The Flagship: In-depth look at Ragin' Cajuns with ULL reporter Raymond Partsch

Horns247 Podcasts: Longhorn Blitz, The Flagship and State of Recruiting

On this week's interview edition of The Flagship Podcast we preview Texas' season opener against the 23rd-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns with Raymond Partsch, host of RP3 and Company on 103.7 The Game in Lafayette (La.) and beat writer covering Louisiana for the Daily Iberian.

Partsch covers it all with Horns247 columnist Chip Brown - from how Louisiana, which is starting a season in the AP Top 25 for the first time in school history, had to adjust for Hurricane Ida coming ashore near New Orleans last weekend to coach Billy Napier as well as the offense, defense and special teams of the Ragin' Cajuns.

Partsch explains why he thinks Napier, the receivers coach at Alabama while Steve Sarkisian was an analyst for the Tide in 2016, turned down interest from Auburn and South Carolina as a head-coaching candidate after Louisiana went 10-1 last year, including a season-opening, 31-14 victory at Iowa State.

Partsch breaks down the Louisiana offense, starting with fifth-year "super senior" quarterback Levi Lewis (5-10, 190), whom Partsch says "makes good decisions and doesn't get you beat by making the big mistake" and who coaches turned loose more in the running game last season (when Lewis averaged 6.1 yards per carry).

Louisiana's leading rushers from last season - Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas - are in the NFL now, so the Ragin' Cajuns are looking to sophomore Chris Smith (No. 21) and freshman Emani Bailey (No. 20) of Denton Ryan to carry the load in Louisiana's run-first attack.

Louisiana has some big receivers, but Partsch says it's a mystery as to which one would be considered the go-to guy in the passing game, because Lewis spreads the ball around, including passes to the running backs.

Partsch breaks down the playmakers from a defense that he says is the strength of the Louisiana team and returns 10 starters from last season.

Partsch gives the edge in special teams to Louisiana, in part, because running back Chris Smith returned a couple kicks for touchdowns last season.

Partsch provides an injury update on the Ragin' Cajuns and wraps up the interview with a prediction for how the game will play out - so check it out!

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices