USA Today College Football Countdown | No. 80: Louisiana Tech

[Harry]

Tinker away, Louisiana Tech.

Continue this painful transition on offense. The Bulldogs scuffled in the shift from Sonny Dykes' spread-based, pass-happy system to Skip Holtz's meat-and-potatoes style, falling to 112th nationally in scoring and tossing 15 interceptions – 10 more than in Dykes' final season despite making 85 fewer attempts.

The shift in scheme hits into overdrive in 2014: Holtz wants more power-based, fullback-first, four-yards-on-first-down toughness; let's hope this doesn't turn into run-run-incomplete, the snake eyes of offensive play-calling.

Begin anew on defense. The only defensive holdover from Holtz's debut staff is secondary coach and special teams coordinator Ronnie Bradford; this isn't surprising, given how Tech's secondary, an off-off-and-on strength last fall, has the makings of a terrific group in 2014. But check out the new guys: Manny Diaz as coordinator, Blake Baker with the safeties and Oscar Giles – that longtime Mack Brown assistant – along the defensive line.

Corral all the help you can. Holtz signed JUCO stars at two positions of great need – offensive line, receiver – and went the transfer route at defensive end and quarterback, potentially providing a massive upgrade at each spot.

Tinkering with the base product is one way to reverse last year's slide, the drop from nine wins and the Bowl Championship Series conversation – yes, those days did exist – to four wins, lingering in the lower portion of Conference USA. But will these change alone change Tech's trajectory?

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/06/13/louisiana-tech-la-bulldogs-2014-countdown-preview-roster-depth-chart-schedule-football-four/10387441/

[Harry]

GAME(S) TO WATCH:

North Texas: Buckle up. Tech's September: at Oklahoma, at Louisiana-Lafayette, at North Texas, home for Northwestern State, at Auburn. It doesn't get much worse than that. But a team that leaves that month with two wins – or three, but let's not get greedy – should have what it takes to make a postseason push during the second half. Northwestern State's a win, but the Bulldogs really need to knock off the Mean Green on the road – giving that head-to-head tiebreaker in the West Division, for one, while ensuring that the season doesn't run off the rails before the calendar heads to October.

[LongJim]

Will be interesting to see if Diaz is still running his blitz-crazy scheme that doomed Texas in their first couple of games last year.

[Ben Gooding]

North Texas beats La Tech down!!! Keep dreaming La Tech. GMG

[emmitt01]

Will be interesting to see if Diaz is still running his blitz-crazy scheme that doomed Texas in their first couple of games last year.

Let's be honest. Being soft and pampered doomed Texas last year.

[Greenrex]

#78 Almost Heaven

West Virginia

[Harry]

#75 San Jose State....

this is getting interesting.... highest spot we have ever had on the list??? La Tech was 80... were we not 10 or more teams better than them?

Any predictions? 65? 55? I feel a GMG poll coming on...

[UNT90]

75

[Harry]

73

[Greenrex]

It would be quite an improvement to be pre-season perceived as no worse than half the other Football Bowl Subdivision programs which would require a tag around #64. I don't think that perception is out there yet.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Greenrex

[Greendylan]

It would be quite an improvement to be pre-season perceived as no worse than half the other Football Bowl Subdivision programs which would require a tag around #64. I don't think that perception is out there yet.

I would love to be 64 or better, but that's not going to happen. Right now I'm primarily interested in where we'll be in relation to UTSA, Rice, Indiana, and Texas (the opponents that also haven't yet shown up in the ranking). Obviously Texas will be quite high, but the others are more of a mystery, and I could see a justification for them landing just about anywhere short of the top 25.

[UNT90]

I just hope they haven't completely forgotten about us...

[GOMG2013]

I just hope they haven't completely forgotten about us...

This made me laugh, but I did wonder the same thing or if they made a mistake.

The printed magazine had us at #84. What could have changed since that time? The magazine mentions Anthony Wallace as a possible reason for not having a lot of drop off on defense and is listed as a key returner. 2nd publication that mentions him, but he isnt even on our post spring 2 deep.

I guess a winning season with a bowl win gets you lots of credit in these rankings.

[GrayEagle]

Syracuse was #75. We should be coming up very soon.

[Greenrex]

From the article:
"Who's No. 74? This team will add four quarterbacks(s) to its roster before fall camp,

including one as a transfer from a team within its conference."

Is that us?

[MeanGreenD]

From the article:

"Who's No. 74? This team will add four quarterbacks(s) to its roster before fall camp,

including one as a transfer from a team within its conference."

Is that us?

No, we are adding 3 by my count and none from within CUSA

[bstnsportsfan3]

No, we are adding 3 by my count and none from within CUSA

Unless Greer counts as from USB but I don't think it's us either

[Harry]

Greer came from Navarro.

[UNT90]

Greer came from Navarro.

But was at UAB before Navarro.

This could be us.

[Greenrex]

It's a slow night so I'm gonna go ahead and throw down for us being USA Today's #74.

[THOR]

It's a slow night so I'm gonna go ahead and throw down for us being USA Today's #74.

And if north Texas is 74...awesome...If not...awesome...doesn't really matter...

[UNT90]

And if north Texas is 74...awesome...If not...awesome...doesn't really matter...

It's June. Anything even remotely football related matters!

[Christopher Walker]

And No. 74 is...... Vanderbilt?

Well then...

[UNT90]

I'm beginning to think that they straight out forgot about us. I love me some UNT football, but there is no way I would rank a team not in the power 5 higher than 70 if they lost 6 of their front 7 on D, much less if they lost their starting QB, RB, and 2 WRs to go along with it.

That would be pretty embarrassing if they actually left us out of the countdown.

[Christopher Walker]

Also,

UP NEXT:

Who's No. 73? This program's first opponent in 2014 was its second opponent during its inaugural season.

Our inaugural season only saw us lose to TCU. The next year however, our second opponent was Burleson College, so we're not #73.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Christopher Walker