If today’s matchup with Louisiana Tech is anything like last season, fans are in for a thrilling game.
In that classic, UH could not wrangle the lead from Louisiana Tech until the fourth quarter when redshirt senior quarterback Case Keenum hit senior receiver Patrick Edwards for 32 yards with 1:36 remaining.
“In our game against them last year, it took us roughly 58 minutes to finally win it, so it will be a tremendous challenge this year,” said head coach Tony Levine. “Everybody knows what we have ahead of us Saturday and everybody will be up for the challenge.”
Both teams are depending on different quarterbacks than the one’s who stood behind center in Ruston, La.
Bulldog senior Colby Cameron replaced Nick Isham in Louisiana Tech’s competition against Utah State where he led two scoring drives that gave the Bulldogs a win.
Cameron never looked back and garnered a firm grip on the job by leading the Bulldogs to an 8-5 season. Louisiana Tech won six consecutive games and won the Western Athletic Conference after the victory with Cameron’s best game being a 402-yard outburst in a 41-21 win over Fresno State.
“They’re a lot like our offense in the fact that they like to pass the ball a lot. We’re just going to go against our offense with our tempo, and we should be fine,” said senior redshirt defensive back Chris Cermin.
The Bulldogs have a two-pronged attack out of the backfield that compliments the passing game where Ray Holley and Hunter Lee will both see time.
Lee’s named was added to the Doak Walker Award watch list in the preseason after rushing for 650 yards and five touchdowns in 2011 and also earned a scholarship last season after walking on as a freshman.
Holley rushed for 62 of the Bulldogs’ 233 yards on the ground against UH last season. The Bulldogs had 66 rushes, compared to 32 pass attempts.
On defense, despite UH’s change at offensive coordinator, the Bulldogs said they are preparing for the same Cougar offense.
“It does not (change our plans). It cannot really. I think we are just going to assume we are going to see the same thing. That is all you can assume,” said Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Dykes.
“They have been practicing what they are doing since the spring, so you have to assume that is what we are going to see (today). We will adjust and prepare if we see something different.”
Louisiana Tech senior defensive back Chad Boyd could play a major factor in pass and run coverage. Boyd finished last season with 76 total tackles and three interceptions. Showing, he is not a corner who is afraid to mix it up with running backs.
For Louisiana Tech, today is its first game of the season. A matchup with Texas A&M was postponed because of Hurricane Isaac.
