Each week, I'll look into the weekend's matchup and try to pinpoint three things Louisiana Tech needs to do to win on Saturday. This week, Tech goes to the Gulf Coast to take on South Alabama at 6:00 PM. What do the Bulldogs need to do to come out of Mobile with a victory?
1) Establish Dominance Early
When South Alabama takes the field on Saturday night, it will be the Jaguars’ first time without head coach Joey Jones on the sideline. The Jags and their founding head coach parted ways after 10 years together due to a dismal 4-8 record in 2017. Meanwhile, Tech and Head Coach Skip Holtz are entering their sixth season together. The Bulldogs should do everything in their power to stop the Jags and new head coach Steve Campbell from establishing a rhythm. To help matters, USA is planning on playing three different quarterbacks tomorrow night behind an inexperienced offensive line. Of the quarterback situation, Offensive Coordinator Kenny Edenfield told AL.com, "I think all those guys have earned an opportunity. I think at some point, there's a good chance we could see all three of them... If somebody's hot, you just let them go." If Tech can stop USA from finding any sort of identity tomorrow night, expect a huge win in Mobile.
2) Chemistry Lesson
We all know that Tech WR Teddy Veal is expected to have a monster season after leading the Bulldogs in receptions and receiving yards a year ago. If QB J’Mar Smith can find any sort of chemistry with some of the other receivers here in game one, it will help kick start the Bulldog offense and keep Veal out of double coverage situations. Look for Junior WR Rhashid Bonnette to be a deep threat, while Alfred Smith returns to the slot after missing most of 2017 with a knee injury. Upstart freshmen Smoke Harris and Wayne Toussaint could see early action here, as well. If J’Mar gets into rhythm with any of his receivers on Saturday, Tech should have a solid passing day against USA's defense.
3) Defense Wins
While Tech’s offense may take some time to hit its stride, the Bulldog defense should be ready to rumble from the first snap. Last year, the Dogs held South Alabama to 98 yards on the ground. In 2018, the Jaguars will have to revamp their rushing attack after losing their all-time leading rusher Xavier Johnson to graduation. Blake Baker will use all the tools at his disposal to shut down the run and force any of the three quarterbacks to make throws. This formula worked for the Bulldogs last year, as Jag QB Cole Garvin completed less than 50% of his attempts and threw two interceptions. With playmakers like Amik Robertson and Jaylon Ferguson at the helm, expect big things from Tech’s defense in this game.
Evan is also a contributor to gtpdd.dog, a lighthearted Louisiana Tech blog. Be sure to follow @gotechplsdntdie on Twitter.
