Many UL football observers would point to the health of quarterback Lunch Winfield as the most important issue for the 2026 season.
During each of Michael Desormeaux's first four seasons as head coach, the Cajuns have needed three quarterbacks to get through each season. For four seasons, there's always been that thought of how much more could have been achieved if the starter stayed healthy.
That's where Winfield comes in. The dual-threat quarterback puts himself in harm's way far more than any of the previous opening-day starting quarterbacks.
Being physical and getting tough yards is whom he is. So while it's critical for Winfield to stay healthy, reining in his running game is not an option.
That reality doesn't mean the Cajuns aren't taking steps to prevent another season-altering injury at the position.
"We've focused a lot on what he's not as comfortable with," Desormeaux said.
The good thing for Winfield is no one understands his temptation to run it for the first down more than Desormeaux. He also was a bruising, punishing running quarterback for the Cajuns, rushing for 2,843 yards and 16 scores in 43 games.
"I get the temptation of, 'I can get it,' " Desormeaux said. "I've been there. And there's times when he needs to run, but there's also times when it's just smarter to throw the ball and avoid the hit."
That's why the UL coaching staff worked exclusively on his drop-back game early in spring practice. The goal was to make the natural urge to run not be his default setting.
"We're trying to encourage the quarterbacks to throw more of the perimeter screens and throw more of the RPO stuff, just to try to get the ball out and try to get those easy yards," Desormeaux said. "It's kind of, 'Hey, if it's 50-50, throw it out there.' "
Winfield played in all 13 games last season, but the first four were mostly on isolated wildcat runs. Over the last nine, the redshirt sophomore was 127-of-216 passing for 1,555 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He was sacked 17 times.
On the ground, Winfield ran it 152 times for 667 yards with nine touchdowns.
So there's much room for improvement in the passing game.
"That's most of what we did during the spring," said Winfield, who underwent offseason ankle surgery. "He (Desormeaux) didn't really have none of the runs until like the last two weeks of spring probably. It was mostly passing, passing, passing, getting comfortable with just taking ... the hits off.
"I got way more comfortable with most of my teammates and timing in the passing game."
The reason Winfield didn't win the starting job out of camp last summer was his low completion percentages in practice schemes designed for a pass-happy offense under opening-day starter Walker Howard.
That could be better managed this season with different personnel. In addition to preseason All-Sun Belt receiver Shelton Sampson, UL has more catch-and-run receivers with Trenton Chaney and Russell Babineaux, as well as a trio of running backs with good hands.
"They're the kind of guys that you could throw short passes and they can make a big play," Winfield said. "Yeah, these are guys that you just got to get the ball to. Trenton, I played high school ball with him, so I know he wants the ball. He comes up to me in OTAs to get him the ball.
"All these guys want the ball to show what they can do with it."
The other factor that could work in UL's favor is the health of the offensive line. Throughout those final nine games, Winfield was playing behind a makeshift line because of a litany of injuries.
Theoretically, a more stable offensive line could increase Winfield's chance of playing 12 games.
"That was just a freak thing," Winfield said of the line. "That's not going to happen again."
Winfield is still a young quarterback with less than a year's experience as a starter, and even less experience behind him. Daniel Beale has completed 42 of 84 passes for 395 yards with one score and four interceptions and ran it 17 times for 17 yards. Coleman Carter hasn't played yet.
"We're going to be good," Winfield said. "I'm ready ... we're all ready to go."
The Cajuns hope they can get some injury luck to go along with him.