ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
Louisiana Tech (1-0) will face No. 3 LSU (1-0) for the 21st time in history Saturday (6:30 p.m., ESPN+, SEC Network+) in the home opener for LSU in Tiger Stadium.
The Tigers are a 37-point favorite and lead the series, 19-1, with Louisiana Tech’s only win in 1904, 6-0, in Ruston. The last time these two met was at Tiger Stadium in 2018 with LSU winning, 38-21.
LSU is coming off a 17-10 win at No. 4 Clemson on Saturday in its first season opening victory since 2019 and its first season opening win at an opponent’s home stadium since 2009 at Washington, 31-23. Louisiana Tech, a member of Conference-USA, beat Southeastern Louisiana, 24-0, in Ruston last Saturday.
LSU coach Brian Kelly is in his fourth season as is Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Cumbie.
OFFENSE
The Bulldogs run a spread offense with heavy run-pass option under first-year offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, a former offensive coordinator at Auburn, Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech and California. Franklin’s offense is centered on dual-threat quarterback Trey Kukuk, a transfer from Saddleback Junior College in Mission Viejo, California.
Kukuk (6-foot-1, 201 pounds) is not afraid to throw down his shoulder and get dirty. When he runs the ball, he stays committed to picking up extra yards even if it means he has to get hit.
Louisiana Tech used four running backs in week one, but look out for sophomore Clay Thevenin in Tiger Stadium.
DEFENSE
Under first-year defensive coordinator Luke Olson, Louisiana Tech runs a 3-3-5 alignment most of the time and likes to blitz. The Bulldogs have good linebackers in seniors Kolbe Fields and Sifa Leota and junior Mekhi Mason. Fields had nine tackles for loss last season and is a preseason C-USA defensive player of the year.
The secondary is experienced with juniors Jacob Fields, Michael Richard and Jhamal Shelby Jr.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Trey Kukuk
– Kukuk completed 14 of 19 passes for 130 yards with a 17-yard touchdown last week and rushed 16 times for 48 yards.
TE Eli Finley
– Finley (6-6, 245) has has the ability to be a vertical threat while also being an effective blocker. He caught four passes for 59 yards in week one.
LB Kolbe Field
– Fields made 13 tackles last week with a sack. He may play with a chip on his shouler in his return to Tiger Stadium after playing for the Tigers in 2022.
LB Mekhi Mason
– Mason earned C-USA defensive player of the week after making nine tackles with two sacks and two other tackles for loss last week.
NOTES
LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker was Louisiana Tech’s DC and linebackers coach from 2015-18 and its safeties coach in 2014. LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan was a Tech assistant coach from 2013 through 2021. He was the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator ant quarterbacks coach in 2020 and ’21.
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