Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Louisiana Tech Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 8-5 overall, 5-3 in Conference USA
Head Coach: Skip Holtz, 7th year, 46-33
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LOUISIANA TECH OFFENSE
– The offense wasn’t its normal, explosive self under head man Skip Holtz. How good was the defense? The Bulldogs scored almost 300 fewer points than the 2016 team did two years ago, and they only won one fewer game. There are parts to like, starting with veteran senior QB J’Mar Smith – who threw for more yards, but didn’t get the ball down the field enough – and a good-looking receiving corps that gets 75-catch Adrian Hardy and ten of the top 11 pass catchers.
– The running game failed to hit the 2,000-yard mark for the first time since 2013, averaging fewer than four yards per carry. The lack of a steady commitment to the ground game had a whole lot to do with that. A bit more up front will make Jaqwis Dancy a factor after averaging over five yards per carry with a team-high 667 yards and nine scores. The backfield could use a little more thump, but the backs are fine.
– The offensive line was okay overall at keeping defenses out of the backfield, but it didn’t generate enough of a consistent push for Darcy and the ground game. The tackles are the concern after losing both starters – including all-star O’Shea Douglas – but the interior should be set.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LOUISIANA TECH DEFENSE
– The defense was among the best the program has seen in a long time. It started with the NCAA’s all-time sack leader, but Jaylon Ferguson is now a Baltimore Raven. Willie Baker isn’t Ferguson, but he’s a good end who’ll get behind the line, and the pressure needs to come from several other spots. The interior has a solid tackle in 291-pound Ka’Derrion Mason to work around after a solid year from the front four against the run.
– Top tackler Collin Scott is back as the main man in the linebacking corps in the 4-2-5 alignment. Running mat Dae’Von Washington is done, and now it’s up to 220-pound veteran Connor Taylor to play a bigger role.
– The secondary was terrific throughout last season. It picked off 13 passes, allowed just over six yards per pass, and held down high powered passing games like the North Texas attack, Hawaii’s run-and-shoot, and just about everyone else. The Bulldogs didn’t allow a 300-yard passing day. Four of the five starters are back including all-star pickoff artist Amik Robertson at one corner spot and second-leading tackler James Jackson at safety.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP LOUISIANA TECH PLAYERS
Best Louisiana Tech Offensive Player
WR Adrian Hardy, Jr.
The passing game might not have been up to its normal snuff, but the 6-2, 193-pound Hardy turned in a wonderful season. The junior caught 75 passes for 1,145 yards and six scores, and he averaged over 15 yards per catch – a big deal for a team that didn’t do enough down the field. He’s an all-star No. 1 target who should raise of an experienced receiving corps.
2. QB J’Mar Smith, Sr.
3. RB Jaqwis Dancy, Sr.
4. G Ethan Reed, Sr.
5. C Ethan Russey, Jr.
Best Louisiana Tech Defensive Player
CB Amik Robertson, Jr.
One of the nation’s top ball-hawkers, the 5-9, 180-pound Robertson isn’t all that big, but he’s tremendously quick and he closes like a flash. He followed up a strong 62-tackle, five interception freshman season by making 61 stops with four picks last year. Used in a variety of ways, he got into the backfield, too, with a sack and 7.5 tackles for loss.
2. LB Collin Scott, Sr.
3. DE Willie Baker, Jr.
4. S James Jackson, Sr.
5. CB L’Jarius Sneed, Sr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Louisiana Tech Offense
The passing game has to be more efficient and a whole lot sharper. The offense was able to move the chains, and it was good at controlling games and own the clock at times, but there needs to be more happening down the field. J’Mar Smith is a good quarterback with the upside to be an all-star, but he only hit 57% of his passes and averaged under seven yards per attempt with ten picks.
Biggest Key To The Louisiana Tech Defense
Stop the run, and keep stopping the run. There weren’t a whole slew of high-powered passing games on the slate last year, and there aren’t too many big-bombing teams on this year’s schedule. The secondary is going to be one of the team’s biggest positives, and now the front six has to do its part game after game. Last season, the Bulldogs allowed 190 or more rushing yards five times going 1-5 in those games and 3-12 over the last three years.
Key Player To A Successful Season
DE Willie Baker, Jr.
The 6-3, 251-pounder came up with a terrific season – making 33 tackles with seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss – but he had Jaylon Ferguson on the other side to help the cause. To be fair, Ferguson had Baker on the other side helping his call, too.
Baker was decent throughout the season, but he picked it up late in the year before finishing with four sacks against Hawaii in the bowl win. Now he’s the main man for the pass rush, and he has to be consistently dangerous.
Key Game To The Louisiana Tech Season
North Texas, Nov. 9
UAB might currently rule the Conference USA roost, and the road game in late November will be a big deal, but first, the Bulldogs have to take out North Texas. The Bulldogs have won four of the last five games in the series including last year’s league opener, but the Mean Green should be even stronger this season.
Louisiana Tech has a week off before diving into the November finishing kick, but lose, and with road games at Marshall and UAB to follow, there will be an issue.
– Louisiana Tech Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Louisiana Tech Fun Stats
– Sacks: Louisiana Tech 45 for 276 yards – Opponents 33 for 191 yards
– Field Goals: Louisiana Tech 15-of-22 – Opponents 9-of-14
– Penalties: Opponents 73 for 740 yards – Louisiana Tech 60 or 586 yards
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. LOUISIANA TECH WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
The Bulldogs were just okay offensively last year, and they still managed to win eight games – throwing the bowl in there – and came up with a few nice performances. But they also fed off a whole lot of cupcakes along the way.
Yeah, they beat North Texas, but the other six regular season wins came against teams that finished with losing records, and six of those came against teams that finished with three wins or fewer and Southern from the FCS.
But that’s life in Conference USA, and the Bulldogs should fatten up again.
They’re loaded at all of the offensive skill spots, and the line should be just good enough to not be a problem. The defense might take a step back on the line and in the linebacking corps – depth is an issue – but the secondary should be among the league’s best.
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 8
The key is winning the games against the good teams in the conference. Starting out at Texas isn’t going to be easy, but the real concern will be taking care of home games against FIU, Southern Miss and North Texas. Win those three, and the Bulldogs are in the Conference USA title game – maybe.
They still have to deal with Marshall and UAB on the road – making the home games that much more important – and they can’t slip up against a Rice of a UTEP away from Ruston.
This is a stronger team that should show off more explosion and more from the offense. But there’s just enough missing to run through the conference slate without a few hiccups.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
