Takeaways from day one of LA Tech fall camp

Louisiana Tech returned to the practice field for the start of fall camp early Wednesday morning, getting a mix of good and not so good on day one.

For the defensive unit, their start couldn’t have been better with three interceptions, along with multiple would-be sacks, from the first-team players. Pass rush looked disruptive with David Blay, Jessie Evans, and Jayden Gray, along with former Ruston High standout Christian Davis, attacking from different angles throughout the brief team periods.

Offensively, turnovers defined the team portion of the practice, with downfield passes being taken away at a higher clip than head coach Sonny Cumbie would have liked. And while the running back room showed quick, open-field burst and pass-catching ability, turnovers told the story of day one.

“From a conditioning standpoint, they’ve done a great job this summer. They attacked the summer. This is really a continuation of what we’ve done in the month of July and I’m really proud of how they handled it,” Cumbie said. “In our limited team periods, I think the defense did a great job of creating turnovers and getting their hands in throwing lanes.”

Tech starting quarterback Jack Turner threw multiple interceptions in the team periods but was given chances to redeem himself in passing drills later on in the session.

Cumbie wanted a stronger start to fall from Turner but knows Tech’s starter doesn’t get away from grinding before and after the field work.

“He was here at five o’ clock this morning and going over the script in terms of mental reps and looking it over and watching it. Then he came out and I thought he had an OK first day,” Cumbie said. “I think he could be a lot better on a first day than what he did today. I think part of it is our defense is flying around and moving at a faster clip than what they have in the past. Blake [Baker] and Evan [Bullock], I thought they did a nice job on their first day as well.”

Turner said the offense is still working through communication and operational cues and isn’t concerned with early ups and downs.

After throwing for 1,017 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions last season, Turner, a redshirt junior, is still excited for what’s to come.

“A lot of excitement for sure. That’s kind of how it is typically every first day,” Turner said. “The challenge is to keep focus every single day and stay focused on the process, not worried about the result, and preparing for a long season.”

As far as preparing differently in fall now that he’s the named starter, Turner said he stays the same.

“I try to keep it the same. You don’t want to be up or down whether you’re starting, fifth position,” Turner said. “You don’t want your work ethic to wane. We got a lot of really good quarterbacks in that room that are nipping at my heels every day. I gotta stay after it and stay on my A-game.”

Punt returner

LA Tech’s initial plan at punt returner has now changed in a matter of days given off-field trouble.

Dedrick Latulas, a sophomore at Tech and in line to be the Bulldogs’ main punt returner, was arrested on July 25 and charged with domestic abuse with child endangerment and was not with the team Wednesday.

Latulas, 19, played in 10 games in 2023 as a true freshman with three rushes for 23 yards and was a kick return specialist as well as receiver. Cumbie was high on Latulas’ role for the 2024 season just two days prior to his arrest, telling reporters at Conference USA Media Day that Latulas was a name to keep an eye on.

On July 23 at CUSA Media Day, Cumbie was answering a question at Tech’s official press conference on trying to replace former receiver and return specialist Smoke Harris but eventually talked about Latulas’ expected role for 2024.

“When you look at our roster at the wide receiver position and the inside receiver position, you’re not gonna have another Smoke Harris from the standpoint of the plays that he made. You want to try to use the guys that you have. And I think in the return game immediately, Dedrick Latulas is a guy’s name that comes to mind in the punt return game,” Cumbie said on July 23.

Now, with Latulas out of the picture, the Bulldogs will have to hold auditions for the role throughout camp.

Tru Edwards was the first name Cumbie mentioned to compete for the job, along with a handful of other receivers.

“We had a conversation from our staff that if you ask your team who can return punts, you’re gonna have about 20 guys out here,” Cumbie said. “Who’s actually ever caught a punt in a game because it’s a lot different when the ball’s hanging up here and you’re looking here and there’s eight dudes coming to take your head off. Tru Edwards, Jimmy Holiday, and Marlion Jackson are some names, and Shadeed Ahmed is another kid who’s done it in the past. We’ll work through that and have some good candidates.”

Defense grows

Taking the ball away and creating havoc are two mainstays of new defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson, whose unit controlled the team periods on Wednesday.

It didn’t surprise defensive lineman Mykol Clark, who told reporters Johnson “doesn’t accept average” and wants defenders to be themselves within the new scheme.

Clark, entering his sixth and final season at LA Tech, said the defense has the potential to be among the best in CUSA if everything comes together.

“I saw us flying around. I saw a lot of guys ready to get after it,” Clark said. “Obviously, the first day is probably the best day to get to fly around with the defense. Instead of thinking, we’re reacting and we’re going fast. A defense that’s fast and fearless is unstoppable.”

Cumbie was encouraged by the defense’s intensity and communication throughout the day and credits new and old coaches for putting players in position to succeed.

Two straight seasons of being among the worst defenses in the country to where the Bulldogs appear to be is night and day for the third-year head coach.

“Coach Johnson, coach [Jeff] Burris, coach [Keelon] Brookins, coach [Cortez] Carter and coach [Jacori] Greer – all of those guys have done a phenomenal job. The players are not thinking, they’re reacting. They’re in attack mode,” Cumbie said. “I think that suits their skillset. It allows Jessie Evans to be more of a pass rusher and be more disruptive. There are a lot of things we do from a defensive front standpoint that fit David Blay, Mykol Clark, J’Dan Burnett, and Jayden Gray that I think are going to be able to create negative plays because of the movement we’ll be able to create.”

Clark, who had 40 tackles and 4.5 TFL last season, believes Tech has the makings of a special group this fall – reminding him of the program’s last winning season in 2019.

“My freshman year, we went to the Independence Bowl and won against Miami, and it was a 10-win season. You kind of see that same energy in the locker room,” Clark said. “People are hungry. It’s not just clocking in. I’s clocking in to get better. You feel that.”