Terrance Broadway has answers to UL-Lafayette offensive woes
By bobby ardoin
Special to The Advocate
November 11, 2012
LAFAYETTE — When Terrance Broadway seeks his harshest critic, the search doesn’t extend very far.
Look no further than himself, Broadway says, when locating a reason for a plummeting University of Louisiana at Lafayette football team.
When asked to self-assess his last two games — both ULL losses — Broadway doesn’t hesitate to administer a grade.
“I have to give myself a ‘D’ maybe a ‘F.’ We haven’t won games we should have won. Those losses, I put that on myself,” starting quarterback Broadway said about his most recent performances.
ULL (4-3,2-2) was just two weeks ago at the top of the Sun Belt Conference, but the Cajuns have since dropped two straight against North Texas (30-23) and Arkansas State (50-27) in games that Broadway started.
At 3 p.m.on Saturday, ULL travels to play the University of Louisiana at Monroe (6-2, 5-0), currently the leader in the SBC.
Broadway came away especially disappointed with his performance against ASU, a nationally televised game at Cajun Field where he threw three interceptions and had a pair of fumbles.
“Take care of the ball better, that’s what I have to do. Last week (against ASU) I had the three interceptions. That’s inexcusable.
“If we don’t have all those turnovers, we win the game,“ Broadway said.
Most of the problems against ASU and in other games where he hasn’t played well have simple answers, Broadway said.
After self-evaluation, it comes down to poor mechanics.
“It’s been my foot work. On a lot of those (incompletions) it’s been the foot work and getting that down. It’s something I don’t really think about during a game,” Broadway said. “This is a situation that’s just cropped up on me. Bad feet lead to throwing bad balls. I just have to keep from overstriding.”
ULL coach Mark Hudspeth has all season complimented Broadway’s almost fastidious game preparation and said Broadway’s deficiencies are solvable.
“It’s mechanics. We will work with his delivery and that and other things will happen when (Broadway) begins to settle down in the pocket and get more experience.
“Right now it’s important to get his confidence up and make sure that he is thoroughly prepared,” Hudspeth said.
ULL coach said it’s unfair to expect Broadway to react to game situations in a manner similar to senior Blaine Gautier, whose injuries this season have forced Broadway to receive more playing time.
“Everyone compares (Broadway) to Blaine, but (Broadway) is just a sophomore who has only started five career games,” said Hudspeth.
Broadway, a sophomore who also played at Capitol High, said he was ready to start after broken hand bones sidelined Gautier, a senior.
“I think I was ready. I just haven’t played well lately,” said Broadway.
Since Broadway has been starting, the Cajuns have been without several key offensive playmakers.
Wide receiver Javone Lawson (wrist, forearm) has missed most of the last two games, while slot receiver Harry Peoples didn’t play against ASU because of a shoulder injury he suffered against UNT.
Rushing leader Alonzo Harris was sidelined with an illness againt UNT.
Harris is back in the lineup and former Capitol High teammate Bradley Brown and Jamal Robinson have replaced Peoples and Lawson.
ULM ranks second in the conference in total defense and leads the league in interceptions (11). That’s something which has caught Broadway’s attention.
Broadway said he knows what to expect from the Warhawks.
“I’m pretty sure they will do the same thing they have been over the last eight games. They are going to really get after us. They are going to get on the outside and try to confuse us with the defensive fronts.
“In the secondary they will try to man up against us,” said Broadway.
Broadway has thrown for 1,251 yards and eight touchdowns, but he also has five interceptions. He has also rushed for 233 and a 5.5 average to become ULL’s total offense leader.
The Cajuns are only 38 percent on third down this season, but Broadway said there’s a way to correct that.
“There’s nothing really, except you have got to make good throws. I just have to throw the ball better.”
Broadway said re-establishing the Cajuns as a factor in the conference race comes Saturday against ULM.
“At one point in the season, just a couple of weeks ago, we (ULL) were number one in the conference, but we’ve gotten humbled.
“It’s been a rough two weeks, but I think we’re ready to show what type of team we really are,” he said.