Behind Enemy Lines: Louisiana Tech

Saturday's matchup will be the fourth meeting between the Bulldogs and Tigers. It will also mark the second time the Bulldogs have played a school with the Tigers nickname, having played Missouri in the season opener.

Head Coach:

Sonny Cumbie enters his inaugural season as the head coach at Louisiana Tech after Louisiana Tech President Les Guice and VP and Director of Athletics Eric Wood introduced one of the most innovative offensive minds in college football as Sonny Cumbie was welcomed to Ruston as the 34th head football coach in Bulldog history. 

Cumbie has spent the past 12 years as an assistant coach in the Big 12, including two stints at Texas Tech (2009-13, 2021) and one at TCU (2014-2020). He has served as offensive coordinator the past nine years for the Red Raiders and Horned Frogs and worked under some of the top coaches in college football, including Mike Leach, Tommy Tuberville, Kliff Kingsbury and Gary Patterson.

Bulldogs on offense:

The LA Tech offense exploded for 516 yards of total offense and 300 yards rushing in last week's win over Stephen F. Austin.  RB Marquis Crosby had a career night in the Bulldogs’ 52-17 win over Stephen F. Austin. The Hattiesburg, Miss., product rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, all of which came in the first half. WR Smoke Harris registered his 15th career touchdown reception. He has at least one touchdown reception in every season since 2018.

The Bulldogs returned 59.6 percent of their receiving yards, 65.3 percent of their receptions and 59 percent of their receiving touchdowns from last season. Redshirt junior Smoke Harris is the Bulldogs' most electric playmaker as he led the team in receptions (71), receiving yards (756) and receiving touchdowns (6), while recording at least three receptions in every game last season. 

Bulldogs on defense:

Scott Power came to Ruston after spending the past three seasons in the same role at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas.

After ranking near the bottom of the NCAA in total defense prior to his arrival in Nacogdoches, the Lumberjacks ranked 15^th nationally in that category in 2021. SFA also ranked in the top 20 in the nation in scoring defense (17th ), rushing defense (19th ), pass defense efficiency (14th ), third down defense (18th ), and turnovers gained (16th ). SFA ranked in the top 5 nationally in sacks (3rd) and tackles for loss (5th).

Power’s 2021 defense at Stephen F. Austin ranked among the best in the Western Athletic Conference and in the nation, helping lead the Lumberjacks to the NCAA FCS Playoffs. SFA ranked No. 1 in the WAC in scoring defense, total defense, takeaways, sacks and opponent third down conversion percentage.