Lord knows we need one.Originally Posted by RougeDawg
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Lord knows we need one.
Was JBIII's last season's team better than this team?
Yes. And he had a tougher schedule.
After a successful 2005 season that ended with a 7-4 overall record and a two-year contract extension for head coach Jack Bicknell, Louisiana Tech reloaded its roster by inking 23 fresh faces into the football program today.
Tech finished its recruiting class by signing a total of 28 players, 21 high school and seven junior college athletes. And Bicknell was not only pleased with the quality of his class, but he was also happy to finally have the grueling process over with.
“The whole recruiting process is always a stressful deal,” Bicknell said. “You start getting paranoid, but the beautiful thing is we got all of them in.”
In off-season recruiting, Tech looked to fill holes in the defense left largely at linebacker and secondary. The Bulldogs lost senior linebackers Byron Santiago, Barry Robertson and Jeremy Hamilton and senior secondary members Bo Cox, Alton Bryant, Delone Williams, Robert Burrell and Tramon Williams.
Then, on the defensive line, Tech lost seniors Moqut Ruffins, Wendell Crowe, Ladarius Love, Quarvey Winbush and Eddie White.
The offense lost a lesser number but key position players such as senior quaterbacks Matt Kubik and Donald Allen, tight ends Anthony James and Shelton Richardson and wide receiver Freddie King. Seniors Aaron Lips and Marcus Stewart departed the offensive line.
However, Bicknell said Tech’s incoming class will provide plenty of fresh firepower, and some of the players may have an immediate impact.
“I expect William Griffin to come in and play pretty early, and the majority of the junior college kids could play,” Bicknell said. “With some of the others you just don’t know until they get here. Some of them could be like Anthony Harrison or Chad Beverage did last year and benefit us immediately.”
While Griffin, the 5-11, 200-pound running back from Patterson High School, may be widely considered the gem of the class, Bicknell said other players may be close behind on respective talent – just with lesser high school publicity.
“Griffin and Danna were both heavily recruited, but to me there are others guys who could be great players also – like Terrance Freeman,” Bicknell said. “We have some guys that may not have been recruited as heavily because of the location of their high school or whatever, but these players are just as good.
“And some of them have already gotten bigger and better since we recruited them. Guys like Clayton Chambers could be like Aaron Lips, and I feel like Greg Greathouse hasn’t even tapped into his potential. We also have several kids that can help us down the road.”
To fill the gapes on both sides of the ball, Tech signed 16 defensive players and 11 offensive players, and the following is a list of those signees:
After a successful 2005 season that ended with a 7-4 overall record and a two-year contract extension for head coach Jack Bicknell, Louisiana Tech reloaded its roster by inking 23 fresh faces into the football program today.
Tech finished its recruiting class by signing a total of 28 players, 21 high school and seven junior college athletes. And Bicknell was not only pleased with the quality of his class, but he was also happy to finally have the grueling process over with.
“The whole recruiting process is always a stressful deal,” Bicknell said. “You start getting paranoid, but the beautiful thing is we got all of them in.”
In off-season recruiting, Tech looked to fill holes in the defense left largely at linebacker and secondary. The Bulldogs lost senior linebackers Byron Santiago, Barry Robertson and Jeremy Hamilton and senior secondary members Bo Cox, Alton Bryant, Delone Williams, Robert Burrell and Tramon Williams.
Then, on the defensive line, Tech lost seniors Moqut Ruffins, Wendell Crowe, Ladarius Love, Quarvey Winbush and Eddie White.
The offense lost a lesser number but key position players such as senior quaterbacks Matt Kubik and Donald Allen, tight ends Anthony James and Shelton Richardson and wide receiver Freddie King. Seniors Aaron Lips and Marcus Stewart departed the offensive line.
However, Bicknell said Tech’s incoming class will provide plenty of fresh firepower, and some of the players may have an immediate impact.
“I expect William Griffin to come in and play pretty early, and the majority of the junior college kids could play,” Bicknell said. “With some of the others you just don’t know until they get here. Some of them could be like Anthony Harrison or Chad Beverage did last year and benefit us immediately.”
While Griffin, the 5-11, 200-pound running back from Patterson High School, may be widely considered the gem of the class, Bicknell said other players may be close behind on respective talent – just with lesser high school publicity.
“Griffin and Danna were both heavily recruited, but to me there are others guys who could be great players also – like Terrance Freeman,” Bicknell said. “We have some guys that may not have been recruited as heavily because of the location of their high school or whatever, but these players are just as good.
“And some of them have already gotten bigger and better since we recruited them. Guys like Clayton Chambers could be like Aaron Lips, and I feel like Greg Greathouse hasn’t even tapped into his potential. We also have several kids that can help us down the road.”
To fill the gapes on both sides of the ball, Tech signed 16 defensive players and 11 offensive players, and the following is a list of those signees:
Hmmmm...
Griffin
Danna
Freeman
Chambers
Greathouse
Of these listed, how many made much of an impact? Frankly, I do not remember any of them except for Danna (who did not quite live up to his advance billing).
Our fake punt on 4th and long against Rice is one such example. I can honestly say that Holtz tricked me on that one, because if my memory serves, we were lined up to punt from about our own 38-yd line (or so). But your point is well taken.
In Bicknell's last year, They played Nebraska, Texas A&M, Clemson and Boise. They didn't fare well against the WAC schedule and only won games against Nichols State, Utah State and power house north texas. Looking at the roster I don't think they were better athletes but anyone who followed the dawgs could look at that 2006 roster and grab several player to bring back.
Zac Champion
Jonathon Holland
Eric Newman
Josh Wheeler
D'Anthony Smith
QUIN HARRIS or his motor
Antonio Baker
Weldon Brown
Also, he went 7-4 in 05 and we all thought they would have a successful 06. It didn't happen and he was shit canned. So If we expected a winning season and didn't get it, than the same result is fine with me.
I was on that team; I will give you the reason why that season was such a shit storm.
After a very good and fun 05 season, many coaches decided to leave. I am talking about coaches that had much more influence on the team than Bicknell and anyone from 05 and 06 team will tell you this.
Randy Bates = Gone after the 05 season
Greg Milo= Gone after the 05 season
Bill Clay = Gone after the 05 season
Yancy Mcknight = Left for Rice after the 05 Season.
I think there are a few others but can't recall there names.
These coaches had a huge impact.
Yancey came to tech if I recall in after the 03 season, as you can see our record improved to 6-6 and 7-4. This guy had such a huge influence on the team. Myself included.
So when I see T1 and others blame the players and there lack of talent or experience and fail to point at the coaching staff then I know they are out of touch with what really goes on in that program.
GOOD COACHES MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, no matter who plays on there team. Good coaches are good at developing players into good or even great players. I will say it again, Holtz does not have it, he is not the answer.
So y'all were pretty good in '05, despite the head coach because he had some good assistants who inspired y'all? ALL these guys on Holtz's staff suck ... in your opinion, T?
Anyone thinking that Skip is really padding his early retirement. With buy outs from USF and Tech he could be sitting pretty and playing lots of golf with his dad.
We still haven't heard a vote of confidence from Guice or McClelland so there is still hope that Holtz gets fired!
Originally Posted by champion110
I am less angry this morning and ready to get back up on the horse. That girl was a freak last night.
Originally Posted by champion110
In fact, I finally had to tell her to stop over the last weekend, because I was worn out and needed a break.
Actually, I think they only get fired after they receive the dreaded VOC.
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