The Bulldogs are back in action after a road loss to the NC State Wolfpack. What can Tech do to defend Joe Aillet Stadium tomorrow night?

Balanced Offense

After two games this season, it's safe to say that the Running Back room hasn't showed up the way fans expected. Last week against NC State, Bulldog backs carried the ball just 13 times for 39 yards (3.0 ypc). Compare that with Jack Turner's 36 passing attempts and you'll see an unbalanced approach to the offensive game plan.

Obviously you can't get away with gaining just 2.3 yards per carry (including Turner's stats) and expect the offense to move. But I was surprised that we abandoned the run so quickly.

As Ben pointed out on BTB Radio this week, Jack Turner has had a lot more success passing on play action than he has on pure drop backs in his career. To beat a team like Tulsa, who did a very good job against one of the nation's top backs last week, we will NEED to find a way to use the run to set up a play action passing game. We absolutely cannot afford to let the defense pin their ears back and come after Jack.

Bottle up Kamdyn

Through two games, Jeremiah Johnson's defense has been very impressive. One of my keys to victory last week was figuring out a way to stop the Wolfpack's electric playmaker KC Concepcion. The sophomore figured to be a huge part of Dave Doeren's game plan, and he was...

But the Bulldog D shut him down, allowing 8 catches for just 25 yards (the lowest yards per reception in his career). Much like Concepcion, Tulsa's WR Kamdyn Benjamin burst onto the scene last year, becoming Tulsa's #1 receiver and finishing the year with 47 catches for 727 yards and 6 scores.

Tulsa doesn't have a scary offense, per se, but Kamdyn Benjamin is a name to watch. I expect Johnson's defense to come prepared.

Let the past be the past

I usually like to ground my posts in stats and #analysis. But I think there's something that needs to be said.

I want to ask y'all a question: When was the last time Tech won a non-conference home game against an FBS opponent?

It wasn't:

2023 (40-37 L to UNT)

2022 (no non-con FBS opponents visited the Joe)

2021 (SMU hail mary loss)

2020 (no non-con FBS opponents)

It was 2019! We beat uMass at home 69-21 in October of 2019! That was so long ago.

The team desperately needs to win this game, to prove to themselves (and the fans) that there's a reason for hope heading into conference play. Ryan Ivey, Dr. Henderson, and the new administration is pulling out all the stops to make sure this Saturday is a great atmosphere. Let's PLAY LIKE IT'S A GREAT ATMOSPHERE!

No more excuses, no more waiting around. In the words of Trace Adkins on the old Jumbotron (RIP) The time is now for Bulldawwwwwwg Footbawwwll.

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Evan is also a part of go tech pls dont die, a zany LA Tech sports blog, Twitter, and podcast. Check us out!