By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
RUSTON — At happy hour Friday evening, hardly anybody knew Louisiana Tech might wind up in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.
Thanks to Marshall bailing on its days-old invitation, a retreat finalized last Friday that became public Saturday morning, the Bulldogs are now teed up for the Dec. 28 contest against Army.
And there’s a 50-50 Chance a Captain Shreve product will launch the game’s first play – depending on the coin toss.
Freshman John Chance is the new kickoff specialist for Tech, which has lost its veteran kicker Buck Buchanan to the transfer portal. In his first media session since the unlikely bowl invitation was announced Saturday afternoon, Bulldogs coach Sonny Cumbie said Wednesday his team is excited — and he is, too, about Chance taking over the kicking tee.
“He’s from Captain Shreve, so he’s kicked off a lot in Independence Stadium,” said Cumbie. “I’m excited about him getting practice reps and game reps. He has an extremely strong leg. Consistency is what he’s working toward. I think he’ll do a great job for us.”
Along with winning a pair of Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week honors this season, Buchanan gave Tech a field position advantage because 90 percent of his kickoffs were touchbacks. Chance was a walk-on in waiting, not hitting the field in Tech’s 12 games.
“It’s a big deal, having that kind of weapon,” said Cumbie. “I anticipate John having that same type of success.”
Redshirt freshman Drew Henderson is Tech’s new field goal and kickoff specialist. Buchanan is the Bulldogs’ leading scorer with 68 points, including 13 of 20 aim on field goals.
Cumbie’s early Christmas surprise – which will include a $25,000 bowl appearance bonus as per his contract, despite the team’s 5-7 record that left it ineligible in the initial pool of six-win FBS teams – is a gift he immediately embraced. It’s the third I-Bowl for the Bulldogs this century and the sixth overall since Shreveport’s bowl began in 1976.
“I know the importance of this game for Louisiana Tech, the history that it’s had in this bowl game, the history it provides for us as a program, and the opportunity to represent north Louisiana,” he said. “Just extremely grateful.”
Cumbie said the remaining Tech players – over a dozen are in the transfer portal – are equally pleased, and the team’s seniors were the most surprised of all. Most headed home after the Nov. 30 season finale, a 33-0 homefield romp over Kennesaw State, and were not enrolled in winter quarter classes that began this month.
When coaches began contacting players Saturday to tell them there was a bowl game to play, the seniors got the first calls.
“They thought it was a prank call,” admitted Cumbie. “They thought we were jacking with them, and they were in disbelief at first. But everyone’s excited, and we had a great (first) practice (Tuesday) night.”
Most of the players’ classes this quarter are in afternoons, so Cumbie had to choose either an early morning or evening practice window. The decision was easy.
“I didn’t think our players would think a 6 a.m. practice for a bowl would be very rewarding,” he said.
The Christmas break begins Friday evening on campus, but the team will work out that night and Saturday, then have a full week of practice next week.
Cumbie, like every coach not in the College Football Playoffs, relishes getting extra bowl practices as a head start for the 2025 season. Despite the fact that Tech is the biggest underdog among all bowl teams, he has another chewy toy to dangle in front of the Bulldogs.
“The biggest takeaway is it’s two more weeks to be together. It gives us two more weeks to practice, to develop guys who are coming back,” he said, “and it gives us the opportunity to win three of our last four games. It will be a tall challenge; Army is a phenomenal team.”
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com