Georgia Bulldogs-Louisiana-Lafayette: Rundown of Cajuns' Lineup

Georgia kicks off the 2010 season on a friendlier note than in 2009 and will likely end up with a win.

The Sept. 4 opener against Louisiana-Lafayette at Sanford Stadium is a far cry from the Dawg's road game against No. 9 Oklahoma last year. Home field advantage plus an unranked opponent should help Georgia gently break in its new quarterback, Aaron Murray, and new 3-4 defense.

The Dawg's match-up against Louisiana-Lafayette may seem light-weight, but it's tougher than most rival SEC openers. Alabama goes against San Jose St., Florida takes on Miami-Ohio and Auburn meets Arkansas State.

Here's a look at the Ragin’ Cajun lineup that meets Georgia between the hedges:

Offense

Junior QB Chris Masson was ranked No. 92 last year among Division I quarterbacks with a rating of 118.3. He rushed for six touchdowns and passed for 10 but also threw eight interceptions.

Despite Masson's uneven stats, Cajun coach Rickey Bustle is depending on him to get the job done at Georgia saying, "We know we're going to have our hands full at Georgia, and whatever success we might have, he's going to need to play a large role."

Sophomore Blaine Gautier is behind Masson. He has a fractured finger and is not expected to be available against Georgia.

Last year's reserve quarterback, Brad McGuire, is next in line although he has already transitioned to fullback. Offensive Coordinator Ron Hudson said McGuire is a multi-dimensional player that gives the team flexibility on the offense.

On the ground, the Cajuns lack experience.

Julian Shankle is the only running back who has played in a Cajuns’ uniform. He scored one touchdown during seven games last year. Kevin Streeter has potential but is new to Division I following two seasons at Iowa Western Junior College. He scored 12 touchdowns last year and ended his JUCO career with 1,400 yards. Freshman Robert Walker showed promise in spring training before suffering a hamstring injury.

At wide receiver, the Cajuns will start sophomore Pierre Hill over senior Richie Falgout. Hill saw time in every game last year. He started the last four and caught 10 receptions for 99 yards.

Marlin Miller is expected to get the nod against Georgia on the outside. Miller started as a wide receiver last year and had 22 receptions for 246 yards and two touchdowns. He was moved to running back for the last four games and rushed for 125 yards. He transitions back to a receiver in 2010.

Ladarius Green was the Cajun's leading receiver last year even though he missed three games to a neck injury. The 6'6'', 230-pound junior finished with the third highest receiving yards per game in the Sun Belt Conference and was voted offensive MVP for the Cajuns. He is backed up by two redshirt freshmen.

Louisiana's offensive line is in rebuilding mode.

Right tackle Jonathan Decoster is the only starter returning to his former position. Senior Ian Burks transitioned to center from right guard.

New starters include: Colin Windsor (T), who saw action as a reserve in the last seven games in 2009; Jaron Odom, who played in all 12 games as a redshirt freshman with one start against Nebraska; and Leonardo Bates (G), who appeared in seven games.

The Cajuns' reconstituted line will have their hands full against Georgia's new defense. Coach Bustle remarked, "It's tough when you don't have any film of a team that you're getting ready to play and they're making changes like they are on defense."

Defense

The Cajun's defense returns seven starters. Bustle, now in his ninth season, said, "By far, it's the most experienced defense we've had since I've been here.

Senior linebacker Grant Fleming is a contender for the 2010 Rotary Lombardi Awards after a solid 2009 season. He led the Cajuns with three forced fumbles, made 8.5 tackles per game in the last eight games and finished the year ranked fifth in the conference in total tackles.

The Cajuns have other seasoned talent across the defensive squad. Jordan Topp (DT) had the most fumble recoveries (three) for the Cajuns; two were converted into points.

Derreck Dean (DT) forced two fumbles and made one or more tackles in every game, including six against Florida Atlantic University. Orkeys Auriene (CB) ranks sixth in the Sun Belt for most passes defended. He led the Cajuns in pass breakups (six), tied for the lead in passes defended (eight) and blocked a field goal.

Free Safety Maurice Rolle, Jr. had 28 solo tackles and three interceptions after starting only five games and missing two due to injury.

Louisiana's defense will face a strong offensive lineup for the Dawgs. Five returning starters, including eight lettermen, should present a solid wall of protection for QB Aaron Murray and a talented group of receivers and backs.

One area where the Cajuns seem to have an advantage is discipline on the field. Louisiana ranked No. 95 in penalties last year, far down the list from No. 6 Georgia who racked up 878 penalty yards.

Self-inflicted penalty wounds aside, unless Georgia's defense implodes or Aaron Murray unravels at quarterback, Louisiana should end up in the Bulldog's win column.

Comment below Dawg fans if you've got any concerns about the Cajuns.