Mark Hudspeth
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HEAD COACH MARK HUDSPETH Head Coach Mark Hudspeth Third Year Cajuns’ Head Coach Eyes A Sun Belt Championship After 18 Wins & Two New Orleans Bowl Championships In Mark Hudspeth is a winner. It’s that simple. tory on Dec. 13, 2010, Hudspeth quickly grabbed the atten- First Two Seasons At From his days coaching Winston (Miss.) Academy to tion of Ragin’ Cajuns fans with his dynamic personality, the 1997 state title to December, 2011 when he provided energy and desire. He tirelessly toured the Acadiana area, Ragin’ Cajun fans a last-second 32-30 win over San Diego visiting all five parishes to speak to any group that wanted Louisiana State in the program’s first bowl appearance in 41 years, to listen to him talk about Ragin’ Cajuns football. Hudspeth has been a champion. And seemingly overnight, he reversed UL’s football Like football, winning is all he knows. fortunes, taking the Ragin’ Cajuns from nine losses in 2010 Hired as Louisiana’s 26th head coach in program his- to a school-record tying nine wins in both 2011 and 2012. He is 18-8 in his two seasons, including a 10-1 record in Mark Hudspeth vs. All Opponents home games and a 4-0 mark against in-state opponents. More importantly, the Cajuns have produced in the Arizona ..................................................................0 -1 North Carolina Central ...........................................1 -0 classroom. In the five semesters under Hudspeth, the Arkansas State .......................................................0 -2 North Dakota .........................................................0 -1 Cajuns have turned in four of the best semesters academi- Arkansas Tech ........................................................5 -0 North Greenville.....................................................1 -0 cally since grades were tracked in 1982. Arkansas-Monticello .............................................6 -1 North Texas ............................................................1 -1 From the day he arrived on campus, Hudspeth began Carson-Newman ...................................................2 -0 NW Missouri State .................................................0 -2 educating the Ragin’ Cajuns on how to win. Central Arkansas ....................................................4 -1 Oklahoma State .....................................................0 -2 One of the first lessons he gave came when he had the Delta State .............................................................5 -3 Quachita Baptist ....................................................3 -1 offense and defense engage in an old-fashioned tug of war. East Carolina ..........................................................1 -0 Samford .................................................................0 -1 As the rope went back and forth with neither team gener- FIU .........................................................................2 -0 San Diego State .....................................................1 -0 ating enough force to win the battle, Hudspeth stopped the Florida....................................................................0 -1 South Alabama ......................................................1 -0 Cajuns and had both teams move to the same side of the Florida Atlantic ......................................................2 -0 Southern Arkansas .................................................7 -1 rope, pointing out how much easier it is to move the rope Harding ..................................................................5 -2 Stillman .................................................................1 -0 when everyone was on the same side and fighting for the Henderson State ....................................................3 -0 Troy ........................................................................2 -0 same thing. Jacksonville State ...................................................1 -0 Tulane ....................................................................1 -0 Months later in New Orleans with Louisiana down a Kent State ..............................................................1 -0 Tusculum ...............................................................4 -0 point with 35 seconds left and a seemingly endless length Lamar ....................................................................1 -0 ULM .......................................................................2 -0 of Superdome turf away from even having a chance to win, Lambuth ................................................................1 -0 Valdosta State ........................................................5 -5 the Ragin’ Cajuns remembered that lesson by digging in Middle Tennessee...................................................1 -0 West Alabama........................................................5 -2 and driving 49 yards in five plays to set up Brett Baer’s Newberry ...............................................................1 -0 West Georgia .........................................................6 -1 game-winning 50-yard field goal as time expired. Nicholls State .........................................................1 -0 Western Kentucky ..................................................1 -1 36 2013 Football www.ragincajuns.com LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS HEAD COACH MARK HUDSPETH “We never let go of the rope”, Hudspeth told the Cajun tional core values that he learned growing up in small town fans in attendance. Mississippi, with the willingness to shake things up when The Hudspeth Coaching File The development of the Cajuns in the two seasons given the chance. Personal under Hudspeth has been dramatic. Louisiana has posted A master motivator, he takes advantage of every the first back-to-back nine win seasons in program history opportunity to teach a lesson to the Cajuns. Hometown: Louisville, Miss. Birthday: Nov. 10, 1968 in Montgomery, Ala. and with consecutive R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl victo- Prior to the FIU game in 2011, he surprised the Ragin’ Family: Married to the former Tyla McConnell ries, the Cajuns have gone from 41 straight years without a Cajuns by outfitting them in black helmets and black pants, Two sons: Gunner (17) & Major (3), bowl appearance to owning a bowl winning streak. a combination that was never used before. The motivation One daughter: Carley (14) In fact, Louisiana is one of just eight schools that has worked as Louisiana ended a two-game losing streak Date Hired At Louisiana: Dec. 13, 2010 won nine or more games in each of the last two years, against the Panthers. including a bowl game, joining Alabama, Boise State, Last year, Hudspeth introduced an all black uniform, Education: Winston Academy, 1988 Cincinnati, Florida State, Ohio, Oregon and South Carolina. complete with a fleur-de-lis on the chest and inspirational Delta State University Hudspeth also boldly predicted that home games at French slogans on the back. The Cajuns responded with a B.S. in Health & Education, 1992 Cajun Field would be the place to be and all but demanded last-minute win over WKU. Central Arkansas University that fans be there. True to his word, the Ragin’ Cajuns have Hudspeth is also a teacher, knowing that the onus is on M.S. in Secondary School Admin., 1993 gone 10-1 at home in his two seasons, including a perfect him to not only win football games, but to do so the right 5-0 record in 2011, only the fourth time in stadium history way. He realizes it is more important that he help the Coaching Experience (and first since 1987). Cajuns fans believed the young Ragin’ Cajuns players make the transformation from young Head Coach: coach, setting a school record for season tickets sold in 2011 adults to men, knowing that he has been entrusted with Louisiana, 2011-present that helped to set a stadium record by averaging 29,171 the lives of his players by their parents and families. 18-8 Overall Record fans per game in the 31,000 seat facility. The increase of Hudspeth, 44, came to Lafayette after serving as the 84-29 Career Record (Nine Years) 11,788 fans per game was the highest in the nation. passing game coordinator at Mississippi State for two sea- 2011 New Orleans Bowl Champions Hudspeth was rewarded for turning around the Ragin’ sons (2009-10), helping the Bulldogs end eight years of 2012 New Orleans Bowl Champions Cajuns, being named a finalist for both the Liberty Mutual football frustrations by posting an 8-4 record and a Gator North Alabama, 2002-08 Coach of the Year and Paul Bear Bryant Awards. Bowl appearance in his final season. 66-21 Overall Record (Seven Years) The NFL has also paid attention to what is happening After three years as an assistant coach at Delta State Gulf South Champions (2003 & 2006) with the Ragin’ Cajuns. In 2011, Dwight Bentley (Detroit) (1999-2000) and Navy (2001), Hudspeth took over as head NCAA Div. II Semi-Finals (2003, 2005, and Ladarius Green (San Diego) were selected in the NFL coach at North Alabama and the winning quickly com- 2007 & 2008) Draft. in 2012, seven Cajuns seniors earned invitations to menced. He guided the Lions to a 66-21 record in seven NCAA Div. II Quarter-Finals (2006) NFL preseason camps, seasons (2002-08), winning two Gulf South Conference 2003 & 2006 Gulf South Coach of the Year A 21-year coaching veteran, Hudspeth carries a 84-29 titles and making five appearances in the NCAA Division II Assistant Coach: career record in nine seasons as a collegiate head coach into Championship, advancing to the semi-finals three times Mississippi State, 2009-10 the 2013 season, winning 10 or more games five