Bearkat Bites: Way-Too-Early Game Preview @ LaTech
Plus, a game change for the 'Kats
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LaTech Preview
After a couple of mid-week home games plus a bye, Sam Houston returns for a Halloween night matchup against LaTech. Can the ‘Kats scare up a solid outing against what many consider to be a resurgent Bulldogs team?
This is a series of team by team way-too-early game previews of the Sam Houston’s football opponents. You can read the previous entries at the underlined links below. If you see a “W” I think that is a Sam Houston win. Conversely, an “L” indicates that I see a loss.
Western Kentucky (L)
UNLV (L)
Hawaii (W)
Texas (L)
New Mexico St. (W)
Jacksonville St. (L)
UTEP (W)
The Opponent
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
2024 Record
(5-8, 4-4 in CUSA)
The Coach
Texas born, Texas bred Sonny Cumbie, who survived a warm seat over the offseason to be welcomed back by LaTech for year four. Fans in Ruston are chomping at the bit for Cumbie to make good on some of the prowess he showed during his time as an offensive coordinator at TCU and Texas Tech.
Like many teams in CUSA, Cumbie is joined this season by a pair of new coordinators.
On offense, Tony Franklin joins the program for another go-round after serving as the LaTech OC from 2010-12. Last year, he was the OC of the Army Sprint Team (basically football for anyone under 178lbs). Franklin takes over for Scott Parr, who returned to Texas as head coach of Texas A&M-Kingsville. Fun fact: Parr’s brother, Seth, coached at Anna High School, where current LaTech starting QB Evan Bullock is from.
On defense, Luke Olsen is here as DC, taking over the role after Jeremiah Johnson left to run the defense at Coastal Carolina. Olsen was the DC at Jacksonville(ALABAMA!) State in 2024, helping the Gamecocks finish Top 5 in pretty much every major statistical category defensively.
The Quarterback
One of the CUSA signal-callers I’m most excited about, Evan Bullock, is back after completing a redshirt freshman season that included a strong end to the year. In November 2024, Bullock posted 5TDs and 1INT as he put up 2 scores against SEC Arkansas and took CUSA Champion, JaxSt, to overtime before falling just short.
LaTech has had some bad injury luck with QBs over the past few years, so as Bullock goes, so do the Bulldogs. He’s one of the top returning passers from a season ago, and if he can sustain consistency and remain on the field, then LaTech has a chance to surprise a few teams in 2025.
Offseason Guide
Is this year Cumbie finally gets the Bulldogs back on the winning track? COVID really derailed this program, as coach Skip Holtz and LaTech went to 7 straight bowl games from 2014-20, with a double-digit win season mixed in during 2019. Cumbie was able to get the bowl part correct, as LaTech played in the Independence Bowl a season ago, but now more wins must follow in order to make the school’s decision to hold on to him look like the right one.
While things will begin and end with Bullock, Cumbie believes the running backs form the team’s strongest unit and with the return of 2024’s top rushers, RB Omiri Wiggins and Amani Givens, gives him hope in that department. In front of those rushers is a rebuilt offensive line, after the loss of three starters. However, the new look line boasts a lot of experience and size, averaging right at 315lbs. Jonathan Denis is the headliner here, as the right guard joins LaTech after spending the past two seasons getting time at Miami(FL) and Central Missouri St. The Bulldogs O-line gave up the most sacks in CUSA (41!!!) so the bar for improvement is pretty low with this position group.
The wide receivers also have some rebuilding of their own to do, after leading pass-catcher Tru Edwards and his 989 yards signed with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL. Hoping to fill his place are Marlon Jackson and Eli Finley. I’d focus on getting Finey more touches. He’s a big body at TE, was third on the team in yards and catches, and could be the safety valve that Bullock will need this year.
On the other side of the ball, LaTech quietly boasted the second best second best defense in the conference (right behind Sam Houston!!!) allowing just 21 points per game.
The road back to that success does have a few questions in 2025. It starts up front, where the Bulldogs must replace pretty much everyone, headlined by the loss of David Blay to Miami(FL). As a result, they’ll lean on sophomore Christian Davis to plug the run game along with DE Emmanuel Oguns, who comes over from Tyler JC. The size is there but maybe not the experience. It’s a similar story with the linebacking corp, as that group loses stalwarts, Zach Zimos and CJ Harris. Kolbe Fields is still here for his senior year and is one of the top LBs in the conference. LaTech gave up the fewest rushing yards in CUSA a year ago and it looks like they can repeat some of that magic.
The DBs for the Bulldogs have been one of the Top 40 in the country the past several years and this looks to continue as they welcome back All-Conference juggernaut CB Cedric Woods. With Jakari Foster and Jhamal Shelby Jr., returning, this will be a secondary that has experience and will be the strength of the defense.
Who Will Beat Who?
Sam Houston will visit Ruston coming off of a bye week, while LaTech gears up for the Halloween (and homecoming!) matchup against the Bearkats. For LaTech, it will be the second of a two game homestand after facing off against Western Kentucky. To top things off, it’s a Friday night game where crazy things tend to happen (hello Syracuse upsetting Clemson in 2017).
LaTech has questions on defense and I’m not entirely sure about their run game. With that said, it will be in front of a friendly crowd and I like Evan Bullock. This is a matchup where his o-line will be better than the Sam Houston d-line. I’ll go with a weird night game that LaTech ends up winning.
Future UNLV Game Moved
Sam Houston’s home opener this August is against UNLV and the Bearkats were scheduled to make the return trip to Las Vegas on September 15, 2029, but that has now been pushed back.
The ‘Kat’s adventure to Sin City will now happen on September 17, 2033, per release. No reason was given for the change. It’s interesting because by 2033, UNLV’s current agreement with the Mountain West will have expired, so who knows what things will look like by then.
Second Straight Bearkat Named Scholar Athlete
Jaylen Phillips took home a nice award, being named CUSA Scholar Athlete of the Year in football. Its the 2nd consecutive year a ‘Kat has won the award, with Trevor Williams winning the honor a season ago. Phillips’ ride with the team ended this past season; a journey that included a 2020 National Title along the way.
