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The Mark Hudspeth era got off to an excellent start as the Cajuns won at least nine games from 2011-2014 and it looked like the former Division II head coach was building a powerhouse in the Sun Belt.
Then the wheels fell off as the Cajuns lost exactly seven games in the last three seasons as UL-Lafayette had trouble finding consistent quarterback play. Add in a new athletic director, declining attendance, and previous trouble with the NCAA and it was time to make a move.
Athletic Director Bryan Maggard will join the coaching carousel selling a program that has proven won you can win at a high level in the Sun Belt. UL-Lafayette has a nice location in a fertile recruiting ground with some great facilities. You can win conference titles here and consistently go to bowl games. There will be some solid candidates that emerge in this search.
Matt Canada (Age 45)
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It has been leaked out that the first-year offensive coordinator at LSU could be leaving after one year. The Indiana native has spent most of his coaching career out of the south as he’s served as the offensive at Northern Illinois, Indiana, NC State, and LSU. Canada runs a very creative offense that should be highly productive against Sun Belt defenses. The big question is whether Canada will be willing to take a pay cut to coach at UL-Lafayette and if he could put a staff together that could effectively recruit Louisiana.
Brent Pry (Age 47)
The second-year defensive coordinator at Penn State has been previously linked to the Georgia Southern job so the interest to make the jump is there. The Pennsylvania native was the defensive coordinator at Georgia Southern in 2010 and was a Cajuns assistant coach from 2002-2006. The ties are there. What kind of offense would he install at UL-Lafayette?
Doug Nussmeier (Age 46)
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The former offensive coordinator at Alabama, Michigan, and Florida is now unemployed after the firing of Jim McElwain. However, Nussmeier has a strong coaching tree as he’s coached under Nick Saban to go with Brady Hoke and McElwain. Nussmeier played quarterback in the NFL from 1994-1997 with the New Orleans Saints, so he’s familiar with the state. With Nussmeier looking for work, UL-Lafayette could have the leverage when trying to figure out a deal.
Lance Guidry (Age 46)
Guidry is finishing up the second season at McNeese State, his alma mater, and he now has a 15-7 record as an FCS head coach. Guidry has coached at multiple high schools in Louisiana as well as an assistant at Miami (OH) and as a defensive coordinator at WKU. Former McNeese State head coach Matt Viator is doing a good job at ULM and maybe UL-Lafayette could turn in this same direction.
Broderick Robbs (Age 43)
The Monroe native served as a graduate assistant at UL-Lafayette from 2000-2002 before making the more permanent move to the FCS. Robbs has spent nearly his entire career in Louisiana as he was an assistant at Northwestern State and McNeese State before landing the head coaching job at Grambling State, his alma mater. Fobbs has quickly built a winner as the Tigers are 23-2 in the last two seasons including a current 17-0 run in the SWAC.