Louisiana Tech at Nevada Betting Preview

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Louisiana Tech at Nevada Betting Preview

Nevada opens WAC play hosting Louisiana Tech in a televised tilt. The Wolf Pack (1-3, 1-3 ATS) were in desperate need of a win after starting 0-3 and in came in-state rival UNLV to Reno. Nevada?s offense had been struggling but finally showed their power routing the Rebels 63-28 as 6.5-point favorites.

How complete was the Wolf Pack victory? Consider for a moment, they had four turnovers, were penalized 15 (that?s correct) times and still managed to score 63 incredible points. That?s what happens when you total 763 yards of offense, of which 559 were on the ground, (not kidding) for an AVERAGE of a smidge over 10 yards per carry. UNLV was completely maladroit in trying to stop Nevada.

Louisiana Tech (2-2, 1-2 ATS) hadn?t exactly been sterling themselves, before playing Hawaii at home last week. The Bulldogs returned nine starters from offense that churned out 187 yards on the ground last season and thus far had looked anemic by comparison. With the help of a raucous home crowd and national cable audience, Louisiana Tech ran for 352 yards and completely controlled the Warriors in convincing 27-6 thumping as 4.5-point favorites.

Sportsbook.com has Nevada as 10.5-point home favorites (up from opening 6.5), with total of 58 and they are 21-9 ATS as a home chalk. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick looked like the double threat he had been during his career last week and will seek to expand his game once again. Nevada is the more dynamic team in this matchup, however if they keep turning the ball over (14 times this season), they bring Louisiana Tech back into the game. The Wolf Pack are 17-10 ATS as WAC favorites the last five years.

The Bulldogs are making second straight appearance on the ESPN family of networks after Hawaii conflict and are 12-30 ATS in road games in the first half of the season. Louisiana Tech?s best chance is to create pressure on Kaepernick and raise those doubts he has felt this season. Defensive tackle D?Anthony Smith, an all-WAC candidate known his run-stopping ability, will have to be difference-maker to slow Nevada running game. The Bulldogs are 6-11 ATS as a road underdog of 7.5 to 14 points.

Louisiana Tech has fallen four straight times to Nevada (1-3 ATS) and will try and turn the tables on ESPN starting at 9 Eastern. The home team is 4-1 SU and ATS, with these teams averaging 72 point per game when convening, for 6-2 OVER mark.

 

[Lumi]

Louisiana Tech at Nevada

Louisiana Tech at Nevada

Louisiana Tech at Nevada
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Nevada Wolf Pack (-10.5, 58)

Momentum shift

Nevada started the season 0-3 with losses against Notre Dame, Colorado State and Missouri. The Wolf Pack were outscored 101-41 and 2008 WAC Offensive player of the year QB Colin Kaepernick got off to a very slow start. Kaepernick had just two passing touchdowns and four picks while running for just 122 total yards (22 passing TD, 17 TD in 2008).

They looked like a team that hadn?t improved on a promising 2008 season. But that all changed against UNLV last week.

Nevada broke loose in a big way. The Wolf Pack scored 63 points and accumulated 773 total yards. They finally got their running attack going, rushing for 553 yards and 7 touchdowns. Kaepernick was 15-for-18 passing for 208 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 173 yards.

Road woes

Louisiana Tech started off the season 0-2 after two tough road games at Auburn and at Navy. It was outscored 27-69 and gave up 591 total rushing yards in those two games. Quarterback Ross Jenkins was just 36-for-62 for 305 yards with one TD and two picks and they rushed for just 107 total yards.

The Bulldogs returned home for their next two games and looked like a completely different team. They defeated FCS Nicholls State and Hawaii by a combined score of 75-19. They gained 1007 total yards ? rushing for 537 yards ? and Jenkins was much more efficient, completing 34-for-52 passes for 454 yards with two touchdowns and no picks.

Ground game

Nevada ranks fourth in the nation in rushing yards, averaging 274 per game. Luke Lippincott (336 rush yards, 1 TD), Colin Kaepernick (295, 1), Vai Taua (208, 2), and Mike Ball (184, 5) are all capable of putting up big numbers on the ground.

Auburn and Navy were able to bottle up La Tech?s rushing attack, but they are still averaging 161 YPG. First-team All-WAC RB Daniel Porter has rushed for 294 yards and four scores this season.

In the 2008 matchup between these two, La Tech ran for 185 yards and allowed just 103 yards rushing on 2.5 YPC to the Wolf Pack. La Tech had a comfortable 31-14 late in the 3rd quarter but that changed quickly. The Dogs eventually fell behind when they allowed a big 22-yard TD run with 3:15 left in the fourth quarter that allowed Nevada to complete the comeback and win 35-31.

The team that establishes a running attack will have a good shot at getting the ATS cover.

Trends

Nevada has won four straight vs. La Tech and is 3-1 ATS at home vs. the Bulldogs. Nevada is 22-9 ATS in its last 31 home games and 20-7 ATS in its last 27 games as a home favorite. La Tech is just 14-37-1 ATS in its last 52 road games and 16-36-1 ATS in its last 53 games as a road underdog. The over/under is 6-2 in the last eight meetings between the Bulldogs and Wolf Pack.

Line movements

The line opened with Nevada as a 7.5-point favorite. That line increased daily and now sits at 10.5. The total opened at 58.5 and slid slightly to 57.5 and now sits right in the middle at 58.

Weather

The forecast is calling for clear skies with game time temperature around 70 degrees. Light winds with temps dropping to around 60 degrees by the time this one wraps up.

Larry: Excuse me, but what the hell's going on out here?
Crash Davis: Well, Nuke's scared because his eyelids are jammed and his old man's here. We need a live... is it a live rooster?
[Jose nods]
Crash Davis: . We need a live rooster to take the curse off Jose's glove and nobody seems to know what to get Millie or Jimmy for their wedding present.
[to the players]
Crash Davis: Is that about right?
[the players nod]
Crash Davis: We're dealing with a lot of shit.
Larry: Okay, well, uh... candlesticks always make a nice gift, and uh, maybe you could find out where she's registered and maybe a place-setting or maybe a silverware pattern. Okay, let's get two! Go get 'em.

 

[Lumi]

Nevada Wolf Pack (1-0) (1-0 H) vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (0-0) (0-0 A)

Nevada Wolf Pack (1-0) (1-0 H) vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (0-0) (0-0 A)

Nevada Wolf Pack (1-0) (1-0 H) vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (0-0) (0-0 A)

Game Time: 9:00 p.m. EDT Friday, October 9

Stadium: Mackay Stadium Surface: Grass




RECORD ANALYSIS
STRAIGHT-UP VS. SPREAD OVER/UNDER
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL

Year-to-Date 2 - 0 0 - 2 2 - 2 1 - 0 0 - 2 1 - 2 0 - 1 0 - 0 0 - 1
Last 5 games 2 - 0 0 - 2 2 - 2 1 - 0 0 - 2 1 - 2 0 - 1 0 - 0 0 - 1
YTD vs. Conf. 1 - 0 0 - 0 1 - 0 1 - 0 0 - 0 1 - 0 0 - 1 0 - 0 0 - 1
STRAIGHT-UP VS. SPREAD OVER/UNDER
Nevada Wolf Pack HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL HOME AWAY TOTAL
Year-to-Date 1 - 1 0 - 2 1 - 3 1 - 1 0 - 2 1 - 3 1 - 1 0 - 2 1 - 3
Last 5 games 1 - 1 0 - 2 1 - 3 1 - 1 0 - 2 1 - 3 1 - 1 0 - 2 1 - 3
YTD vs. Conf. 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 - 0
AWAY VS. SPREAD HOME VS. SPREAD
Year-to-Date FAV DOG GRASS TURF FAV DOG GRASS TURF
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 0 - 0 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 0 1 - 0 0 - 0 1 - 0 0 - 0
Nevada Wolf Pack 0 - 1 0 - 1 0 - 2 0 - 0 1 - 0 0 - 1 1 - 1 0 - 0



TEAM LOGS/SCHEDULE:
( * = overtime)

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
LINE OVER/UNDER
DATE DAY OPP SCORE SU OPEN CLOSE ATS &
MARGIN OPEN CLOSE O/U &
MARGIN G/T
09/05/09 Sat @AUB 13 - 37 L +14 +12.5 L -11.5 0 0 O +-50.0 G
09/12/09 Sat @NAVY 14 - 32 L +8 +7.5 L -10.5 0 0 O +-46.0 G
09/19/09 Sat NICHOL 48 - 13 W 0 0 W 35 0 0 O +-61.0 G
09/30/09 Wed HI 27 - 6 W -2.5 -6 W 15 55 57.5 U -24.5 G


Nevada Wolf Pack
LINE OVER/UNDER
DATE DAY OPP SCORE SU OPEN CLOSE ATS &
MARGIN OPEN CLOSE O/U &
MARGIN G/T
09/05/09 Sat @ND 0 - 35 L +17 +15 L -20 58.5 61 U -26.0 G
09/19/09 Sat @COST 20 - 35 L -3 -4 L -19 57.5 57.5 U -2.5 G
09/25/09 Fri MO 21 - 31 L +7.5 +7.5 L -2.5 59 61.5 U -9.5 G
10/03/09 Sat UNLV 63 - 28 W -2 -7 W 28 58 58.5 O +-32.5 G



PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

LINE OVER/UNDER
DATE DAY VIS SC HOM SC OPEN CLOSE ATS &
MARGIN OPEN CLOSE O/U &
MARGIN G/T
10/15/05 Sat LATECH 27 NV 37 -1.0 -3.0 NV +7 58.0 56.0 O +-8 G
11/18/06 Sat NV 42 LATECH 0 +21.5 +17 LATECH --25 NL NL O +-42 G
12/01/07 Sat LATECH 10 NV 49 -8.5 -7.0 NV +32 NL NL O +-59 G
11/29/08 Sat NV 35 LATECH 31 +4 +4.5 LATECH +0.5 NL NL O +-66 G




STATISTICAL AVERAGES:


AWAY/HOME RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
LATECH (off) 13.5 15 27 54 2.0 31 18 0.6 153 4.9 207 1.0 0.5
NV (def) 29.5 24 31 74 2.4 45 26 0.6 345 7.7 419 0.0 1.0
RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
LATECH (def) 34.5 25 61 296 4.9 18 11 0.6 179 9.9 475 0.0 1.0
NV (off) 42.0 28 50 389 7.8 24 17 0.7 180 7.5 569 0.0 3.0
ALL GAMES RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
LATECH (off) 25.5 20 38 161 4.2 29 18 0.6 194 6.7 355 0.5 0.5
NV (def) 32.3 22 36 126 3.5 33 20 0.6 303 9.2 429 0.0 0.5
RUSHING PASSING TOT TURNOVERS
PTS FD AT YDS AVG AT CO PCT YDS AVG YDS INT FUM
LATECH (def) 22.0 21 44 186 4.2 26 14 0.5 194 7.5 380 1.3 1.0
NV (off) 26.0 23 40 275 6.9 28 18 0.6 191 6.8 466 1.0 2.5



SCORING AVERAGES:

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (away) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 10.5 1.5 12 1.5 0.0 0.0 1.5
POINTS ALLOWED 6.5 9.0 15.5 5.0 14.0 0.0 19



Nevada Wolf Pack (home) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 10.5 3.5 14 10.0 18.0 0.0 28
POINTS ALLOWED 3.0 13.5 16.5 8.0 5.0 0.0 13



Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (all) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 7.8 4.0 11.8 9.5 4.3 0.0 13.8
POINTS ALLOWED 4.8 5.3 10.1 2.5 9.5 0.0 12



Nevada Wolf Pack (all) Q1 Q2 H1 Q3 Q4 OT H2+OT
POINTS FOR 5.3 1.8 7.1 6.5 12.5 0.0 19
POINTS ALLOWED 6.8 12.0 18.8 7.5 6.0 0.0 13.5



VALUE INDEX COMPARISON TO LAS VEGAS LINE:

LV POINTSPREAD VALUE INDEX VALUE INDEX
OPEN CURRENT RATING LINE EDGE
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 41.5
Nevada Wolf Pack 45.5 -8.0 1.0
LV OVER/UNDER VALUE INDEX VALUE INDEX
OPEN CURRENT RATING EDGE
OVER/UNDER 53 UNKNOWN

 

[Lumi]

NCAA FOOTBALL WEATHER
Matchup Conditions Game Time Temp Heat Index
LOUISIANA TECH
NEVADA
Fri 9:00 p.m. ET CLEAR. NORTH WIND 5-10 71 N/A%
Humid

 

[Lumi]

Wolf Pack Football: Nevada gets better Bulldogs team in league opener

Wolf Pack Football: Nevada gets better Bulldogs team in league opener

Wolf Pack Football: Nevada gets better Bulldogs team in league opener



What might seem like logical progression sometimes just doesn't add up. At least that's the case in this football equation, said Louisiana Tech coach Derek Dooley.

One, the Bulldogs contained Nevada's explosive run game last season, but gave up a career-high 397 passing yards and four touchdowns to Colin Kaepernick as the Wolf Pack rallied from a 31-14 deficit to win, 35-31, in Ruston, La.

Two, Louisiana Tech completely shut down the Western Athletic Conference's best passing attack in a 27-6 victory over Hawaii on Sept. 30. The Warriors, who were behind almost the entire game, threw the ball 45 times for 308 yards, but never found the end zone, got sacked seven times and had two passes intercepted.

It might stand to reason, then, that the Bulldogs are in a better position to keep Kaepernick from beating them with his arm when the teams meet tonight at Mackay Stadium.

That's where the logic falls apart, Dooley said. In essence, Louisiana Tech was better-suited for success against Hawaii's passing attack because the Warriors are such a one-dimensional team (just nine designed rushing attempts against Louisiana Tech).

"It's very different," Dooley said. "We were fortunate against Hawaii. The defensive line could just pin their ears back and come. Nevada's totally different. If you don't stop the run, you can totally forget about tracking the quarterback. And he's a phenomenal football player. You have to slow the run game down and contain the quarterback."

Senior D'Anthony Smith, perhaps the best defensive tackle in the WAC, concurred.

"Nevada's a totally different team than Hawaii," he said. "You know (Hawaii is) going to come out and pass. With (Nevada's) Pistol formation, they can run and pass. It gives us a little confidence, but we know what we're up against on Friday."

The Bulldogs (2-2, 1-0) could use some confidence when it comes to the Wolf Pack (1-3, 0-0). Nevada has won four straight in the series, and the last two were particularly disheartening. In 2007, Nevada's 49-10 win in Reno kept Louisiana Tech out of a bowl game.

The Bulldogs, though, have steadily improved since Ross Jenkins took over at quarterback midway through last season. Louisiana Tech is 8-4 since then, and while Jenkins has been the piece that put them over the top, it's a strong rushing game and talented defense that form the Bulldogs' foundation.

Daniel Porter is the latest in a strong line of running backs, following on the heels of Ryan Moats and Patrick Jackson. Porter, a senior, had 1,164 yards rushing last season and averaged 5.2 yards per carry. He got off to a slow start this season, but had 25 carries for 160 yards and two touchdowns in the Hawaii win.

Porter had apologized to Dooley prior to the Hawaii game for not being at his best.

"I was really proud of Daniel, and I told the team that," Dooley said. "And not just because of the numbers he had, but for a young man to come to the coach and say, 'You know what? I hadn't been performing the way I can perform the first three games,' and not to blame the offensive line, not blame the coaches, not blame anything else, but to look in the mirror and say, 'What do I need to do differently?' He had a great mental approach all week, and he was determined to do his part. And I was really proud of him. You become proud of the man, not the player, because if he takes on issues in life like this he's going to be fine."

Much like Nevada, Tech prefers a power running game.

"We've got to attack the ball," Nevada defensive end Dontay Moch, the national leader in tackles for loss (2.75 per game), said. "We've got to stuff every hole so they can't run and have to resort to the pass, and then stuff that."

The Bulldogs' weakness on offense last season, wide receiver play, still is not a strength. Of the nine touchdown passes they had in 2008, only three went to wide receivers. So far this season, only one of the three touchdown passes has gone to a receiver, and that was Houston Tuminello, who quit the team last week. Tight end Dennis Morris has the other two. Running backs account for 18 of the team's 71 receptions.

Tech, though, does have a major weapon at receiver, 5-foot-8 Phillip Livas. He was a first-team All-WAC return specialist last season, and teams have worked hard to not punt the ball in his direction -- he has just two punt returns, one of which went for an 85-yard touchdown.

On offense, the Bulldogs find ways to get him the ball. Along with his 12 receptions, he has eight carries for a 9.2-yard average.

"He puts the 'E' in 'explosive,'" Nevada defensive coordinator Nigel Burton said.

The Bulldogs returned all five starters on the offensive line, but Dooley said the unit needs to be a little better at pass protection. Tech has allowed nine sacks.

The Bulldogs lost two good linebackers -- Quin Harris and Brannon Jackson -- and both cornerbacks -- Weldon Brown and Stevon Howze -- from a year ago, but they have some NFL talent on defense, most notably Smith and safety Antonio Baker. Cornerback Deon Young already has three interceptions.

Tech utilized the same "spy" technique that Boise State used last year in slowing down Nevada's read-option offense.

"We're assuming we'll see a similar defense that they showed us last year, the same defense Boise used last year, trying to stop our run game, our option game," said Kaepernick, who is coming off his best game of the season, a 63-28 win over UNLV. "When that happens, we've got to be able to throw the ball, and last year we were able to.

"They're well coached, very disciplined and they play hard. They're aggressive with everything they do. But I think we're a pretty good offense, too, so I think it will be a pretty good battle."

Additional Facts
Wolf Pack Football
Who: Louisiana Tech (2-2, 1-0) vs. Nevada (1-3, 0-0)
When: Today, 6 p.m.
Where: Mackay Stadium (FieldTurf; capacity, 29,993)
EXPECTED CROWD: 17,000 tickets distributed, according to Nevada officials
TV: ESPN/AM 630, 5 p.m.
Betting line: Nevada is favored by 101/2 (line opened at Nevada, minus 7); total is 58
TICKETS: $21-29 (children, seniors, $11-$29); 348-PACK or nevadawolfpack.com

 

[Lumi]

Wolf Pack Football: Jenkins leads more dynamic Bulldogs offense

Wolf Pack Football: Jenkins leads more dynamic Bulldogs offense

Wolf Pack Football: Jenkins leads more dynamic Bulldogs offense



Two years ago, Ross Jenkins stood on the icy sidelines at Mackay Stadium and watched his Louisiana Tech football team get pummeled by Nevada, 49-10, in the final regular-season game for both teams.

The victory guaranteed a bowl game for the Wolf Pack. It also kept the Bulldogs from reaching a bowl game.

Last year, as a sophomore, Jenkins was the starting quarterback when Nevada (1-3, 0-0 Western Athletic Conference) overcame a 31-14 deficit late in the third quarter and won, 35-31, in Ruston, La., the Wolf Pack's fourth straight in the series.

The Bulldogs (2-2, 1-0) return to Mackay for an ESPN-televised game at 6:05 p.m. Friday, but Jenkins said neither he nor his teammates will be thinking about the past.

"Well, you know, we definitely felt a little bitter about blowing the lead last year," said Jenkins, who saw his first college action in mop-up duty in the game at Mackay two years ago. "It was our only home loss. It was our last home game of the year. But we bounced back (with a victory in the Independence Bowl).

"We're just looking at this as another game. It's a conference game. It's Nevada. All the guys in my class, we've never beaten them. It's a thing a lot of us really want. Fourth-year senior guys have never beaten them."

Quarterbacks often play a major role in their teams' success. For the Bulldogs, that notion will likely be magnified Friday.

"He's making progress," third-year coach Derek Dooley said of Jenkins, who took over for an ineffective Taylor Bennett in the sixth game last season and went 6-2 as a starter. "He really played a pretty good game against Nevada last year. We just didn't finish the game. We're going to need a similar performance from him if we're going to have a chance."

Wolf Pack defensive coordinator Nigel Burton said Jenkins has a great ability to sense pressure and react to it.

"The most impressive thing about him is his pocket presence and his awareness," Burton said. "He kind of has a natural feel for moving around when pressure happens, whereas a lot of young quarterbacks see the pressure, he is able to keep his eyes down field and continue to move in the pocket. It's pretty impressive."

Louisiana Tech and Nevada have very different run styles, but they are a bit similar in that the running game is each team's forte, and both use the running game to set up their play-action passing game.

The Wolf Pack, though, has continued its trend of being stout enough against the run but very susceptible against the pass.

Last year, Jenkins threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns against Nevada. In the other seven games in which he started, his per-game averages were 126 yards and 0.7 touchdowns.

The Bulldog passing game has put up better numbers this season, and it has allowed Dooley to say with confidence that his offense is now what he always wanted it to be -- multiple. Jenkins had a career-best 357 yards passing in a 37-13 victory over Nicholls State on Sept. 19. Against Hawaii on Sept. 30, the Bulldogs rushed for 352 yards in 27-6 victory.

"We're not going to force an offense on a game," Dooley said. "That's one reason why I like being multiple. If something works, you'd be a fool to try to force something else. We're going to have to throw the ball well this week to win. We're not going to be able to pound the ball on the ground for 350 yards against Nevada."

The scoring production hasn't reached its potential yet -- three touchdown passes in four games -- and the team took a hit Tuesday when the only wide receiver to catch a touchdown pass, Houston Tuminello, quit the team (tight end Dennis Morris has the other two catches). But the production overall is up significantly.

Jenkins averaged just 18.7 pass attempts per game last year. Through four games, he is averaging 28.5 attempts for 189.8 yards, nearly a 50-percent increase.

The Bulldogs have had some issues with dropped balls, Dooley said, but they have some good balance at receiver, led by Phillip Livas, the 5-foot-8, 175-pound elusive receiver who is also perhaps the WAC's most dangerous return man. Livas has 12 catches for 148 yards. Morris and running back Daniel Porter each have 10 catches.

"I think we have a really well-rounded offense," Jenkins said. "We're continuing to improve. We're not just one-dimensional. ... I think we run the ball really well and the passing game is still improving. We take pride in being an all-around, productive offense.

"We have to stick to what we do best, and that's take what the defense gives you. I know historically they're not a great pass defense. We threw for a lot of yards last year. But I just run the plays the coaches give me. I'm a messenger out there."

Additional Facts
Wolf Pack Football
Who: Louisiana Tech (2-2, 1-0) vs. Nevada (1-3, 0-0)
When: Friday, 6 p.m.
Where: Mackay Stadium (FieldTurf; capacity, 29,993)
TV: ESPN/630 AM, 5 p.m.
Betting line: Nevada is favored by 101/2 (line opened at Nevada, minus 7); total is 58
TICKETS: $19-29 (children, seniors, $9-$29); 775-348-PACK or nevadawolfpack.com

The file on Ross Jenkins
Position: Quarterback
Year: Junior
Height, weight: 6-3, 212
High school: Langham Creek (Houston)
Statistics
GP Comp. Att. Yards TD Int.
2007 1 2 5 26 0 0
2008 11 92 174 1,155 7 3
2009 4 70 114 759 3 2

 

[Lumi]

Louisiana Tech's resurgent Porter looked inward for inspiration

Louisiana Tech's resurgent Porter looked inward for inspiration

Louisiana Tech's resurgent Porter looked inward for inspiration

He knew that, walking into his coach?s office last week.


The senior Louisiana Tech rusher is coming off a superlative, all-Western Athletic Conference 2008 campaign.


His 1,164 yards, seventh best in school history, made Porter just the eighth Bulldog ever to top the 1,000-yard plateau. That included five 100-plus yard performances a year ago.


Yet, going into last Wednesday?s nationally televised match against Hawaii, Porter had just 134 total yards in 2009, and a paltry 45-yard per game average.


But he didn?t make excuses with Tech coach Derek Dooley, didn?t try to shift attention to some other facet of the offensive attack.


The guy he saw in the mirror, Porter said, needed to do more.


"I haven?t been a spokesperson as far as motivating the team,? Porter said. ?I?ve got to step up my role as a leader.?


He was determined to live up to his own expectations. Starting with Hawaii.


Done: Porter?s sterling night included 160 yards and two touchdowns. That, combined with a bruising defensive showing, helped Tech to a dominant 27-6 win at Joe Aillet Stadium.


?You become proud of the man, not the player,? Dooley said. ?This guy, if he takes on issues in life like this, he?s going to be fine. We all have our struggles and it?s so easy in this world when things don?t go your way to begin the blame game.?


Whatever struggles Porter had before Hawaii -- that night, he simply said "I got my mojo back" -- they disappeared in the whipping winds of one sparkling rush after another.


Tech entered the game averaging just 97.3 yards rushing per game; Porter nearly reached that number in the first half.


A signature moment came on Porter's initial scoring drive, in which he collected 47 of his 95 first-half yards as Tech marched 71 yards on 11 plays. Porter tore into the endzone from 3 yards out to finish the possession with a bang.


That it came before a national television audience -- including New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, who enthused about Tech on Twitter -- was just icing for Porter.

"I went out there with a game plan as far as relaxing, just playing my game -- doing what I do, trying to help us win," Porter said. "We were all looking for a breakthrough; it just so happened it was on ESPN. I was very thankful for that."


Porter finished off Hawaii, which came in allowing 127 on the ground each night, with gritty fourth-quarter runs of 19 and 14 yards during Tech's final scoring drive. The Bulldogs had stacked up 352 yards of team rushing by then.


"I was proud," Dooley said, "not just because he had the numbers he had. For a young man to come to the coach and to say: 'You know what? I haven't been performing the way that I should the first three games.' Not to blame the offensive line, not to blame the coach or anyone else. He just looked in the mirror and said: 'What can I do differently?' He had a great mental approach all week, and he was determined to do his part."


Tech?s next WAC game arrives a day early, as the 2-2 Bulldogs travel to play a 1-3 Nevada squad that finally found its own offensive rhythm against the UNLV Rebels. Kickoff is 8 p.m. locally on Friday in a game to be aired on ESPN.


"We felt like we ran the ball to perfection at 350 yards -- and they have 550 last week, two more football fields," Dooley said. "They never punted. They never got stopped. We?re 0-2 against them. This will be a very big challenge -- not just because of who the opponent is, but also coming of the game we had."


Porter said his aim is to match Nevada stride for stride.


Dooley, after last week, isn't inclined to doubt him.


"I think when you make that kind of step, it's hard for me to think he will regress," Dooley said. "I?m not saying he?ll run for 150 yards. But I think he will be what we expect him to be when he gets the ball."

 

[LDB]

thanks for the info

 

[Lumi]

Tech turns up pressure

Tech turns up pressure

Tech turns up pressure



Louisiana Tech coach Derek Dooley likes to talk about game-changing plays, and quarterback sacks are one of his favorites.

His Bulldogs had little opportunity to get quarterback pressure through their first three games of the season while facing teams that loved to run. Their run defensive numbers suffered and so did their sack stats. Tech had just two combined sacks against Auburn, Navy and Nicholls State.

But, boy, did the Dawgs make up for it against Hawaii in front of a national television audience on Wednesday night.

Seven times either starter Greg Alexander or Bryant Moniz hit the turf in an onslaught from D'Anthony Smith (two sacks), Matt Broha, Mason Hitt, Brian White and Adrian Logan. Jay Dudley and Kwame Jordan shared a sack.

"The sacks are just devastating," Dooley said. "We had seven and coach (Tommy) Spangler had a great game plan. He was changing coverage, changing people. Everybody played with heart. I saw a whole team that just enjoyed the competition."

The Bulldogs now lead the WAC in sacks with nine and maintained consistent pressure throughout the night on the way to the 27-6 victory in front of more than 21,000 in-house fans basking in an ocean of red.

Tech's defense also held the visitors out of the end zone despite a first-and-goal at the 2-yard line.

"Our defense came through," Smith said. "They came out of I-formation, which we didn't expect to see. But we were prepared for anything on goal-line situations."

Tech quarterback Ross Jenkins didn't commit a turnover in the game, while the Bulldogs defense had two interceptions and a fumble recovery. One of the picks was a tipped ball to Jordan, who had to wait for it to come down to him.

"It hung up for like 20 seconds," Jordan said. "I started to jump for it. My first thought was the end zone, then I felt a lot of people around me. It felt good to catch it and to help the team out."

Several Hawaii players were unhappy with their team's performance and claimed it wasn't emblematic of Hawaii football.

"It was very embarrassing to perform like that on national television," Hawaii linebacker Blaze Soares said. "We didn't show up. A few players did, but other than that, no energy. There's no excuses. We should have performed the way we perform every weekend."

The Bulldogs (2-2, 1-0) will now turn their heads toward a Friday date with Nevada, another team they haven't beaten under Dooley.

"Once we started we couldn't be stopped," Smith said of the defensive effort. "It's a morale and confidence booster going into Nevada next week. It makes you known in the conference since this was our conference opener. Come tomorrow morning, other teams in the conference will be talking about us.

 

[Lumi]

Preview:
Louisiana Tech at Nevada
When: 9:00 PM ET, Friday, October 9, 2009
Where: Mackay Stadium, Reno, Nevada

Quick Hits

Overall Team Offense

The Nevada Wolf Pack are ranked 12 on offense, averaging 466.0 yards per game. The Wolf Pack are averaging 274.8 yards rushing and 191.2 yards passing so far this season.

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are ranked 78 on offense, averaging 354.8 yards per game. The Bulldogs are averaging 161.0 yards rushing and 193.8 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Nevada Wolf Pack are 1-1 at home this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 1-3 against non-conference opponents.

At home the Wolf Pack are averaging 42.0 scoring, and holding teams to 29.5 points scored on defense.

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are 0-2 while on the road this season, 1-0 against conference opponents and 1-2 against non-conference opponents.

On the road, the Bulldogs are averaging 13.5 scoring, and holding teams to 34.5 points scored on defense

 

[Lumi]

Trends - Louisiana Tech at Nevada

Trends - Louisiana Tech at Nevada

Trends - Louisiana Tech at Nevada

ATS Trends

Louisiana Tech

Bulldogs are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games on fieldturf.
Bulldogs are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 conference games.
Bulldogs are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
Bulldogs are 13-28 ATS in their last 41 games as an underdog.
Bulldogs are 16-36-1 ATS in their last 53 games as a road underdog.
Bulldogs are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games in October.
Bulldogs are 9-22-1 ATS in their last 32 games following a ATS win.
Bulldogs are 14-37-1 ATS in their last 52 road games.
Bulldogs are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater.
Bulldogs are 7-20 ATS in their last 27 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
Bulldogs are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
Bulldogs are 9-28-1 ATS in their last 38 games following a S.U. win.
Bulldogs are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
Bulldogs are 1-4 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.
Bulldogs are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Bulldogs are 5-22 ATS in their last 27 games as a road underdog of 10.5 or greater.


Nevada

Wolf Pack are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.
Wolf Pack are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games as a home favorite of 10.5 or greater.
Wolf Pack are 20-7 ATS in their last 27 games as a home favorite.
Wolf Pack are 22-9 ATS in their last 31 home games.
Wolf Pack are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
Wolf Pack are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Wolf Pack are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a ATS win.
Wolf Pack are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
Wolf Pack are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.


OU Trends

Louisiana Tech

Under is 7-1 in Bulldogs last 8 games as a road underdog.
Under is 6-1 in Bulldogs last 7 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 5-1 in Bulldogs last 6 games on fieldturf.
Over is 5-1 in Bulldogs last 6 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
Under is 5-1 in Bulldogs last 6 games following a ATS win.
Under is 7-2 in Bulldogs last 9 road games.
Under is 8-3 in Bulldogs last 11 games as an underdog.
Under is 5-2 in Bulldogs last 7 games as a road underdog of 10.5 or greater.
Over is 5-2 in Bulldogs last 7 conference games.


Nevada

Over is 5-0 in Wolf Pack last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 4-0 in Wolf Pack last 4 games following a ATS win.
Over is 5-1 in Wolf Pack last 6 games on fieldturf.
Over is 5-1 in Wolf Pack last 6 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Wolf Pack last 5 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Wolf Pack last 5 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Wolf Pack last 5 games as a favorite.
Over is 4-1 in Wolf Pack last 5 conference games.
Under is 8-3 in Wolf Pack last 11 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
Under is 5-2 in Wolf Pack last 7 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.


Head to Head

Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.

 

[Lumi]

NCAA Football Game Picks

NCAA Football Game Picks

NCAA Football Game Picks
Louisiana Tech at Nevada
The Wolf Pack look to take advantage of a Louisiana Tech team that is 5-22 ATS in its last 27 games as a road underdog of 10 1/2 points or more. Nevada is the pick (-10 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Wolf Pack favored by 12 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Nevada (-10 1/2). Here are all of this week's picks.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9
Time Posted: 9:00 p.m. EST (10/7)
Game 305-306: Louisiana Tech at Nevada
Dunkel Ratings: Louisiana Tech 76.615; Nevada 89.228
Dunkel Line: Nevada by 12 1/2; 66
Vegas Line: Nevada by 10 1/2; 58
Dunkel Pick: Nevada (-10 1/2); Over

 

[Lumi]

Louisiana Tech (2-2) at Nevada (1-3)

Louisiana Tech (2-2) at Nevada (1-3)

Louisiana Tech (2-2) at Nevada (1-3)

DATE & TIME: Friday, October 9th, 9:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Mackay Stadium (31,545) -- Reno, Nevada. Television: ESPN. Home Record: LaTech 2-0, Nevada 1-1. Away Record: LaTech 0-2, Nevada 0-2. Neutral Record: LaTech 0-0, Nevada 0-0. Conference Record: LaTech 1-0, Nevada 0-0. Series Record: Nevada leads, 5-4.

GAME NOTES: The Nevada Wolf Pack will try to carry over their explosive play from last week as they entertain the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in Western Athletic Conference action at Mackay Stadium in Reno on Friday night.

Nevada had suffered three straight defeats to open the 2009 campaign to the dismay of head coach Chris Ault, scoring a total of just 41 points against the likes of Notre Dame, Colorado State and Missouri. Last Saturday, the team had the added incentive of trying to retain possession of the Fremont Cannon, the trophy awarded to the winner of the annual battle between the Wolf Pack and the UNLV Rebels. Tied at 28-28 in the third quarter, the Pack went on a nasty 35-0 run that completely squashed the visitors to Reno. In the course of setting a new school-record with 559 yards rushing in the rout, Nevada also earned coach Ault the 199th victory of his career.

As for the Bulldogs, they too started slow with back-to-back losses against Auburn and Navy, but in the last two games the program has outscored Nicholls State and Hawaii by a combined 75-19. Last Wednesday night, the defense for LaTech rallied to holster the quick-fire offense of the Warriors and limited the Ruston visitors to just a pair of field goals in a 27-6 final. Perhaps most impressive was the fact that Hawaii was held scoreless the entire second half.

Nevada has won four in a row over the Bulldogs, and now owns a 5-4 advantage in the all-time series.

Against one of the worst run defenses in the nation, the Bulldogs gave the ball to Daniel Porter and watched as the running back gained 160 yards and scored twice on 25 carries last week. Altogether the Bulldogs ran the ball a staggering 57 times and generated 352 yards on the ground. All of that production took the pressure off of quarterback Ross Jenkins who converted 13- of-22 passes but for only 97 yards. Before the Hawaii meeting Porter, who finished with 1,164 yards and nine touchdowns a season ago, was running in circles with just 134 combined yards on 40 attempts. Last year, Porter managed just 50 rushing yards in a 35-31 loss to Nevada, so he always has the potential to swing from high to low with his production. Jenkins is serviceable in his abilities, averaging 189.8 ypg through the air, but were he to find Phillip Livas a little more often surely his numbers would reflect the greatness of the all-conference performer. Livas, who has just 12 catches for 148 yards, already has a punt return for a touchdown and is averaging better than 19 yards per kickoff return.

While the LaTech offense was cruising along behind Porter, the defense was feasting on Hawaii quarterback Greg Alexander. Before being pulled in the third quarter with a left knee injury that has subsequently ended his season, Alexander was sacked five times and intercepted twice by the Bulldogs. His backup, Bryant Moniz, also suffered two sacks. Despite coming up with just three total tackles in that meeting, D'Anthony Smith was credited with two sacks for the Bulldogs. Now, after four games, LaTech is ranked first in the conference and 39th nationally with an average of 2.25 sacks per game, but before beating up on Hawaii QBs the team was actually last in the WAC and 115th in the country with a mere 0.67 sacks per game, so one has to wonder which stat is more representative of the team's true ability. Seeing as how the Bulldogs are just 95th this week with 4.75 tackles for loss per game, it appears as though the effort against the Warriors was an exception to the rule.

The game with UNLV started out rather uneventful, but turned into a record- breaker for the Wolf Pack as Mike Ball, Colin Kaepernick and Luke Lippincott all rushed for at least 170 yards. In the case of Ball, who is just a freshman, he produced 184 yards and an amazing five touchdowns on 15 carries as he filled the void left by an injured Vai Taua. Kaepernick, the reigning WAC Offensive Player of the Year, also hit on 15-of-18 passes for another 208 yards and touchdown, not to mention reeling in a TD pass thrown by Lippincott as Nevada opened up the Pistol Offense and ran wild. With the rushing explosion last week, the Pack has jumped up to 274.8 ypg on the ground and that has the squad ranked first in the WAC and tied for third in the nation. Now if Kaepernick can just get himself straightened out in the pocket the team might actually have something to look forward to the rest of the season. Right now Kaepernick is completing 64.5 percent of his pass attempts for 188.5 ypg, but his efforts have resulted in just three touchdowns and four interceptions for a team that was one of the most aggressive in college football a year ago.

While the Pack was cruising along with an incredible 559 yards on the ground and posting 773 yards on just 74 snaps, accounting for one of the highest offensive outputs in program history, the defense was locking up the win by holding UNLV to a mere 70 yards rushing. Granted, the Rebels were operating without starting quarterback Omar Clayton who was out with an injury, but considering how badly the first three games of the season had gone for the Pack, they needed all the breaks they could get to try and turn the corner. With Kaepernick and the offense trying to snap out of a rut, the defense has its own issues in Reno these days, allowing opponents to pass for an unsightly 303 ypg, which has the team ranked last in the conference and 118th in the nation. The run defense has been somewhat more respectable with just 126.3 ypg allowed, but put it altogether and the Pack has been touched for 429.3 ypg, which is seventh in the WAC and 107th nationally. On a positive note, Dontay Moch is first in the country with his 2.75 TFLs per game right now.

This game will be fought mostly on the ground between some of the best runners in the conference. However, Kaepernick's performance in the pocket is what will likely decide the outcome one way or another.

Predicted Outcome: Nevada 35, Louisiana Tech 27

 

[IX_Bender]

Lots of good info here.

 

[johnnyb.]

agree, going with gut on this one... Wolfpack