The 3-2-1 | LA Tech falls to USM, Season Finale at Rice on Saturday

Louisiana Tech played its ugliest game of the year Friday night and fell 35-19 to Southern Miss.

Let's break it down.

Three Things We Learned

1 -- The Defensive Issues Continued

Yes, Louisiana Tech limited Southern Miss to only 294 total yards offensively. However, the Golden Eagles had numerous chunk plays and threw 3 TDs with RBs/WRs playing the quarterback position. That can't happen. The frustration peaked when Antavious Willis hits Grayson Gunter for a TD on 3rd and goal from the 20 with 6:37 remaining in the game to seal it for the Golden Eagles.

2 -- Aaron Allen's Ups & Downs Continue

Aaron Allen was PHENOMENAL against Charlotte. However, Allen followed up that performance with an 11/26 for 100 yards and 2 INT performance against the Golden Eagles. Tech also had 5 turnovers in the defeat. Two Marcus Williams fumbles in the first half were costly as well. With the Bulldogs rushing for 150 yards on 4.3 yards per carry, even an average passing game probably gets Tech a win.

3 -- Effort was Lacking

Tech played so well against Charlotte. The Tech sideline was as jacked up as we'd seen all year. Where was that against Southern Miss? Sure, the crowd was brutal. Whether 7-3 or 3-7, we've become pretty used to rough crowds at The Joe this time of year. However, from start to finish Tech just wasn't ready to play. There were too many breakdowns in all 3 phases of the game. There was no enthusiasm. Effort. It's the easiest thing to bring to the field every week.

Two Questions Going Forward

1 -- Who starts at quarterback at Rice?

JD Head or Austin Kendall. Is Kendall healthy enough to play against the Owls? We saw Head warming up against Southern Miss, but the decision was made to keep him on the sideline and preserve his redshirt. Maybe we see both guys as the Bulldogs look for their 4th win of the season.

2 -- Will the 'Dogs play hard?

Stupid question, right? However, it's fair to ask at this point in the season. This is solely on the players. There is nothing a coach or administrator or fan can say that will motivate an individual to play hard in a meaningless game 2 days after Thanksgiving. Do the guys want to represent their SCHOOL and their PROGRAM in a positive light? We'll find out.

One Prediction for Next Week

Tech will close out its 2021 season with an Austin Kendall/JD Head combination at quarterback that leads to a win at Rice.

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