Six most important players for Louisiana football for 2023 season

The start of the 2023 college football season is in less than 45 days. And pads will be popping during preseason practice in less than two weeks.
Talking season, which has become the lighthouse welcoming in a new football season, is gaining steam and Louisiana football will officially usher in the beginning of the 2023 campaign at Sun Belt Conference Media Days in New Orleans early next week.
Head coach Michael Desormeaux will be peppered with a plethora of questions about the Ragin’ Cajuns, who for the first time since 2017 are coming off a losing season — UL fell to Houston in the Independence Bowl to cap the 2022 season at 6-7.
With the 2023 campaign around the corner, let’s take a look at the handful of most important players for the Cajuns this season.
K.C. Ossai, linebacker
A couple of units on the defensive side of the ball suffered a lot of attrition and the linebacking corps was one of them, seeing three starters depart in Jourdan Quibodeaux, Kris Moncrief and Andre jones.
Ossai received a lot of snaps last season, held a good spring and is primed for a breakout season in 2023 for Louisiana. Despite sharing time, Ossai still finished fifth on the team in total tackles (63).
The 6-1, 242-pound junior will fill a big hole in the middle of UL’s defense and will likely be the leader of the group.
Chandler Fields, quarterback
Fields missed spring drills due to healing from abdominal surgery following last season. He battled with and beat out Ben Wooldridge, who is rehabbing from a late-season ACL tear himself, for the starting quarterback job last season. But Desormeaux early decided to run a two-QB system, which didn’t pan out well.
Fields once again will be in a position competition this preseason, this time with freshman Zeon Chriss, who took all of the reps in spring.
Whether or not Fields can win another starting job battle, the junior signal caller will be in a vital role for this year’s Louisiana team. He’ll either be gearing up each week to play and win games or he can push and help a young Chriss with game planning and winning games.
Lance LeGendre, wide receiver
No player will likely have a more unique role this season for the Ragin’ Cajuns than LeGendre.
The former quarterback made the switch to receiver to help with depth last season and will be counted on to produce in his second season really playing the position. But Desormeaux has hinted that there’ll be packages for the big, 6-2, 223-pounder to run wildcat quarterback.
With a new starter at the running back spot as well, LeGendre could see ample time at both positions to help the offense be efficient.
Neal Johnson, tight end
Along with Ossai, Johnson will be in New Orleans next week to represent UL with Desormeaux. There’s good reason for that as the coaching staff believes that Johnson will be huge for Louisiana this season.
And he’ll have to be considering a new RB, a quarterback situation that won’t be settled until deep in the preseason and a wide receiver unit that welcomes back one starter.
Johnson (6-4, 247) has 71 career catches and finished second on the team last season with 25 receptions for 296 yards and two touchdowns. Expect his role in the Cajun’s passing attack to be amplified.
Amir McDaniel & Caleb Anderson, cornerbacks
Louisiana’s new duo of starting corners will be the most important players in 2023. How junior Amir McDaniel, who has played plenty the last couple of seasons, and sophomore Caleb Anderson both acclimate to being the guys and how well they continue to develop will be paramount for the Cajuns’ pass defense that contains ample holes to fill.
The duo is replacing some of the better players for UL in Eric Garror and Trey Amos, who transferred to Alabama this offseason.