Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana Football News: Draft Scout Player News

08/16/22 - QB Ben Wooldridge, rSr/2025, Louisiana

Ben Wooldridge and Chandler Fields' talents and skill sets are nearly identical. Their biggest difference is in their mentality, and it's there where Louisiana football coach Michael Desormeaux, a former UL quarterback himself, will ultimately find his starting quarterback. The competition remains as hot as ever between Fields and Wooldridge following the Ragin' Cajuns' first team scrimmage of preseason practice Saturday afternoon inside the Leon Moncla Indoor Practice Facility. The pair have battled since spring practice, neither giving up as much an inch. "Ben does things exactly by the book, Chandler has a little bit more creativity in him," Desormeaux said following the scrimmage. "At the same time, Chandler takes a few more chances and does some things that Ben doesn't do. For us it's the consistency. If its Chandler, is he taking those chances in positions where we can afford them? Is he being smart with those opportunities? With Ben, he's got to operate consistently because he's doing it; if it's cloudy is he more hesitant? Is he playing with a lot of accuracy?"

Desormeaux knew entering preseason practice that Wooldridge, the junior Fresno State transfer who has been with the program 18 months now, and Fields, the sophomore who was the primary backup quarterback last season, would perform well enough to make it a tough decision for him and offensive coordinator Tim Leger. Where the quarterbacks will separate themselves, Desormeaux said, will be in technique, eye progression and execution of Louisiana's offense. Leger put both signal-callers in plenty of situations during UL's scrimmage to have those sequences on films for the staff to review, and Desormeaux added he was pleased watching Wooldridge and Fields live. - Daily Advertiser

rSr/2025