2011 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

[Deadlift]

This is a rather dark team....

The back-ups look to be RB Ray Holley (2nd-string), C Matthew Shepperd, WR David Gru, WR Scott Cathcart, WR/TE Chandler Spence, LB Kevin Kisseberth and SS Mike Schrang



Projected starters:

QB - Colby Cameron
WR - Andrew Guillot
OG - Kevin Saia
C - Stephen Warner


DE - Matt Broha
LB - Dusty Rust

 

[whiteathlete33]

Since 2005 they have started 4, 9, 9, 7, 8, and 9 whites last season. Quite a drop.

 

[TwentyTwo]

Hard to believe...only 4 white starters in 05'...

It's been fun to watch the transformation of DE-Matt Broha(orginally comitted to Kentucky) from a light 220 pounder out of HS (where he played in the shadows of LSU Tiger Stadium) to a 255lb Sporting News All-WAC Pre-season 1st Team All WAC...currently 3rd all-time on La.Tech Sack list(14.5)... 9 last year. He's got raw power & good speed as a pass rusher; commanded a lot of double-teams toward end of year....possible NFL Draft pick in later rounds??

D-Lineman Carter Street should see some PT in the rotation...

Last year out of JUCO I compared Tailback Ray Holley to a poor man's Danny Woodhead...in a limited-role as back up he had 206 yds rushing/ 2 TD's on 49 carries (4.2 avg) & 11 rec for 98 yds
*here is a one-handed catch in a 7 on 7 scrimmage this Summer....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_d3sHWotHM


Still trying to understand WHY Louisiana Tech is in the WAC & UTEP in C-USA?? They should switch!

 

[TwentyTwo]

More about Ray Holley...the story of overcoming stereotypes like so many other white tailbacks...only 1 D-1 scholly offer...he was determined!

Here's an old La.Tech thread from Summer of 10' I found...some of these people get it!

*check-out

>Post #32...from Mickeys14Do you remember a few years ago when Boise State would come into JAS & beat our brains out with WHITE running backs? Well, this guy we have got from California named Ray Holley has just AMAZED everyone the first couple of weeks in the summer workouts--quick, tough, strong as a bull, & will do anything, ANYTHING, to please Damon & his teammates. First time in a long time the entire coaching staff is impressed by a white RB. Please know the only reason I distinguish his skin color is because of the RARITY of a caucasian RB on almost any level of organized football. From what I have heard & SEEN, this guy will bring a whole lot of excitement to our football team whether running, catching, or playing special teams. I literally cannot wait until all of you get a chance to see Ray Holley!!
Some nice replies as well...
>Post #38...Luke Lippincott was mentioned
>Post #39...talks abt white RB's shunned in 90's
>Post #42...sounds like he's talking about Jacob Hester...if he was shunned like they say...his 87 yard TD run vs LaTech in 07' must have been extra sweet!

http://www.latechbbb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77499&page=3

And post #226 talking brings up the CF Website! Then it gets interesting...the baffoons chime in..and twist things...later the Peyton Hillis article is mentioned #248

http://www.latechbbb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77499&page=16

This is how the Caste System is cracked...opportunity!

 

[mattgianone]

Good news out of L. Tech. WRs David Gru and Andrew Elliot have one starting positions in L. Techs. run and gun offense.

 

[dwid]

[h=1]La. Tech running backs Creer, Holley look to mesh[/h]

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/arti.../La-Tech-running-backs-Creer-Holley-look-mesh


RUSTON — For optimal results in the Tony Franklin offense, it takes more than one productive running back.It is a point the second-year Louisiana Tech offensive coordinator made sure to emphasize early in fall camp.
"When I was at Kentucky, we had two running backs with more than 1,000 yards three years in a row," Franklin said.
Franklin knows he has one back he can count on in Lennon Creer, who rushed for 1,181 yards and added another 181 receiving last season.
The second part of the equation seems to be in the hands of senior Ray Holley, who recorded 206 rushing yards and caught 11 passes a season ago.
Holley's August emergence has Franklin confident the Orange Coast (Calif.) College product can be that second productive back.
In turn, that confidence has helped Holley turned heads.
"Ray has really become a good football player," second-year Bulldogs coach Sonny Dykes said.
Like the rest of the Bulldogs, Holley is more confident and more self-assured than he was a season ago, giving him reason to believe his production will rise.
"This year, it's not new to me," he said. "Last year, I came out and I just didn't know what to expect. This year, I know what to expect. Everything is running much more smoothly and I'm ready."

Each has a different running style, but a similar mentality — one that aided both of the Bulldogs' top returning ground gainers during camp."I see him out there, sometimes when I'm giving my all and (Holley) makes a run," said Creer, a member of the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list. "Then, I'm like, 'I gotta come back and make a good run.'"
Creer, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound power back, and Holley, a 5-9, 190-pound speedster, roomed together throughout fall camp, which brought them closer together.

"Lennon's already proven himself," Holley said. "He's hit the 1,000-yard mark. When I hear (Franklin's comments), that's exciting. I want to be part of that elite group that hits the thousand. I know we can do it together."


Would be nice to see Holley rush for 1,000.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

dwid, I too hope Ray Holley gets a lot of carries and breaks the 1,000 yard mark! It would be a shame for his senior season to go like Tre Smith's did.

 

[Deadlift]

Tech mourns the loss of (RB) Tyrone Duplessis

http://louisianatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1326806

http://rivals.yahoo.com/louisianatech/football/recruiting/player-Tyrone-Duplessis-59850


From the above profile, which was the Class of '09:

Rivals.com released its postseason Louisiana rankings on Saturday and Louisiana Tech had 10 commits make the list, which included 75 players for the first time ever. The highest rated Tech commit was O. Perry Walker running back Tyrone Duplessis, who checked in at No. 17 in the state.

Notes: Rivals ranked him quite high. Listed at 5-6, 181 pounds and possessing a 4.61 40 (probably really a 4.7 guy?). Outside of a reported UNC offer, he doesn't appear to have had an expansive offer-sheet.

 

[Riddlewire]

I somehow missed this news a few weeks ago.

Former Starting QB Nick Isham Transferring From Louisiana Tech

Apr 4, 2012 - With senior Colby Cameron looking to be the starter for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, last year's opening-week starter, Nick Isham, has officially left Sonny Dykes' program. Isham started the first seven games of the season, in fact, completing 60.3 percent of his throws, gaining 1,457 yards and throwing seven picks.

Isham was a 17 year old true freshman when he started Tech's first game last season. Considering Dykes started the year out doing a lot of experimenting on offense, I have to believe that Isham would have eventually performed as well as Cameron with the playbook they settled on (also, as mentioned in that article, their schedule got easier after Isham was replaced). Still, at his current level, he would have finished the season with close to 3,000 yards passing and 15-18 TDs at 60%. That's very impressive for someone so young and inexperienced. He played receiver in their bowl game, and I figure that's where Dykes had him slotted for 2012.
A quick check of twitter revealed that Nick is transferring to Arizona. I consider this a dumb move because RichRod isn't offering him a scholarship. He's going to be a "preferred walk-on".
Maybe things were bad for him in the locker room at Tech. I don't know. But a full scholarship and playing time beats paying your own way to ride the bench for RichRod. And Cameron is a senior. After one season at WR, Isham likely would've been moved back to QB.
I wish him well, but I don't think we'll be hearing from him again.