Throughout the next 12 weeks, BleedTechBlue will take an early look at each of Louisiana Tech’s 12 opponents for the 2018 football season.
The Bulldogs finished 2017 with a 7-6 record that included a fourth consecutive bowl win in the DXL Frisco Bowl over SMU 51-10.
Skip Holtz returns for his 6th season at Louisiana Tech as the head coach.
The Bulldogs defeated the Jaguars 34-16 in Ruston on September 30, 2017.
Tech will now make the return trip to Mobile, Alabama to take on a new look South Alabama team to open the season on September 1st.
After finishing the 2017 season 4-8 overall, South Alabama turned the program over to Steve Campbell, who was hired on December 7th.
Campbell spent the previous four seasons as the head coach at Central Arkansas where he was 33-15 overall and 24-3 in Southland Conference play.
Speaking about the matchup with Louisiana Tech when the Jaguar schedule was released, Campbell said, “We just need to take it one game at a time and not look too far ahead. We have to focus on trying to win the first game out of the shoot, which is against a good Louisiana Tech football team."
Although it’s difficult to know exactly what Campbell’s offense will look like, if history is any indicator the Jaguars will run a spread attack that is centered around throwing the football.
Redshirt freshman Cephus Johnson and senior Cole Garvin will battle it out in fall camp for the starting quarterback role in 2018 after presumptive starter Dallas Davis abruptly left the program in the spring.
Johnson completed 9-12 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns in the Jaguar spring game. While Garvin didn’t have a huge spring game completing only 3-8 passes for 98 yards and one touchdown, he has experience of playing in eight games a year ago.
The Jaguar rushing attack struggled to the tune of only 97 yards per game in 2017. Campbell will look to change those fortunes in 2018. Tra Minter will be leaned on in 2018 after rushing for 341 yards and one touchdown in 2017.
Three-star recruits Carlos Davis and Jared Wilson were signed in the 2018 recruiting class to help out in the backfield as well.
Jamarius Way averaged 16.2 yards per catch in 2017 and gives the Jaguars an explosive playmaker at wide receiver. Way must take the next step from a consistency standpoint in order to reach his full potential.
Sam Harris also returns in the slot after catching 41 balls a year ago.
Offensively, Campbell has plenty of talent returning, but whoever the quarterback is, he must be able to get the ball to the talented receivers outside as the running game remains a question mark.
Defensively, Greg Stewart followed Campbell to South Alabama from Central Arkansas and will lead a defense that struggled to create pressure in 2017.
The defensive line is somewhat thin with only four of the top eight lineman returning from 2017.
Tyree Turner returns at defensive tackle after leading the team with three and a half sacks in 2017.
Bull Barge had 77 tackles in 2017 and returns at linebacker as the leader of the defense. Three-star JUCO signee, Roy Yancey, will be counted on to become an immediate contributor.
With a front seven that has question marks, the secondary is extremely strong. Neiko Robinson, Jalen Thompson, Spencer Perry, and A.J. DeShazor give the Jaguars perhaps the best secondary in the Sun Belt.
Creating havoc will be a key if the Jaguars are going to become one of the better defensive units in the Sun Belt.
Gavin Patterson (16-19 FGs, long of 47) and Corliss Waitman (45.2 avg, long of 66) give the Jaguars a solid combination at kicker and punter.
Steve Campbell’s mission is to get South Alabama back into a bowl game for the third time in program history. It will be no easy task, but with Campbell’s history the program will undoubtedly be improved.
Tech will be around a ten point favorite heading into Mobile on September 1st. With a relatively soft early season schedule before things get tough late, it is essential that the Bulldogs get off on the right foot with a win at South Alabama to open the season.
Stay tuned to BleedTechBlue.com throughout the summer as we continue to preview the 2018 season. Join us for only $9.95 a month. We are your #1 source for Louisiana Tech Athletics.
