LOUISIANA TECH PASS OFFENSE vs TEXAS PASS DEFENSE
When you look at Louisiana Tech’s passing game from a year ago, it was better than the team’s run game but it did have a number of inconsistencies. Quarterback J’Mar Smith has 27 career starts so he does bring lots of experience to the table. Louisiana Tech is expected to be more talented at wide receiver this year than in the past. Adrian Hardy signed with OU out of high school and is a very good player. The addition of Isaiah Graham, a TCU transfer, should help. Those two are the go-to guys. In the slot spot, it’ll be younger players competing for touches. Smoke Harris is undersized, but Tech will try to get him the ball in space. Overall, the La Tech passing game struggled with consistency last year and had difficulties creating separation, although it is expected to be the strength of the team’s offense.
Advantage – Texas **
LOUISIANA RUN OFFENSE vs TEXAS RUN DEFENSE
Louisiana Tech really struggled with its ground game a year ago, but its top three backs are back. Israel Tucker, a junior, more of an all-around back. He’s not a game changer but is consistent. Jaqwis Dancy is the leading returning rusher. He’s a speed guy who can make plays in space and hit big gains. Dancy has been banged up in camp but is healthy coming into this week. Justin Henderson, a former JUCO back, is a big bruiser they’ll use in goal line and short yardage.
Advantage – Texas **
LOUISIANA TECH OFFENSIVE LINE vs TEXAS DEFENSIVE LINE
The interior of Louisiana Tech’s offensive line returns over 60 career starts. Center Kody Russey is the leader of the offense. He’s very vocal and has a chance to be an all-conference type of player. The two tackle spots are the biggest concerns. Willie Allen, who signed with LSU out of high school and then went JUCO, is an unknown at left tackle. He’s a huge guy at 6-6 and 343 pounds, but this will be only his second career start. Right tackle Gewhite Stallworth doesn’t move really well. Antawn Lewis, a JUCO guy out of Florida, will see some reps at right tackle as well.
Advantage – Texas **
TEXAS PASS OFFENSE vs LOUISIANA TECH PASS DEFENSE
The secondary is the strength of the Louisiana Tech team, without question. It’s a Power 5 caliber secondary with a few players who could have a chance to play at the next level. Corner Amik Robertson is undersized (5-9) but was a freshman all-American. He has nine career interceptions in two years and isn’t afraid of a challenge, but he’ll certainly be tested by Texas’ bigger receivers. L’Jarius Sneed makes the move from cornerback to safety. He has played corner the last two years and has shown a knack for making a lot of plays on the ball. Senior Michael Sam will line up at the other corner and it’ll be his first career start. He’s another former transfer and the Louisiana Tech coaches are high on him. Sam has been banged up the past couple years, but does have good size (6-1) and is physical. The other safety (Bee Jay Williamson) is a redshirt freshman making his first start. Williams beat out a three-year starter for the top spot.
Advantage – Texas *
TEXAS RUN OFFENSE vs LOUISIANA TECH RUN DEFENSE
Louisiana Tech’s run defense is a big question mark coming in. The team is switching from 4-2-5 to a 3-4 alignment so there will be an adjusting period. Outside linebacker James Jackson played safety in years past but will move to linebacker this year. He’s a bit on the smaller side at 5-11, 225. Trey Baldwin, a Missouri transfer, has got his weight down and the Louisiana Tech coaches are high on him. Willie Baker is the name to watch here at the other outside linebacker spot. He had four sacks in Louisiana Tech’s bowl game last year. Baker is a junior who was recruited by big time power schools nationally. Tech is anticipating him being the premier pass rusher off the edge for their defense, but in the run game, this unit really struggled last year.
Advantage – Texas ***
TEXAS OFFENSIVE LINE vs LOUISIANA TECH DEFENSIVE LINE
Louisiana Tech would like to rotate in about 6-8 guys along the defensive line but they have a couple who are hurt this week. The line is particularly thin at nose tackle. The team did bring in a grad transfer from UConn to help out, but he’s out this game. Defensive tackle Courtney Wallace has had a good camp, but there are questions with his conditioning and how many snaps he can play. There’s really not much depth behind him. They have redshirt freshman D.J. Jackson behind Wallace … Jackson is listed at 295 but he’s quite a bit lighter than that. The defensive ends are decent … not big-time pass rushers, but they can hold their own in the run game in Tech’s 3-4 alignment.
Advantage – Texas **
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker Bailey Hale is decent. He has gotten better but had some inconsistencies in camp and last year. He’s decent from 40 yards in, but doesn’t have a big leg at all. Louisiana Tech’s punting game has been terrible. Smoke Harris is a threat on returns who can break one if he gets in the open field.
Advantage – Texas **
