NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
When several senior members of the Louisiana Tech football team received a phone call from their position coach a few days ago asking if they’d be available to play in a bowl game, the question was met with skepticism.
“The seniors thought it was a crank phone call,” Tech coach Sonny Cumbie said recently. “They were in disbelief. But they became excited and were very grateful for the opportunity.”
The 2024 Tech season was to have concluded for the Bulldogs Nov. 30 with a 33-0 win over Kennesaw State. But thanks to the damage the transfer portal continues to ravage on college football, Tech got a new lease on life despite not reaching the necessary six-win mark to become bowl eligible.
Due to Sun Belt champion Marshall losing its football coach and 29 players to the portal, Louisiana Tech (5-7) will meet No. 22 Army (11-2) at 8:15 p.m. Saturday in the 48th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. The game will be televised on ESPN and will be an opportunity for the Black Knights to rebound from a regular-season finale loss to the Navy Midshipmen.
Army coach Jeff Monken said his team is excited about another opportunity to play together and he won’t be using the contest simply as a reward for a solid season or to test his young players.
COMMITTED: ESPN’s Holly Rowe tells Independence Bowl attendees she ‘will die for you to get the story’
SHORT HANDED: Major alteration: Marshall declines to play in Independence Bowl; La. Tech steps into slot
BOWL FUTURE: What does the future of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl look like?
“The only reason to play the game is to win,” Monken said. “The young guys in our program will have the opportunity to prove themselves in the spring or when we come back in the fall. We’re not on an exploratory mission to find out what we’ve got. We want to play our very…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/no-crank-call-la-tech-090308107.html
Author : Shreveport Times | The Times
Publish date : 2024-12-27 09:03:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
