LAFAYETTE — Coach Mark Hudspeth was watching intently as the Louisiana-Lafayette football team ended its April 7 practice with a drill the team had yet to perform during sessions open to the media.
It was a one-on-one drill. Hudspeth laid out the scenario: the clock is running out, the team needs a touchdown to win. The instructions were simple: Receivers, beat your man. Cornerbacks, don’t get beat.
The entire team was lined up on the sideline, hooting and hollering and ramping up the pressure. That’s what Hudspeth wanted.
What Hudspeth didn’t let the participants in on was the purpose behind running the drill: He was looking for a playmaker, someone who could take over a game in crucial situations.