As spring camp rolls on for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, the position battles continue to gain much recognition. With it being a new era for this program, there will be an incredible amount of change both offensively and defensively.
Offensively, it’s no surprise the quarterback competition has been the talk of the town in Lafayette. As Levi Lewis transitions into the next phase of his playing career, preparing for the NFL Draft, the time has come for a new quarterback, but one gunslinger has been making significant strides in the right direction: Lance LeGendre.
In a battle that features Chandler Fields, Ben Wooldridge and LeGendre, all three possess different dynamics, but LeGendre has really developed leading into spring. A dual-threat quarterback who had time last season to sit on the scout team and learn this new system, it has done wonders for the Maryland transfer.
“He is one of the most uniquely built physical specimens that I’ve ever seen,” offensive coordinator Tim Leger said. “When you put your head on the pillow at night and you say, ‘I wish … I looked and ran and moved like that guy.’ I’d wear a Speedo to the beach if I looked like that guy.”
Getting the attention of this coaching staff is half the battle for LeGendre, who continues to try and win over the locker room as well. To earn the respect of his teammates, as he did as a high schooler at Warren Easton in New Orleans, will put him in position to gain QB1 duties.
Going at it each day against a poised, talented Chandler Fields can only make LeGendre get better as camp rolls on. Not to mention the arm talent of Fresno State transfer Ben Wooldridge. This trio of quarterbacks have made it a great problem to have if you are Head Coach Michael Desmormeaux.
Having a flurry of talent at the quarterback position is rare, but here we are. Now, the athleticism of LeGendre is a piece of the puzzle this coaching staff has enjoyed getting to watch throughout camp. Making plays with his feet and throwing on the run is what LeGendre does best, a part of his game that differs from the rest.
“Lance is so athletic,” Leger said. “He could play safety here; he could play wide receiver here; he can play quarterback here.”
LeGendre’s time on the scout team has helped him coming into spring. With many believing it was only a matter of time until he understood the system and saw success, it could all start coming full circle for the former four-star quarterback.
“So, there’s a lot in his brain,” Leger said. “We just have to try to reboot the whole thing and just start from scratch, but the talent is there. We just have to get the processing part and the understanding of what we’re really doing.”
As the quarterback competition heats up in the final week of camp, Cajun fans have much to look forward to ahead of Saturday’s spring game at Cajun Field. The development of LeGendre is something to monitor as this team suits up in front of Lafayette for the first time since December’s Sun Belt Conference Championship.