Bulldogs continue preparations for New Orleans Bowl

Louisiana Tech continued preparations for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Monday as the team practiced for two hours under the lights at Joe Aillet Stadium.
The Bulldogs will face Arkansas State in the New Orleans Bowl Saturday.
Louisiana Tech entered the bowl season with a different schedule than most teams as the university, a quarter system school, remains in session until Friday.
Until the team’s departure for New Orleans Wednesday, the student-athletes have been operating on a schedule similar to any normal game week during the regular season with classes in the morning followed by meetings and practice.
The difference came last weekend when the team practiced with focus on fundamental work for the younger players.
“It has been a little bit different, because we lost a week later last season, being in the championship game,” Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz said in a news release. “We came out and practiced on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the following week. We worked a lot with the younger guys. We got some good fundamental work for these guys that haven’t got as many reps. You felt like it was a spring practice, with the bowl still being a little ways away. A lot of the leaders were not practicing as much as the younger guys were. It was a little bit of a spring ball mentality and I felt like it probably drug a little bit more than I wanted it to.”
Now that the team has officially entered game week, the excitement is ramping up for players and coaches alike.
“Now that it is the bowl week, I think there is a lot of energy and a lot of excitement,” Holtz said. “I thought we had one of our best practices on both sides of the ball today. We finished with a really spirited team period at the end.”
Monday’s practice was dubbed “one of the best practices we have had all season” by both Holtz, defensive coordinator Blake Baker and assistant head coach and inside receivers coach Joe Sloan after practice.
With a chance to win a 31st game as a senior class, the veterans are more than ready to get back on the field for one more game in a Louisiana Tech jersey.
“You have two teams in this bowl game that are really excited about it,” Holtz said. “Sometimes, when you see a team maybe get snubbed from a bowl, it can show up. Before the bowl, I met with the seniors and they just wanted to play. Dallas, Fort Worth, St. Pete, New Orleans, Miami or wherever it is. They just wanted to play. They were excited to get back on the field. By evidence of what I have been seeing with bowl practice this weekend, I would second that. I think they are really focused and dialed in with what we have to get done. They are really excited to get back on the field. That has been this team’s makeup.”
An excited and focused mentality is important if a 31st win will come to be as Arkansas State, champions of the Sun Belt Conference, brings a talented team that has won eight consecutive games into Saturday’s match-up.
“They have good personnel,” Holtz said of the Red Wolves. “I think their secondary runs well. They have a really good defensive front, and they are a really good defensive football team. They lead the country in creating turnovers and creating interceptions. Their defensive line is good and can pressure the quarterback. They do not do a lot of blitzing outside of third down, but they can get after you. They have proven that with everyone they have played.”
Tickets for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl still remain on sale from the LA Tech Ticket Office. Louisiana Tech has sold its allotment of the $60 price range and has $40 price level tickets on sale.