Experts fell Tech on course for postseason

[MeanGreen61]

News Star article talkin' about pre-season mag predictions for Tech. Interesting thing about the WAC is that most everyone considers it as Fresno, Boise and then "others".

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../507020336/1006

Bowl bearing

Experts feel Tech is on course for postseason

By Scott Beder

sbeder@thenewsstar.com

Despite returning the fewest starters of any football team in the Western Athletic Conference, Louisiana Tech is getting respect from the national magazines.

The Bulldogs are picked to finish no worse than sixth in the nine-team WAC in a sampling of preseason prognostications from five national magazines.

"It would be easy to dismiss their chances for a solid season, but this is a Louisiana Tech team that took on the toughest schedule of the current WAC teams last year," wrote Phil Steele's College Football Preview. "With an easier schedule than last year, Louisiana Tech has a shot at finishing in the upper half of the WAC and getting their first bowl bid in four years."

Tech returns just nine starters from a team that finished 6-6 last season while adding four new coaches during the off-season. The Bulldogs also lost record-setting running back Ryan Moats, who opted to enter the NFL draft a year early.

"I think that's pretty accurate," Tech senior quarterback Matt Kubik said. "I definitely think we're one of the top teams in the WAC. I definitely would consider us a bowl contender this year."

Tech is a consensus No. 4 pick in the conference with Street & Smith, Athlon and Phil Steele picking the Bulldogs fourth. Lindy's regional publication for schools based in the Southeast wrote: "(Tech's) program has some continuity and experienced backups moving into starting roles, so don't be surprised if the schedule allows the Bulldogs to finish with a winning record and contend for the WAC's third bowl spot."

Boise State and Fresno State are ranked as the top two teams by all the publications, but after that it gets a little murky. There is not a consensus on the third and fourth best teams in the league.

Tech, Hawaii and Nevada are all given consideration with The Sporting News picking Tech third.

"The schedule passes for reasonable by Louisiana Tech standards," writes The Sporting News. "This team might win six games in the newly configured WAC putting a bowl berth within reach."

After playing Miami, Tennessee and Auburn in non-conference games last year, everyone seems to think Tech's schedule is more palpable. The Bulldogs open the season at Florida and at Kansas, a much tougher opponent than some might realize.

Tech also gets Hawaii and Boise State in Ruston.

"We've still got to play the games," Kubik said. "No schedule is easy, but last year playing those big games gave us some experience. This is my fifth fall at Tech and I won't say (the schedule) is easy, but it is more favorable and set up better. The goal is to get to a bowl game and I think that is a very realistic goal for us."

Safety Dez Abrams looks at the predictions and scoffs.

"I don't like the fact they have us picked third or fourth," Abrams said. "One reason I could see them doing that is we lost quite a few players. They can't account for guys coming in and young guys who step up. They can't take into account all the hard work we put in. We plan on coming out as WAC champs. We know we're going to a bowl. We have that set in our mind."

Abrams, and many players like him who are stepping into starting roles, must produce if the Bulldogs are indeed going to run with Boise State and Fresno State.

Tech will introduce 13 new starters next season, including an entirely new defensive front and three of the four secondary spots.

"I don't know where we should be picked," Tech coach Jack Bicknell said. "We have a chance to be good, but we lost some experienced players and we're in a cycle now of less experienced players. They're good players; I hope they grow up quickly."

As for the predictions?

"It means absolutely nothing if you're picked first or last," Bicknell said. "It comes down to close games and staying healthy. They key for us is the secondary has got to come through and if we stay healthy offensively we might have a chance to be good."

Originally published July 2, 2005

Edited July 3, 2005 by MeanGreen61