The Origins of College Football Team Names

Talvin is mentioned:

This 2024 team will need to replace quality depth and several starters from last year.

Let’s look at offense
QB—- Jack and 2 freshman. Can we win with these QB’s or do we take another Portal or Juco QB? If so, what quality will we find?

RB, we currently have 2 if Crosby is healthy this season. Will definitely need to find 2 more this offseason

WR, Smoke and Cyrus are gone. Will return some solid pieces however don’t have a homerun threat or a leader and threat like smoke. Will need 3 playmakers that are developed.

OL. Very concerned here. Lost 4 players that played a bunch of football with 1 more undecided if he will stay or leave. This unit was blessed this season with no injuries during the season as we were concerned with depth. Losing 2 all conference caliber players with a 6th year center will be tough to replace. Quality Depth again will be lacking in 2024. Depends on what we pull from the portal and linemen haven’t been our friend.

TE, our best blocking TE is gone and we have some young guys that will play. Will need to find a difference maker here that can run.

DL, need bodies period. Will we recruit the likes of Bellow and Pew etc, or will we find some quality guys that can play. Need 4 guys and a legit pass rusher.

LB, don’t have anyone here. The LSU transfer will wreck havoc this season however need 3 more inside LB’s.

DB’s. DGT and Mike Mike are good players. #4 Jamal can play and #11 is solid. Need depth in every position

K, lost Barnes. Buck will be full time kicker. Can boom them

P lost him to portal. Need to find someone to take his place.

Return man. Huge loss with smoke returning punts. Smoke was special.

Defensive staff. Who will lead this unit? Recruiting is underway and everyday we don’t have a DC, Corner and Safety coach we are falling behind. Early signing period is near.

Can we keep the current commitments in house? How many on the current list can help in 2024? Cumbie has to find players that can help win 6+ games next year.

Mason Ferguson from North Crowley:

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Tech is in good shape.

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Tipoff is set for 6:30 PM between the ‘Dogs & Lumberjacks on Tuesday night.

SFA is favored by 4.5 points.

It doesn’t sound like Sean Newman will play. Tyler Henry should be back.

SFA is one of the most efficient teams in the country shooting 49% from the field.

The Lumberjacks also full court press a ton and force nearly 18 turnovers a game.

Should be a fun one in Nacogdoches.

BC & Beck are back for BTB Radio on Tuesday night! We'll get started at 6 PM on SportsTalk 97.7 FM.

- Tech/SFA start up at 6:30, so maybe a live watch party? I like the sound of that.
- We'll share some thoughts on Tech's transfer portal entries to this point.
- Chris Vannini w/ The Athletic will join us at 6:45 to discuss C-USA Football/Liberty NY6 Bowl/Delaware Addition
- We'll touch on the 2024 Baseball Schedule + the early signees for Lane Burroughs & Co.
- Our thoughts on the CFP picks

Calls/Texts - (888)-993-7762

This is the start of the conversation about the ultimate split of FBS that we all knew was coming. NCAA trying to stay relevant in the conversation about paying players.

Today we will take a look the LB, CB, and S positions on the defense.

Linebacker

Stats

Boateng | 93 tackles, 9 TFL, 1 sack
Randle | 74 tackles, 9 TFL, 2 sacks
Zimos | 60 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack
Davis | 18 tackles, 2 TFL

PFF Overall Grades

Zimos - 77.3
Boateng - 64.1
Davis - 55.6
Randle - 45.2

PFF Run Def Grade

Zimos - 84.1
Boateng 69.1
Davis - 54.7
Randle - 43.8

PFF Pass Def Grade

Zimos - 66.6
Randle - 58
Davis - 55
Boateng - 53.5

QB Pressures

Randle - 14
Boateng - 10
Zimos - 5
Davis - 1

Missed Tackles

Boateng - 12
Randle - 10
Davis - 4
Zimos - 3

Coverage Stats

Boateng - 22/30 (73%) for 302 yards, 1 TD
Randle - 16/22 (73%) for 137 yards, 2 TDs
Zimos - 11/11 (100%) for 93 yards
Davis - 7/10 (70%) for 50 yards

Louisiana Tech will be ground zero for a Bloody Monday December 4th.

Buckle up. The team has denounced crumbles and co.

Might as well start a list:

1. Jim Gush: UIW DC—10th ranked FCS defense this year. 40 years of coaching experience.

2. Chad Glasgow—former TCU DC until 2021


Long Shots:

1. Gary Patterson

2. Zach Arnett

Cumbie’s best move would be to utilize his entire $100,000 of new asst salary, get rid of Parr and take $50,000 of that salary, and combine it with the $224,500 Power made to get close to a $400,000 DC. This could possibly land candidate who could save his career at Tech.

Jacob is the brother of former Tech DT Jordan Bradford:

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Coming soon:

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SP+ has Tech at #99.

Liberty 44
WKU 89
Jacksonville State 97
Tech 99
NMSU 108
MTSU 118
UTEP 124
FIU 125
SHSU 129

Check it out:

Liberty looking to get to 13-0. Kickoff now.

I honestly don't remember all the details, but can someone with some knowledge of the situation explain to me why we signed a first time, unproven HC to 5 year, $5 million plus dollar contract? Is it just "the norm"? Didn't the usual negotiation dynamics apply; i.e., did another school want him badly at the same time, etc? Assuming arguendo that no one else wanted Cumbie badly, did Wood just bid our money against ourselves?

I keep seeing the issue arise that G5 schools get caught in a snowball effect when 1 or more HC hires don't work out - and then they get stuck with a chump as HC for way too long. I know P5s can usually buy their way out, but why would most G5s ink a deal for any more than a 3 year gig? I understand the buyout issue if someone you hire worked out/got hot, but arent you really gambling your programs future for a maybe a half mil or a little more? It would seem that the danger isn't worth the potential buyout benefit.

Ultimately, if we had offered Cumbie, say, $2.5 mil over 3 years, do you honestly think he would've walked away?

Dunkin’ Dogs (5-1):

11.29 — @ New Mexico - 8 PM tipoff on the Mountain West Network

12.2 — vs Nicholls State - 2 PM tipoff on ESPN+

Lady Techsters (2-4):

11.29 — vs ULM - 6 PM tipoff on ESPN+

12.3 — @ Vanderbilt - 1 PM tipoff on SEC Network+

Iowa/Nebraska w/ an O/U at 25.5 today.

Lowest in history.

A game for college football SICKOS, and I can’t wait!!! Hammer the under!

Louisiana Tech will host Nicholls in a non-conference matchup on Saturday afternoon.

Tipoff is scheduled for 2 PM on ESPN+/KXKZ 107.5 FM.

Tech is 5-2. Nicholls is 3-5.

Tech is a 13.5-point favorite.

The numbers show that Tech is a very good defensive team and around average on the offensive end through the first 8 games of the season:

First, this is NOT a defense of the results we've seen for the last two years. It's not a defense of Cumbie in any way, shape, or form. That said, I've read quite a few times that we have better talent that NMSU (probably) and WKU (probably not). So, here's a poll. You tell me what you think.

I'll give you my opinion--we don't have great talent and we certainly don't have great depth. Is it a failure to figure out the portal? Maybe. It is a failure to adjust to the new high school recruiting? I don't know.

What I do know is that we are staring at our 3rd straight 3-9 year. I'd say we've had below average (for Tech) talent since at least 2020. Show me why I'm wrong (and if you intend to use the recruiting rankings to show me, be sure to look at offers for the guys we signed over the past 3-4 years).

It's that time of year where we take a look back at the 2023 season. We'll go by position by position over the next week and provide our thoughts on what each unit looks like going forward into 2023.

11.27 - Quarterback

11.28 - Running Back, Wide Receiver, and Tight End

11.29 - Offensive Line & Defensive Line

11.30 - Linebacker, Cornerback, & Safety

12.1 - Special Teams

Let's go!!

How did the special teams units perform in 2023?

Field Goals

Jacob Barnes | 12/15 (80%), long 46, 29/31 PATs
Buck Buchanan | 2/4 (50%), long 53, 2/2 PATs

Punting

Blake Oschendorf | 53 punts, 45.7 average, 25 fair catches, 18 inside the 20, 17 punts of 50+ yards, 1 blocked, 3.98 seconds average hang time

Kickoffs

Buck Buchanan | 61 kickoffs, 50 touchbacks, 1 out of bounds

Punt Returns

Smoke Harris | 28 returns, 8.4 yards per return, 1 TD

Kickoff Returns

Demarcus Griffin-Taylor | 9 returns, 24.6 yards per return, long of 43
Cyrus Allen | 9 returns, 20.6 yards per return, long of 45
Smoke Harris | 6 returns, 20.8 yards per return, long of 26

PFF Field Goal Grades

Barnes - 77.2
Buchanan - 69.1

PFF Punting Grades

Oschendorf - 69.4

PFF Punt Return Grades

Smoke - 71.9

PFF Kick Return Grades

Allen - 73.9
Griffin-Taylor - 60.9
Smoke - 57.8

Couple of Notes

- Cobbs & Zimos led the coverage units with 3 tackles, per PFF.
- Dakota Williams played a team-high 188 snaps on special teams. He was followed by Marlion Jackson (151), Michael Richard (134), John Locke (129), Josh Cobbs (129), Isaiah Mcelvane (119), Smoke Harris (118), Zach Zimos (111), and Roderick Roberson (110).

Keyes started his career at Southern Miss:

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Let’s roll! Will do a new thread monthly

While you are at work tomorrow:
SFA home opener at 1130, ESPN+
Oregon at Georgia 3:30 TruTV

USC at K State tomorrow night

Of note in CUSA action:
NMSU at Kentucky
SHSU at Pacific