State of the Program

[FishingBack]

That hurts to see the 2002 losses to Rice and SMU mentioned again......pain. Reminds me of losing to IDAHO.

[Beaz17]

Stephen F. Austin in 2000 - my freshmen year. Need I say more. Made me think twice about my choice of university. Luckily, the next year we won the WAC, but that obviously was a fluke.

[hookdown]

Everyone should drop some reputation points on this guy!

I think CM is setting a record for green dots per post...

[cberg]

...WOW - this is one of the best sumaries I've ever read on La. Tech football. I'm making some copies of it to show some dedicated fans that have said the same thing and have quit giving money to Tech athletics two years ago do to the poor leadership and no direction for the football program. it's hard to support something when the leadership has no plan or direction, only to maintain a program. This is about as low as I've ever seen it !

[MiloBumP]

Could "CM" be DFM...Where is he?

[johnnylightnin]

Could "CM" be DFM...Where is he?

I don't think so...

But I have been wondering where the moderators/administrators have been. I'm always discouraged when their posts become rare.

[Woods Dawg]

Very well thought out and articulated post, had some very good ideas about how to move the athletic program foward. I would like to know what some of you think the odds are of any real changes being made this year.

[EJ]

But I have been wondering where the moderators/administrators have been. I'm always discouraged when their posts become rare.

How's this for a post... BUMP

[OmahaDawg]

Could "CM" be DFM...Where is he?

I can say that it is NOT Dwayne.

And yes, lack of posts means .....................

[MiloBumP]

I can say that it is NOT Dwayne.

And yes, lack of posts means .....................

apathy? dejection? I have not even seen DFM around time...Has he gone into seclusion. I think I'll drive by his house to see if the garage still has the logo.

[DocMarvin362]

apathy? dejection? I have not even seen DFM around time...Has he gone into seclusion. I think I'll drive by his house to see if the garage still has the logo.

He has a TECH logo on his garage?? Are you serious?? That's SWEET!!!

[Beaz17]

Anybody have a picture of this? Maybe I could talk my wife and homeowner's association into it.

[OmahaDawg]

apathy? dejection? I have not even seen DFM around time...Has he gone into seclusion. I think I'll drive by his house to see if the garage still has the logo.

...................................


that is a Flatline. That is why he is not around because we are Flatlining.

[ChangeMaker]

Update on Bulldog Report

In three short weeks, Louisiana Tech continues to fall further behind the rest of Division One schools. Our football team has fallen to 3-7, 1-4 in the WAC. They have been humiliated at San Jose State (44-10) and Hawaii (61-17). According to cbs.sportsline.com, Tech is ranked #97 in the country out of 119 football teams. Also on the CBS poll, Utah St. and North Texas came in ranked #103 and #114 and Nicholls State was not ranked because they are a 1-AA team who happens to be 4-5 on the year. Those three schools account for the only 3 wins that Tech has had this year. North Texas had the lowest ranked offense in the country going into the Tech game, and still scored 31 straight points in a 34-31 loss. Louisiana Tech has never lost 10 or more games in a single season but they are well on their way this year. Fresno State Coach Pat Hill has guaranteed victory over Tech, yet you will hear no such claim by Jack Bicknell. You will hear how great Nevada is this weekend and how Fresno is not near as bad as their record. Please do not listen to those that claim that Louisiana Tech can not afford to fire their Head Coach. There will be close to 10,000 fans in the stands for the next two home games. A good coach with a winning record would have at least 20,000 fans for each game. Those two games alone are costing Tech $400,000 (20,000 fans lost x $20). How can we not afford to fire Jack Bicknell?

Our football program has fallen to an all time low, and we continue to be passed by schools with less history. Western Kentucky has just announced that they will move up to Division 1-A. WKU already has an athletic budget of $14,577,734, compared to Louisiana Tech’s budget of $11,009,487. Western Kentucky’s Athletic Director has announced plans to increase his budget by $2.5 million by the time they compete in the Sun Belt in 2009. Jim Oakes has no plans to increase his budget, except to hope that Boise State finishes undefeated and competes in a BCS bowl game that would benefit all WAC schools. Jim Oakes refuses to use student fees to upgrade facilities. ULL built an indoor practice facility with their student fees, while Jim Oakes sits on his, hoping he can use them for his general budget. He did use some of the fees to finish paying for the upgrade to the lights at Joe Alliet Stadium, after a very generous booster paid for most of it. Jim Oakes also discourages donations to individual sports, asking instead that donations be made to the general fund. In the past, when money has been donated to baseball or softball, Jim Oakes has taken the same amount of money out of that coach’s budget. Fans have to work around Jim Oakes to help Tech’s coaches, paying for items themselves and either installing them themselves or paying for the installation.
Jim Oakes does not have Louisiana Tech’s best interest in mind. He gives his coaches tiny budgets which allows them to have unqualified staffs and minimal recruiting tools. Winning is not important, only the bottom line matters. Jim Oakes would rather hire an unqualified coach or staff member who does not require much money, than someone who he knows could do a good job. His last four staff hires have no experience for the jobs they perform; his Business Director is his former secretary, his Ticket Manager worked in continuing education, his Marketing Director was an intern, and his Director of Athletic Advancement was a teacher and research assistant. They might be great people and good employees, but not for the title they were given. He hired a basketball coach to coach Tennis in 2005, because he could do it part time. The football team had to promote a grad assistant to a full time assistant job in 2006, and that was not the first time. Maybe Jim Oakes does not feel one needs to be qualified for a position since he was not qualified when he was hired, or more likely, he does not want an experienced staff member because they are harder to control. In a meeting to discuss Louisiana Tech’s poor standing with the NCAA concerning academics (see attached), Jim Oakes insinuated that a coach would have to fire an assistant coach before he could afford to hire a full time tutor.
Tech athletes rank very low in academic performance among NCAA colleges and universities. The NCAA passed rules concerning academic performance of athletes. Tech's APR (Academic Performance Rate) ranks extremely low among NCAA schools. For a school that prides itself on academic greatness, this is embarrassing. Tech men's basketball, baseball, and track teams rank in the bottom 10 percent in APR in both their sport and overall. Tech football ranks in the bottom 30 percent among football teams in APR and in the bottom 10 percent overall. Tech men's golf and cross country rank in the bottom 20 percent in both their sport and overall. Major women's sports are also not highly ranked. Basketball and Soccer - bottom 10 percent in the sport; Softball and Volleyball - bottom 20 percent in the sport. Bowling is a bright spot in the top 10 percent in the sport and overall.


Louisiana Tech football and academics among athletes are not the only poor performances worth mentioning. The following are stats from all fall sports:

FOOTBALL
3-7 (1-4 WAC)
Outscored 416 to 192
Lost homecoming to Idaho
1 conference win


Total Points Margin 2006 (Through Hawaii game)

Boise State +213
Hawaii +217
Nevada +90
San Jose State +61
New Mexico -39
Fresno State -101
Idaho -165
Louisiana Tech -224
Utah State -229






VOLLEYBALL
6-25 (0-14 WAC)
19% winning percentage
swept 0-3 on 15 occasions
no conference wins

SOCCER
4-10-3 (0-6-1 WAC)
shutout 8 times
3 conference goals
no conference wins

BOWLING
3-3
Victories over Mississippi Valley St. and Prairie View A&M
Losses to Jackson St. and Texas Southern

GOLF
Chattanooga: T9 out of 17
Mobile: 9 out of 12
Memphis: T12 out of 18
Choudrant: 12 out of 18
Hattiesburg: T5 out of 12
Honolulu: 5 out of 16

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
at Rice: 4 out of 5
in Ruston: 1 out of 4
at Auburn: 3 out of 21
at Fayetteville: 21 out of 41
at Fresno: 4 out of 7
at Baylor: 14 out of 21

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
(sprinters forced to run XC)
at ULM: 3 out of 6 (including 2 forfeits from other schools)
in Ruston: 3 out of 4
at NSU: 9 out of 10
at Fresno: 9 out of 9

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
60-73 loss on home court to open season







Please do not think that Jim Oakes can continue to run things the same way over and over and expect different results. You can not continue promoting assistants to Head Coach. Conroy Hines can not be the next Head Football Coach at Louisiana Tech. He has failed at his current job, only Jim Oakes would promote someone like that. Hines became Offensive Coordinator in 2001:

Yards per game: 2001: (424.9), 2002: (417.9), 2003: (431.1), 2004: (380), 2005: (311.8) , 2006: (Through Hawaii game) (336.1)

Points per game: 2001(33.8), 2002: (26.7), 2003: (25.8), 2004: (25.7), 2005: (13.8), 2006: (Through Hawaii game) (19.2)



We must bring in new blood, not only to our football program, but to our to the Athletic Director’s office. The good-ole boy mentality does not work in the 21st century. Jim Oakes and Jack Bicknell are nice guys, but they can not repeatedly be allowed to continue their poor performance because of who their friends are. Tech desperately needs outside individuals with drive, determination, and the ability to take the Athletic program to the next level. It is past time, one more year can not be afforded. Please visit www.latechbbb.com for more fan’s opinions and www.firejimoakes.com for more information.

Please do not let the demise of the athletic program be the one blotch on Dr. Reneau’s otherwise brilliant legacy. Change must happen now, it can not wait. How bad do things have to get before persons of influence care? The next two home football games are going to be very empty because students are on break, they are both around Thanksgiving, and most of the fans are fed up. Why should they continue to throw their money at a black hole? Why should they care if the people in control do not? Do the right thing; make a difference; save Louisiana Tech Athletics.


http://www2.ncaa.org/portal/academic...per_school.pdf

http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/apr2005/366_2005_apr.pdf

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2349787

[JAY]

can we get a sticky on this thread?

Dirty-As a more "experienced" Bulldog fan of 49 years, I do have some thoughts about our current situation. Men like DON & MAXIE (CoachDawg) & DAN (CARTEK) & so many others have certainly enjoyed the successes & lamented the failures of our beloved Bulldogs for so many years. As I have said before, Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (what is was when I came in 1959) gave me a CHANCE to have a life & I will NEVER forget Coach Aillet taking a chance on a 145 lb. QB coming out of Bolton HS when no other college of junior college would. Like all others on BB&B, I have a deep, abiding love for our great school.

I DO remember the 5 int.'s that Terry threw in our last game vs. Sout. Miss in 1967 in the State Fair Stadium as we got STOMPED! That game ended a terrible season in my first year of coaching and as I rode the team bus back to Ruston (me & Pat Patterson the only ones on the bus), I wondered if I was really cut out for coaching as I was dumb as a board. I also remember the 5 int.'s Terry threw vs. SE the next year when we managed a win in Hammond. I DO remember Larry Beightol's inglorious 8 games as our HC & there have been many other low spots during all these years including the beatings we absorbed when we were transitioning from 1-AA to 1-A, finally achieving 1-A status on January 20, 1989.

We have had some golden opportunities to really advance our 1-A football program during the almost 17 years since we joined the 1-A ranks. One was right after the season ended with our participation in the Indy Bowl vs. Maryland. We FAILED to do anything to advance our program during a time when interest was at an all-time high. The door opened, we FAILED to step through. Another opportunity lost was during the golden years of Tim Rattay & Troy Edwards & Gary Crowton. Interest in our football program was so intense due to the play of Rattay & Edwards & the innovative, risk-taking, big reward offense of Gary Crowton. Again, we FAILED on every front to take advantage of people, companies, etc. that were so eager to be a part of such a wonderful, entertaining product-Tech Football. Once again, the door opened, we seemed to be content on the administrative level with where we were & what we had, and, Rattay, Edwards, & Crowton left and the DOOR CLOSED. Since that time, with just a brief interval or two of success, we have GONE BACKWARD!

That brings me to your question, Dirty. And, my answer is, in the 47 years of my involvement in & love for the Louisiana Tech Football program, I think we are now in the lowest depth of despair and those in charge just do not seem to care. I do agree that the days of my most personal involvement were different days. I played & coached on a different level. We never had to schedule these games where our chances of winning were NIL. There were no INTERNET GUYS! The level of scrutiny was far less. However, WE HAVE CHOSEN the level we are now competing on. It was US who got us to where we are now. And, in the end, its all relative. APATHY is at an all-time high among our own people regarding our football program and we have noone to blame but US. Will the door open once again to advance our program? If it does, so much must CHANGE!

Under the word CHANGE, here's what I'm talking about. If you look close at our budget for football, I seriously doubt you would see much growth in 2006 dollars compared to 1989 dollars (the year we were granted 1-A status). You would see a growth in total dollars but, allowing for 17 years of inflation, I doubt there is much, if any, REAL GROWTH. That needs to change. Where is the $2million of BCS guarantees going every year? COMMITMENT-does anyone really believe there is a REAL, GENUINE COMMITMENT to growing our D1-A football program. Other than a new turf, new lights, somewhat new fieldhouse addition, weight-room improvements, the TB memorbilia display, ALL PAID FOR by INDIVIDUALS, what has the university done to contribute to needed improvements to enhance our FB program? What COMMITMENT has been displayed to our coaches in furnishing them with all that is needed to run a D1-A program (put aside the argument of who should be doing the coaching)? My God, Damon Harrington needed supplements for his program this year---not in his budget. This is a minor line in ANY D1-A football budget. What did he have to do? Solicit the money himself to pay for the supplements! I realize this is a minor thing but this is prevalent thoroughout the football budget---if you need something, go get it yourself. What REAL COMMITMENT has our university made to our FB coaches? You tell me. IMPORTANT-does anyone really believe that our FB program is IMPORTANT to the men who make the decisions--our administrators--from the top down? If that were the case, would we have left players at home on our plane ride to Nebraska so that non-participants could go? If our program was IMPORTANT, would we continue to schedule like we do and substitute "money-games," another term for "almost sure blowout defeats," instead of getting off our butts & marketing our program, really conducting capital fund drives for our program, really selling our program to corporate sponsors, really running our business LIKE a business, in other words, IMPORTANT enough to treat like a D-1A FB program? Instead, we have about the same staff we had in 1989 doing the same things and all of us are expecting different results? That makes no sense to me.

I could go on & on but you get the point. Before anything happens on the playing field that makes us all proud of a true D1-A football program, a LEGION OF CHANGE is going to have to happen in those administering the football program we have which is as far from being a D1-A football program as it can be, at this point in time.