2018 questions and answers

Terrebonne set to name Teenager of the Year
January 16, 2018
Cold weather update:
January 16, 2018
Terrebonne set to name Teenager of the Year
January 16, 2018
Cold weather update:
January 16, 2018

OK, so the holidays are over and we’re now a few weeks into 2018.


What better time than the present to take some questions from our awesome readers?

My inbox has been buzzing lately as we slowly phase out football and head toward the meat of the basketball season – my favorite time of the year.

You guys asked me a lot of questions about prep basketball, while also peppering me with questions about LSU and Nicholls, as well.


To wrap it up, I’ll answer a few non-sports questions, as well.

Q: What do you think about LSU hiring Steve Ensminger to be its full-time offensive coordinator? (Asked by David V.)

A: I love it. I think LSU should have hired him last offseason once Lane Kiffin said no, to be honest. The Tigers set offensive records under Ensminger with limited personnel – all while running an offense that wasn’t his. I think with time to implement some of his own stuff, the Tigers will be far better off with Ensminger than they ever were going to be with Matt Canada, who is a hot-head who is better off out the door. Now, let me ramble. I want to vent about the absolute stupidity of the LSU fan base in recent weeks as Ensminger’s hire has been announced. Fans have said that Ensminger’s age will stop him from doing the job, which is blatant ageism – considering that the coach is just 60 and has plenty good years left. It’s a complete disgrace for masses of people to use something as silly as that to justify an opinion – especially when the opinion stinks and isn’t worth its salts to begin with. Coaches do better when surrounded by people they have chemistry with. Orgeron and Ensminger have that. I think this is a move that should have happened 12 months ago.


Q: Why didn’t Nicholls take more local prospects in their 2018 recruiting class? (Asked by Harold Darrell, Houma)

A: Well, first off, the class isn’t over, so there may be more guys announced in the coming weeks as we get closer to National Signing Day in early February. But aside from that, please know that Nicholls just doesn’t have much it can offer to players in 2018. The Colonels hardly lost anything off their 2017 team, which means that they didn’t have many scholarships to give – something like 12 guys, according to coach Tim Rebowe. That means that the team didn’t have as many spots as they’d have wanted to keep some of the area’s talent closer to home.

Q: Where does A.J. Rainey rank among local players you’ve seen? (Asked by Dick M., Golden Meadow)

A: He’s up there – high up there. I don’t know how you guard A.J., honestly. As a coach, when one player is that good, the first instinct is to try and double-team him or trap him. But that doesn’t work, because the Braves have a half-dozen capable scorers and Rainey is a willing and gifted passer who always makes the right percentage play. So the next idea would be to crowd him with your most athletic defender. But guess what? That doesn’t work either, because Rainey is a gifted handler who will put that kid in a blender. The best defense is to sag off him and just hope and pray he has an off night shooting. That’s about all you can do at this point.

Q: Who is the best bet to go to the Top 28 this year locally? (Asked by Robby Brown, Houma)

A: It has to be the Ellender girls, right? They’re the defending Class 4A State Champions and they didn’t lost much off the core of their team. Look, it’s far from a sure bet. The Lady Patriots have had their share of struggles at times this season and Class 4A does have a lot of worthwhile challengers, but I think they’re the pick. If you asked me for a few other options, I’d say the Houma Christian girls, the South Lafourche girls or the H.L. Bourgeois boys.


Q: Give me some mid-season prep basketball awards. (Asked by Dustin, Raceland)

A: See, with these, it was hard because just when I thought I’d made up my mind, someone would win or lose a key game and my entire mindset would move and I’d switch my entire outlook completely. For boys’ MVP, I have to go with A.J. Rainey, and quite frankly, it’s really not that close. I think everyone locally agrees there. For boys’ Coach of the Year, I go with my pal Coach Brian Callais at South Lafourche. To be 14-7 in Class 4A without a true star player is impressive and this may be Coach Callais’s best coaching job yet, which says a lot. On the girls’ side, I have to go with South Terrebonne guard Chloe Fleming as my MVP and Houma Christian coach Kathy Luke as my Coach of the Year. Fleming does so much for the Lady Gators. Take her off that team and they’d really be a shadow of themselves. As far as Coach Luke, she lost just about everyone off a team that made the State Finals last year, but the Christian Warriors are still No. 2 in the state in Division IV.

Q: You’re a youth coach. What do I tell my youngster? His problem is he can’t handle losing. (Asked by Darrel, Thibodaux)

A: Don’t focus so much on wins and losses. Scratch that. Make sure that the focus is on having fun, developing fundamentals and getting better every day.

Q: Can Roddy Peters play pro ball? (Asked by Turtle, Lutcher)

A: Sure he can. He’s a former 5-star prospect and an elite talent. He’s come to the Colonels and has provided instant offense – all while embracing a sixth-man role. I don’t think we will see Peters in the NBA next season, but I do think he will be playing high-level European or Asian ball in 2018-19, and heck, you can make an awful lot of money doing that, too, which is pretty sweet!


Q: Who should Alabama start at QB next fall? (Asked by The Fire)

A: It has to be Tua Tagovailoa, right? In the National Championship Game, he was like sawdust to a lit flame, igniting a Crimson Tide offense that was left for dead in the first half. He’s a gifted passer and a smooth runner, despite his youth. Jalen Hurts was always very limited, and I think this move was inevitable. I don’t think we see Hurts under center as a starter again.

Q: What’s better? McDonald’s nuggets or Hot and Spicy sandwiches? (Asked by Assistant Coach, Galliano)

A: It’s got to be the nuggets, right? I could probably eat 40 in a sitting if I was hungry enough and trying to prove a point. I like hot and spicy sandwiches an all, but nuggets are king.

Q: Just getting into coaching, but I don’t want it to be overkill. How many coaches should my little team have? (Asked by Shane, Thibodaux)

A: With kids, the more help, the better – just as long as the help is united and pulling in the same direction. To me, it’s almost like being in school. Studies show that if you can keep the students per teacher ratio down, academic scores will go up. The same with athletics. If you have more unified coaches to teach fundamentals, you’ll be better off. I’d get as many trustworthy folks as possible and roll.


Q: What’s your current envie? (Asked by Jamie B.)

A: Well, I’ve been trying to watch what I eat as best I can, so my envie is often pistachios, which I can eat by the ton. In terms of a big dish, my buddy, Damien St. Pierre, boils a mean turkey, and I’ve been craving that for a while. When the weather heats up, I’m sure we will get that going. It’s a turkey cooked in crab boil like seafood. Don’t knock it until you try it. It’s delicious.

Q: I heard you’re a good Holy Board player. Any tips? (Asked by Nick H.)

A: Well, the most important thing is to learn the rules at the particular place you’re playing. It’s South Louisiana and every, single group of friends has their own rules and ways of doing things. Knowing all that first off will allow you to have an edge. Second, it’s important to have a good partner. This past weekend, I won a tournament at a Saints watch party. My partner and I both hit several big shots to get the wins. 

Ed OrgeronJOSE DELGADO | THE TIMES


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