2 weeks Ago
UL defensive back Amir McDaniel (13), shown here celebrating a tackle during a win over Buffalo last season, is now the starter at the Star position for the Ragin' Cajuns. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save UL coach Michael Desormeaux revealed the news starting defensive back Courtline Flowers has been suspended for the remainder of the season due to a violation of team rules. Flowers, who was arrested on charges of domestic abuse battery and child endangerment, started 10 of his 11 games at safety last season before moving to the Star spot for the first two games this season with one start.
With Flowers out of the picture, redshirt senior Amir McDaniel moves into the starting role with redshirt sophomore Maurion Eleam taking over the No. 2 spot on the depth chart at Star. The Cajuns (2-0) are preparing to host Tulane (1-2) at 11 a.
m. Saturday on ESPNU at Cajun Field. So far this season, Flowers had three tackles and a quarterback hurry, Eleam has three stops and McDaniel two.
“Amir has played a bunch on the snaps,” Desormeaux said. “Courtline played more, but Amir will step into that role. He was kind of the start coming out of spring and going fall camp.
He’ll step back in there. He’s a guy who has worked really hard for us and has played well.” For McDaniel, it’s the opportunity he’s been waiting for in his sixth season at UL.
He's mostly playing special teams as a natural cornerback, but does have three starts out of 34 games under his belt in his college career. “It’s a great opportunity to show what I’ve been working for my whole career here,” McDaniel said. “I’m just blessed to have this opportunity.
It’s been a long career – the Covid year helped me. I feel like this is just the greatest opportunity for me to excel and do what I’m here for and that’s to help this team win.” McDaniel made the move from cornerback to Star last season.
“I played the Star position last year, but I feel like this year it’s a whole new position since coach (defensive coordinator Jim) Salgado and coach (defensive analyst Clayton) Carlin coaching them,” McDaniel said. “They coach with a lot more details than in the previous year. It’s really like learning a whole new position.
It’s a great challenge. “I love the way those two coaches come in every day fired up about the nickels and how the nickels are a big part of the defense.” Star is a hybrid position requiring equal skills as a run stopper as well as a coverage component.
“It’s just a lot of everywhere – being in the box with the linebackers and covering,” McDaniel said. “Basically, I just have to know the whole defense. It’s helping me become a four-dimensional player where everybody needs to be.
” In addition to playing cornerback, McDaniel also played receiver one season for the Cajuns, so his understanding of the game is extensive. “That kind of helped me to, seeing the offensive picture and diagnosing the route concepts too.” he said.
The Cajuns will lose a little size at the position with Flowers at 6-foot, 190 pounds compared to McDaniel at 5-foot-8 and 182 pounds and Eleam at 5-foot-10 and 166 pounds. “This guy is as scrappy as can be,” Desormeaux said of Eleam. “You talk to the guys at Neville when he was coming out and those guys have been around some really good players and they compare him with some of the best ones they’ve ever had.
“The kid plays really fast. It matters to him. He’s not very big.
He’s kind of built in the same mold as Amir and some of those other guys, but he’s physical and he takes a lot of pride in his work.” Desormeaux said the staff is also working other candidates at Star for potential future use as needed. McDaniel, though, is excited about Eleam’s potential.
“I love E,” he said. “He works so hard. He’s been waiting for his time for a while.
This is his third year here. That first year he was on the scout team working hard and he kind of watched behind me and Pat Mensah last year and kind of worked in our footsteps. ”I just try to instill as much as I can from whatever I’ve learned these past six years – on and off the field.
I just try to give him everything I know.” McDaniel knows this opportunity to be a weekly starter comes at a big time during the Cajuns’ season with Tulane coming to town, but his maturity helps there as well. “Obviously it’s an in-state rivalry, but it’s a big game because it’s the next game,” he said.
“At the end of the day, we have to work on ourselves and work on what we have to do to be the best team on Saturday. “I mean it’s a big game. We’re all fired up, hyped up to be playing at an 11 o’clock kickoff Cajun Field ESPN, but at the end of the day, we just really not worried about the outside noise.
We’re just staying inside and just trying to have the best week that we can.”.
