UL football positional previews: Who will rule the Cajuns' backfield?
Ragin’ Cajun nation has been itching with anticipation as the 2026 college football season is over a month away.
Fans spent the last few months flushing away what happened last fall, when Louisiana football ended the season below .500. The Cajuns posted a 6-7 overall record and lost their second consecutive bowl game, 20-13 against Delaware in the 68 Ventures Bowl, capping off a season filled with ups and downs.
Through the ups, fifth-year head coach Michael Desormeaux was able to discover a new weapon on offense as well as finishing 5-3 in Sun Belt Conference play. Now, the process starts all over again with key returners, some new faces and new goals set for the 2026 season.
Over the next few weeks, the Daily Advertiser will run positional previews asking two questions related to the given position as the 2026 Cajuns squad prepares for the fall. These will lead up into SBC Media Days, with the Cajuns scheduled to appear on July 15 in New Orleans.
Here's a look at the running backs entering 2025.
Who will be the Cajuns go-to in the backfield?
This is the biggest question heading into the offseason after losing both Zylan Perry and Bill Davis to the transfer portal. Who will be the new go-to guy in the backfield? With both of those weapons gone, the Cajuns will likely spread the ball out some more to new and returning faces.
Among the returners, Steven Blanco saw the most action last season, rushing for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. Listed at 5-foot-9 and 215 pounds, Blanco will bring size and that bruiser-like approach on the ground, along with his experience.
Also returning in the backfield is Darell Smith, who is likely the other go-to in the backfield after a strong showing in the Cajuns’ Vermilion & White game. The 5-foot-8 back showcased elite speed, scoring on the first play of the spring game for an over 50-yard touchdown. From the portal, junior Anthony Reagan Jr. could also be a name in the mix after rushing for nearly 700 yards at Howard this past season.
Between Blanco, Smith and Reagan the Cajuns will try to recreate that same two-headed monster in the backfield they had the past two seasons.
How much of the Cajuns’ rushing attack will rely on QB Lunch Winfield?
You can’t talk UL rushing attack this season without mentioning Lunch Winfield. The quarterback carried a hefty load of UL’s ground game once he took the reins of its offense in Week 2 of last season. This season will hopefully be more of the same for the dual-threat slinger.
Winfield ended 2025 leading the Cajuns in rushing touchdowns, finding the endzone nine times while rushing for 781 yards on 152 carries. The element of surprise when it comes to Winfield’s running ability may be gone, but the speed and elusivness remains.
With a full season at the helm of UL’s offense ahead of him, Winfield will be a key to a successful run game. However, the Cajuns don’t want to overuse him as losing quarterbacks to injuries is very common for them, given the past few seasons.
Shannon Belt covers high school sports, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and LSU men's basketball for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: UL football positional previews: Who will rule the Cajuns' backfield?
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