Featured photo by Josh McDaniel
Last year, four of Louisiana Tech’s nine losses were by eight points or less.
This season, two of the Bulldogs’ four losses have been by seven points or less, including one in overtime. The other was by 10.
Is history repeating itself? The Bulldogs certainly hope not.
Louisiana Tech will try to break a three-game losing streak Thursday night against Middle Tennessee (1-4) at Joe Aillet Stadium. Kickoff is at 7. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
The Bulldogs haven’t played since losing to Florida International 17-10 on Sept. 28 in Miami.
Before that, they lost to Tulsa 23-20 in overtime at home and North Carolina State 30-20 on the road. In the latter game, Tech led at the half and it was tied going into the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs’ lone win was against FCS school Nicholls, 25-17, in the season opener.
In his first two seasons as head coach and through the first four games this season, Head Coach Sonny Cumbie has called the offensive plays. He is now turning that over to co-offensive coordinator Nathan Young.
During his Tuesday press conference, Cumbie talked about players taking ownership of their roles on the team. He said coaches are not immune to that either.
“To be honest we weren’t doing very good on offense,” he said. “And we weren’t as productive as I thought we could be. And I think sometimes just self-awareness. You have to have an awareness of your strengths and sometimes if you pour into you strengths sometimes they become a weakness.
“And I think, one of my strengths is I want everything just right. I want this thing to be perfect. I want every single detail done to dotting the Is and crossing the Ts. And sometimes that can come across as a little bit overbearing I think.
“It’s the right decision for our football team. The offensive staff, coach Young leading our offensive staff, he’s called offense before. And here’s the thing, he’s been highly successful when he did it. There’s a lot of people that can call it. But we wanted someone who can be highly successful and Coach Young can do that. He’s highly intelligent and he’s really creative and I think he’s going to be aggressive.”
Cumbie said this will allow him to be an extra set of eyes. But he doesn’t want Young and the offensive staff to consider what he might do in a certain situation.
“I don’t want you thinking what’s Sonny want us to do,” he said. “I’m going to be the best quarterbacks coach in America because it frees me up time there.”
Cumbie said the decision has “lit a fire under me in a joyous way. And hopefully our kids have felt that. I think our kids are practicing relaxed.”
Tech comes into the game averaging 18.75 points and 322.8 total yards per game.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Evan Bullock started the season at No. 3 on the depth chart. But with starter Jack Turner and backup Blake Baker out with injuries, Bullock is now QB1. He had a solid effort against FIU, completing 26-of-37 passes for 218 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
Cumbie likes how Bullock has progressed and believes the FIU game was a step forward and learning experience.
“I think the speed of the game, you can tell when a kid has played in a game, started in a game,” he said. “You can tell that the next week in practice is faster in terms of their decision-making, their processing when he gets the ball out of his hand.
“I think you’ve seen that the last week and a half in practice. He’s had a lot of opportunities to go against one of the best defenses in our conference with the ones. Because he’s not going twos on twos or threes in threes or the developmental squad which he was two weeks ago.
“I think our players on offense really believe in him … I And we’re going to have some guys that make plays around him.”
Cumbie had high praise for his defense.
“I think our guys are flying around playing tough, tenacious, together and that’s what our football identity is,” he said. “And they’re playing into that. They’ve done a great job of getting people off the field.”
Tech is allowing 21.75 points and 299.5 yards per game.
He would like to see the defense create more turnovers. The Bulldogs have recovered two fumbles and made one interception on the season.
“I think we’re going to be able to do that this week,” he said “I’m looking forward to the defense to continually play the way that they have.”
Middle Tennessee will be trying to break a four-game losing streak. The Blue Raiders have played a tough schedule, falling to Ole Miss 52-3, Western Kentucky 49-21, Duke 45-17 and Memphis 24-7.
MTSU receiver Omari Kelly leads Conference USA in receiving yards per game at 94.2. He has caught 24 passes for 471 yards.
Quarterback Nicholas Vattiato ranks first in yards passing per game at 257.0. He has completed 107-of-163 passes for 1,285 yards and five touchdowns with four interceptions.
“It’s going to be a tremendous opportunity and challenge with Middle Tennessee,” Cumbie said. “Their quarterback is one of the top quarterbacks in the conference. Kelly is as explosive receiver as there is in the country. They do a really good job of throwing the football.”
After Thursday’s game, Tech will have a short week of practice to get ready for their next one Tuesday against New Mexico State in Las Cruces, N.M.
It’s the first of three straight Tuesday night games. Needless to say, it’s an important stretch that could define the season.
“We want to play meaningful football games in November and you have to have a great October to do that,” Cumbie said.