WARRIORS OPPONENTS
Rebuilt Bulldogs face tough schedule
10TH IN A SERIES
If fairness had anything to do with it -- or even sentimentality for that matter -- some bowl game would've grabbed Louisiana Tech with its 7-4 record, its classy coach Jack Bicknell, and its heartwarming story of perseverance and given the good people of Ruston, La., a nice and deserved holiday gift.
Alas, offering up bowl bids has much less to do with the right thing than the financially beneficial thing. So the Bulldogs, who have less of a national following than Spam musubi, stayed home.
The WAC has at least one more bowl game tie-in now than it did last year. But LaTech will be hard-pressed to repeat its fine season of 2005, even without the distractions of disaster relief stemming from Hurricane Katrina.
Only two starting defensive players, strong safety Dez Abrams and linebacker Brannon Jackson, return from the group that was fifth in the nation in takeaways with plus 13.
It also didn't help that defensive coordinator Randy Bates left suddenly in midsummer to help out at Northwestern after the death of Wildcats head coach Randy Walker.
New DC George Darlington, who was an assistant for 17 years at Nebraska, has his work cut out for him. Only two of the 18 on the two-deep in the front eight (LaTech uses a rover) are seniors, end Sammie Collins and weakside linebacker Marquis Spurgon, and they've only lettered once each.
Bicknell's plan was to move running back Mark Dillard to either safety or linebacker to help on the other side of the ball, since Patrick Jackson proved more than capable carrying the ball last year.
But Dillard, the leading rusher last year with 717 yards, could end up back on offense if Jackson and Freddie Franklin can't carry the load.
"Basically, we needed him on defense. He fumbled the ball maybe one or two more times than I liked. He likes defense. I'd like to see how effective he could be," Bicknell said. "If for some reason we can't have another running back step up, he'll move back."
Wide receiver is a more stable situation, with sprinter Johnathan Holland and versatile Eric Newman, who is also a nifty kick returner. Holland averaged 14.5 yards on his 29 catches, and Newman made the most of his 26 grabs; eight of them were for touchdowns.
The offensive line is young, and that's bad news for quarterback Zac Champion.
Champion completed every pass he threw last year. But it was just two, as he backed up the departed Matt Kubik and Donald Allen.
Kicker Danny Horwedel was second-team All-WAC last fall after making 18 of 26 field-goal tries.
As usual, the Bulldogs face one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the country, taking to the road in September against Nebraska, Clemson and Texas A&M.
Then, once conference season starts, geography piles on. The first WAC tilt is at Boise State.
"We've got eight away games and our away games are not an hour bus trip. They're at Hawaii, at San Jose. We've got our hands full," Bicknell said.
LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS
2005 record: 7-4
Starters returning: 11
Head coach: Jack Bicknell (40-42 in seven seasons at Louisiana Tech)
Last meeting with UH: Louisiana Tech 46, Hawaii 14, Oct. 8, 2005, at Joe Aillet Stadium
2005 RESULTS
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Sept. 10 |
at Florida |
L, 41-3 |
Sept. 17 |
at Kansas |
L, 34-14 |
Oct. 1 |
New Mexico State |
W, 34-14 |
Oct. 8 |
HAWAII |
W, 46-14 |
Oct. 15 |
at Nevada |
L, 37-27 |
Oct. 22 |
North Texas |
W, 40-14 |
Oct. 29 |
San Jose State |
W, 31-14 |
Nov. 5 |
at Utah State |
W, 27-17 |
Nov. 12 |
at Idaho |
W, 41-38 |
Nov. 26 |
Boise State |
L, 30-13 |
Dec. 2 |
at Fresno State |
W, 40-28 |
2006 SCHEDULE
Date |
Opponent |
Sept. 2 |
at Nebraska |
Sept. 16 |
Nicholls State |
Sept. 23 |
at Texas A&M |
Sept. 30 |
at Clemson |
Oct. 7 |
at Boise State |
Oct. 14 |
Idaho |
Oct. 21 |
Utah State |
Oct. 28 |
at San Jose State |
Nov. 4 |
at North Texas |
Nov. 11 |
at HAWAII |
Nov. 18 |
Nevada |
Nov. 24 |
Fresno State |
Dec. 2 |
at New Mexico State |
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