INSIDE SLANT
Louisiana Tech, within two points of unbeaten, nationally ranked Boise State midway through the fourth quarter Friday night in Ruston, La., put a scare into the BCS-hopeful Broncos. They also put a bit of a scare into the rest of the Western Athletic Conference.
Should Boise State earn a berth into a BCS game, Louisiana Tech's cut of the league's revenue sharing from bowl games would be roughly $500,000.
Still, that payout seemed to be a small price to pay for what would have been a huge momentum swing for a program reeling from a frustrating season.
"I told the team we don't have moral victories," coach Derek Dooley told the Monroe News-Star. "We never will. You're expected to go out there and fight for four quarters, so yeah, I'm proud of them, but I'd really be disappointed if we didn't."
With three games remaining, Louisiana Tech would have to win out to become bowl eligible for the second consecutive season. Considering the remaining schedule includes games at LSU and at Fresno State, it may be time for the team to start being more accepting of moral victories.
NOTES, QUOTES--Through its first seven games, Louisiana Tech was allowing just 171.1 passing yards per game. In its past two games, losses at Idaho and vs. Boise State, the team has allowed an average of 340.5 passing yards (327 at Idaho, 354 vs. Boise State).
--The 23,240 fans who watched last week's loss to Boise State was the largest crowd at Joe Aillet Stadium this season and the largest crowd since last year's home opener, a win over Mississippi State. Louisiana Tech is averaging 21,169 fans per game this season.
--The 10-point loss was the closest Louisiana Tech has come to Boise State since losing 43-37 in 2003. Boise State has scored at least 30 points in the past nine games against Louisiana Tech.
GAME BALL GOES TO: RB Daniel Porter -- After suffering a mild concussion on Oct. 31 at Idaho, the senior not only played, he rushed for 92 yards and moved into third place all-time on the school's career rushing list with 2,952 yards. His first-quarter touchdown run was the 25th of his career, seventh all-time at the school.
KEEP AN EYE ON: CB Josh Victorian -- While the Louisiana Tech secondary was being torched, at least Victorian had a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown. It was the junior's second interception in as many weeks after having gone without a pick in the first 16 games he played for the Bulldogs.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "The season is not going how we want, but we have to learn from it. The close losses hurt a lot more than the blowouts because you put so much into it, and to not have it go your way, it hurts." -- Louisiana Tech QB Ross Jenkins.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNELLOOKING GOOD: The stat sheet may not show a dominating performance against the run for Louisiana Tech, but holding the Broncos to nearly 30 yards below their season rushing average was a big factor in the near-upset. Louisiana Tech also forced the Broncos to settle for three field goals (and one missed field goal) in the red zone and got the attention of Boise State coach Chris Petersen.
"I really don't think we ran the ball well enough down there tonight, and it hurt us," Petersen said. "We're going to make that an emphasis next week, and without a doubt we have got to get better there."
RB Daniel Porter, coming off a mild concussion suffered Oct. 31 at Idaho, ran the ball well against Boise State with 24 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown. Porter also moved into third place all-time on the school's career rushing list.
STILL NEEDS WORK: Kick and punt coverage, or lack there of, are ensuring the Bulldogs won't often win the field-position battle. Against Boise State, the unbeaten Broncos had a short field pretty much the entire game with an average starting field position of the Louisiana Tech 47-yard line.
Much of that field position battle was the result of Louisiana Tech opting to try short squib kickoffs rather than going deep to Boise State return men Titus Young and Kyle Wilson, who as a punt returner had four returns for 83 yards, including a 59-yarder.
P Cade Glasgow averaged just 34.6 yards per punt on seven attempts.
The Louisiana Tech secondary, hurting from the early-game loss of FS Antonio Baker to a broken tibia, was torched by Boise State QB Kellen Moore for 354 yards and three touchdowns.
ROSTER REPORT:
--FS Antonio Baker fractured a tibia on the first defensive series of the game against Boise State.
--Five different Louisiana Tech wide receivers have missed time this year either due to leaving the team -- Adrian Linwood and Houston Tuminello -- or due to injury.
--RB Daniel Porter and WR/return specialist Phillip Livas both played against Boise State. Each player left the team's Oct. 31 game at Idaho with injuries.
Previous Report: 11/03/2009
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