blue, says Driskel didn’t live up to expectations in Gainesville, but he’ll bring some much needed experience to the quarterback position at Tech…
cut 17 (14) “…FBS level”
The Bulldogs are looking for a new quarterback after Cody Sokul led the school to a victory in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

In basketball…the Pelicans three-game home winning streak ended last night with a 92-85 loss to the Washington Wizards. In college hoops…the Ragin Cajuns improved to 3-and-0 in the Sun Belt with an 80-64 win over Appalachian State, ULM beat Arkansas State and in the Southland….UNO won, while McNeese, Northwestern and S-L-U lost.

Louisiana Tech has lost its defensive coordinator. Manny Diaz has been hired by Mississippi State to be the Bulldogs new defensive coordinator. Diaz helped Tech win the Conference USA western division title and his defense was ranked 22nd in the nation in points allowed and 17th in rush defense. Jonathan Ford, publisher of Bleed Tech Blue, says Diaz gave the Bulldogs’ defense an identity…

cut 16 (13) “find another one”

While Tech loses a defensive coordinator, they do add a quarterback. Jeff Driskel, who threw for 34-hundred yards at Florida, is transferring to Tech for his final year of college eligibility.

In other college football news…Nola.com reports that Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson has reached out to LSU about possibly transferring to Baton Rouge after he graduates in May. Since Golson would be a graduate transfer, he could be eligible to play for the Tigers in 2015.

Eric Gordon returned to the Pelicans lineup last night, but it wasn’t enough as the Washington Wizards defeated New Orleans 92-85. Gordon scored 6 points in 33 minutes in his return from a shoulder injury. Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans lead all scorers with 21 apiece as the Pels fall to 17-17. The Pelicans hit the road to take on the Charlotte Hornets Wednesday night.

A full slate of college hoops action last night:

In the Sun Belt – UL-Lafayette improves to 3-0 in conference play after knocking off Appalachian State, 80-64. And ULM defeated Arkansas State 70-61.

In the Southland Conference – UNO opened their conference season with a 72-67 win over Lamar. Sam Houston stuffed the visiting Demons from Northwestern State, 75-64. McNeese falls to Houston Baptist, 68-56. And Stephen F. Austin remains undefeated in conference play after downing Southeastern Louisiana, 81-66.

And in the SWAC – Texas Southern squeezed by Southern, 59-58 and Grambling loses to Alabama A&M, 67-46.