Carencro continuing successful transition to passing game thanks to 2026 QB Chantz Babineaux
CARENCRO, LOUISIANA - The Carencro High football program has a tradition of success.
Much of it is based on running the ball.
Back in 1992, Kevin Faulk led the Bears to their first state title before going on to star at LSU and in the NFL. Faulk rushed for nearly 5,000 yards and was named Class 5A Most Valuable Player twice.
Coach Brent Indest guided the Bears to a 5A runner-up finish to West Monroe in 2011 with a double-wing offense that featured fullback Alex Johnson.
Carencro won its second state title in 2020, shocking Edna Karr with a punishing split-back veer offense fueled by halfbacks Traylon "Popcorn" Prejean and Kendrell Williams.
Offensive coordinator Gavin Peters made a dramatic shift in 2022, alternating between the veer and the spread while going up-tempo with no huddle. Quarterback Chantz Ceaser set a single-season school record with 25 passing TDs while helping the Bears to a Division I select semifinal appearance.
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Ceaser's go-to target was a freshman, Chantz Babineaux, who set a new school record with 972 yards receiving, which broke a mark set in 1981. With 12 TDs, Babineaux had the second-best season ever for a Bear receiver behind Quinton Lawrence's 13 TDs in 2003.
Babineaux only needs five TD catches to establish a new school career record, but that's not likely to happen, as he is now setting records at quarterback.
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The undefeated Bears (7-0) are throwing it more than they ever have. Much more.
Babineaux topped the previous single-season passing record in the first quarter of a 65-8 rout of Comeaux on Homecoming last Friday.
He has passed for just under 2,000 yards with 24 TDs and only two interceptions. The career passing record of 3,235 yards, set by Tyler Gaspard in 2013-2014, is well within Babineaux's grasp.
"I think it's me following what my coaches teach me in practice, and then bringing it onto the field and executing," Babineaux said.
Chantz Babineaux
247Sports projects the 5-foot-11, 185-pound sophomore as a receiver. Tulane offered him a scholarship in January. Louisiana-Monroe and Michigan offered in April and May. Texas-San Antonio offered earlier this month.
"They said they watched my film and love how I play the game so hard," Babineaux said of the Roadrunners. "They offered me as an athlete."
LSU, Southern and the University of Louisiana are showing interest. The word "safety" is being mentioned when recruitniks speculate about Babineaux's future position. He punts for the Bears and has rushed for 10 TDs.
"To be honest, I'm just an athlete," he said. "Wherever you put me, I'm going to play my heart out."
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He is also a baseball star. Babineaux started as a freshman outfielder for the Bears, and he competes at travel ball's highest level during the summer.
"He can obviously hurt you with his arm or his legs," Carencro football coach Tony Courville said. "He's been making a concerted effort to see the field more. It's the seventh game of his varsity career as a quarterback. He's still learning."
Babineaux is averaging more than 20 yards per completion while throwing to receivers Austin Dyson (35-584, five TDs), Cashmire Batiste (12-368, seven TDs), Joni Martin (10-313, two TDs), Kendrick Bernard (20-307, three TDs) and Kameron Cyprien (15-283, six TDs).
"We're still going to run the ball," Babineaux said. "Our running game is hard to stop. If you can do that, we're going to pass it."
Photo of Carencro's Chantz Babineaux by Brad Kemp, The Acadiana Advocate
-- Mike Coppage | @SBLiveLA
