(QB Jack Turner – USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
WR Tru Edwards, OG Jerren Gilbert, OG Bert Hale, DE Mykol Clark, DE Jessie Evans, DT Zion Nason, LB Zach Zimos, CB Jhamal Shelby Jr., CB Cedric Woods, NB/KR Demarcus Griffin-Taylor, and FS Michael Richard.
Key Players Departing:
QB Hank Bachmeier (Wake Forest transfer), RB Tyre Shelton, WR Cyrus Allen, WR/PR Smoke Harris, WR Kyle Maxwell (Washington State transfer), OC Abraham Delfin, OT Biron Rossell, OT Dakota White (Houston transfer), DT Deshon Hall Jr., DT Rason Williams II, LB Jeslord Boateng, LB Hugh Davis, LB Brevin Randle (UTSA transfer), CB Willie Roberts, FS Cecil Singleton, SS Myles Heard, PK Jacob Barnes (Tulane transfer), and PT Blake Ochsendorf.
(QB Ty Keyes – EMCC Athletics Sports Information)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: OT Ashanti Cole (Grambling transfer), QB Ty Keyes (Scooba, Mississippi), RB Donario Davenport (Texas State transfer), DE Jacob Braford (Bay St. Louis, Mississippi), WR Tamarcus Gray (Texarkana, Texas), RB Fred Robertson (New Orleans, Louisiana), LB Jadon Mayfield (Ruston, Louisiana), OL Cyler Corn (Groesbeck, Texas), QB Cole Watson (Tatum, Texas), and WR John Simon (Shreveport, Louisiana).
2023 Results:
G01 FIU W 22-17
G02 @ SMU L 14-38
G03 NORTHWESTERN STATE W 51-21
G04 NORTH TEXAS L 37-40
G05 @ Nebraska L 14-28
G06 @ UTEP W 24-10
G07 WESTERN KENTUCKY L 28-35
G08 @ Middle Tennessee L 23-31
G09 NEW MEXICO STATE L 24-27
G10 @ Liberty L 30-55
G11 SAM HOUSTON L 27-42
G12 @ Jacksonville State L 17-56
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 3-9 (6th in CUSA)
Home: 2-4
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 2-6
Non-CUSA: 1-3
Head Coach: Sonny Cumbie
Louisiana Tech: 6-18
Career: 8-21
Bowls: 1-0
(LB Zach Zimos – LA Tech Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Jack Turner (84-148, 1017 yards, 56.8%, 6.9 avg., 5 TD, 5 INT)
Rushing: Keith Willis Jr. (97 car., 551 yards, 5.7 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Tru Edwards (23 rec., 284 yards, 12.3 avg., 2 TD)
TD’s Scored: Keith Willis (7)
Sacks: Jessie Evans (2.5)
Tackles: Zach Zimos (60)
Interceptions: Cedric Woods (2)
Pass Deflections: Michael Richard (7)
Tackles For Loss: Jessie Evans (6.5)
Forced Fumbles: 4 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Damarcus Griffin-Taylor (9 ret., 222 yards, 24.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Buck Buchanan (2-4 fg/fga., 80%, 29-31 xp/xpa., 65 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 10 Jack Turner (RS JR/TR)
RB: 3 Marquis Crosby (RS JR)
WR: 16 Tru Edwards (RS SR/TR)
WR: 6 Jimmy Holiday (RS SR/TR)
WR: 18 Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (RS SR/TR)
TE: 84 Eli Finley (SO)
LT: 51 Daniel Keys (SR/TR)
LG: 79 Bert Hale (SR)
OC: 54 Zarian McGill (SR/TR)
RG: 75 Jerren Gilbert (RS SR)
RT: 78 Ashanti Cole (JR/TR)
KR: 8 Demarcus Griffin-Taylor (RS SR/TR)
PK: 15 Buck Buchanon (JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 20 J’Dan Burnett (RS JR)
NT: 96 Zion Nason (SR/TR)
DT: 90 David Blay (RS JR/TR)
DE: 88 Mykol Clark (GR)
LB: 10 Kolbe Fields (RS JR/TR)
LB: 21 Zach Zimos (RS SR/TR)
NB: 8 Demarcus Griffin-Taylor (RS SR/TR)
CB: 4 Jhamal Shelby Jr. (RS SO)
CB: 11 Cedric Woods (RS SR)
FS: 5 Michael Richard (SO)
SS: 0 Blake Thompson (RS SO/TR)
PR: 80 Dedrick Latulas (SO)
PT: 32 Patrick Rea (RS SO)
(RB Keith Willis Jr. – LA Tech Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 NICHOLLS COLONELS | Louisiana Tech won (48-13) the last meeting between schools in 2009.
09/14 @ NC State Wolfpack | Louisiana Tech trails the series 0-2. The Bulldogs lost (27-34) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/21 TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE | Louisiana Tech leads the series 7-3. The Bulldogs lost (14-24) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
09/28 @ FIU Panthers | Louisiana Tech leads the series 5-1. The Bulldogs won (22-17) last season’s meeting between schools, and their only series loss (34-42) was in 2022.
10/10 MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS | Louisiana Tech leads the series 5-3. The Bulldogs are 2-2 since restarting the series in 2015, and their last series loss (40-24) was in 2022.
10/15 @ New Mexico State Aggies | Louisiana Tech leads the series 8-5. Last season’s 24-27 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2012.
10/22 UTEP MINERS | Louisiana Tech leads the series 16-3. The Bulldogs are 9-1 since 2014, and their last series loss (3-19) was in 2021.
10/29 @ Sam Houston Bearkats | The series is tied 1-1. The Bulldogs lost (27-42) last season’s meeting between schools, and they won (55-17) the inaugural meeting in 1999.
11/09 JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS | Last season’s 17-56 loss was the first meeting between schools.
11/16 @ Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | The series is tied. Last season’s 28-35 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2018.
11/23 @ Arkansas Razorbacks | Louisiana Tech trails the series 0-4. The Bulldogs lost (20-21) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
11/30 KENNESAW STATE OWLS | First meeting between schools.
Predictions:
Home: 3-3
Away: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 2-6
Non-CUSA: 1-3
Overall: 3-9 (10th in CUSA)
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