Summer Snapshot: La Tech's D may have rough day against Raiders

Louisiana Tech football has been rolling along for the last half decade with first Sonny Dykes at the helm and now Skip Holtz entering his fourth season as the head coach. The Bulldogs have won at least eight games in four of the last five seasons, winning at least nine in three of the last four.

It's a good time to be a Bulldog football fan, as the team has been extremely steady as a good program. Last season was no exception, as they finished the year at 9-4 going 6-2 in Conference USA, losing only to Southern Miss and eventual C-USA champion Western Kentucky. The Bulldogs finished things off with a 47-28 win over Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl, capping the season with a solid win.

While they only return a handful of starters offensively, La. Tech does have a number of experienced veterans stepping into starting roles. That isn't the case on defense. That unit will be breaking in an eye-popping number of new starters, as they'll have to replace eight of their nine top tacklers, who were all seniors.

So, let's take a closer look.

Will Higgins finally start again at quarterback?

The Bulldogs have had two seniors transfer in and start at quarterback over the last two seasons: Cody Sokol, an Iowa transfer, in 2014, and Jeff Driskel, a Florida transfer, in 2015. Both helped lead the team to nine wins, but what many might not know is that Ryan Higgins was the favorite to win the starting job going into both years.

He started as a redshirt freshman in 2013, where he threw for 1,700 yards with 6 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, but he lost the race to get the starting nod the last two seasons. So, heading into 2016 as a redshirt senior, he's the favorite to win the job again.

Will he succumb to a youngster like redshirt sophomore Price Wilson, or will he finally push through and finish off his career under center for the Bulldogs?

Strong offensive line to lead the way

The strength of the La. Tech team appears to be fairly obvious: the offensive line. Senior left tackle Darrell Brown and left guard O'Shea Dugas likely make up the best left side of an O-line in Conference USA. The Bulldogs have some experience on the right side as well. It'll be a solid early test for a reasonably young Red Raider front seven.

Replacing Kenneth Dixon

So, what do you do when the all-time leading rusher and second all-time NCAA touchdown leader leaves for the NFL? Well, that's the question for the Bulldogs as fantastic tailback Kenneth Dixon is gone.

Holtz's team will have to fill a black-hole sized vacuum of offensive production he leaves behind, and a slew of young tailbacks will try to do so. Is this a passing team? Is it a running team? That's yet to be seen.

Breaking in a green, green defense

Again, Louisiana Tech might lose the most experience and number of tackles in all of college football, as they'll have to replace eight of their nine top leading tacklers, all of whom were seniors. There are a number of players on the defensive line and at linebacker that certainly earned experience a year ago, but finding starters across the entire unit from a year ago is slim, slim pickins.

Will this group gel early or go through some growing pains early on in the season against some talented offenses, including that of Texas Tech?

OFFENSE

Senior LT Darrell Brown - Brown, who may be a bit smaller than a Power Five left tackle at 6-foot-4, 305 pounds, has been consistent for La. Tech, starting every game last season and earning second-team all-conference honors to end the season. He'll be a nice early test for the Red Raider pass rushers such as Gary Moore and Kolin Hill.

Sophomore LG O'Shea Dugas - One of the most promising young offensive linemen outside of the Power Five, Duggs was named a Freshman All-American by several different outlets and was a member of the C-USA All-Freshman team. Again, he will be a nice test for Texas Tech's interior defensive linemen to end the non-con schedule.

Senior WR Trent Taylor - Taylor was one of the biggest breakout pass catchers in college football last season, finishing the season with 99 catches for 1,282 yards and six touchdowns. He earned first-team All-Conference USA honors as a result. Taylor is a shifty, talented slot receiver that could potentially give the Red Raider linebackers and secondary some trouble.

DEFENSE

Sophomore DE Jaylon Ferguson - Ferguson, while not a starter a year ago, was a key situational pass rusher for the Bulldogs a season ago, registering six sacks which tied the team lead. In fact, his efforts earned him Freshman All-American honors from the FWAA an Sporting News. His evolution into a starter will be a big key for the La. Tech defense this fall.

Senior S Xavier Woods - Woods is the veteran of this defensive unit, coming in as a third-year starter and a two-time first team All-Conference USA selection. He finished last season with three interceptions, two forced fumbles and 37 tackles. He'll be counted on as the big voice and anchor of the secondary this fall.

This is a Louisiana Tech that we honestly won't know a whole lot about until they get a few games under their belt. The Bulldogs have the unenviable job of replacing almost all of their defensive starts and production from a year ago, and they have to find a new leader on offense now that all-time program great Kenneth Dixon is off to the NFL.

They do return some nice players at receiver, and I think it's an offensive line you expect to at least be solid. Defensively it's a big mystery, though. You never know what you'll end up getting out of what's essentially an entirely new unit, especially early on in the year.

Patrick Mahomes and this Red Raider offense should be able to shred this young defense, especially through the air with a passing game that will flat out outclass an overall inexperienced secondary.

As far as the Texas Tech defense, you certainly wonder how effective that the Bulldogs will be through the air with a guy like Trent Taylor across the field at receiver. He'll be a challenge, but I think this Texas Tech front seven should be able to get a pass rush while David Gibbs will likely be able to bait quarterback Ryan Higgins into some rough throws.

So, on paper, the Red Raiders should be able to get an early lead and hold onto it in this one.