Defending Champions Collide

Jaguars prepare for the season opener 
The signatures have been signed, and as the summer drought comes to an end, Saturday night fever returns to Jaguar Nation.       
Southern University Jaguars contend against UL-Lafayette for their season opener. 
Coming off of an impressive season, the Southern University Jaguars prepare to face in-state Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns in a defending champion versus champion game on Aug. 30,2014, in the Cajun dome. 
Last season, the Jaguars (9-4, 7-2), took the SWAC championship trophy in Houston against the Jackson State Tigers and was also named the number one team in the Western Division. 
In the previous season, Louisiana-Lafayette finished the season 9-4, and won their first Sun Belt Conference trophy since 2005 under the fourth season coach, Head Coach Mark Hudspeth. 
In their last visit to Lafayette in 2009, Southern lost 42-19 to a sold out crowd of 41,357 fans. 
Rumors have hit the fans that they are awaiting to reach or surpass those numbers but Louisiana-Lafayette has already hit record for selling out tickets for this season. 
According to Quick Hits provided by Louisiana-Lafayette, Coach Hudspeth elaborates on the fact that he has the best coaching staff in the country.
“We are very fortunate to have the same staff for the fourth season because it is very rare and I attribute to the fact that they enjoy a great place to live, great quality of life, and a place where they can be very successful,” said Hudspeth. 
Newly dubbed Head Coach, Dawson Odums, attests to the fact that coming off of a SWAC Championship win; they are readying to face such a team. 
“We are facing a team that has all of the resources, bigger school, bigger program, and this is a game that no one would give us a chance,” Odums said, “but it is my job to get these guys ready,” said Odums
And practicing is what they are doing.
With last season record-holding quarterback, Dray Joseph eligibility up, it was a concern on which of the four quarterbacks they had was going to replace him. 
“We don’t necessarily replace players but there has to be someone to step up to that role, “said Odums. 
In that, on a humid Wednesday on the bluff of the Mississippi, redshirt freshman Deonte Shorts was named the starting quarterback of Southern University. 
Shorts and the other quarterbacks have been under the tutelage of past quarterback, Dray Joseph, and Odums said, “He has been like a big brother to him and the team and I am very appreciative to have him as a student assistant.”
In Louisiana-Lafayette territory, senior quarterback Terrance Broadway was named to the 2014 Manning Award list and last season he threw for 2,419 yards with 19 touchdowns and becoming third on the team with 442 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. 
With tickets becoming scarce, fans are rushing to acquire access to see two defending champions from each conference contend in a bout and most importantly because football season has emerged. 
“We are Southern University,” Odums said, “and with that we are trying to be 1-0 at the start of the season against Lafayette but that will come as a challenge.”