Hogs for the Cause in New Orleans raises record-shattering $5.25 million
Tina Howell • April 9, 2025
This year's Hogs for the Cause in New Orleans was one of the best yet. The two-day sold-out event held on April 4th and 5th raised a record-shattering $5.25 million to help fight pediatric brain cancer. The new record surpasses last year's $4.3 million raised.
Founded in 2009, Hogs for the Cause has become the premier nationwide source of funding for families with children fighting pediatric brain cancer through the amazing efforts of their teams and fans. They work with both local and national children’s hospitals, including Children’s Hospital of New Orleans, Ochsner Hospital for Children, Duke Children’s Hospital, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Children’s Hospital, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite, and Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, to offer monetary relief to families with children who have brain cancer.
To learn more about Hogs for the Cause or to donate, please visit https://hogsfest.org/
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Louisiana will be without running back Anthony Reagan Jr. for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. The injury took place following his lone carry early in the second quarter last Saturday against South Alabama, which went for 26 yards. The running back was forced to the sideline by a Jaguars defender and appears the hit was to the knee. Following the hit, Reagan Jr. was not able to get up on his own and needed assistance. Not much later in the game, he was carted off the field and was ruled out for the game. Then on Monday, head coach Michael Desormeaux told the media that the running back would be out for the year. Reagan Jr. is now the second running back for the Cajuns to suffer a season-ending injury this season, following Darrell Smith who also suffered a knee injury against Arkansas State in early October. It’s a big blow to a Cajuns roster that is now down to just three healthy running backs in JJ Garner, Steven Blanco, and Ke’Rynn Smith. JJ Garner and Steven Blanco have both played huge roles in the ground game for the Cajuns. While quarterback Lunch Winfield currently leads the team in rushing yards with 567, JJ Garner has 441 and averages a whopping 7.2 yards per carry. Steven Blanco has 298 yards on the season, averaging 3.7 yards per carry. Both backs have combined for 10 rushing touchdowns. Ke’Rynn Smith, a true freshman out of Holy Cross in Metairie, will rise to the third spot on the roster to replace the injured Reagan Jr. He has not had much on-field opportunities this season, but the expectation is that he will have a role in the Cajuns backfield starting on Thursday against UL Monroe. “We got to prepare him to play every snap,” Coach Desormeaux said about Ke’Rynn Smith and getting him involved. “The kid’s really talented though.” Desormeaux also mentioned that ever since Darrell Smith’s injury in early October, the team began involving Ke’Rynn Smith mentally in meetings and in getting “good on good” reps. Now, the team looks to expand his rotation in practice. Ke’Rynn Smith came out of Holy Cross as a three-star prospect and rushed for nearly 1,400 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior for the Tigers. He decided to stay in-state and play for UL over offers from schools like Houston, Arkansas, Indiana, and Missouri. Louisiana is set to face their rivals in the UL Monroe Warhawks on Thursday night in the national spotlight on ESPN2. The game is set for an 8pm kickoff. A preview of that game will be up on Wednesday. Abdul Abusada of Cajun Sports Talk
