WATCH: UL football holds first Spring practice of the off season
UL football has officially started spring ball kicking off spring practices on March 25. Here are some running back drills featuring RB Zylan Perry.
Last season, Louisiana football’s offense was headlined by its passing game, but lurking in the shadows of that was a solid rushing attack.
The Ragin’ Cajuns’ backfield rushed for 2,323 total yards and 26 touchdowns, ranking eighth in the Sun Belt Conference. With some personnel changes but its core returning, the Cajuns will be hoping for more production this season.
Over the next few weeks, the Daily Advertiser will run positional previews asking two questions related to the given position as the Cajuns prepare for the fall. These will lead up into SBC media days, with the Cajuns scheduled to appear on July 22 in New Orleans.
Here’s a look at the UL running backs entering 2025.
Which three backs will headline the Cajuns’ backfield?
Every good running back room has at least three running backs who can shape their rushing attack and last season for the Cajuns, Zylan Perry, Bill Davis and Dre’lyn Washington were the guys.
Davis, the 5-foot-9, 225-pound rising sophomore, led the way last season. He rushed for a team-high 796 yards on 163 carries and nine touchdowns.
Davis will share some of the load with the 5-11 junior Perry, who missed three games last season with an injury. Perry rushed for 695 yards and four touchdowns on 112 carries. His speed and ability to find holes in defenses make him the second head of the Cajuns’ backfield.
With Perry and Davis locked in as the one-two punch, the third spot is up for grabs after Washington transferred to Alabama. Redshirt freshmen Steven Blanco and Hutch Swiley, and freshman Darrell Smith are three players who could possibly fill that spot. All three saw action last season. Of them, Blanco will likely be the guy. At 5-9 and 224 pounds, he provides a powerful punch similar to Davis.
Is the youth of the Cajuns’ backfield a good thing?
Outside of Perry, the five other UL running backs heading into this upcoming season are all underclassmen. Over half are freshmen, including newcomers Smith and JJ Garner out of Timpson, Texas. Of their six backs, Smith and Davis are the only two with game experience.
Having youth on your offense isn’t necessarily a negative, especially given the players’ track record throughout their respective high school careers. Garner was a three-star recruit out of Texas after rushing 1,506 yards and 25 touchdowns in his senior year. Smith was the No. 63-ranked recruit out of Mississippi and was the leading rusher in the state in his senior year. Blanco and Swiley starred locally at St. Martinville and St. Thomas More High School.
Despite the potential of the younger backs, their development won’t come without growing pains, which will likely show at the beginning of the season. Minimizing mistakes in ball security and adapting to college-level defenses will be key for the Cajuns after finishing last season with only two lost fumbles on seven total.
By SBC play, if healthy and given the amount of game snaps they get, backs like Smith, Garner, Swiley and Blanco could fit well in the Cajuns offense, possibly setting up fruitful careers at UL.
Shannon Belt covers high school sports, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and LSU men’s basketball for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
