01-09-2008, 04:33 PM
Ryan Glazer went with his gut feeling.
Now the Grossmont (Calif.) Community College graduate is coming to UL.
On Tuesday, Glazer told The Daily Advertiser he signed a binding letter of intent to play his final two years of college football for the Ragin' Cajuns starting next season.
Glazer, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound defensive tackle, plans to enroll at UL for the school's spring semester, which starts Jan. 16. He is rated a four-star recruit by Scout.com and a three-star prospect by Rivals.com.
"I was supposed to visit (UL) on Jan. 12," Glazer said, "but when I took my trip to South Dakota last week I was thinking about the trip I was about to take instead of the one I was on.
"I wanted to get out of the snow (in South Dakota). I wanted to get out of San Diego. I wanted to play Division I football."
NCAA rules prohibit college coaches from publicly commenting on recruits before they sign a letter of intent. UL had not received Glazer's letter as of Tuesday.
Glazer will be expected to contribute immediately for UL, which went 3-9 last season and struggled defensively. The Cajuns ranked near the bottom of the Sun Belt Conference in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and red-zone defense.
In many ways, Glazer is a steal. He committed to Kansas last summer before reopening his recruitment in October because the Jayhawks would not allow him to enroll midyear.
Kansas and San Diego State offered him scholarships. Arizona, Oregon and Oklahoma State showed interested.
But the Cajuns eventually won the Glazer sweepstakes.
"The coaching staff is absolutely awesome," Glazer said of UL. "I've never felt so close to a group of coaches. They're honest and straight up with you. A lot of places play games with you, but they didn't at all.
"They want me to come in and raise the expectations of the people around me. They want me to be a leader."
After logging 60 tackles and six sacks as a freshman, Glazer earned second-team all-Foothill Conference honors this past season. He recorded more than 60 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks as a sophomore.
Glazer plans to leave San Diego for Lafayette next Tuesday.
"It's a 24-hour drive," he said. "I think I'm going to split it up and stop in El Paso the first night. I'm excited."
Glazer is the 12th member of UL's recruiting class, which includes verbal commitments from eight high school prospects. Dodge City (Kan.) Community College defensive back Dwight Bentley signed with the Cajuns in December and is expected to enroll for the spring semester, while DCCC linebacker Louis Beal has committed to sign with UL.
The Cajuns will add another player next season in offensive lineman Jaron Odom, who signed with the school in February 2007 but will count toward this year's recruiting class after grayshirting. The Florida native is expected to enroll at UL in time for the spring semester. Odom (6-5, 340) will have five years to complete four seasons of eligibility and can still redshirt.
Cajuns conducts interviews
As of Tuesday, UL coach Rickey Bustle said he had interviewed two candidates - including one of his current coaches - for the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach opening with the Cajuns. He would not comment on their identities.
Last week Blake Anderson stepped down after one season to become the running game coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Southern Miss. He had replaced Rob Christophel, who was fired by the Cajuns in December 2006.
"I met with one (candidate) last week and one this week," said Bustle, who has not set a timetable for making a hire. "I'm talking to some people. We don't want to make big changes to our offensive system. We've got a good running game, but are not getting much production in our passing game.
"We want to get someone who can help us get better."
Now the Grossmont (Calif.) Community College graduate is coming to UL.
On Tuesday, Glazer told The Daily Advertiser he signed a binding letter of intent to play his final two years of college football for the Ragin' Cajuns starting next season.
Glazer, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound defensive tackle, plans to enroll at UL for the school's spring semester, which starts Jan. 16. He is rated a four-star recruit by Scout.com and a three-star prospect by Rivals.com.
"I was supposed to visit (UL) on Jan. 12," Glazer said, "but when I took my trip to South Dakota last week I was thinking about the trip I was about to take instead of the one I was on.
"I wanted to get out of the snow (in South Dakota). I wanted to get out of San Diego. I wanted to play Division I football."
NCAA rules prohibit college coaches from publicly commenting on recruits before they sign a letter of intent. UL had not received Glazer's letter as of Tuesday.
Glazer will be expected to contribute immediately for UL, which went 3-9 last season and struggled defensively. The Cajuns ranked near the bottom of the Sun Belt Conference in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and red-zone defense.
In many ways, Glazer is a steal. He committed to Kansas last summer before reopening his recruitment in October because the Jayhawks would not allow him to enroll midyear.
Kansas and San Diego State offered him scholarships. Arizona, Oregon and Oklahoma State showed interested.
But the Cajuns eventually won the Glazer sweepstakes.
"The coaching staff is absolutely awesome," Glazer said of UL. "I've never felt so close to a group of coaches. They're honest and straight up with you. A lot of places play games with you, but they didn't at all.
"They want me to come in and raise the expectations of the people around me. They want me to be a leader."
After logging 60 tackles and six sacks as a freshman, Glazer earned second-team all-Foothill Conference honors this past season. He recorded more than 60 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks as a sophomore.
Glazer plans to leave San Diego for Lafayette next Tuesday.
"It's a 24-hour drive," he said. "I think I'm going to split it up and stop in El Paso the first night. I'm excited."
Glazer is the 12th member of UL's recruiting class, which includes verbal commitments from eight high school prospects. Dodge City (Kan.) Community College defensive back Dwight Bentley signed with the Cajuns in December and is expected to enroll for the spring semester, while DCCC linebacker Louis Beal has committed to sign with UL.
The Cajuns will add another player next season in offensive lineman Jaron Odom, who signed with the school in February 2007 but will count toward this year's recruiting class after grayshirting. The Florida native is expected to enroll at UL in time for the spring semester. Odom (6-5, 340) will have five years to complete four seasons of eligibility and can still redshirt.
Cajuns conducts interviews
As of Tuesday, UL coach Rickey Bustle said he had interviewed two candidates - including one of his current coaches - for the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach opening with the Cajuns. He would not comment on their identities.
Last week Blake Anderson stepped down after one season to become the running game coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Southern Miss. He had replaced Rob Christophel, who was fired by the Cajuns in December 2006.
"I met with one (candidate) last week and one this week," said Bustle, who has not set a timetable for making a hire. "I'm talking to some people. We don't want to make big changes to our offensive system. We've got a good running game, but are not getting much production in our passing game.
"We want to get someone who can help us get better."