SB Nation - Phillip Livas

Opponent preview: Can the Bronco offensive line handle Louisiana Tech's D'Anthony Smith?

Kevan Lee — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:42:07 -0000

LaTech is hurting and haggard headed into Friday's matchup with the Broncos. Stars Phillip Livas and Daniel Porter are game-time decisions, and Derek Dooley's Q rating is dangerously close to Stephen Baldwin levels. What's left to worry over for the Broncos' big road trip?

Well, Bulldog DT D'Anthony Smith is one reason to fear. Throw in a long road trip on short rest, a history of tough games in Ruston, and the ghost of Tim Rattay, and we could be in for a barnburner. Or not. Read after the jump for LaTech's preview, and get talking about the game in the comments.

8-0, (3-0)

No. 7 Boise State at Louisiana Tech

Kickoff: Friday, 6:00pm MT, TV: ESPN2

Weather forecast: Sunny, high of 68

Spread: Boise State by 21

3-5, (2-3)

What LaTech has been up to

Everyone's perennial darkhorse WAC favorite has thus far been able to replicate last season's Independence Bowl magic. There will be no magic this year for Dooley and gang unless LT finds a way to top LSU and Fresno State. They were illusions, not tricks!

Assuming a Bronco win on Friday night, the Bulldogs will be 3-6 with three games to play, and even if they do win out by miracle of miracles, they could get the the ~~BCS~~ shaft when bowl invites are handed out a la San Jose State last fall. Lose-lose-maybepossiblywin-lose for the Doolster.

Where all the good vibes have gone

Most of them left after a 23-21 loss to Utah State two weeks ago - the same Utah State that had lost to New Mexico State the week prior - the same New Mexico State that thought this was a good idea.

via www.mcm.edu

The Bulldogs are pretty typical of a 3-5 team. They play well in spurts, but for the most part, they have lacked execution in the running game, consistency in the passing game, and big performances on defense. If they really wanted to try to be successful, they would try fumbling snaps like the Broncos do.

Louisiana Tech on offense

QB Ross Jenkins
RB Daniel Porter
WR Dustin Mitchell
WR Cruz Williams
WR R.P. Stuart
OT Rob McGill
OG Jared Miles
C Lon Roberts
OG Ben Harris
OT Jordan Mills
TE Dennis Morris

I am not ashamed to say that Daniel Porter was my preseason pick for WAC Offensive Player of the Year. Derek Dooley was intimidating me with emoticons on Google Chat at the time, so I claim duress. Seriously though, Porter was an animal last season against the Broncos, busting through tackles like he was the future version of Ryan Mathews. Had he been as effective this season as he was against Boise State last season, I might have looked a lot smarter than I really am.

Porter's questionable status for Friday puts a big crimp in the LaTech offense. Add to that Livas' injury and we could see the Broncos hold the Bulldogs to negative yards. QB Ross Jenkins is adequate at best, and though there are some solid players on the line, a lack of playmakers could come back to haunt LT on the final scoreboard.

And now a moment of silence for Taylor Bennett

via grfx.cstv.com

The game simply won't be the same without him completing 30 percent of his passes.

Louisiana Tech on defense

DE Kwame Jordan
DT Adrian Logan
DT Mason Hitt
DE D'Anthony Smith
LB Dominique Faust
LB Solomon Randle
LB Jay Dudley
CB Olajawon Paige
CB Deon Young
SS Tank Calais
FS Antonio Baker

Baker was the player who most often kept the Bronco secondary from sweeping preseason all-WAC lists. He's a good one, and so are many of his friends on the Bulldog side of the ball. I'll get to D'Anthony Smith in a moment, but first let me remind you that leading tackler LB Adrien Cole missed the Idaho game and is questionable for Friday night versus the Broncos. Jeremy Avery says, "Excellent."

via jenhayley.com

Louisiana Tech on special teams

P Cade Glasgow
K Matt Nelson
KR Lyle Fitte
KR Tyrone Duplessis
PR Phillip Livas

The loss of Livas will hurt the Bulldogs tremendously in the kicking game. He had returned both a punt and kickoff for TDs this season, and he is one of the most dangerous returners in the conference. Last week, K Matt Nelson munson'd an extra point that cost the Bulldogs the tie in the Kibbie Dome.

This D'Anthony Smith fellow

via graphics.fansonly.com

Proof that D'Anthony Smith is good:

He's a reigning All-WAC first teamer.
He was on the preseason Bronco Nagurski, Outland, and Lombardi watch lists
NFLDraftScout.com lists him as the third best defensive line prospect for the 2010 draft

Smith's powerful, punishing style has been on display all season long as he leads the team in TFLs and sacks and, most undeniably, triple teams. He attacks offenses from all sorts of different spots along the defensive front, and he works well in combination with other defensive linemen to stunt, twist, and muscle his way to the quarterback and into the backfield. He'll be a handful on Friday night. I predict at least a QB hit, a TFL, and three offensive holding penalties.

How Boise State has fared against D-line studs so far this season

The Broncos have faced their fair share of quality defensive lineman through the first eight games, and for the most part, they have done okay.

Oregon's Will Tukuafu was a non-factor thanks to the mostly-one-man Michael Ames show. (Ames' reward for stellar blocking? The bench.)
Fresno State's Chris Carter had his way with the Bronco O-line for about a half. Then everyone started scoring on long plays and rendered him moot.
San Jose State brought pressure with Adonis Davis, but linemate Ihenacho No. 2 was awfully quiet. The Broncos made adjustments to account for the pressure of Davis.

Boise State has rarely had to keep extra guys in to block on passing plays. The Broncos buy Kellen Moore time by moving the pocket, using play action, and taking advantage of misdirection and quick-hit plays. The occasional big-timer on the defensive line has given the Broncos problems, but for the most part, things have been smooth sailing.

The plan for Friday night

D'Anthony Smith will be one of the best defensive linemen that the Broncos see all season. Since he moves around so much on the line, it will be hard to pinpoint one Bronco O-lineman who will have to step up. They all will. I imagine that Smith might see a lot of time at defensive end and maybe find himself lined up over Matt Slater, which is where Carl Ihenacho was last week and Carter was in the Fresno game. If the Broncos keep with the status quo, Smith might only see a single blocker with the occasional help from the guard if he's free.

Other factors

What else will determine the outcome of the game on Friday night? Here are just a few ideas. Add your own in the comments.

The Broncos on the road. The feeling is that the Broncos don't play as well on the road as they do at home. Do you think there is any truth to that? Games in Ruston always seem to be entertaining, so there's a good chance this one could be close.
The short week. Both teams have one less day to prepare before Friday's game. Who do you think that affects more?
Fumbled snaps. Oh, like you weren't thinking it.
Preparing for the unexpected. Boise State has a knack for shutting down teams' strengths. But what about when you don't know what strength to expect? The status of Porter and Livas could impact the Broncos' defensive gameplan, and the intigue could work in the Broncos' favor. If you were defensive coordinator, how would you gameplan against the Bulldogs?

Your Turn

What are you looking at as a key to the game on Friday? Who needs to step up? What LaTech players do the Broncos need to watch? Can the O-line contain D'Anthony Smith? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Around the Football World, LSU Edition: Week 1

Richard Pittman — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:47:00 -0000

by Sue Ogrocki - AP

3 months ago: Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant dives into the end zone with a touchdown against Georgia during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

View full size photo »

Even though it was the first week of the season, a handful of future LSU opponents played teams with a pulse, and there are some other things to say about the other teams.

In the SEC, there were two pretty big bits of news. First, Georgia lost to Oklahoma State, 24-10, and didn't look particularly good in the process. To make matters worse, their starting left tackle was lost for the year with another knee injury. I was bullish on Georgia before this, and needless to say, I am no longer bullish. The story of this game was the turnovers. Georgia committed 3 of them, while OSU did not commit any. Oklahoma State scored 10 points off of those turnovers, both on short fields. Oklahoma State also outgained Georgia, though both defenses played well. Georgia only allowed 307 yards of offense. A.J. Green was held in check, catching only 4 passes for only 52 yards. No one really stepped up to replace Knowshon Moreno's ground game. This was an important game for Georgia, as they were out to prove that the doubters were wrong, but they couldn't do it.

Gene Chizik and, in particular, Gus Malzahn announced their presence in the SEC with authority, as Auburn whipped up on a Louisiana Tech team that many thought might pull an upset. The passing game was good, but the ground game dominated, as two different Auburn running backs went for over 100 yards, including true freshman Onterrio McCalebb. Auburn had over 500 yards of offense. Louisiana Tech receiver Phillip Livas was not really a factor, though I still wish we had him on our roster. Sadly, I didn't watch any of this game because I was busy cooking gumbo. I can't really say much about it, unfortunately. Still, it's a pretty impressive stat line. Auburn is starting to look like a formidable opponent.

One other SEC team played an opponent with a pulse, as Alabama wore out Virginia Tech early and beat them late, eventually winning 34-24. It went pretty much as expected, as Alabama used a strong running game and OK passing to run up a few points, while the defense clamped down on the Virginia Tech offense. If not for an early kickoff return for a touchdown, this would not have been a particularly close game. Still, Virginia Tech took a lead to halftime, but couldn't get anything going after that, though it was still a contest until Alabama scored a clinching touchdown with under 3 minutes to play. Mark Ingram made a case to be named ATVS SEC Offensive Speed Position Player of the Week by racking up 150 yards rushing and scored the clinching touchdown on a swing pass out of the backfield. Alabama clearly had the most impressive debut of any of our future opponents, when you take into account the quality of competition.

Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and Florida all played patsies and none of them had any trouble or suffered any significant injuries as far as I've heard.

Outside of the conference, future LSU opponents Louisiana-Lafayette and Tulane were in action. ULL beat Southern University 42-19, but they gave up a lot of yards to a SWAC team. They gave up over 8 yards per pass attempt and gave up pretty good points, though they were certainly never in danger of losing. This is a game that does not exactly announce ULL as a difficult opponent.

Tulane was blown out by Tulsa and appeared to be badly overmatched the entire game. They do not appear to have the line play to keep up with a good team, but I was pretty impressed with Tulane's running back and their #1 wideout, Jeremy Williams, who made some big plays.

It was a good first week, as first weeks go. Still, coming weeks will tell us a lot more.

Tigers Spank Bulldogs!

Acid Reign — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:00:34 -0000

A new era begins at Auburn!

War Eagle, everybody! Time now for the Acid Reign report, on Auburn's 2009 season opener against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Few folks knew what to expect in the opening game of the Gene Chizik era at Auburn. Las Vegas had the Tigers as a 13.5 point favorite. Many people were not sure Auburn would cover that. Some, such as the Birmingham News' Charles Hollis, predicted that Auburn would lose. How sweet it is, in the end, for Auburn to win in a blowout! Auburn's 37-13 win certainly beat most expectations!

Against the Auburn defense, the Bulldog offensive schemers HAD to be grinning, when they tallied up the Auburn starting lineup. A reserve defensive tackle was lined up over the B-gap. A sophomore linebacker who'd participated in all of five practices was lined up on the weak side. A true freshman was in at free safety. Auburn lined up with an enormous cushion on the receivers. Things didn't work out so well, for Tech. They attempted to establish the run, with their best offensive players, Daniel Porter, and Phillip Livas. Auburn was showing cover-two, but what would happen at the snap is that strong safety Zach Ethridge would crash down, and Tech would be trying to run against 8 in the box, with cover-one, and a safety over top. Zach Etheridge has been among the leaders in Auburn tackles the past two seasons, and he fortified things really well, up front. La Tech then managed to isolate some slot receivers, such as tight end Dennis Morris, and the slippery receiver Tuminello, on Auburn outside linebackers. Bulldog quarterback Ross Jenkins hit some of these passes, but honestly, he wasn't consistent enough to drive the ball the length of the field.

Auburn staked Tech to great field position with a string of major distance penalties in the first half. Tech was stopped repeatedly on their lone TD drive, only to get a new set of downs on a penalty. One call was a ridiculously poor call against Walt McFadden, but the other two were careless facemasks, on Zach Etheridge and Michael Goggins. Jenkins hit a TD pass over Adam Herring, who was being asked to cover the tight end one on one, after those penalties. Herring was there, swiped at the ball, but the catch was made anyway in the end zone. Tech's second FG drive was stopped, only to get new life on another face mask call on Goggins. In the second half, Auburn went to man coverage, often using cover zero on 3^rd down, and harassing Jenkins into numerous bad throws. Listening to the radio, I was angry at our linebackers, letting a couple of big scrambles go up the middle, including the 33 yarder that set up Tech's last field goal. The game replay revealed that Bynes was covering tight ends and slot receivers, and basically taking them out of the game. Where we let those scrambles out was man coverage, and mistakes in gap control with the young tackles. All in all, it was a very smart plan by Ted Roof and Gene Chizik, which played to our strengths, and protected our weaknesses. Halftime adjustments were awesome!

Offensively, Auburn chewed up yards all game long. Mistakes and turnovers, particularly in the first half, stopped drives, but the Tech defense never had an answer. There was an effort there, to keep it in front, and limit big plays, but the result was that Auburn ran play after play from sideline to sideline, which wore the Tech defensive legs out. Chris Todd and the receiving corps had some timing issues, particularly in the second quarter, and didn't always connect. It sounded, on the radio, worse than it really was. Auburn only had one real drop, and that was late on a post to Emory Blake at the goal line. Both Todd and Burns did a good job of throwing messed up route plays where the defense didn't have a chance to get to it. During the live thread Saturday night, a lot of folks asked where the tight ends were. Tommy Trott played a LOT. He was split out, and made quite a few good blocks on the corner. Most of those Mario Fannin screens were sprung off a Trott block. Trott only had one ball thrown in his direction, but Burns wisely threw it out of bounds, when Trott was double covered. Both Auburn running backs played well. They ran hard, refused to go down on first contact, and did a great job pass blocking. I even saw little Onterrio McCaleb successfully cut a Tech end to the ground, keeping Chris Todd from getting pounded. Wide receiver production was minimal in the first half, but honestly, those guys were coming off the ball looking for someone to hit, mostly. Tech got by with mugging DeAngelo Benton a couple of times in the 2^nd quarter, preventing completions.

Special teams were up and down, for the Tigers. Kicking and punting were great. Coverage was decent. We won't face a guy quite as dangerous as Livas, till we play Javier Arenas and Bama. Returns weren't so good. In a punt returner, you look first for good decision-making, then great hands. If the guy is a threat to run one back, that's great. But first, you've got to secure that ball. With no experience coming into this game returning punts, we still aren't there. We fumbled the first one, then let the second one hit and roll, then picked it up and ran after signaling "fair catch." Kick return blocking has dropped off noticeably, too.

Unit Grades, after the jump!

Defensive Line: B+. I can't give this an A, because of a few errors. We lost the B-gap twice on third down in cover-zero, which enabled the Tech QB to scramble right up the gut for big yards. With brand new starter Nick Fairley out there, mistakes were probably inevitable, but the timing on those was not good. The two facemasks on Goggins were costly. Tech did a good job of scheming against Antonio Coleman, alternating between double-teams, and rolling away from him. Fairley really messed up things, though, for the Tech line. They had no one who could handle him one on one. When Auburn rushed 5 guys, Jenkins had no time to do anything but run for his life.

Linebackers: B. I griped during the game, but these guys had difficult assignments. At first they were responsible in the short zones, and got worked over a bit. Nothing like a typical game last year, but there were 5-10 yard completions. Worst play was Josh Bynes grabbing nothing but air on a screen to Daniel Porter, on which Bynes seemed to have the play contained for a loss. The right thing to do was break down and wait for help, but Bynes attacked and missed. Herring got turned around on the TD pass to the tight end, but for the most part these guys did a lot better job doing what they were assigned to do, than things seemed. When Tech ran the ball, those lanes were filled.

Secondary: A-. I count off here only because we dropped a couple of interceptions, and McFadden got a late pass interference call that looked legit. That first quarter one was ridiculous. Not only was the ball 10 feet too high, but McFadden didn't even make contact till the ball was past. Thorpe and McFadden both made some great one on one defensive plays on deep balls to the outside guys, preventing catches. Zach Etheridge was a force playing a sort of hybrid robber-style, and the true freshman Bates actually made plays, too, including his first career interception on a ball thrown up for grabs.

Punting: A. If you only punt twice in a game, it means either a prolific offensive day, or that you had a lot of turnovers. Clinton Durst's first effort was a hooker to the sideline that got a good roll, and was downed after 47 yards. Durst's second only went 35 yards, but it was a towering shot that Phillip Livas had to fair catch at the 14. That's a respectable 41 yard average on the day, with no returns, and one pinned inside the 20.

Punt Returns: D. I won't give an F, because we didn't turn one over. But we had nothing, here. Mario Fannin fumbled the first one. The second, he signaled fair catch, let it hit and roll, then picked it up and ran. I couldn't believe they didn't throw a flag. True freshman Anthony Gulley replaced Fannin, fielded his first one in traffic, and got belted hard. Should have fair-caught. After that, Gulley was unable to even get to the remaining 3 punts. They were short, but it's important for the return man not to let those things hit and roll.

Kickoff Returns: C-. We did not block these well, at all. An 18 yard average doesn't look good, but one of those 4 returns was Trott's squibb return, fumbled out of bounds, a 7 yard gain. Fannin opened the game with a pedestrian 15 yard return. He was in traffic nearly from the point where he caught the kickoff. Onterrio McCaleb did well, picking up 49 yards on 2 efforts. The blocking wasn't there, but McCaleb tore through the coverage on his own.

Kickoffs: B+. Auburn held the dangerous Phillip Livas to 20.1 yards per return, and we averaged kicking to the 5 yard line. Wes Byrum averaged 64.8 yards per kickoff, and Morgan Hull did slightly better, hitting an average of 66.7. One of Hull's kicks even made the endzone.

Placekicking: A+. With no misses, and field goals of 47 and 49 yards, it doesn't get any better.

Offensive line: B+. Protection was awesome, and run blocking was good. Tech was really whipped badly, in this matchup. Points off on a false start by Lee Ziemba, and holding penalties on Byron Issom and Mike Berry.

Receivers: B+. There were timing issues, particularly in the first half, and a drop by Emory Blake late. Darvin Adams staying up in a crowd and getting stripped of the ball keeps this from being an A. These guys blocked well, though. And, the outside guys got separation downfield, something we haven't seen in about 5 years. When was the last time you saw deep throws by Auburn, with guys as wide open as Terrell Zachary and Darvin Adams were, on their TDs? It's time to rename Tommy "not a blocking tight end" Trott. Maybe he's still not a blocking tight end, but he's a brutal blocking wide receiver! He reminded me a lot of Frank Sanders, pancaking DBs on the edge. We'll be able to sweep folks to death on the outside, if that keeps up!

Running Backs: A-. Usually I count off a letter grade for fumbles, but it's hard to find fault with much past Ben Tate's fumble in the red zone. When was the last time Auburn had 264 on the ground and 92 receiving out of the running backs? That was the most consistent running game I've seen out of Auburn in a long, long time. Great blocking by all concerned, too. Tate and McCaleb on blitz pick up, and Fannin and John Douglas on lead blocks, it was a great unselfish day all the way around.

Quarterbacks: A. I'm tempted to count off a little on a few throws that had no chance, but really, I think just about every such play was due to routes being run wrong. Our QBs had no turnovers, and wise decisions by both Chris Todd and Kodi Burns. We need a bit more diverse Wildcat package, but that falls under play-calling. Burns kept it too much, but I think that was by design. In the end, we ran a shotgun spread the whole game, had no quarterback turnovers, no sacks, and 3 touchdowns. How awesome is that, after 3 years of offensive misery?

Next week, the Tigers open SEC play, with the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The teams had similar stories this week, struggling early, then blowing out their opponents. The difference is that Auburn faced a tough WAC team that won 8 games last year, including the Independence bowl. MSU beat Jackson State of the SWAC, a 7-5 team a year ago, 45-7. It took the Bulldogs a half to really get going. Due to penalties and fumbles, the Mississippi State only led 14-0 at the half. The Bulldog D was impressive, as was quarterback Chris Relf, but it was against a middle-of-the-pack FCS team. Against an SEC team on the road, it may be a different story. The Auburn Tigers must continue to plan the work, and work the plan, as Gene Chizik would say! An effort equal to the one this week, should spell another victory for this Tiger Team!

Week 1 Saturday Schedule

Richard Pittman — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:54:03 -0000

Ed. Note: Feel free to use this as a non-LSU open thread.

Honestly, I'm not sure about this series anymore, where I blithely tell you what I'm going to be doing on game day. I'm not sure it fits well with the new ATVS, the one that has lots of people writing all the time. We'll see how it goes, though.

Today, as usual for a Saturday, I was awake at 5:30am. This is going to prove to be a problem when midnight rolls around and I'm still watching LSU play football. But anyway, here's the story for now:

7:00am - 10:00am: Clean the house while Little Miss ATVS either sleeps or watches TV. With friends coming over later, my normally "cozy, lived-in" house has to be substantially remodeled, by throwing things away and/or putting them where we would like people to believe we think they belong. When you have a 2-year-old, as any of you parents know, toys belong either scattered around the floor or piled into a corner. What are toy boxes?

10:00am - 11:00am: Ponder why on earth LSU did not recruit Damaris Johnson for the 2008 class. He may be little, but the dude is a playmaker, and he would easily be our best return man. And it's not like we didn't know about him. We signed two of his teammates. He might be Tulsa's best offensive player now. Also, go to Publix and Bruno's to get andouille sausage and ribs, potato salad, etc. ribs, potato salad, etc. makes our traditional opening-Saturday lunch. The sausage is for the gumbo I'm making tonight for friends. The wife of the couple wants me to teach her how to make cajun food, so I'm showing her a gumbo. I also need to break out my chicken squeezer.

11:00am - 2:30pm: I guess I'm going to watch Kentucky vs. Miami (OH), but I will have to keep an eye on Western Kentucky vs. Tennessee too. First, I want to see how the revamped Jefferson-Pilot thing with ESPN running it works. Second, almost despite myself I can't help but want to see Lane Kiffin actually coaching. God knows he didn't do any of that last year. But the Kentucky game should be more interesting, because the competition should be pretty even.

2:30pm - 4:00pm: Watch the first half of the Georgia vs. Oklahoma State game. With all the hype about Alabama and Virginia Tech, this is seemingly almost a forgotten game, but it's a real marquee matchup of two teams that can both be considered dark horse candidates for conference and/or national championship consideration. This is basically an elimination game for the national championship here in Week #1. I have a hard time seeing the loser's route to the game.

4:00pm - whenever: Make gumbo. I'm going with a store-bought stock this time because I lack a turkey carcass. I know it's cheating, but it'll work fine. The other advantage is that it won't take very long. I just have to get the chicken cooked and the roux made and the rest takes care of itself with a little cutlery. Also, continue watching Georgia and Oklahoma State.

6:00pm - 7:00pm: Watch La Tech vs. Auburn. Silently ponder why we did not recruit Phillip Livas, for the same reason I was earlier pondering why we didn't recruit Damaris Johnson. Try to think of other good players out of Louisiana who didn't get enough attention from LSU. Weep silently when I come to Frank Alexander. Also, eat gumbo.

7:00pm - 9:30pm: Watch Alabama vs. Virginia Tech in Atlanta until LSU comes on. My friends actually went to school in Mississippi, but I think they've adopted Bama as their team since they came here. At 8:30, the Game Thread will appear on this website. Start monitoring and/or commenting at that time. Get Little Miss ATVS to bed.

9:30pm - whenever: Watch LSU play. I will probably have to also be fighting Little Miss ATVS because I'll be watching the game in her room until the Bama game is over, unless the Bama game is a blowout, in which case I'll be watching it in the living room.

That's it. That's my day. Game thread opens at 8:30pm

What are Auburn's Chances Against the Bulldogs?

Acid Reign — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:45:52 -0000

Is Terry Bradshaw the most famous man in Louisiana Tech history?

War Eagle, everybody! It's opening game week, and we just can't wait, for Saturday night's game. Auburn opens the season with the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, a team that the Tigers have never lost to. The spread on this game opened around Auburn by 13, but due to a lot of uncertainty, there are few takers. Incredibly, some services now have this game as a "pick 'em!" Coach Derek Dooley's Bulldogs are expected to be tough, returning most of the offense, and all of their critical guys in the trenches.

While Louisiana Tech has changed NCAA classifications several times, the school has fed a steady stream of players to the NFL over the years. In particular, a number of Bulldog quarterbacks have become successful pro players, most notably 4-time Super Bowl champion Terry Bradshaw. Also on this list is CFL record-holder Matt Dunnigan, and current NFL quarterbacks Tim Rattay and Luke McCown.

Auburn's history with Louisiana Tech goes back to 1941, when head coach Joe Aillet took his second Bulldog team to Auburn, for a 34-0 whitewashing. Aillet was the most successful coach in Louisiana Tech history, and their stadium is named after him. As Auburn declined in the 1940s under Carl Voyles and Earl Brown, Aillet was winning Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference and Gulf States conference championships. Those big Auburn margins of victory dwindled through the mid 1940s. Auburn beat Tech 29-0 in Montgomery in 1945, but back in Auburn in 1947, Auburn escaped with a 14-0 win, and in Earl Brown's woeful 1-8-1 1948 season, Louisiana Tech tied Auburn, 13-13 at Auburn.

The two teams didn't play again, till 1989, at Auburn's homecoming game. Louisiana Tech had handed the coaching reins to former Tech linebacker Joe Peace in 1988, and rapidly became known as a hard-nosed, physical, tough team. Tech was involved in several brawls around that time. Against Auburn in 1989, Tech had no answer for the passing of Reggie Slack, and the running of 'Lectron Williams. However, the Bulldog offense kept pounding away, and scored more points on Auburn than any other team would, in 1989, as the Tigers held on, 38-23. In 1990, the result was positively scary. Auburn managed only a couple of first half field goals, and the Bulldogs drove for a touchdown at the end of the half, and led 7-6. Late in the game, the Bulldogs had the lead, 14-9. With freshman quarterback Stan White, Auburn was forced to drive the length of the field at the end of the game, for a narrow 16-14 win.

Auburn renewed the series for homecoming of 1997. Offensive wizard Gary Crowton had replaced Joe Peace after several lackluster seasons. Tim Rattay and running back Bobby Ray Tell shredded the Auburn defense for 550 yards, but it didn't translate on the scoreboard. Dameyune Craig did some shredding of his own, Takeo Spikes took an early Rattay pass 65 yards for a pick-six, and Auburn jumped out early for a 49-13 win. Auburn faced Tech again in 1998, just a couple of days after head coach Terry Bowden's resignation. The Bulldogs had quarterback Tim Rattay, and receiver Troy Edwards, who were the most prolific touchdown-producing duo in NCAA history. Edwards had tuned up on Nebraska earlier in the year for over 400 receiving yards. Edwards stunned Auburn early, taking a direct snap in the shotgun, and racing 68 yards for a TD. Bill Oliver's defense shut down the Bulldogs thereafter, though, holding Edwards to 58 receiving yards, and Rattay to a pedestrian 227 yards passing. Auburn won, 32-17.

The teams skipped a year, then met again on Auburn's homecomings in 2000, and 2001. The 2000 game was supposed to be an Auburn cakewalk, with Louisiana Tech starting freshman quarterback Luke McCown. Crowton had left for BYU, and Jack Bicknell, Jr. was the Tech head coach. Auburn was reeling, however, after a morale-sapping blowout loss to the Gators in Gainesville, 38-7. Auburn slashed Tech on the ground and through the air for a 7-0 lead, then it was the air-McCown show for the rest of the first quarter. McCown hit his first ten passes, and staked the Bulldogs to a 14-7 lead. Auburn woke up, and took a 21-14 lead to halftime, but the Bulldogs never went away. McCown diced Auburn for 433 passing yards, and it took a 78 yard Rudi Johnson run to put this one out of reach at the end of the 3^rd quarter. Auburn won, 38-28.

The 2001 homecoming game with Louisiana Tech was a wild one. McCown was back for the Bulldogs, and Daniel Cobb was getting his first start for Auburn. The two teams combined for 1087 offensive yards in the game. McCown and Cobb each passed for 381 yards, but turnovers were the story. Cobb threw 4 interceptions, which allowed Tech to score 21 4^th quarter points, and the Bulldogs roared back to tie at the end of regulation at 41-all. McCown had also thrown 4 picks in regulation, but his 5^th pick in overtime, snared by linebacker Dontarrious Thomas, ended the game, with Auburn escaping, 48-41.

Auburn and Louisiana Tech last met in 2004. Fortunately for the Tigers, McCown had finally graduated, and Auburn was able to harass new starter Matt Kubik mercilessly. Auburn tallied 9 sacks, forced three turnovers (including a Carlos Rogers pick-six), and cruised to a 52-7 win. Under Bicknell, Louisiana Tech had won the Western Athletic Conference championship in 2001, but could not duplicate that feat. Bicknell was fired after a 3-10 season in 2006, to be replaced by Derek Dooley. Dooley's first team was 5-7, then last year's squad rebounded from a 3-4 start to finish 8-5, with an Independence Bowl win.

History has shown us that Louisiana Tech can stay with Auburn, in good years. In 2009 against Tech, Auburn must start fast, and not let the Bulldogs hang around. Louisiana Tech does have the ability to pound the ball, and chew up clock and yardage. On an Auburn team with little depth, a grinding, long game will be detrimental. Tech has playmakers in running back Daniel Porter, and receiver/runner Phillip Livas. I believe Auburn has more, with players like Ben Tate, Mario Fannin, Onterrio McCaleb, and a host of young talented receivers. We'll be dialed in Saturday night at 6 PM Central, watching on ESPN 360.com. We'll have a live thread up here at TrackEmTigers.com, and welcome comments!

War Eagle! Let's have a good kickoff to the Gene Chizik Era!

Who Besides LSU Are You Rooting For

Richard Pittman — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:34:03 -0000

by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

View full size photo »

It's a simple question, and I imagine we will have similar answers, but I want your feedback on this. Who, outside of LSU, do you want to see do well this season? I have a few answers, and varying reasons behind them.

Stanford: Whether it's beating mighty USC with a squad that most said would have trouble competing in the FCS, or grousing about Rich Rodriguez at Michigan before it was cool, you have to like Jim Harbaugh. You also have to like a school with a belligerent tree as a mascot. You also have to like a football program that is made of unabashedly smart people. You also have to wonder if any of them have any sanity. I have Harbaugh on my short list of head coaching candidates should LSU find themselves in need of one, which we certainly eventually will. We just hope that Les Miles does well and that we won't need it for a while. Stanford starts their season with a winnable game against Washington State, one that should end a little before ours begins, and occurs right up the road from our season-opener.

Michigan: Uh, there's one other way that we could end up needing a new head coach soon. I think we can official declare Rich Rodriguez to be "beleaguered" at this point. The Times-Picayune has a story where they asked a bunch of LSU players to compare their own regimen to that reported in Ann Arbor. While they acknowledge that you can't win if you only work at football 20 hours per week, there is no equivalent at LSU to what is reportedly happening at Michigan. It was a rough season last year as the Wolverines went 3-9, a historically bad campaign, and if Michigan has another rough season like that, the embarrassment associated with this episode would be one more thing to pile onto Rich Rodriguez and I think would lead to Michigan pulling the plug. If Michigan pulls the plug and LSU has a good year (say, 9+ wins), the first call is to Les Miles' agent. I would think Miles would make that jump, and I wouldn't blame him. However, Rich Rodriguez can forestall that by winning. If he wins 7 games, I think he's safe. Season starts with Western Michigan, but then they get Notre Dame in week 2. If you like Les Miles and want him to stay, root for Michigan against Notre Dame. A win there would silence the critics for a while.

A few more after the jump.

Nebraska: It's Bo Pelini's new-ish stomping grounds, and I'd really like to see him succeed. Last year's 9-4 record was a step in the right direction, and even under the best of circumstances it may be a year or so before they're really able to compete with the guys in the Big 12 South, but I think they could be the best team in the North division this year. Nebraska may be the Big 12 what Bama was to the SEC a few years ago, a sleeping giant that the right coach can awaken into a national power in a hurry. Is Pelini that right coach?

Louisiana Tech: And no, not just because they play Auburn in the first game. Derek Dooley is also on my short list of future head coaching candidates, and I want to see a second Louisiana school emerge that will take the talent that is just under LSU's level. I would rather see guys go to La Tech than to Texas A&M or Ole Miss where they can really come back to haunt us. Yes, I know we play La Tech this year, and I won't be rooting for them then. La Tech has some good players this year, including one or two that LSU wrongly decided they did not want. How much could we use a guy like Phillip Livas?

For some of the same reasons, I also hope that ULM does well.

Buffalo: Under the direction of Turner Gill (another short list guy), this program has gone from one of the worst in the country to the MAC championship last year. They did it with a crazy offense that had a 1,400 yard receiver and a 1,300 yard rusher. They'll be replacing their quarterback, unfortunately. I doubt I'll take in any Buffalo games on TV, but I'll be keeping up with the scores.

Anyway, that's my list. What's yours?

2009 MMM Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Preview

umass09 — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:05:17 -0000

The Bulldogs enter 2009 with some realistic expectations of competing to be the WAC champions. The defense was the backbone of a team that went 8-5 and finished their season with an Independence Bowl victory over Northern Illinois.

The offense returns all of their leaders including Ross Jenkins, Daniel Porter and Phillip Livas. Jenkins threw for over 1,000 yards last season, but needs to improve on his efficiency. The passing offense was ranked 9^th in the conference, only averaging 156 yards per game, which will need to improve along with Jenkins cutting down on the interceptions.

The rushing attack really carried the offense last season and might to continue that trend in 2009. Porter should have another 1,000 yards plus season. Last season he had nine touchdowns and was is an All-WAC selection. Livas is not only dangerous through the air, but also on the ground. He led the team in catches last season with 43 and added another 337 rushing yards on the ground. To compliment the speed of Livas is R.P. Stuart who is a big target for Jenkins. Stuart should be a solid number two target who is athletic enough to run the ball when the Bulldogs need him.

The defensive line should be the strength on defense. They return all four starters including D'Anthony Smith and Kwame Jordan. Smith is a first team All-WAC tackle and led the team with five sacks. Jordan had some injuries in the past, but if he could stay healthy he will be a feared player up front. The unit is also very deep and have plenty of talented big men to step up if needed.

The linebackers are also deep and skilled at the position. Adrien Cole had a fantastic freshman campaign where he recorded 30 tackles and now he will be the man in the man in the middle this season. Jay Dudley and Dominique Faust will be on either side of Cole. Faust had 42 tackles last season and Dudley improved coaches recording six tackles in the final two games of last season.

The secondary will need to find replacements for the corners and someone will need to step up and make big plays and interceptions. Antonio Baker had 115 tackles last year and has a knack for always being around the ball. Deon Young will return at strong safety where he made 59 tackles and three interceptions last season. He is athletic enough to play corner if the Bulldogs need him.

Prediction: 8-4

Boise State 2009 opponent preview: Louisiana Tech

Kevan Lee — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:00:10 -0000

Projected Record: 6-6 overall, 4-4 conference
At-a-glance: The Bulldogs are the bee's knees as far as WAC hype goes. But will they live up to it? The defense has some players, the offense returns some studs. All that's left is for Ross Jenkins to complete some passes.

As I am writing this LaTech preview, I have the OBNUG Intern standing guard at my office door, testing all my foods and beverages for poison, filing my application for the Witness Protection Program, and packing heat. I'm about to rub the shine off of Derek Dooley and the Bulldogs. If I'm not dead in three hours, it'll be a miracle.

These are the facts: Louisiana Tech finished with eight wins last year, won the school's first bowl game since 1977, and defeated an SEC team during the regular season. Derek Dooley is their coach. Daniel Porter is their running back. Antonio Baker is their safety. Ross Jenkins is their quarterback.

This is the hyperbole: Louisiana Tech is one of the hottest non-BCS football teams in the country and a darkhorse for that BCS thing. Derek Dooley is the greatest coach/AD since Eric Taylor, and every male child born in America should want to grow up to be like him. Daniel Porter is Herschel Walker, Antonio Baker is Ronnie Lott, and Ross Jenkins isn't the dealbreaker some people think he is.

I credit Derek Dooley for a lot of things, not the least of which are the facts and the hyperbole. But for all Dooley has done to get his Bulldogs to the cusp of Graham Watson's infatuated wordsmithing, he has yet to win a single game in 2009 ... much less nine games ... much less any games against the Broncos.

That is the reality. Please don't hurt me.

Wins in 2008:	8
Pythagorean Wins in 2008:	6.1
Translation:	LT should have had about six wins, the largest diff. in the conference
Returning starters:	Offense: 9, Defense:7
Strength of Schedule:	93
Recruiting ranking 2005-2009:	97, 97, 99, 96, 80 (nat'l ranking from Scout.com)
WAC recruiting ranking 2005-2009:	6, 6, 5, 5, 4

Five Questions

Why are you so afraid of Derek Dooley?

Dooley is an intense, motivated, possibly-supernatural human being. Have you looked into his eyes? I have, and I felt cold. He is the rare breed of coach and athletic director, and he is determined to turn Louisiana Tech into a contender.

I agree with all that. I'm just not yet convinced that he is a good coach. Against the Broncos last year, he was outcoached badly by Coach Pete; it wasn't even close (much like the scoreboard). He thought that starting Taylor Bennett at quarterback and Patrick Jackson at running back were good ideas, and neither of them finished the season as the starters. He is enthusiastic, yes, but he might be kind of bumbling. Intern, the door! THE DOOR!

Daniel Porter is my favorite WAC running back not currently on the Broncos' roster.

Mine, too. I vividly remember Porter bouncing over and through the Bronco defense last season, and I can only imagine the damage he can inflict with a starting job this fall. Also, there's this: The Bulldogs return every single offensive lineman from a season ago, including second-team WAC OT Rob McGill. If it wasn't for Ross Jenkins personally inviting nine men into the box on every single play, then Porter might be in line for a record-breaking season.

How important are cornerbacks, really?

For LaTech, the cornerback position will be extremely important. One of the few roster spots that needs filling, cornerback is either going to make or break the Bulldogs in 2009. LT was not particularly good against the pass last season (275ypg), and you can't think they will be much better having to break in two new players on both corners.

Their one saving grace might be FS Antonio Baker, a first-team WACer last season. Baker will need to be at his playmaking best in order to make up for any insufficiencies on the edge.

Do the Bulldogs have a chance to beat any SEC teams this season?

If you are asking if there are any SEC teams on the schedule, then yes, there are. As far as if LaTech has any chance at beating them, well, probably not.

For sure, the Bulldog's trip to Death Valley to face LSU would be a tall task to expect a win. However, an opening week date at Auburn is a little more reasonable. Will the Fighting Chizik's be ripe for a loss? Maybe. The game does have shades of LT's Mississippi State upset last season.

Phillip Livas: Devin Hester or Dante Hall?

Livas fits the mold of a Devin Hester-type player, one who is solid at both receiving and returning. But then again, you'll have to take hyperbole's word for it. Livas led the team last season with only 607 yards and two scores, and it took the Bulldogs until Week 11 versus NMSU to complete a TD to a wide receiver. Still, people consider Livas to be a game-changer. Then again, people still consider Hester to be a game-changer, so I guess the comparison is apt.

Schedule around the Boise State game

10/24 @ Utah State
10/31 @ Idaho
11/6 Boise State
11/14 @ LSU
11/21 @ Fresno State

By the numbers

5 - sacks by first-team all-WAC DT D'Anthony Smith, the team leader in that category
1 - conference win for LaTech in 2006. In 2008, they had five.

Louisiana Tech's banner 2008 does not necessarily mean that a stupendous 2009 is in store. There are a lot of things that could go wrong: Ross Jenkins, injuries, Ross Jenkins.

But let me share some practical advice for those dropping everything to jump behind the Bulldogs' bandwagon. Last year, Louisiana Tech played in six one-score games, going 4-2 in those contests. This shows that the Bulldogs weren't all that far apart from most of their opponents last year.

Then factor in a much tougher schedule in 2009, and you're almost asking for trouble. The Bulldogs may be living under the guise of increased expectations despite not really deserving all the credit. To live up to the hype, they are going to have to be noticeably better than last year against a tangibly tougher schedule.

Will it be too much for the Bulldogs to handle? I'm not saying ... because I think I just saw Derek Dooley shove something in my car tailpipe.

Perfect situation
LaTech beats Auburn to start the season, Ross Jenkins gets confidence, Bulldogs beat Nevada and head undefeated for a date with the Broncos, that doesn't go so well, neither does the LSU game, LT still finishes 10-2 and goes big-time bowling

Reality
The schedule proves way more difficult than previously thought, Jenkins proves way more inept, and Dooley wills the team to a .500-ish record

Final record
6-6 overall, 4-4 conference

Previous previews of 2009 opponents: Oregon. Miami (Ohio). Bowling Green. UC Davis. Tulsa. San Jose State. Utah State. Fresno State. NMSU. Hawaii. Last ones left: Nevada, Idaho.