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Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Football: 2015 Season Preview

By Patrick Schmidt

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After a nine-win season, Conference USA division title and a win in their bowl game what should fans expect from Louisiana Tech in 2015?

The second year for Skip Holtz at Louisiana Tech was a successful one as he led the Bulldogs to a 9-5 record, highlighted by a 7-1 record in their second season playing in Conference USA and a win in the Heart of Dallas Bowl against Illinois.

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Louisiana Tech fell to Marshall in the Conference USA Championship Game by three points, but the Bulldogs are optimistic heading into this season that they can get back to the title game and come away victorious.

The offense was a bright spot on last year’s team, finishing with the nation’s No. 14 scoring offense with an average of 37.4 points per game, but repeating that type of success will be a challenge after losing quarterback Cody Sokol to graduation.

Offensive Outlook

Sokol threw for 3,436 yards and 30 touchdowns as the field general for offensive coordinator Tony Peterson. Replacing Sokol is former Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel who transferred to Louisiana Tech to play his final season of college football after a disappointing career with the Gators.

Driskel was a former top recruit who struggled with turnovers and staying healthy during his time in Gainesville, but the chance for a happy ending exists in this system that should be a welcome sight for Driskel after his offensive coaching staff at Florida was in a constant state of flux. Playing in a system that made Sokol so effective should allow for Driskel’s natural athleticism to shine and give him the chance he didn’t have at Florida to make plays.

Granted, turnovers are his Achilles heel and his propensity to throw an ill-advised pass and penchant for the fumble will have to be monitored by Holtz and Peterson to make sure Driskel doesn’t put the team in a hole.

Helping Driskel out on the offense is running back Kenneth Dixon who returns after rushing for a team-high 1,299 yards and 22 touchdowns. The 5-10, 212-pound rising senior had six, 100-yard games and six games with multiple rushing touchdowns as a junior.

The presence of Dixon will provide balance to this offense and prevent Driskel from being in too many third-and-six situations where he may be pressured into making unnecessary throws and risk turning it over. A veteran offensive line loaded with upperclassmen will give Dixon the room he needs to run and Driskel the clean pocket he needs to feel confident after some shaky protection at Florida due to injuries.

Driskel will also benefit from the return of Louisiana Tech’s two leading receivers in Trent Taylor who had 64 catches for 834 yards and nine touchdowns and Carlos Henderson who had 29 catches for 569 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman.

Defensive Outlook

Louisiana Tech had the nation’s No. 39 scoring defense last year, allowing an average of 24.7 points per game but losses defensive end Houston Bates after he led the team with 10 sacks. Replacing Bates’ production and leadership will be imperative for the Bulldogs to avoid being in too many shootouts. Vernon Butler and Vontarrius Dora were honorable mention All-Conference picks last year and will be counted on taking a big step forward this year.

While depth can be an issue on the defensive line, the back end of the defense should be the strength of this unit. Xavier Woods was a first-team All-C-USA pick last year and forms arguably the conference’s best safety tandem with Kentrell Brice who was an honorable mention pick last year. Cornerback Adairius Barnes was another honorable mention selection last year and is the team’s shutdown corner.

Linebackers Tony Johnson and Terrell Pinson are gone from last year’s unit so middle linebacker Nick Thomason is in position to rack up 100-plus tackles this year.

Final Thoughts

Louisiana Tech will go as far as Driskel takes them and that very well could be back to the C-USA Championship Game. Rice and UTEP likely provide the stiffest challenge from the West division, but the Bulldogs won the division by two games, so there’s a little margin for error to still repeat.

If Driskel can stay healthy and start every game this year, I feel confident in penciling in this team for another showdown with the winner from the East division. Non-conference games at Kansas State and Mississippi State and a road game in a crossover game with Western Kentucky are the toughest games on the schedule, but is Louisiana Tech can upset one of the two Power Five teams, this could be a potential 10-win team.

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