CNNSI.com - 2000 College Football Preview - CNNSI.com's Louisiana Tech preview

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Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

Replacing Rattay the main focus

College Football: The New Century

'99: 3-8

Coach

Jack Bicknell III (second season, 8-3)

Key offensive players

Delwyn Daigre, WR, Jr.
Led Bulldogs with 1,084 receiving yards in 1999 and finished No. 15 in the nation with 98.55 receiving yards per game.

John Simon, RB/WR, Jr.
Finished No. 12 in the nation with 7.18 receptions per game.

Brian Stallworth, QB, Jr.
Must replace record-setter Tim Rattay; threw winning touchdown last year against Alabama.

Key defensive players

Quincy Stewart, LB, Sr.
Top returning tackler had 112 recorded hits in 1999.

Ivan Maisel's Player of the Century: Terry Bradshaw, QB, 1967-69
"Put the school on the map with his arm."

Brightest Moment: Tech¹s 29-28 victory over eventual Southeastern Conference champion Alabama in 1999 in Birmingham. It marked the school¹s first win since joining the Division I ranks in 1989 over a nationally ranked opponent. The victory helped propel Tech into The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in school history.

Lowest Moment: A 75-3 loss to Houston in 1991 at the Astrodome in the season opener. Tech took a 3-0 lead, but Houston's David Klinger threw six touchdown passes in the second quarter. Still, Tech finished the season with an 8-1-2 record.

Michael John Lenard, DB, So.
Had a career-high eight tackles in a game four times last season.

Key newcomer

Luke McCown QB, Fr.
The graduate of Jacksonville (Texas) High School set a school record with five touchdown passes in one game. He had a school-record 366 yards passing in another game.

Throwback player

As a freshman, Michael John Lenard started all 11 games and week after week recorded some of the hardest hits in college football. He loves to hit and reminds some of Steve Atwood.

21st century player

Quarterback Brian Stallworth, who will be Tech¹s starter this season, will run Tech's five-receiver, pro-style offense. He is a Michael Vick-type of player with a great arm and athleticism.

Fast Fact

Tech must replace the bulk of an offensive line that allowed only 23 sacks in over 600 pass attempts in 1999.

Outlook

Under the guidance of Bicknell and new defensive coordinator Tom Masella in 1999, the Bulldogs' defense improved dramatically. The Bulldogs, who had been criticized for giving up big plays in past years, gave up only one pass play of 50 yards or longer the entire season and only one run of 30 yards or longer. The 2000 defense may be undersized, but has good potential. In the spring game, the defense forced eight turnovers and registered five sacks. Still, it will be difficult for the Bulldogs to win eight games this season, but there is no doubt Bicknell has the program on the right track in preparation for the move to the WAC in 2001.

--Stan Crawley