LAFAYETTE, La – Former STM Cougar and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun Deuce Wallace was signed as a free agent back in May.

He’s always played for the home team, and his NFL experience would be no different. Wallace says being a part of the New Orleans Saints organization means the world to him.

“You just see what winning does for that city with everything that city has been through,” Wallace says. “Me only being two hours away, to be able to now be a part of that, it’s pretty cool. I know what that culture is about over there. I’m excited to add what I can.”

It’s a full circle moment for the Lafayette native, after watching the Saints for years and even going to the 2009 NFC Championship game.

Wallace says attending minicamp was a surreal experience.

“First few days it didn’t really seem real to see the veteran guys that you’ve watched on tv the last four or five years,” Wallace says. “Those guys you can tell they’ve been through life enough. They were giving more life skills than anything.”

The former high school running back switched to defensive back in college, going from a UL walk-on to eventually earning a scholarship and being honored as a team captain.

Adapting has always been the theme woven into Wallace’s football career.

It may be a new team now, but it’s the same game.

“The game doesn’t change,” Wallace says. “Football is football. They still run sail concepts. They still run smash concepts. It’s just you have better athletes at the positions you know. Other than that, the thing that stood out to me is that nobody cares what you’ve done prior to what you’re doing now. It doesn’t matter if you have three interceptions the previous day. The next day nobody cares. It doesn’t matter.”

Wallace’s senior year with UL in 2019 marked the first 10-win season in program history.

And he believes the rise of the Ragin’ Cajuns will continue.

“We’re not a door mat anymore,” Wallace says. “A few years back if you were to say the Cajuns are going to play Texas, it would have been ‘aw man it’s gonna be a blowout.’ Lotta people raising their eyebrows this year. The Cajuns, I’ve said it before, they are on their revenge tour. The season didn’t end like it was supposed to last year because we had some people ducking and running. Can’t hide anymore man. The sun is shining bright!”