Mark Hudspeth
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HEAD COACH MARK HUDSPETH Head Coach Mark Hudspeth Eyes Greater Milestones After Leading Ragin’ Cajuns To Nine Wins & A New Or- leans Bowl Victory In His First Season At Louisiana Mark Hudspeth is a winner. It’s that simple. and driving 49 yards in five plays to set up Brett Baer’s Cajuns are ready to make the most of them. From his days coaching Winston (Miss.) Academy to game-winning 50-yard field goal as time expired. A master motivator, he takes advantage of every the 1997 state title to last December, when he provided “We never let go of the rope”, Hudspeth told the Cajun opportunity to teach a lesson to the Cajuns. Ragin’ Cajun fans a last-second 32-30 win over San Diego fans in attendance. Prior to the FIU game last year, he surprised the Ragin’ State in the program’s first bowl appearance in 41 years, Hudspeth also boldly predicted that home games at Cajuns by outfitting them in black helmets and black pants, Hudspeth has been a champion. Cajun Field would be the place to be and all but demanded a combination that was never used before. The motivation Like football, winning is all he knows. that Louisiana fans be there. True to his word, the Ragin’ worked as UL ended a two-game losing streak against the Hired as Louisiana’s 26th head coach in program his- Cajuns went undefeated at home for only the fourth time in Panthers. tory on Dec. 13, 2010, Hudspeth quickly grabbed the atten- stadium history (and first since 1987). Cajuns fans believed Hudspeth is also a teacher, knowing that the onus is on tion of Ragin’ Cajuns fans with his dynamic personality, the young coach, setting a school record for season tickets him to not only win football games, but to do so the right energy and desire. He tirelessly toured the Acadiana area, sold which helped to set a stadium record by averaging way. He realizes that it is more important that he help the visiting all five parishes to speak to any group that wanted 29,171 fans per game in the 31,000 seat facility. The Ragin’ Cajuns players make the transformation from young to listen to him talk about Ragin’ Cajuns football. increase of 11, 788 fans per game was the highest in the adults to men, knowing that he has been entrusted with And seemingly overnight, he reversed UL’s football nation. the lives of his players by the parents and families of each fortunes, taking the Ragin’ Cajuns from nine losses in 2010 Hudspeth was rewarded for turning around the Ragin’ player. to a school-record tying nine wins in 2011. Cajuns, being named a finalist for both the Liberty Mutual Hudspeth takes that to heart, instructing the squad on From the day he arrived on campus, Hudspeth began Coach of the Year and Paul Bear Bryant Awards. the life’s lessons he has learned. He demands that each educating the Ragin’ Cajuns on how to win. A 20-year coaching veteran, Hudspeth carries a 75-25 player give 100 percent. on the field, in the classroom and One of the first lessons he gave came when he had the career record in eight seasons as head coach into the 2012 in their personal life. knowing that by doing so, they will offense and defense engage in an old-fashioned tug of war. campaign, winning 10 or more games five times and hav- eventually become champions in their personal life when As the rope went back and forth with neither team gener- ing winning records in seven straight campaigns. their football playing days are over. ating enough force to win the battle, Hudspeth stopped the Hudspeth’s coaching philosophy focuses on the tradi- And as good as the 2011 season went for UL, Hudspeth Cajuns and had both teams move to the same side of the tional core values that he learned growing up in small town has his sights set on even greater accomplishments starting rope, pointing out how much easier it is to move the rope Mississippi, with the willingness to shake things up when in 2012, knowing that the Ragin’ Cajuns have only scratched when everyone was on the same side and fighting for the given the chance. the surface of what is possible. same thing. Hudspeth’s desire is to dominate physically and always Hudspeth, 43, came to Lafayette after serving as the Months later in New Orleans with Louisiana down a keep the pressure on. In fact, he utilizes a pass-first no- passing game coordinator at Mississippi State for two sea- point with 35 seconds left and a seemingly endless length huddle spread offense with a bevy of trick plays in each sons (2009-10), helping the Bulldogs end eight years of of Superdome turf away from even having a chance to win, game plan, knowing that the constant pressure keeps football frustrations by posting an 8-4 record and a Gator the Ragin’ Cajuns remembered that lesson by digging in opponents off guard. And, when they make a mistake, the Bowl appearance in his final season. 34 UniverSITY OF LOUISIANA www.ragincajuns.com 2012 Football Head COACH MARK HUDSPETH After three years as an assistant coach at Delta State claim its second Gulf South title, with (1999-2000) and Navy (2001), Hudspeth took over as head Hudspeth earning his second coach of coach at North Alabama and the winning quickly com- the year award while also being select- menced. He guided the Lions to a 66-21 record in seven ed as the NCAA Division II Region 2 seasons (2002-08), winning two Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year again. The Lions fol- titles and making five appearances in the NCAA Division II lowed that up with a 10-2 record and Championship, advancing to the semi-finals three times an appearance in the NCAA Division II (2003, 2005 & 2008). quarterfinals in 2007. Taking over a program that had three consecutive los- Hudspeth capped off his tenure at ing records, Hudspeth turned things around quickly, help- North Alabama by guiding the Lions to ing the Lions to a 13-1 record in just his second season a 12-2 record in 2008 and making their (2003). UNA claimed the league title with a perfect 9-0 fourth straight NCAA appearance, fall- mark and advanced to the NCAA Championship for the first ing in the semifinals. time in seven years, defeating Southern Arkansas and Born on Nov. 10, 1968 in Carson-Newman before falling at North Dakota in the Montgomery, Ala., Hudspeth moved to national semi-finals. Louisville, Miss. before the age of one. For his effort, Hudspeth was named the Gulf South In a town with a population of just Coach of the Year while also being voted the NCAA Division 7,000, he quickly became one of the II Region 2 Coach of the Year by the American Football towns’ most notable young men. He Coaches Association. lettered a total of 16 times in five sports The Lions were led that year by Wil Hall, who com- at Winston Academy, four each in foot- pleted 72-percent of his passes, throwing for 3,531 yards ball, baseball and track, three in bas- and 30 touchdowns en route to winning the Harlon Hill ketball and one in golf, and was voted Award, the NCAA Division II equivalent of the Heisman the school’s most versatile athlete as a Trophy. senior. The winning didn’t stop there as the Lions went 11-3 Success came to Hudspeth at and advanced to the NCAA semis in 2005, the first of four Winston Academy as he helped the straight 10-win campaigns. Patriots to the state title game as a The Hudspeth Family (clockwise): Mark, Tyla, Gunner, Major & UNA went 11-1 in 2006, including 8-0 in league play to senior in football 1987. He went on to Carley. THE HUDSPETH COACHING FILE earn all-county honors three times and play in the Mississippi High School All-Star game as a senior. AS HE A D CO ach Hudspeth continued his playing career at Delta State (1987-91), lettering all four years. He started at safety as a Year School Overall Conf. Notes junior and at quarterback as a senior. 2002 North Alabama 4 -7 3 -6 After graduating from Delta State with a degree in 2003 North Alabama 13 -1 9 -0 Reached Div. II Semi-Finals health and education in 1992, Hudspeth began his coach- GSC Coach of the Year, GSC Champs ing career as a graduate assistant at Central Arkansas, 2004 North Alabama 5 -5 4 -5 receiving his master’s degree in secondary school adminis- 2005 North Alabama 11 -3 7 -2 Reached Div. II Semi-Finals tration in 1993. 2006 North Alabama 11 -1 8 -0 Reached Div. II Quarter-Finals While at Central Arkansas, he was part of the coaching GSC Coach of the Year, GSC Champs staff that guided the squad to the 1992 Arkansas 2007 North Alabama 10 -2 7 -1 Reached Div. II Semi-Finals Intercollegiate Conference crown. 2008 North Alabama 12 -2 7 -1 Reached Div. II Semi-Finals Hudspeth earned his first full-time coaching position when he went to Nicholls State, coaching the wide receiv- UNA Totals 66 -21 45 -15 (Seven Years) ers and tight ends in 1994 and the running backs in 1995. 2011 Louisiana 9 -4 6 -2 New Orleans Bowl Champions His high school alma mater beckoned in 1996 as Hudspeth returned to Winston Academy as head coach, UL Totals 9 -4 6 -2 (One Year) guiding the team to a 25-1 record and the 1997 state title Career Totals 75 -25 51 -17 (Eight Years) during his two seasons.