​Ragin’ Cajun nation has been buzzing with anticipation as the 2026 college football season approaches, remaining just over a month away. Fans have spent the past several months moving past last fall’s results, when Louisiana football finished below .500. The Cajuns went 6-7 overall and dropped their second straight bowl game, a 20-13 defeat to Delaware in the 68 Ventures Bowl, capping a campaign filled with its share of highs and lows.
Through the fluctuations, fifth-year head coach Michael Desormeaux unearthed a new offensive weapon and finished 5-3 in Sun Belt Conference play. Now, the process restarts with key returnees, a mix of new faces, and fresh goals for the 2026 season. In the coming weeks, The Daily Advertiser will run positional previews, posing two questions for each position as the 2026 Cajuns squad gears up for fall. These previews will build toward SBC Media Days, with UL scheduled to appear on July 15 in New Orleans. Here’s a look at the running backs entering 2025.
Steven Blanco, 24, and UL’s Ragin’ Cajuns will face the Marshall Thundering Herd at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. This offseason brings the biggest question: with Zylan Perry and Bill Davis gone to the transfer portal, who will emerge as the new lead back in the backfield? The Cajuns will likely diversify the rushing attack, spreading carries among returning players and newcomers.
Among the returners, Steven Blanco saw the most action last season, piling up 156 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. Listed at 5-foot-9 and 215 pounds, Blanco provides size and a bruiser-like style to UL’s ground game, bringing experience and steady production. Also back in the mix is Darell Smith, who impressed during the Cajuns’ Vermilion & White game and looks like the other primary option in the backfield. The 5-foot-8 back displayed elite speed, opening spring action with a 50-plus-yard touchdown on the first play. From the transfer portal, junior Anthony Reagan Jr. could also contribute after rushing for nearly 700 yards at Howard last season.
With Blanco, Smith, and Reagan in the mix, Louisiana aims to recreate the two-headed backfield dynamic they’ve leaned on for the past two seasons. No discussion of UL’s rushing attack this season would be complete without mentioning Lunch Winfield. The quarterback shoulders a significant portion of the ground game and, since taking the reins in Week 2 last season, has become a central element of UL’s offense as a dual-threat playmaker. He finished 2025 as the team’s leading rusher in rushing touchdowns, crossing the goal line nine times while amassing 781 yards on 152 carries. The hope is that Winfield’s dual-threat presence remains a constant force, continuing to drive the Cajuns’ offense and keep defenses honest.