Bulldogs, staff ready to see fruits of their labor in year two

It’s been accepted by coaches, players, and administrators that year one under Sonny Cumbie at Louisiana Tech was a rebuilding year.

Frustrating, expected, and somewhere in between, made up the final review of the 2022 season – a 3-9 record and a last-place finish in Conference USA.

You might know the rest by now. Over 19 new transfers, including a touted quarterback in Hank Bachmeier, came to Ruston looking for an opportunity. CUSA looks completely different, and the Bulldogs made a handful of coordinator changes.

Now, as Tech begins the early stages of fall camp, players and coaches aren’t as reserved in their expectations in year two under Cumbie.

For many, 2023 is the season where the offseason optimism needs to come with wins.

“I feel like since the summer, bringing new guys in, everybody is getting along with the plan, so everything is going good,” redshirt junior wide receiver Kyle Maxwell said. “You can feel the energy. No whining. Everyone just wants to come out here and compete and win.

“Conference championship. That’s the only goal I got on my mind. Winning games.”

Maxwell, who’s been a Bulldog since 2019, has been a part of one winning season in his time in Ruston and felt this fall has to be the start of a change of direction for the program.

In today’s college football, rosters can become competent in one offseason, and Maxwell believes that with the talent coming in and a refocused group returning, 2023 should turn out different.

He takes that mission personally.

“Just being myself, establishing myself because over the years I didn’t,” Maxwell said. “I had my ups and downs with injuries and stuff. I’m not making excuses. I’m going along with the plan; I’m trying to win. Two years in a row, 3-9, I’m not having it this year.”

The Bulldogs enter the 2023 season on the heels of back-to-back 3-9 seasons, the first time since the 1993-94 seasons Tech has had consecutive seasons of fewer than four wins.

Mykol Clark, who like Maxwell has been in Ruston since 2019 and seen one winning season, is high on what the new-look Tech defense can be this fall.

With an improved linebacker room, defensive line and secondary with a mix of Power Five and G5 talent, Clark expects the Bulldogs to play like a contender this season.

“I feel like, without a doubt, wholeheartedly, with what I’ve seen throughout the summer with the strength program with Coach [Dave] Scholz, the way we’ve been flying around, I feel like we have the potential to be a top-25 defense in the nation. No question,” Clark said. “If we all stick together and stay healthy, I feel like no one can stop us.”

So what, some players had some bullish thoughts on how this season is going to go? Doesn’t every player feel good before every season?

Perhaps, but it’s not just coming from veteran players. Coaches who were in deep with the players in the 3-9 sludge of last year feel optimistic as well.

Myles Carelock, who was promoted to cornerbacks coach in the offseason, has seen his position group and the defensive unit as a whole make strides through spring and early fall workouts.

Returners Willie Roberts and Cedric Woods lead the room, while transfers like Demarcus Griffin-Taylor from Houston could bolster the unit further.

The usual coach speak of stacking days was a part of Carelock’s answer on what he wants to see out of the corners, but he didn’t leave media availability without offering a kernel of hope for 2023.

“I would say the defense as a whole, just the hard work they put in over the summer, being with (Dave) Scholz’ staff and they come out here and it’s almost like it’s a whole new different team just in terms of they’re bigger, they’re faster, they’re stronger,” Carelock said. “It’s nice to see the defense continue to progress on this path so hopefully we can compete for a conference championship.”

Scott Power, Tech’s second-year defensive coordinator, knows first-hand how troubling last year was. The Bulldogs’ defense ranked 2nd worst in the country, and worst in C-USA, in run defense (243 ypg), 4th worst in the country in scoring defense (37.9 points per game), and 6th worst in the country in total defense (471.4 yards per game).

Power, who came to Ruston from Stephen F. Austin before the 2022 season, figured some year-one turmoil would come, but he could see it was worse than most expected.

“I think year one’s are a challenge,” Power said. “There’s a lot of change and there’s a lot of differences. There’s new players and coaches and as we head into year two, I think everybody’s a little bit more comfortable.”

Comfortability is one thing. But what about just being better?

Power said he’s seen real improvement from the Tech linebackers, led by Hugh Davis, Brevin Randle, and others, along with the defensive line of Clark and other names.

For Power, the Bulldogs’ new talent won’t be new for newness’s sake. It’s a tangible talent upgrade that should bring results in 2023. Tech’s defensive transfers bring with them a combined 644 tackles and 31.5 tackles for loss.

“I think our team is united,” Power said. “I think everybody’s on the same page. I think we’ve got a really good vibe around our team right now.”

Tru Edwards, a redshirt junior wide receiver, stood on the sideline inside Joe Aillet Stadium after Monday’s practice and said he’s had enough.

After appearing in three games last season without a catch, Edwards is ready to show coaches his talents can be utilized more this fall, hoping to crack a role in a receiver room with plenty of talent.

But beyond a frustration with not asserting himself like he wanted to, he’s just tired of losing.

Edwards, who came to Ruston after stints at University of Hawaii and Navarro Junior College, has been a part of one winning season (2019 at Navarro).

Now, Edwards said 2023 is going to be different and said his teammates feel the same.

“I feel good with the whole team,” Edwards said. “Everybody looks good to me as a team. We just need to continue to come out every day to work hard.

“It’s time to win. It’s time to win.”