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Nussmeier, Weeks Named Louisiana Players of the Year

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Nussmeier, Weeks Named Louisiana Players of the Year


BATON ROUGE – LSU’s quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and linebacker Whit Weeks were top honorees on the 2024 edition of the All-Louisiana College Football Team announced by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Nussmeier was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while Weeks was named the state’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Running back Ahmad Hardy of ULM was named the freshman of the year. Tulane wide receiver Mario Williams, was named the newcomer of the year for first-year Louisiana players. Coach Michael Desormeaux, who led the Ragin Cajuns to the Sun Belt Conference championship game, was named the state’s top coach in 2024.

The team was chosen by a group of voters from state media relations and communications office and selected media based on nominations made by each University. School media relations voters could not vote for players from their own school.

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Nussmeier, who finished his junior season Tuesday with an MVP performance in the Texas Bowl, through for 3,735 yards and 26 touchdowns during the regular season. His 312 completions ranked No. 2 in LSU history, while with his bowl game his over 4,000 yards passing also ranked second. He topped the 300-yard mark eight times, including a career best 409 yards versus South Alabama. The Lake Charles product had five games with three TDs or more.

Weeks, a sophomore linebacker from Watkinsville, Georgia, earned defensive honors after a first-team All-SEC season that saw him lead the Tigers in tackles with 119. He was ranked No. 3 in the SEC and No. 11 nationally in total tackles and tackles per game (9.92). He had a career best 18 tackles in the overtime win over Ole Miss and 17 tackles versus both Oklahoma and Alabama.

Will Campbell was a first team offensive line selection, with Kyren Lacy named a first-team wide receiver.

On the second team offense was lineman Emery Jones and tight end Mason Taylor. The second team defense for LSU was represented by lineman Savion Jones, linebacker Bradyn Swinson and defensive back Zy Alexander.

Damian Ramos was named the second team kicker.

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Two teams representing offense, defense and specialists were selected with ties allowed for position allowed on the second team as necessary. The complete All-Louisiana selections:

LSWA ALL-LOUISIANA TEAM
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
POS/NAME/SCHOOL/CL/HOMETOWN/NOTES
OL/Landon Burton/Louisiana/Sr./Lafayette, La./First Team All-SBC
OL/Will Campbell/LSU/Jr./Monroe, La./First-Team AP, Walter Camp, AFCA All-America
OL/AJ Gillie/Louisiana/Sr./Natchitoches, La./First Team All-SBC, HM All-America (CFN)
OL/Shadre Hurst/Tulane/So./Cartersville, Ga./First Team All-AAC, HM All-America (CFN)
OL/Evan Roussel/Nicholls/Sr./Lutcher, La./SLC OL of Year, Second Team AP FCS A-A
TE/Terrance Carter/Louisiana/So./Killeen, Texas/First Team All-SBC; 48 rec., 4 TDs
WR/Tru Edwards/Louisiana Tech/Sr./Shreveport, La./First Team All-CUSA; 77 rec., 897 yds, 6 TDs
WR/Kyren Lacy/LSU/Sr./Thibodaux, La./Second Team All-SEC; 58 rec., 866 yds, 9 TDs
RB/Ahmad Hardy/ULM/Fr./Monticello, Miss./SBC Freshman of Year; 1,351 rush yds, 13 TDs
RB/Makhi Hughes/Tulane/So./Birmingham, Ala./AAC RB of Year; HM A-A (CFN); 1,372 yds, 13 TDs
QB/Garrett Nussmeier/LSU/Jr./Lake Charles, La./3,735 pass yards; 26 TDs; 3 rushing TDs
 
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
POS/NAME/SCHOOL/CL/HOMETOWN/NOTES
DL/David Blay/LA Tech/Jr./Levittown, Pa./First Team All-CUSA; 46 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks
DL/Ckelby Givens/Southern/Jr./Shreveport, La./SWAC Co-Def. POY; Buchanan Award finalist; 28.5 TFL
DL/Patrick Jenkins/Tulane/Sr./New Orleans, La./First Team All-AAC; 30 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks
DL/Jordan Lawson/Louisiana/Jr./Brandon, Miss./Second Team All-SBC; 38 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks
LB/Andrew Jones/Grambling/Jr./Marrero, La./SWAC Co-Def. POY; Buchanan Award finalist; 20.5 TFL
LB/K.C. Ossai/Louisiana/Sr./Conroe, Texas/First-Team All-SBC; 110 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 INT
LB/Whit Weeks/LSU/So./Watkinsville, Ga./First Team All-SEC; 119 tackles, 10.0 FGL, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT
DB/Keydrain Calligan/Southeastern/Sr./New Iberia, La./All-SLC; 39 tackles, 1 INT
DB/Tyrone Lewis/Louisiana/Sr./Hammond, La./Second Team All-SBC; 2.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 4 INT, 1 FR
DB/Keyon Martin/Louisiana/Sr./Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Second Team All-SBC; 50 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 INT
DB/Wydett Williams/ULM/Jr./Lake Providence, La./Third Team All-SBC; 100 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 2 FR, 3 INT

FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
P/Finn Lappin/McNeese/Fr./Melbourne, Australia/All-SLC 1st Team; 46.1 avg; 21 punts 50+; long 60+
K/Kenneth Almendares/Louisiana/Sr./Clute, Texas/Lou Groza Winner, First-Team A-A; 1st FBS 27 FGs
RS (tie)/Darius Lewis/Southeastern/Sr./New Orleans, La./First Team All-SLC; FCS leader 18.5 yds per ret. RS (tie)/Rayshawn Pleasant/Tulane/So./West Monroe, La./Second Team All-ACC specialist, 2 KR TDs

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Vote – Nussmeier 10.5; Ben Wooldridge (UL) 8.5; Makhi Hughes (TU) 8; Ahmad Hardy (ULM) 1; no vote 1

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Whit Weeks, LSU
Vote – Weeks 14, Andrew Jones (GSU) 5, Eli Ennis (Nich) 3, K.C. Ossai (UL) 3, Tyler Grubbs (TU) 2, Ckleby Givens (SU) 1, no vote 1

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FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Ahmad Hardy, ULM
Vote – Hardy 14, Darian Mensah (TU) 9, Caden Durham (LSU) 5; no vote 1

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – Mario Williams, Tulane
Vote – M. Williams 11; Wydett Williams (ULM) 9; Warren Peeples (SLU) 6; Vincent Paige (SU) 2; no vote 1

COACH OF THE YEAR – Michael Desormeaux, Louisiana
Vote – Desormeaux 14; Jon Sumrall (TU) 7; Terrance Graves (SU) 4; Bryant Vincent (ULM) 3; no vote 1
 
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
OL – Derrick Graham, Tulane (Jr., Lake Minneola, Fla.); Emery Jones, LSU (Jr., Baton Rouge, La.); Cole LeClair, McNeese (Sr., Middleburg, Fla.); Josh Remetich, Tulane (Sr., New Orleans, La.); Brockhim Wicks, Southeastern (Sr., Plaquemine, La.).
TE – Mason Taylor, LSU (Jr., Plantation, Fla.)
WR – Darius Lewis, Southeastern (Sr., New Orleans, La.); Mario Williams, Tulane (Sr., Tampa, Fla.)
RB – Joshon Barbie, McNeese (So., New Orleans, La.); Daylon Charles, La. Christian (Sr., Gueydan, La.); Collin Guggenheim, Nicholls (Sr., Kenner, La.)
QB – Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana (Sr., Pleasanton, Ca.

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Logan Brimmer, La. Christian (Sr., Boutte, La.); Savion Jones, LSU (Sr., Vacherie, La.); Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls (So., Pensacola, Fla.); Warren Peeples, Southeastern (Sr., Stone Mountain, Ga.)
LB – Eli Ennis, Nicholls (Jr. Ohatchee, Ala.); Blake Gotcher, Northwestern State (Sr., Little Elm, Texas); Bradyn Swinson, LSU (Sr., Douglasville, Ga.)
DB – Zy Alexander, LSU (Sr., Loreauville, La.); Bailey Despanie, Tulane (Jr., Lafayette, La.); Khamron Ford, Southeastern (Sr., Olive Branch, Miss.); Yusef Leak, McNeese (Sr., Orlando, Fla.); Tyree Skipper, Louisiana (Jr., New Orleans, La.); Jacob Wilson, Centenary (Fr., Shreveport, La.)

SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
P – Alex Mahler, Southeastern (So., Vacherie, La.)
K — Damian Ramos, LSU (Jr., Baltimore, Md.)

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‘Sinners’ shines light on blues legends from Louisiana. See who, how they contributed.

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‘Sinners’ shines light on blues legends from Louisiana. See who, how they contributed.


Hopefully Ryan Coogler has a U-Haul on standby. The 39-year-old movie director may need a moving van March 15 to bring the Oscars home for his horror film, “Sinners.”

The movie, which grossed $369 million in worldwide box office receipts, is up for a record 16 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Original Song.







83rd Golden Globes - Show

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This image released by CBS Broadcasting shows Ryan Coogler, center, accepting the award for cinematic and box office achievement for “Sinners” during the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. 




“Sinners” is already a winner for putting the spotlight on the blues and at least three Louisiana musicians who shaped the sound. Much of the vampire thriller is set in Southern juke joints of the 1930s, makeshift dancehalls that shook with sounds that poured the foundation for rock ‘n’ roll, soul, R&B, rap, country and more.

Coogler illustrates that past and future in a scene with the original song, “I Lied to You.” The 1930s scene drifts to visions of the coming decades of rock, rap, break dancing and funk.

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Buddy Guy uses a drum stick to play a Jimi Hendrix tune at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 4, 2023.



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Buddy Guy, an 89-year-old native of Pointe Coupee Parish, appears briefly in the movie as an aging version of the character Sammie “Preacher Boy” Moore. Born in 1936 in Lettsworth, Guy was a product of this “Sinners” era with skills that heavily influenced Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and others considered guitar gods.

A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and Kennedy Center honoree, Guy is still going strong with a tour of Australia set for April.

Fellow blues senior and Homer native Bobby Rush has also enjoyed “Sinners” notoriety, along with the late harmonica legend Little Walter of Marksville. Rush, 92, wasn’t seen in the movie, but his harmonica was used for the character “Delta Slim.”







NO.jfsaturday.050425.08.jpg

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Bluesman Bobby Rush, 92, right, performs with Kenny Wayne Shepherd in the Blues Tent during the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (Staff photo by Scott Threlkeld, The Times-Picayune)




Guy and actor Miles Caton performed the Little Walter original, “Juke.” The song has more than 2.2 million streams on Spotify and nearly 750,000 plays on YouTube.

Like Guy, Rush is not resting in his senior years. Between now and end of May, Rush has gigs stretching from the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans to the Ribs & Blues Festival in the Netherlands.

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Similar to Guy, Little Walter, born Marion Walter Jacobs in 1930, left Louisiana for Chicago, where he recorded “Juke,” “My Babe” and more groundbreaking harmonica blues. Renowned as an alcoholic with a short fuse and numerous fight injuries, Walter only lived to the age of 37.







Behind-the-scenes of

Art director Tim Davis helped create the church in “Sinners,” and fans have analyzed its design. Miles Caton plays preacher boy Sammie in the film. 

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Yet the blues of Walter, Rush and Guy live on, thanks to “Sinners,” introducing a new generation to the foundation of American music.

Herman Fuselier is executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. A longtime journalist covering Louisiana music and culture, he lives in Opelousas. His “Zydeco Stomp” show airs at noon Saturdays on KRVS Public Media.



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Louisiana State Police provide update on officer-involved shooting in Gonzales

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Louisiana State Police provide update on officer-involved shooting in Gonzales


Louisiana State Police released updated information regarding an officer-involved shooting March 5 in Ascension Parish.

According to an LSP news release, the preliminary investigation found that a Gonzales Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop at around 10:45 p.m. near the intersection of South John Street and Orice Roth Road.

In the release, LSP identified the driver of the vehicle as 21-year-old Anthony Talbert of Baton Rouge, who was accompanied by a female passenger.

During the stop, Talbert allegedly reached toward a firearm that was inside the vehicle, per the release.

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The officer responded by discharging a department-issued firearm one time, which grazed both Talbert and the unidentified female, the release continued.

According to police, Talbert then fled the scene, exceeding 100 miles per hour and disregarding multiple traffic controls.

Troopers reported Talbert was taken into custody following a short pursuit.

He was booked into the Ascension Parish Jail on charges of aggravated flight, reckless operation, obstruction of justice and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, police said in the release.

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Per troopers, the female was transported to a hospital and was treated for minor injuries.

LSP’s initial news release reported no officers were injured.

According to police, the investigation remained active and further information would be released as available.

Michael Tortorich is a journalist for the USA Today Network in Louisiana.

Gonzales Weekly Citizen and Donaldsonville Chief, part of the USA Today Network of Louisiana, cover Ascension Parish and the greater Baton Rouge area. Follow at facebook.com/WeeklyCitizen and facebook.com/DonaldsonvilleChief.

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Should Shreveport homeowners buy earthquake insurance in Louisiana?

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Should Shreveport homeowners buy earthquake insurance in Louisiana?


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  • A 4.9 magnitude earthquake, the strongest in Louisiana’s onshore history, struck near Shreveport.
  • Standard homeowner’s insurance policies typically do not cover earthquake damage.
  • Property owners can purchase add-on earthquake coverage, which is generally inexpensive in low-risk areas like Louisiana.
  • Despite the low cost, the deductible for earthquake insurance is usually high.

Thursday’s earthquake that shook furniture and rattled pipes in the Shreveport region may have some property owners wondering whether they should consider buying insurance to cover them from potential stronger movement in the future.

The 4.9 magnitude earthquake that struck just north of Coushatta at 5:30 a.m. March 5 was the strongest onshore event in Louisiana history.

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No structural damage has been reported from Thursday’s earthquake so far, but the strength of the movement may have been enough to raise concern.

“If people are concerned they should call their insurance agent and explore pricing and options,” Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple said in an interview with USA Today Network.

“It’s not an issue that has come up often in Louisiana, but if coverage can alleviate anxiety and risk it’s absolutely something homeowners and property owners should consult their agent about,” he said.

Earth movement or subsidence insurance is generally excluded from homeowners’ policies, as is flood insurance, but property owners can secure the coverage through their insurers as an add-on, called an endorsement.

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Eugene Montgomery, owner of Community Financial Insurance Center in northern Louisiana, said a subsidence endorsement to cover earthquake damage would generally be inexpensive in Louisiana because of the low risk.

“The coverage itself is inexpensive, but the deductible would be high,” Montgomery told USA Today Network.

That’s the case for one Shreveport homeowner who asked not to be identified. The homeowner secured a subsidence endorsement following Thursday’s earthquake that cost $120 per year after discounts with a 10% deductible.

Republican state Sen. Adam Bass, who also operates an Allstate agency in Bossier, said most people won’t buy an add-on that’s not required by their mortgage holders no matter how inexpensive it is.

Bass said he hasn’t had any inquiries about earth movement insurance during his career.

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But Montgomery said he remembers a temporary spike in those policies in 1990 when climatologist Iben Brown predicted a major earthquake would strike the New Madrid Fault in Missouri on Dec. 3 of that year, a forecast that flopped.

“It really created a little bit of a panic,” Montgomery said. “Everybody wanted insurance for a short period of time.”

Montgomery doesn’t expect a similar run on earthquake after Thursday’s event, but said he won’t be surprised if some level of interest increases.

“When people can actually feel the earth moving it gets their attention,” he said.

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Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.



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