College Football: 2020 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Season Preview
Written by Charlie Beuttel
Twitter: @charlie_cds3
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2019 was a very successful season for head coach Skip Holtz and Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs finished the regular season 9-3 before shutting out the University of Miami (14-0) in the Walk-On’s Independence Bowl in Shreveport to finish 10-3 overall. After opening the season with a loss to Texas, Louisiana Tech rattled off eight straight wins including five conference victories. But then the Bulldogs suffered back-to-back losses on the road being knocked out of a potential conference championship game berth. To close out the regular season, the Bulldogs beat Texas-San Antonio (41-27) at home to finish 6-2 in Conference USA play.
Louisiana Tech lost star players on both sides of the ball after the season, especially on defense, but there is some talent on this year’s squad to help make strides and compete in the conference for a share of the West Division.
Offense
Last season the Bulldogs scored 32 points on average by rushing for an average of 168.4 yards and passing for 268.46 yards a game. One big question mark for this squad is will be who will replace star dual-threat quarterback J’Mar Smith. The odds-on favorite will be sophomore Aaron Allen, from Missouri City (TX). Allen played well in a limited back-up role last year throwing for 446 yards and three touchdowns.
Senior running back Justin Henderson will be returning for his final season in Ruston after rushing for 1,062 and 15 touchdowns while also chipping in with 200 receiving yards and one more score in 2019. At wide receiver, the returning leader in receiving yards and touchdowns is junior Griffin Hebert who should once again stretch the field for Louisiana Tech. Other offensive playmakers to watch includes senior receivers Adrian Hardy and Isaiah Graham. Three starters on the offensive line from last year have to be replaced, but the Bulldogs have a solid core to work from in senior starters Kody Russey (OC) and Willie Allen (LT). This unit gets a boost in the trenches with the transfer of former LSU offensive guard Donavaughn Campbell.
Defense
In 2019, Louisiana Tech gave up just 21 points a game but there are more question marks on this side of the ball than for the offense. Up front, the defensive line will be led by junior defensive end Milton Williams who racked up 59 total tackles including nine for a loss and 5.5 sacks during his sophomore campaign. The linebacker corps is led by senior linebacker Willie Baker and Ezekiel Barnett. Barnett had 59 total tackles including 6.5 for a loss, four sacks and one interception in 2019 while Baker had 51 total tackles including 10 for a loss and one sack.
The Bulldogs secondary was hit hard after the season with all four starters needing to be replaced including Amik Robertson and L’Jarius Sneed, who were drafted in the NFL. Sophomore safety Bee Jay Williamson will be the new playmaker in the secondary after racking up 33 tackles including 1.5 for a loss in his freshman season.
Bulldogs 2020 Schedule
September 5 at UNLV
September 12 at Southern Mississippi
September 19 vs Prairie View A&M
September 26 at Baylor
October 10 vs Texas-El Paso
October 17 vs Marshall
October 24 at Texas-San Antonio
October 31 vs Alabama-Birmingham
November 7 at North Texas
November 14 vs Rice
November 21 at Vanderbilt
November 28 at Florida International
Louisiana Tech 2020 Recap
The two Power Five road games at Baylor and Vanderbilt, plus the road to trip to Southern Miss, will be tough but the Bulldogs should win at least one of those three games. Louisiana Tech also has a favorable conference schedule by not having to face Western Kentucky or Florida Atlantic and getting UAB at home. If the Bulldogs can gain momentum from some of the easier games on the schedule, eight wins for this squad is certainly not out of the question. The key to contending in Conference USA will be whether or not they can get consistency from the quarterback position and their secondary.
Photo credit: Louisiana Tech Sports; Louisiana Tech Wide Receivers Griffin Hebert (80) and Adrian Hardy (6)