There was a very good article in the Tyler Morning Telegraph today about our Bulldog Blitz here in Tyler. They wouldn't let me transfer the link. There were also 4 nice color pictures that didn't transfer. Did the Times give us this kind of coverage in Shreveport?
College Notebook: Louisiana Tech coaches, AD visit Tyler
By Brandon Ogden bogden@tylerpaper.com Jun 23, 2023 Updated 15 hrs ago
Louisiana Tech’s Bulldog Blitz made its way to Tyler this week.
After a hometown visit in Ruston and a trip to Shreveport/Bossier City, the Bulldogs made their way to Tyler on Monday and stopped at Javi’s before trips to Dallas, Houston and Baton Rouge.
“They always come to us and watch us play or we’re on the road and they come, so for us to be able to get to their environment and be able to visit with them when it’s not a competition, and we can kind of relax and be able to spend some time with our stakeholders, it’s always a privilege,” Louisiana Tech women’s basketball coach Brooke Stoehr said.
Stoehr was joined by Louisiana Tech director of athletics Dr. Eric A. Wood and other head coaches Sonny Cumbie (football), Talvin Hester (men’s basketball), Brian Johnson (track and field) and Lane Burroughs (baseball).
“This is really important to us,” Wood said. “We can’t just stay in Ruston, particularly as we try to get people excited about next year and turn the page. It’s great for us to bring the coaches to the fan base. We want to get out to the people. They come and support us at our events. This is a time in the summer where we can make it happen and return the favor.”
Here is a look at what each had to say during their trip to Tyler:
ATHLETICS
Winning records and conference titles were hard to come by for Louisiana Tech during the 2022-23 school year with the women’s basketball, softball and women’s tennis programs as the only ones to finish above .500.
“I’m not naïve in that we had a tough year, particularly in football, basketball and baseball,” Wood said. “Coach Hester and Coach Cumbie are entering their second year and getting their feet under them. We know that Lane is going to bounce back. And Brooke was just shy of 20 wins again with another postseason appearance.
“It didn’t feel like we wanted it to feel, and it didn’t look like we wanted it to look, but there’s a lot of optimism moving forward.”
FOOTBALL
The Bulldogs went 3-9 in their first season under Sonny Cumbie.
But after a transfer portal haul that includes former Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier, former Baylor running back Sqwirl Williams and former Nebraska receiver Decoldest Crawford, the expectations are there for a big turnaround in 2023 for Louisiana Tech.
“I think we’ve had a lot of roster turnover,” Cumbie said. “The transfer portal has been good for us from the standpoint of we’ve been able to bring in a lot of players on defense, which we weren’t very good on defense last year. We will play better at quarterback this year with the addition of Hank Bachmeier and Jack Turner, who is already on our roster.
I think our staff and our team is really excited about where we are at right now. We play Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. against FIU in Ruston. Hopefully we will have a large East Texas crowd that comes over for the game and we’ll be able to play a lot better than we did at any point this year.”
East Texans currently on the Louisiana Tech roster are linebacker Brevin Randle (Marshall), punter/kicker Buck Buchanan (Marshall), defensive back Zion Hopes (Jefferson), tight end Nate Jones (Malakoff), offensive lineman Keystone Allison (Carthage) and defensive back Keddrick Harper (Carthage).
“I think East Texas is very important for us,” Cumbie said. “You mentioned our kicker, Buck Buchanan. We have linebacker, Brevin Randle, his father is a coach over in Marshall. We also have two Carthage kids who are state champions who know how to win. They come from a great program with Coach (Scott) Surratt, who is established.
“I think that’s important that we get kids that are highly talented that come from great programs, and they’ve won a lot of football games. The other thing is they love Ruston and they love North Louisiana. Nowadays, retention is the name of the game. So if you can check as many boxes as you can before the kids get there in terms of all of those things. And East Texas kids fit the mold, so we are continually recruiting kids from this area, and we will as long as we’re there.”
MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Bulldogs went 15-18 overall and 7-13 in a Conference USA that featured Final Four participant Florida Atlantic, NIT champion North Texas and CBI champion Charlotte.
All of those schools are now gone from the conference, and Louisiana Tech is joined by Florida International, Jacksonville State, Liberty, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, UTEP, Western Kentucky and Kennesaw State.
“I think everybody is adjusting,” Hester said. “We will adjust accordingly. I think we’re bringing in some really good teams in the league, a lot of conference champions the last couple of years, so we’re excited about it and read for the challenge. I think this year prepared us for what we’re looking for in the future.
“We’re just trying to continue to teach and build. We will try to get carryover from the guys that are returning and teach the new guys what we’re about and what we’re doing and then just trying to continue to grow. I think we have a good bunch of guys. Hopefully we come in ready to play.
“We’ll play hard defensively and be tough. Hopefully we protect the rim a little better and rebound a little better and continue some of the things we started last year.”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The Lady Techsters went 19-13 and advanced to the WNIT this past season and will look to continue to build on that success in 2023-24.
“We’ve got a good nucleus from last year’s 19-win WNIT appearance,” Stoehr said. “We are adding a transfer from TCU in Evie Goetz and two freshmen in Paris Guillory and Jianna Morris. We are excited about those three.”
TRACK AND FIELD
Olympian Johnson, who competed in the long jump in the 2008 Summer Olympics, is finishing his first season as the head coach at Louisiana Tech.
“The first season went well,” Johnson said. “We are technically still in the season with one athlete trying for USAs. So far, so good.”
Johannon Murray (Grace Community), Jenaia Williams (Tyler Legacy) and Hunter Clayton (Atlanta) represent East Texas on the Louisiana Tech track and field team.
Murray tallied 4,911 points in the heptathlon, which ranks as the fifth-best heptathlon score in program history, to finish sixth overall at the Conference USA Outdoor Championships.
“Jo is actually coming back for her grad year, and that’s awesome for us,” Johnson said. “Being able to dip into Texas is very instrumental for us to get our program moving in the right direction.”
BASEBALL
The Bulldogs went 28-31 and were eliminated by Charlotte in the Conference USA Tournament.
Burroughs said recruiting in Tyler and East Texas has been instrumental to their success.
Louisiana Tech currently has two former Tyler Junior College standouts on the roster — pitcher Reed Smith and infielder Dalton Davis, who hit .290 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs.
“Being here in Tyler is awesome,” Burroughs said. “We’ve had great success not only with Tyler Junior College but Tyler itself and East Texas. This year, Dalton Davis was our three-hole hitter this year, and Reed was outstanding. Before that, Hunter Wells played at Tyler Junior College, and in three years, broke our all-time hits record. Tyler in general has been good to us.”
Former Tyler Lee Red Raider Parker Bates played at Louisiana Tech from 2017-21 and hit .310 with 32 home runs, 49 doubles and 194 RBIs.
“Parker is unbelievable,” Burroughs said. “He’s a Bulldog man, which means he’s a forever captain. He was one of the guys when we had the tornado, and Parker was an All-American, and he didn’t leave. He could’ve left. He could’ve went to Texas or A&M, and he would’ve played. He was loyal to us. Parker Bates is a program changer. I kind of inherited him. He was already there when I got the job. Just to watch him grow as a player and a young man, he was one of the finest character young men I’ve ever coached. He’s a great player obviously, but as far as integrity, character and work ethic, they don’t come any better than Parker Bates.”
College Notebook: Louisiana Tech coaches, AD visit Tyler
By Brandon Ogden bogden@tylerpaper.com Jun 23, 2023 Updated 15 hrs ago
Louisiana Tech’s Bulldog Blitz made its way to Tyler this week.
After a hometown visit in Ruston and a trip to Shreveport/Bossier City, the Bulldogs made their way to Tyler on Monday and stopped at Javi’s before trips to Dallas, Houston and Baton Rouge.
“They always come to us and watch us play or we’re on the road and they come, so for us to be able to get to their environment and be able to visit with them when it’s not a competition, and we can kind of relax and be able to spend some time with our stakeholders, it’s always a privilege,” Louisiana Tech women’s basketball coach Brooke Stoehr said.
Stoehr was joined by Louisiana Tech director of athletics Dr. Eric A. Wood and other head coaches Sonny Cumbie (football), Talvin Hester (men’s basketball), Brian Johnson (track and field) and Lane Burroughs (baseball).
“This is really important to us,” Wood said. “We can’t just stay in Ruston, particularly as we try to get people excited about next year and turn the page. It’s great for us to bring the coaches to the fan base. We want to get out to the people. They come and support us at our events. This is a time in the summer where we can make it happen and return the favor.”
Here is a look at what each had to say during their trip to Tyler:
ATHLETICS
Winning records and conference titles were hard to come by for Louisiana Tech during the 2022-23 school year with the women’s basketball, softball and women’s tennis programs as the only ones to finish above .500.
“I’m not naïve in that we had a tough year, particularly in football, basketball and baseball,” Wood said. “Coach Hester and Coach Cumbie are entering their second year and getting their feet under them. We know that Lane is going to bounce back. And Brooke was just shy of 20 wins again with another postseason appearance.
“It didn’t feel like we wanted it to feel, and it didn’t look like we wanted it to look, but there’s a lot of optimism moving forward.”
FOOTBALL
The Bulldogs went 3-9 in their first season under Sonny Cumbie.
But after a transfer portal haul that includes former Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier, former Baylor running back Sqwirl Williams and former Nebraska receiver Decoldest Crawford, the expectations are there for a big turnaround in 2023 for Louisiana Tech.
“I think we’ve had a lot of roster turnover,” Cumbie said. “The transfer portal has been good for us from the standpoint of we’ve been able to bring in a lot of players on defense, which we weren’t very good on defense last year. We will play better at quarterback this year with the addition of Hank Bachmeier and Jack Turner, who is already on our roster.
I think our staff and our team is really excited about where we are at right now. We play Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. against FIU in Ruston. Hopefully we will have a large East Texas crowd that comes over for the game and we’ll be able to play a lot better than we did at any point this year.”
East Texans currently on the Louisiana Tech roster are linebacker Brevin Randle (Marshall), punter/kicker Buck Buchanan (Marshall), defensive back Zion Hopes (Jefferson), tight end Nate Jones (Malakoff), offensive lineman Keystone Allison (Carthage) and defensive back Keddrick Harper (Carthage).
“I think East Texas is very important for us,” Cumbie said. “You mentioned our kicker, Buck Buchanan. We have linebacker, Brevin Randle, his father is a coach over in Marshall. We also have two Carthage kids who are state champions who know how to win. They come from a great program with Coach (Scott) Surratt, who is established.
“I think that’s important that we get kids that are highly talented that come from great programs, and they’ve won a lot of football games. The other thing is they love Ruston and they love North Louisiana. Nowadays, retention is the name of the game. So if you can check as many boxes as you can before the kids get there in terms of all of those things. And East Texas kids fit the mold, so we are continually recruiting kids from this area, and we will as long as we’re there.”
MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Bulldogs went 15-18 overall and 7-13 in a Conference USA that featured Final Four participant Florida Atlantic, NIT champion North Texas and CBI champion Charlotte.
All of those schools are now gone from the conference, and Louisiana Tech is joined by Florida International, Jacksonville State, Liberty, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, UTEP, Western Kentucky and Kennesaw State.
“I think everybody is adjusting,” Hester said. “We will adjust accordingly. I think we’re bringing in some really good teams in the league, a lot of conference champions the last couple of years, so we’re excited about it and read for the challenge. I think this year prepared us for what we’re looking for in the future.
“We’re just trying to continue to teach and build. We will try to get carryover from the guys that are returning and teach the new guys what we’re about and what we’re doing and then just trying to continue to grow. I think we have a good bunch of guys. Hopefully we come in ready to play.
“We’ll play hard defensively and be tough. Hopefully we protect the rim a little better and rebound a little better and continue some of the things we started last year.”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The Lady Techsters went 19-13 and advanced to the WNIT this past season and will look to continue to build on that success in 2023-24.
“We’ve got a good nucleus from last year’s 19-win WNIT appearance,” Stoehr said. “We are adding a transfer from TCU in Evie Goetz and two freshmen in Paris Guillory and Jianna Morris. We are excited about those three.”
TRACK AND FIELD
Olympian Johnson, who competed in the long jump in the 2008 Summer Olympics, is finishing his first season as the head coach at Louisiana Tech.
“The first season went well,” Johnson said. “We are technically still in the season with one athlete trying for USAs. So far, so good.”
Johannon Murray (Grace Community), Jenaia Williams (Tyler Legacy) and Hunter Clayton (Atlanta) represent East Texas on the Louisiana Tech track and field team.
Murray tallied 4,911 points in the heptathlon, which ranks as the fifth-best heptathlon score in program history, to finish sixth overall at the Conference USA Outdoor Championships.
“Jo is actually coming back for her grad year, and that’s awesome for us,” Johnson said. “Being able to dip into Texas is very instrumental for us to get our program moving in the right direction.”
BASEBALL
The Bulldogs went 28-31 and were eliminated by Charlotte in the Conference USA Tournament.
Burroughs said recruiting in Tyler and East Texas has been instrumental to their success.
Louisiana Tech currently has two former Tyler Junior College standouts on the roster — pitcher Reed Smith and infielder Dalton Davis, who hit .290 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs.
“Being here in Tyler is awesome,” Burroughs said. “We’ve had great success not only with Tyler Junior College but Tyler itself and East Texas. This year, Dalton Davis was our three-hole hitter this year, and Reed was outstanding. Before that, Hunter Wells played at Tyler Junior College, and in three years, broke our all-time hits record. Tyler in general has been good to us.”
Former Tyler Lee Red Raider Parker Bates played at Louisiana Tech from 2017-21 and hit .310 with 32 home runs, 49 doubles and 194 RBIs.
“Parker is unbelievable,” Burroughs said. “He’s a Bulldog man, which means he’s a forever captain. He was one of the guys when we had the tornado, and Parker was an All-American, and he didn’t leave. He could’ve left. He could’ve went to Texas or A&M, and he would’ve played. He was loyal to us. Parker Bates is a program changer. I kind of inherited him. He was already there when I got the job. Just to watch him grow as a player and a young man, he was one of the finest character young men I’ve ever coached. He’s a great player obviously, but as far as integrity, character and work ethic, they don’t come any better than Parker Bates.”
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