Podcasts about louisiana tech

Former Alabama quarterback Jake Coker and Mick Gillispie break down the latest surrounding Alabama Crimson Tide football as the 2026 college football season approaches — including a surprise defensive starter, a devastating injury, a major future scheduling change and one of the SEC's best rivalries bringing back an incredible tradition.

University of Tulsa head coach Eric Konkol discussed his successful 2025-26 season that produced 30 wins and an NIT championship game appearance, a campaign built on staff continuity and attracting a complementary, high-character roster. His program is guided by the core philosophy of “Attitude, Commitment, Class,” a framework from Jim Larrañaga that prioritizes energy, dedication, and professionalism. Konkol emphasized playing lots of basketball through a game-based approach that incorporates advantage drills and a “three-trip game” (canceling pauses) to develop decision-making skills, while using video in multiple ways—primarily for corrections—for teaching. He detailed the team's record-breaking three-point shooting performance, explaining their recruiting strategy and testing methods such as the 5-minute threes drill to identify and develop shooters. The conversation also covered managing roster turnover, maintaining program-building momentum after his success at Louisiana Tech, defensive principles focused on sprinting back and physicality, and the mental aspects of coaching through challenging periods.

Eric Ciano  is the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now entering his 17th NFL season, he previously spent 15 years with the Buffalo Bills, where he was named the NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year in 2020. He was also while strength and conditioning leadership roles at Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Louisiana Tech.  0:58 The Hinge Moment That Led to an NFL Strength & Conditioning Career 2:43 Winning a National Championship and Building Championship Culture 3:27 Leadership Lessons from Legendary Strength Coach Johnny Long 4:19 Building Mental Toughness Through Accountability and Standards 5:37 Daily Habits That Create High-Performance Athletes 6:38 How Mental Toughness Is Built Every Single Day 8:03 Building Confidence During an 0–8 NFL Season 9:10 Creating a Winning Team Culture with the Buffalo Bills 10:49 The "13 Seconds" Game and Recovering from Heartbreak 13:47 Leadership, Recognition, and Bringing Out the Best in People 15:33 Using Competition to Build Mental Toughness and Accountability 19:24 Why Talent Without Discipline Never Creates Champions 21:37 Getting Fired After 15 Years in the NFL and Moving Forward 24:21 Mental Toughness When Life Doesn't Go According to Plan 25:54 Leadership Lessons from Nearly Two Decades in the NFL 27:41 Why Passion Still Separates Great Athletes from Good Ones 28:43 What's Wrong with Youth Sports and Athlete Development Today 30:14 Calvin Johnson and the Habits of Elite Performers 33:02 Daily Training, Longevity, and Performing at a High Level 35:08 Purpose, and Life Beyond Football Don't forget you can also follow Dr. Rob Bell on Twitter or Instagram! Follow At: X @drrobbell Instagram @drrobbell 5 Mental Toughness Advantages for Financial Advisors: https://pages.drrobbell.com/ If you enjoyed this episode on Mental Toughness, please subscribe and leave a review! Dr. Rob Bell Exclusive Podcast Sponsor: Morton Brown Family Wealth https://mortonbrownfw.com/  Morton Brown Family Wealth is the Presenting Partner of The Mental Toughness Podcast with Dr. Rob Bell. Sponsorship of this podcast does not imply endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services expressed by individual guests.

Coach Andy Fox shares his journey from being a standout basketball player at Cornell (Iowa) to becoming the Associate Head Coach at George Mason University.Andy got his start in the profession as Graduate Assistant at Tennessee under Buzz Peterson, he was retained when Bruce Pearl took the reins, the Volunteers captured the SEC East Championship in 2006 and earned 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.He went on to join the coaching staff at The Citadel under Ed Conroy and he helped propel the Bulldogs to a school-record 20 wins and the program's first postseason appearance in 2009. Coach Conroy took Andy with him when he accepted the job at Tulane. After five seasons at Tulane, Coach Fox joined the coaching staff at Louisiana Tech serving under Eric Konkol.After four seasons at Louisiana Tech he moved to Nashville and served in a multitude of roles under Jerry Stackhouse at Vanderbilt. The Commodores made a pair of NIT appearances and had their best season in over a decade during his time in Nashville.Coach Fox spent the 2024-25 season coaching at Army West Point under Kevin Kuwik. In 2024-25, Fox helped lead the Black Knights to a historic season, which included the program's first postseason win in 55 years.Tony Skinn hired Andy Fox to his George Mason University coaching staff in June 2025 and they pioneered the Patriots to the program's best-ever overall (18-1) and A-10 starts (6-0). They became the fastest in school history to reach 20 victories (22), they earned a spot in the 2025 NIT. In June 2026 Coach Skinn promoted Fox to an Associate Head Coach.

Fresh off a full summer serving as Orientation Student Leaders, Louisiana Tech juniors Sarah Freeman and Tason Lawrence love the University more than ever. They share their reasons for choosing Tech for college, their reasons for signing up for the tall task of being OSLs, and their reasons for feeling like the campus community is a perfect place to call home. LA Tech FYE on Instagram: instagram.com/latechfye Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

What does it take to remain faithful in youth ministry for more than four decades and still see your influence growing through future generations? In this interview episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards sits down with longtime ministry leader Hugh Kirby for a powerful conversation about youth ministry longevity, relational discipleship, mentorship, prayer, church leadership, and going the distance in ministry. Hugh has served in ministry for more than 42 years, including 17 years directly leading student ministry at New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Georgia. Today, he can look back and see former students influencing their own children, grandchildren, churches, and communities. But Hugh's ministry story began long before New Hope. He shares how God moved powerfully during his years playing football at Louisiana Tech, where more than 40 players and others connected to the team came to faith in Christ. Hugh reflects on the spiritual influence of his roommate Denny Duron, the leaders who invested in him, and the way God used relationships to shape his calling. Hugh also shares how Dr. Millard Box helped transform his understanding of discipleship as a teenager. Rather than building everything around programs, Dr. Box invited Hugh into a relationship-centered environment built on Scripture, honest conversation, accountability, and prayer. That experience became a model Hugh would carry into decades of youth ministry. In this episode, you'll hear about: • What helped Hugh remain faithful through 42 years of ministry • Why ministry longevity requires dependence on Jesus and support from family • How relational discipleship shaped Hugh as a teenager • Why relationships should come before programs • The importance of Scripture, accountability, and intimate prayer • How Hugh learned to build disciples who would disciple others • What youth pastors can learn from Jesus' progressive disciple-building model • How long-term ministry influences students, families, and generations • Why churches must keep Jesus—not programs—as the main thing • How mentors and mature believers shape a young person's future Hugh explains that effective discipleship is not simply giving students more information. It means entering their lives, building relationships, helping them understand Scripture, creating loving accountability, and teaching them how to walk personally with Jesus. This conversation is especially valuable for youth pastors, student ministry volunteers, Christian educators, parents, grandparents, mentors, and anyone who wants to invest in the next generation for the long term. Programs eventually end. Positions eventually change. But a life poured intentionally into another person can continue bearing fruit for generations. Listen and be encouraged to build relationships, make disciples, remain faithful, and go the distance in the ministry God has given you. Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _________________________________________________________________________________

On today's episode, we discuss a “non-conspiracy” Friday without Charlotte, mixing playful inside jokes like the day's motto “wooly bully” with sharp political and legal commentary. The hosts start with stories about strongly worded letters—one that got James blacklisted by Louisiana Tech years ago and a new one aimed at a big New Orleans law firm—using them to reflect on how their approach to conflict has evolved. They then shift to their running “presidential apprentice” theme, comparing contenders like Ron DeSantis, Marco Rubio, and J.D. Vance, and spotlighting Rubio's recent media performances and Vance's troubles with a talkative security detail. A substantial part of the discussion digs into military law and free speech, analyzing whether a soldier who posted an expletive-laden anti-Trump video on his last day in uniform could face consequences under Article 88 of the UCMJ and how Article 15 proceedings work in practice. The episode rounds out with updates on a scrubbed rocket launch, speculation about Obama's post-presidency moves, and concerns over voter roll irregularities in states like New Jersey and Minnesota, blending conspiracy-flavored questions with skepticism and fact-checking from AI tools like Grok. Don't miss it!

Alex and Richard conduct the second annual Coach Firing/Retirement/Departure Confidence Draft, assigning point values to 27 FBS coaches based on how likely they are to leave their jobs after the 2026 season, either because they got fired or retired. (Poachings are not included.) Last year, Alex scored a narrow victory thanks to his bold and successful pick of Kyle Whittingham to be out at Utah after the season. Can Richard fight back?The board runs in order of tenure, from Kirk Ferentz's 28th year at Iowa to Bill Belichick's second at North Carolina, and produces wide gaps on Joe Moorhead, Mike Norvell, Luke Fickell, and the exact meaning of a Lincoln Riley departure. In this episode, we cover these coaches in order:• 5:23: Kirk Ferentz at Iowa• 6:21: Troy Calhoun at Air Force• 7:54: Dabo Swinney at Clemson• 9:39: Dave Doeren at NC State• 11:01: Pat Narduzzi at Pitt• 12:15: Mike Locksley at Maryland• 14:27: Mike Norvell at Florida State• 15:32: Ricky Rahne at Old Dominion• 16:11: Shane Beamer at South Carolina• 18:12: Steve Sarkisian at Texas• 20:34: Sonny Cumbie at Louisiana Tech• 21:50: Joe Moorhead at Akron• 23:49: Timmy Chang at Hawaii• 24:39: Tony Elliott at Virginia• 27:01: Lincoln Riley at USC• 29:04: Sonny Dykes at TCU• 30:35: Brent Venables at Oklahoma• 31:53: Deion Sanders at Colorado• 33:43: Luke Fickell at Wisconsin• 34:40: Jamey Chadwell at Liberty• 35:35: Matt Rhule at Nebraska• 37:05: Bill O'Brien at Boston College• 38:41: Kalen DeBoer at Alabama• 40:14: Scotty Walden at UTEP• 40:50: Derek Mason at Middle Tennessee• 40:53: Dell McGee at Georgia State• 42:00: Bill Belichick at North CarolinaNote: We unintentionally omitted Baylor's Dave Aranda from this draft. We will come back to him in the Big 12 preview later this summer.Producer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Kyle Kavanaugh's title may not fit on a business card, but it's warranted because of his influence in so many different areas across both athletics and academics at Tech. Kavanaugh helped grow the largest student organization in 'Blue Bloods.' He's also heavily involved in the latest marketing campaign geared at enhancing support for the Bulldogs & Lady Techsters, 'One More.' Kavanaugh is another one who graduated from Louisiana Tech. The amount of his soul he pours into Tech is immeasurable. Listen as Kavanaugh touches on all of this and more, including the hype around Tech's entry into the Sun Belt Conference, on Tech Drive.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Justin Kavalir is Louisiana Tech University's associate VP and general counsel, a guiding and protective hand when it comes to institutional litigation. In this episode, he discusses his beginnings in the realm of accounting before deciding to take on law school, his easy choice to make a professional return to Tech, and the complex nature of his day-to-day. He highlights some of the standout cases he's seen in his role and stresses the importance of balancing First Amendment rights with campus safety. Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

What's in a name? Temple forward Sir Issac Herron had plenty to say about that on this week's episode of The Scoop. The 6-foot-10 forward who joined the Owls via the transfer portal from Louisiana Tech talked about the origins of his name, recovering from two injuries, and why he feels better than he ever has as he attempts to build upon last season and improve coach Adam Fisher's frontcourt. Herron had some high praise for fellow Temple big man Christian Beam and forwards Edwin Suarez and Baboucarr Njie, and we'll tell you why you should keep your eyes peeled for another Temple football verbal commitment this week. Intro: 0:00 – 4:32 Sir Issac Herron joins the show: 4:32 – 48:35 A football verbal is on the way: 48:35 – 50:01 Mailbag: 50:01- end

Jude talked Sun Belt Media Days including Louisiana Tech's return to the conference, Alvin Kamara's reworked Saints contract, and the Senate's efforts to stabilize college sports.

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Stephen Parr and Louis R. Avallone. This is the full show for July 14, 2026. We open with the Democratic Socialists of America's national co-chair going on record calling for the abolition of the United States Senate — and we explain why this isn't a fringe idea anymore. The DSA wants to replace the Senate, the presidency, and the Supreme Court with a single legislative body allocated purely by population, rename it the People's Bureau, and hand it public ownership of the nation's largest corporations. We walk through what that actually means — that seven or eight major cities could effectively govern the entire country, that the constitutional protections for smaller states would vanish, and that the structure they're proposing is the same one that produced the Third Reich, the Soviet Union, and Communist China. We also note that 51% of the DSA's National Policy Committee openly identifies with communism, Marxism, or Marxist-Leninism — not according to conservative critics, but according to a report cited by the former Democratic chief counsel for the House Judiciary Committee. The Democratic Party needs to decide whether it is going to continue letting these people run under its banner. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, President Trump formally notified Congress that hostilities with Iran have resumed — opening a new 60-day window under the War Powers Act after Iran repeatedly violated the ceasefire and continued attacking civilian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Then inflation dropped from 4.2% to 3.5% last month — the largest single-month decrease in four years — driven largely by falling gas prices during the ceasefire, with core inflation down to 2.6%. And Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett testified jointly before Congress requesting increased security funding — with Barrett revealing that six weeks ago her teenage son opened the front door to find their street filled with police cars responding to a swatting attack on their home. We also weigh in on President Trump's signature appearing on the new $100 bill as part of America's 250th anniversary commemoration — and we have a genuine disagreement about it. It's a milestone that comes once in a nation's history and deserves recognition. But putting a sitting president's name on currency in circulation is outside American tradition, starts to look like the kind of thing emperors and monarchs do, and gives his critics an easy target that's hard to defend. Our American Mama Teri Netterville makes the case that moms are still better matchmakers than any dating app ever invented — and backs it up with evidence. Three couples she personally set up are now married, including her own daughter Summer and Louisiana Tech baseball captain Phillip Matulia, whom Teri identified as the right match before her daughter was even willing to consider it. She also shares the story of Andrea Swift — Taylor's mother — who heard that Travis Kelce loves his mother, said ding ding ding, and the rest is history. Terry's conclusion: we know our children. Apps know your data. There's a difference. In our Digging Deep segment, a Fort Worth police officer threatened street preachers Richard Pankoski and David Grisham with disorderly conduct citations at a Pride parade — telling them directly that if someone is offended by their talking, that constitutes a problem warranting a citation. We explain why this is not a close constitutional question. The First Amendment does not exist to protect popular speech. It exists precisely to protect the kind of speech that offends people. The Fort Worth police chief acknowledged the officers were wrong — but we push back on his framing. They weren't wrong in the manner they addressed it. They were wrong to address it at all. Religious speech enjoys the same constitutional protection as secular speech. If marchers get to publicly celebrate what scripture calls sin, preachers get to publicly call it sin. We then turn to Zoran Mamdani's New York City — where Manhattan's average one-bedroom rent has hit an all-time high of nearly $5,500 a month and Brooklyn is setting its own records, with critics calling the housing situation DEFCON 1. We connect it directly to Mamdani's rent freeze threats, which gave every landlord in the city a powerful incentive to raise rents before the freeze could take effect, and to congestion pricing, which is now making it financially attractive to live inside Manhattan rather than commute — driving up rents from the demand side. The left created this crisis with its own policies and is now running on those same policies as the solution. For our Bright Spot, President Trump and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced that U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by September 30th — ending a 23-year military presence that peaked at 170,000 troops and is now down to roughly 2,000. We also cover Iraq signing new oil deals with Chevron and other American companies to build pipelines running from Iraq through Turkey to Europe — bypassing the Strait of Hormuz entirely — which would permanently reduce Iranian leverage over global energy markets. And we close with 28-year-old Rishi Sharma, who at 18 became curious about World War II, interviewed one veteran, then another, then another, until curiosity became an obsession — and he has now spent every single day of the last ten years interviewing veterans of the Greatest Generation, preserving 3,000 firsthand accounts of American history on hard drives and SD cards before those voices are gone forever. May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The previous post covered my grades on how the strength of today’s four largest college athletic conferences compare with their previous versions twenty years ago in 2006. Here's a brief recap. In my estimation, only the SEC (which expanded from 12 to 16 teams over that 20 year period) has shown an upgrade in competition levels since 2006.  I awarded the SEC a “B” grade. The Big 12 (which lost four of its prominent members to the SEC) received a C+ for their nimble addition of several relevant regional sports schools. A “D” grade was handed down to the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Their nonsensical addition of West Coast newcomers Cal (Berkeley) and Stanford in 2024 crashed the ACC's overall score. Speaking of lousy grades, I awarded a D- to the Big Ten Conference as its recently-annexed properties have resulted in a BIG thud.  From the east (Maryland and Rutgers) to the west (Nebraska, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington), the Big Ten’s new coast-to-coast configuration has failed to improve this conference for either sports fans or student/athletes. How have the five mid-major conferences fared with recent expansion issues? These other conferences (nicknamed the “Group of Five”) can be quite entertaining but rarely win national championships.  They must compete against the “Big Four” major conferences featuring the wealthiest college sports programs. American Athletic Conference (AAC) The AAC has only been around since the year 2013.  There were 10 initial AAC members and now 14 in 2026. Only Memphis, South Florida, and Temple remain from 2013.  The ACC raided Conference USA to obtain several of its new members. Army and Navy – What's not to like about these two additions?  They bring the focus of the entire college football world to their annual game played in early December.  Grades – A Charlotte – The 49ers have been perpetual cellar dwellers in most sports.  Charlotte, North Carolina sports fans are more likely to follow UNC, Duke, and Clemson.  Yawn.  Grade – D- East Carolina – The Pirates have made the NCAA baseball playoffs ten times since 2013 and have occasionally contended for the AAC title in football.  A hearty fan base makes ECU a fun place to watch sports.  Grade – B Florida Atlantic – A member of the AAC since 2023, this school is best known for its men's basketball team and having a great beach nearby.  Sadly, most local sports fans don’t give a hoot about the FAU Owls yet.  Grade – C- North Texas – The Mean Green had a brilliant 12-2 football season in 2025 in the school's third year as part of the AAC.  The other sports are lagging behind.  Grade – C Rice – Another third year AAC member, the Houston-based Owls have been an athletics flop in their new conference.  Grade – D Tulane – Green Wave football program has rejuvenated Tulane athletics down in the Crescent City.  Unfortunately, the remainder of the school’s sports teams rarely lead the AAC.  Grade – C Tulsa – Golden Hurricane football and men's basketball programs have been on the decline in the past decade.  That's a shame, because Tulsa fans desperately want to get behind the city’s lone major college athletics team.  Grade – C- UAB – Try as I might, I'm having trouble remembering any recent sports successes for the Blazers.  Grade – D- UTSA – Like Tulsa, the Roadrunners have the entire San Antonio market ready for their athletics programs to take off.  Other than some recent success in football, UTSA sports still appear to be taking a siesta.  Grade – C- AAC overall grade for expansion: C- Conference USA (C-USA) I am not going to provide individual grades to Conference USA member schools.  It is not their fault that C-USA management has done such a lousy job of keeping this conference together and relevant in major college sports. The conference has seen a 100% turnover in the past 20 years. Schools being added have generally been former FCS top teams such as Delaware, Sam Houston, and Jacksonville (AL) State. Things have declined so badly in Conference USA (“How badly have they declined?”) that longtime member Louisiana Tech recently agreed to pay a reported $8 million to buy its way out of C-USA.  The Bulldogs’ jubilant athletic department and fans are rejoining the Sun Belt Conference this fall.  Louisiana Tech will save more than $1 million annually in travel costs formerly required to travel to schools within the far-flung Conference USA. Longtime C-USA holdovers Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State deserve a better fate.  Save your money and call the Sun Belt in a couple of years! C-USA overall grade for expansion –  F- Mid-American Conference (MAC) In contrast to Conference USA, the MAC has remained remarkably stable for the past 20 years. Eleven of the dozen MAC members in 2006 remain a part of the conference today.  Northern Illinois (which had been part of the MAC for 30 years) is leaving this fall to become part of the Mountain West Conference. In a couple of curious moves, the Mid-American Conference has added two new members recently. UMass – The 2025 addition of the University of Massachusetts (which is at least in regional proximity to longtime MAC member Buffalo) was rather questionable.  Athletic success at Umass has been nearly invisible over the past decade.  After just one year in the MAC, the Minutemen have been a net negative in sports for the Mid-American Conference.  Grade: D- Sacramento State – Seriously?  Yes, the Mid-American Conference will add this longtime FCS member from California to its football schedules this fall.  Sacramento (the #20 TV market) is 2,500 miles from the middle of Ohio. The Hornets will be a football-only member of the Mid-American Conference.  For the usually stable MAC, this is a rather bizarre expansion move.  Grade: F MAC overall grade for expansion:  D- Mountain West Conference (Mountain West) The Mountain West has survived a few departure tremors in recent years.  Of the nine Mountain West members 20 years ago, only Air Force, New Mexico, UNLV, and Wyoming remain.  Let’s review the teams which have come aboard since 2006. Hawaii – The Rainbow Warriors (2012) have posted winning football records in just four of their 14 seasons in the Mountain West.  The other athletic squads are nearly invisible in the post-season tournaments.  Hawaii remains a dream road trip destination for visiting teams and their fans, though.  Grade: C- Nevada – At least the men’s basketball team has appeared in the NCAA March Madness event five times over the past nine seasons.  Otherwise, fans of the Nevada Wolfpack (which joined the Mountain West in 2012) haven’t had much to howl about lately.  Grade: C- North Dakota State – This former FCS division powerhouse football program is stepping-up to play against the big boys beginning this fall.  The move is for football only. The Bison are a terrific geographic fit for the Mountain West Conference, too.  This makes sense.  Grade: A Northern Illinois – The Huskies will join the Mountain West this fall after 30 years in the Mid-American Conference.  Northern Illinois’ sports resume has weakened in recent years.  Other than bringing the #3 TV market (Chicago) to the Mountain West, this move makes little sense.  Grade: D San Jose State – The Spartans (members since 2013) have appeared in four bowl games over the past decade.  On the other hand, the men’s basketball team has won just 33% of its conference games over the past 13 years.  Grade: C- UTEP – This longtime Conference USA member joins the Mountain West this fall.  UTEP’s football team has been downright awful in recent years.  Despite a sports slump, UTEP bring strong fan support from the El Paso area.  They should be a fine geographic fit for the Mountain West.  Grade: C Mountain West overall grade for expansion:  C Sun Belt Conference (Sun Belt) The Sun Belt has been nicknamed the “Junior SEC”.  This conference has grown from 10 members in 2006 to 14 today. Only Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, South Alabama, Troy, and UL-Monroe remain from 2006. Appalachian State – The Mountaineers (members since 2014) have been a top football contender in the Sun Belt.  Their enthusiastic fans make road trips to Boone, North Carolina a fun stop.  Grade: B Coastal Carolina – Speaking of fun stops, how about a visit to Myrtle Beach to play Coastal Carolina?  The 2017 Sun Belt addition of the Chanticleers has been a terrific addition for the conference.  Coastal’s football team has played in six straight bowl games.  The baseball team won the men’s College World Series in 2016.  Grade: A Georgia Southern – Would it surprise you to learn that the Golden Eagles from Statesboro, Georgia have played in seven bowl games over the past eight seasons?  The other sports programs at Georgia Southern need to step it up.  Grade: B Georgia State – The 2013 addition of the Panthers from Atlanta has not added a lot of sports notoriety.  However, the men’s basketball program has earned four invitations to March Madness in the past 11 seasons.  Grade: C Louisiana Tech – The Bulldogs paid dearly ($8 million) to escape Conference USA beginning this fall.  Louisiana Tech brings several highly competitive sports teams. They are a perfect geographic addition to the Sun Belt Conference Western division.  Grade: A Marshall – This begins Marshall’s fourth year in the Sun Belt Conference.  The Thundering Herd has been a top football competitor and competes well in other major sports.  Grade: B Old Dominion – ODU came into the Sun Belt in 2022.  The Monarchs from Norfolk, VA posted a nifty 10-3 football record in 2025.  Old Dominion has been relatively quiet in its other sports, though.  Grade: C Southern Miss – The Golden Eagles (Sun Belt members since 2022) have been a dominant team in recent NCAA college baseball post-season tournaments.  Last season’s 2025 football team improved from a miserable 1-11 record in 2024 to a hopeful 7-6 mark.  Grade: B Sun Belt overall grade for expansion:  B+ Bonus Conference!  The newly revived Pac-12 Conference “states” its case in 2026 The most prominent names of the long-time Pac-12 Conference bolted for better TV money into the Big Ten and ACC in 2024.  That left holdovers Oregon State and Washington State “homeless”.  The Beavers and Cougars have bagged a few top teams from the Mountain West Conference to help them rebuild the Pac-12 starting this fall. Boise State is the biggest name coming to the new Pac-12.  The Broncos have fielded a nationally ranked football program several times in the past few decades. Other Mountain West migrants include Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Washington State. Texas State (formerly of the Sun Belt Conference) will also join the Pac-12 this fall. In case you didn’t notice, each of the eight new Pac-12 schools has the last name of “State”! Summary Only the Sun Belt Conference has earned a positive score (B+) from SwampSwami among the “Group of Five” mid-major conferences. The Sun Belt is the only major college athletic conference opting to maintain two divisions (East and West) to minimize travel expenses for its member schools and lessen the travel impact on their student/athletes.  Bravo! The post Grading the Mid-Major Conference expansions – Part 2 appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

#270: Eric Konkol is the head men's basketball coach at the University of Tulsa and has established himself as one of college basketball's most respected program builders. He most recently lead the Golden Hurricane to one of their best seasons in program history winning 30 games (second most in school history), reaching the American Conference semifinals for the first time in over a decade, and making a run in the NIT all the way to the championship game.Since taking over Tulsa in 2022, he has been recognized for his emphasis on culture, player development, and leadership. Before arriving at Tulsa, he spent seven successful seasons at Louisiana Tech, where he won 153 games, led the Bulldogs to six 20-win seasons, captured a Conference USA West Division title, and was named Conference USA Coach of the Year.More importantly than all of the accolades you will get to hear the real reason why he coaches to make an impact on his players and everyone that is a part of the program. For more on Coach Konkol check out social media as well as tulsahurricane.com Enjoy the show!

We are in that brief summertime window where college athletics have gone on vacation. The men’s and women’s College World Series ended last month.  Football season begins again in late August. I have been reflecting on the ever-changing landscape of college athletics. Even just twenty years ago, the major college sports conferences looked a whole lot different than they do today.  Schools have been shifting to new conference locations primarily to maximize revenues. A few have switched conferences primarily to reduce expenses (I’m looking at you, Louisiana Tech!) The question remains as to whether the recent decades of musical chairs has resulted in improvements for college athletic fans and athletes?  Or have these changes primarily benefited the wallets of major universities and the media companies who quietly wink and nod after bigger TV markets have been added to the portfolios of the largest conferences. Let’s jump into the Wayback machine today and return 20 years to 2006.  We will take a look at each major college athletic conference as it was in 2006 and how it is structured today in 2026. Have these additions been for the better or worse for each conference? Today, let’s examine the top four (by money) major football conferences.  We will review the group of “mid-major” conferences in my next report. Southeastern Conference (SEC) New teams:  Missouri and Texas A&M (2011); Oklahoma and Texas (2024).  Interestingly, each of those four teams moved from the Big 12 Conference to the SEC. Analysis by Team: Missouri – has been a geographic misfit in the SEC from Day 1.  The Tigers have not competed at a high level in most sports nor do they have a lot of trophies to show for the past 15 years in the SEC.  Grade: D Texas A&M – made a lot of sense coming to the SEC in 2011.  The Aggies needed to move along from its constant obsession about being compared to intrastate foe “Texas University”.  SEC leaders were able to snag the huge Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth TV markets.  A&M has proven it “belongs” in the SEC over its 15 years in the league by earning several league titles and staying relevant annually.  Grade: B Oklahoma – The Sooners played in the College Football playoffs last year and just claimed the men’s College World Series title in June.  OU’s long history of athletic success has already been felt around the SEC.  Grade: B+ Texas – The Longhorns are annually contending for the College Football Playoffs in recent seasons.  Texas also brought the growing San Antonio and Austin TV markets into the SEC.  The Longhorns have quickly become top SEC competitors in basketball, baseball, and other sports.  Grade: B+ SEC overall grade for expansion: B Big Ten Conference (Big Ten) New teams: Nebraska (2011); Maryland and Rutgers (2014); Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington (2024). It took a long time for the stodgy Big Ten Conference to finally invite Penn State to become its 11th team in 1990.  Since that time, the poorly named Big Ten has grown to 18 schools today.  The league picked-up several large TV markets in New York City and Philadelphia (Rutgers), Washington DC/Baltimore (Maryland), Los Angeles (UCLA and USC), and Seattle (Washington).  Those new schools have produced relatively little in terms of sports titles for the conference, though.  Analysis by Team:  Nebraska – The Cornhuskers left the comfy confines of the Big 12 Conference in 2011 and quickly saw their national stature in sports take a beating in the Big Ten.  Despite lofty expectations, Nebraska has been a disappointment.  Grade: D Maryland – Ditto.  Just substitute “ACC” for “Big 12”.  Grade: D Rutgers – Rutgers was lousy at most major sports prior to joining the Big Ten.  They were added to the Big Ten simply to attract television viewers from the New York City and Philly TV markets.  Athletically speaking, Rutgers has been a Big Ten bust.  Grade: F Oregon – The Big Ten’s raid of the former Pac-12 snagged one of the nation’s top football teams in Oregon.  The Ducks have given the Big Ten a much needed bolt of energy.  However, I can’t give a top grade to Oregon when its athletes must travel thousands of miles just to participate in Big Ten events.  Grade: C+ UCLA – The Bruins’ women’s basketball and softball teams have been been excellent.  However, the men’s sports programs haven’t made much of a dent in the Big Ten yet.  Grade: C USC – There were lofty expectations for the Trojans’ football team.  They have under-performed.  Like UCLA, USC has not been a difference maker in the Big Ten.  Grade: C- Washington – The Huskies’ football team has regressed the past two years with a 14-11 overall mark.  Washington’s other sports teams have been nearly invisible in the 18-team Big Ten Conference.  This is yet another school spending a ton of money on jet fuel.  They are forcing student/athletes to travel across the country to play in athletic events just to grab more money from television.  Grade: D- Big Ten overall grade for expansion: D- Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) New teams: Pitt and Syracuse (2013), Louisville (2014), SMU, Stanford, and Syracuse (2024) Exiting team: Maryland (2014) to Big Ten *Notre Dame:  The Irish joined the ACC in 2013 but remained independent in football.  The current 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference has, by far, the worst geographic fit of any major college conference in America.  Twenty years ago, the ACC’s 13 teams (Maryland has since left) were located along the Atlantic coast.  Adding SMU (Texas) and West coast entries Cal and Stanford in 2024 has been one of the most puzzling decisions in recent years.  Analysis by Team: Louisville – This school (since 2013) has been surprisingly competitive in football but surprisingly non-competitive in men’s basketball recently.  Overall, the Cardinals have been a solid addition to the ACC.  Grade: B+ Syracuse – The Orange (coming aboard in 2013) has produced just four winning seasons in football after 13 years in the ACC.  Some early ACC basketball success has faded in recent years.  Grade: C- Pittsburgh – Pitt (which arrived in 2014) had a good run in football a few years ago with Kenny Pickett running the offense.  Otherwise, their addition to the ACC has been “OK” at best.  Grade: C- Cal (Berkeley) and Stanford – these two Pacific Coast schools (added in 2024) have brought zero titles to the ACC since joining the league.  They remain a waste of jet fuel.  Grades for both schools: F SMU – The Mustangs effectively bought their slot in the ACC in 2024 with the help of their wealthy financial backers.  SMU made it into the 2025 College Football Playoffs but hasn’t been a factor in other sports.  Grade: D+ *Notre Dame – The Irish baseball team made it into the College World Series in 2022.  Notre Dame’s financially prudent but quite selfish decision not to participate in football in the ACC comes with a marked-down score. Grade: D ACC overall grade for expansion: D Big 12 Conference (Big 12): Only seven of the Big 12 Conference members remain from 2006.  Within that group, Colorado left the Big 12 for the Pac-12 in 2011 but returned in 2024. Analysis by Team: Arizona – The Wildcats came to the Big 12 in 2024 as a refugee from the dying Pac-12 Conference.  Arizona went 9-4 in football last season.  It’s too early to give the Cats a good grade.  Grade: C Arizona State – Same story as Arizona.  Grade: C BYU – The Cougars came into the Big 12 in 2023.  They have rolled-off 11-2 and 12-2 football records in 2024 and 2025.  The BYU basketball team has appeared in the NCAA tourney in all three seasons after joining the Big 12.  Despite its geographic distance from other longtime Big 12 members, Brigham Young has been a positive addition to its new conference.  Grade: B+ Cincinnati – They entered the Big 12 in 2023.  The Bearcats haven’t been a major sports factor in their three years in the conference.  Cincy has been a good geographic fit for the Big 12, but a sports dud.  Grade: D- Houston – The Cougars also came into the league in 2023 along with the valuable Houston television market.  The Coogs have been competitive in football and a regular national championship contender in men’s basketball.  U of H has been a solid addition to the Big 12.  Grade: B TCU – Texas Christian joined the Big 12 in 2012.  In addition to bringing the Dallas-Fort Worth TV market into the league, the 2022 Horned Frogs’ football team played in the national championship game (and lost).  TCU’s other athletic programs have been regular contenders in the Big 12.  Grade: A- UCF – Central Florida (added 2023) hasn’t posted a winning season in football in three years in the Big 12.  The other sports teams haven’t been very competitive, either.  This school was added primarily due to its enormous size (70,000 students) and the Orlando television market.  Despite those pluses, the school is 1,000 miles east of Houston (the nearest Big 12 city).  This addition has been puzzling since Day 1.  Grade: F Utah – The Utes football team finished 11-2 in 2025 (the school’s second year as part of the Big 12).  Utah’s sports programs are generally quite competitive and bring enthusiastic fans.  Grade: B- West Virginia – Mountaineers entered the Big 12 back in 2012.  In the past 14 years, West Virginia has posted a winning football record 50% of the time.  Like Utah, this is a school with passionate sports fans who have been a plus for the Big 12.  Grade: B- Big 12 overall grade for expansion: C+ Conclusion – SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 conferences After the questionable addition of Missouri in 2011, the SEC’s expansion to add both Oklahoma and Texas in 2024 has made their conference a bit stronger.  OU and Texas jumped from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2024 after huge piles of money were being pushed in their direction to incentivize the move.  It still saddens me that these two long-time anchor tenants of the Big 12 Conference aren’t around any longer. Speaking of the Big 12, let’s give that conference credit for adding several new schools within relatively proximity of the league’s Midwestern stalwarts.  However, the addition of UCF (Central Florida) made absolutely no sense in 2023.  It is still puzzling today. Both the Big Ten and ACC moved to add schools located west of the Mississippi River in recent years.  The Big Ten’s addition of four former Pac-12 universities still feels odd.  Meanwhile, Cal and Stanford have brought zero value to the ACC. Instead of buying their way into the ACC, SMU should have remained patient.  The Mustangs could have bought their way into the Big 12 at some point and be competing with nearby TCU and other regional rivals instead of jetting their athletes up and down the Atlantic seaboard. All in all, expansion has generally served to water-down the four major college conferences – at least on the playing field.  The recent moves have all centered on universities pocketing more money from television and media companies. Let’s examine the American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, and Sun Belt conferences during our next visit! The post Grading the College Conference expansions – Part 1 appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

The final Group of 6 conference preview episode hits the Sun Belt, the American Athletic Conference, and the rebuilt Pac-12 with full 2026 picks, predictions, betting angles, title-game projections, surprise teams, disappointment picks, and schedule notes.The Sun Belt enters a transition year with James Madison trying to survive another coaching change under Billy Napier, Old Dominion and Marshall pushing in the East, and a chaotic West led by Troy, Louisiana, Arkansas State, and newcomer Louisiana Tech. Gary explains why JMU is the champion pick, why Troy and Louisiana Tech carry betting value, and why Southern Miss may be the biggest fade in the league.The American looks wide open after major coaching and roster turnover. Navy has the cleanest path, UTSA has the best quarterback profile with Owen McCown, Memphis has the transfer upside under Charles Huff, and ECU, Army, USF, Tulane, FAU, and Tulsa all bring different paths and problems.The new Pac-12 is back as a rebuilt Group of 6 power league, with Boise State as the overwhelming favorite. San Diego State, Fresno State, Texas State, Washington State, and Utah State all have challenger cases, but the real question is whether anyone can make Boise State uncomfortable.

July 1st signaled a new age of Louisiana Tech athletics as the Bulldogs and Lady Techsters will now be competing in the Sun Belt Conference. Vice President & Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey provides details on what the Sun Belt's impact will have on Tech, including the excitement around reigniting geographic rivalries and the added benefits to student-athletes. And while it's the dawn of a new era, Ivey says the expectations will not change for any of Tech's 16 sponsored athletic programs. Ivey also discusses the current structure of college athletics, federal legislation, roster construction, facilities and how the Sun Belt's core values align most with Louisiana Tech.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. David Szymanski, department chair and professor of Kinesiology at Louisiana Tech, charts the path that began in Chicago as a fine arts major, pivoted, and then took him through the ranks of collegiate baseball coaching. He highlights his transition from a professional baseball hopeful to a "professional professor," his pioneering research in baseball sport performance, and his role in expanding the University's kinesiology programs. He shares his passion for helping students figure out what they want to be when they grow up and gives the reasons why he considers kinesiology a versatile "renaissance degree" capable of opening doors to everything from allied health fields to Major League Baseball. LA Tech Kinesiology: https://www.latech.edu/education-human-sciences/about-cehs/kinesiology/index Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

ACC, Big 12 and SEC college football coaches and players start gathering for their respective conference's media days. Also, Louisiana Tech and Tennessee Tech both have new conference homes for the 2026 season. The Y'all Show is a production of Yall.com, and hosted by Jon Rawl.

Down 20 points and ice cold from beyond the arc, Louisiana Tech once again found itself staring at a familiar script against Middle Tennessee. This time, the ending belonged to the Bulldogs. Tech's only made 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds remaining capped a stunning comeback as the Bulldogs erased a massive deficit and stunned the Blue Raiders, 59-58, inside the TAC.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Leland Weiss, the new-ish dean of the Graduate School and longtime Louisiana Tech engineering professor, discusses his journey that began in Canada, carried him all over the U.S., and eventually landed him at Tech. He highlights his transition from industry to academia, his research focus on waste heat recovery, and his role in supporting graduate programs across the University. He shares his vision for the Graduate School and gives the reasons why he thinks Tech's graduate programs can stack up against any others in the country. Louisiana Tech Graduate School: latech.edu/academics/graduate-school/ Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

Director of Alumni Engagement Leslie Brister Carpenter is proud to have a Louisiana Tech heart. Born and raised in Ruston, she's made a career out of serving the campus and the community and letting her love for the University radiate through all she does. From her time as a student recruiter in college to jobs working with admissions and LA Tech Football, she's worked hard to personify the phrase "Ever Loyal Be" and spends this episode explaining why. Your Tech, Your Town 2026: latechalumni.org Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

Jamar Anderson, assistant director of internal affairs in Louisiana Tech's Bulldog Success Center, has made a home for himself at the University. From his time as a student taking on leadership positions and finding early work on campus in the office that would later give him a full time job, he's put Tech students first. He talks about his time at Tech and highlights the effectiveness of the Bulldog Success Center in this episode, and he even takes some time to break down his thoughts on the 2026 NBA Finals. Bulldog Success Center on Instagram: instagram.com/latech_bsc Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

One week ago, the state of Louisiana’s Legislative Auditor’s office released its annual fiscal review of Grambling State University’s athletics program for the year ending June 30, 2025. The school was cited for a few audit irregularities and quickly announced that changes were being made.  That wasn’t the biggest news, though. Grambling’s athletics department lost $5.1 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.  Revenues were reported at $9.2 million versus annual expenses of $14.3 million. In percentage terms, Grambling’s revenue was only 64% of the amount needed to sustain the athletics programs at the current level. Grambling wasn’t the only north Louisiana public university whose athletics spending exceeded revenue last year The same Louisiana Legislative Auditor also filed reports earlier in 2026 for Louisiana Tech University, Northwestern State University and the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Each of these four football-playing state universities located north of Alexandria reported losses in their athletics programs for the year ending June 30, 2025.  Grambling’s massive deficit grabbed the recent news headlines, but there is a troubling commonality among Louisiana public schools not named LSU. Louisiana Tech recently cut an expensive deal (rumored to be in the vicinity of $8 million) in order to exit Conference USA and join the more geographically-suitable Sun Belt Conference. That move may turn out to be prudent for the Bulldogs over the long-term.  Louisiana Tech’s annual travel expenses as part of Conference USA totaled nearly $3.5 million.  Nearby Sun Belt rival UL-Monroe’s travel costs for the same year were $2.3 million.  Louisiana Tech is expected save $1 million or more annually on its travel expenses beginning this fall by moving to the Sun Belt Conference. Let’s look under the hood at each of these four universities’ athletics spending.  We’ll finish with a few common sense (cheap) ideas on how to achieve break-even in the future. Grambling State University – 5,200 students (2024/2025 school year) Grambling is nationally known for its athletics and its exceptional marching band.  It was bit surprising to learn that Grambling’s football program had lost $2.5 million in the most recent year.  That amounted to about 50% of the athletic department’s annual deficit of $5.1 million. The football team’s travel costs of $1.1 million last fall were higher than all three of the other north Louisiana pubic schools. The expense summary also showed nearly $160,000 was spent to cover the costs of the school’s spirit groups (for one or more road trip performances). Grambling’s men’s and women’s basketball teams each posted losses in excess of $900,000 for the most recent year. Grambling (like Northwestern State) participates NCAA’s FCS small college football division.  The G-men play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Louisiana Tech University – 12,145 students (Fall, 2025) The Bulldogs are based in Ruston.  Louisiana Tech’s campus is less than six miles east of Grambling via Interstate 20.  The Bulldogs have been competing in Conference USA and a part of the NCAA FBS major college football division.  As mentioned earlier, Louisiana Tech moves into the Sun Belt Conference this fall. Audit results for Louisiana Tech’s athletics department last year showed a loss of $11.875 million. Football lost “only” about $1.6 million for the year.  Louisiana Tech’s men’s and women’s basketball teams each ran a deficit of about $700,000 apiece.  Other competitive sports at Louisiana Tech lost another $2.6 million.  The school’s income statement showed “non-program specific” athletic costs with a $6 million shortfall. As noted earlier in this report, Louisiana Tech’s overall travel costs playing in far-flung Conference USA were easily the highest in the group.  The Dogs’ annual total of $3.5 million for travel exceeded Grambling ($2.6 mm), UL-Monroe ($2.3 mm) and Northwestern State (less than $1 million). Northwestern State University – 8,402 students (Fall, 2025) The Demons from Natchitoches, Louisiana came the closest to break-even within its athletics programs among these four state schools.  Northwestern State participates in the NCAA’s FCS small college football division in the regionally-aligned Southland Conference. Northwestern State posted a relatively benign loss of $167,245 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.  The Demons’ men’s basketball program ran the largest deficit at more than $300,000.  The football team came up short by $280,000. Noteworthy, Northwestern State collected nearly $1.5 million in annual student fees to help support athletics.  That was about 10% of the school’s athletics spending.  It was the highest total among these four north Louisiana state schools. University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) – 8,678 students (Fall, 2025) Sun Belt Conference member ULM (like Louisiana Tech) competes in the NCAA’s FBS major college football division.  ULM is expecting to benefit from Louisiana Tech’s arrival in the Sun Belt Conference this fall with increased attendance and revenues expected at home games in all major sports. The Warhawks’ athletics budget is the smallest among the NCAA’s 136 FBS major colleges.  ULM’s overall school budget has been prone to massive shortfalls in recent years, too.  That means that ULM’s $1.5 million athletics department loss in fiscal year 2025 is much harder to cover. Audit results showed the UL-Monroe football program lost a whopping $3.8 million in the most recent report.  The Warhawks’ men’s and women’s basketball teams lost a combined $2.5 million.  Ouch! The school’s institutional support has kept the ULM athletics department afloat for years.  Significantly higher fan support for the Warhawks football and basketball programs is needed immediately.  Otherwise, the school may have no other choice but to consider returning to the NCAA FCS small college athletics division. A few suggestions from SwampSwami to achieve fiscal break-even These four north Louisiana state universities are located within 100 miles of each other.  Each school is a very large and important employer in its home city. These state schools must immediately address their athletics spending and move quickly toward achieving fiscal balance.  At the same time, they must also work harder and more creatively to raise sports revenues over the long-term to grow the athletics programs. First things first – Take immediate cost cutting measures – The simplest and fairest way is to voluntarily reduce athletics spending by cutting a certain percentage across the board.  That could come in the form of job reductions or, perhaps, an across-the-board pay cut for staff making more than $30,000 per year.  For example, a 5% mandatory spending reduction in Year 1 may spur some voluntary budget trimming beyond that level.  Yes, this likely means one less assistant coach, one fewer support staffer, one less charter flight, etc.  The athletics departments must take a hard look at streamlining operations.  Learn to do more with less. Refuse to play long-distance road games unless the school earns a significant profit by participating – UL-Monroe’s football team hits the road for at least two “Clobbering Time” payday games every season. They are often paid more than $1 million to play at large universities such as LSU, Texas A&M, and Alabama with huge stadiums.  ULM receives more money from some of these massive “visitor” paychecks than playing a home game in front of a sold-out stadium.  There are also downsides from being on the receiving end of a couple of massive road losses every season, too.  The football team and local fans can become a bit demoralized about the team’s chances for the remainder of the season. Now, let’s try to grow the revenue side with a few cheap ideas Stimulate increased student, alumni, and hometown support – Student and local support for the athletics programs within each of these four communities (Grambling, Ruston, Natchitoches, and Monroe) must improve.  Local fans want to see their sports teams having a chance to win more than they lose.  Identify sports which are cost-effective and give the school the best chance to hang a new (and long overdue) championship banner. Success in any of the major sports at these four schools can go a long way in rejuvenating and expanding the school’s athletic support base. Improve local marketing and promotion – It may sound corny but handing out free tickets to youth at local elementary, junior high school and high schools gets parents and guardians to purchase tickets, too.  A positive game day experience for that youth can plant a valuable seed about attending that college some day.  Each of these four north Louisiana public universities have thousands of empty seats available at football and basketball games.  A purposeful campaign to encourage and engage more youth at nearby college sporting events will pay future dividends. Inject more game day excitement – Utilize the pregame, quarter breaks, halftime, and post-game times to get fans more engaged.  Experiment with creative new (and inexpensive) ideas to keep the game experience fresh for all ages of fans. They will be more likely to return if they are having more fun at the games. Relentlessly promote ahead – There are only a few home football games played each fall.  Make each game special with its own promotion.  There are, perhaps, twenty home basketball, baseball or softball home games, too.  Give thought as to how to make each home game unique for fans. Target every recent (last few years) ticket purchaser by sending a weekly email.  Remind them of the school’s upcoming weekly sports schedule, special promotions, and discounts.  Utilize all types of social media to reach a wider audience to spread the word about upcoming college athletic events and team opponents. Depend on your own athletics staff to get the word out – Sadly, we live in a world with fewer and fewer exceptional local newspapers.  It is incumbent on each school’s athletics department to take an aggressive role in publicizing and promoting all ticket-based sporting events.  Fans want to know about the school’s upcoming games and events, so take the initiative! The post North Louisiana’s College Sports Programs are Underwater appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

Geographic information systems, remote sensing, and spatial data are becoming everyday tools for forestry and natural resource management. In this episode of Timber University, Dr. Michael Crosby from Louisiana Tech University joins us to discuss how GIS can help foresters, landowners, students, and natural resource professionals better understand forests, make maps, analyze management decisions, and connect field observations to landscape-scale patterns. Dr. Crosby is an Associate Professor in Louisiana Tech's School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry, where his work connects forestry, spatial modeling, forest health, invasive species, weather, and climate. He has also co-authored Geographic Information System Skills for Foresters and Natural Resource Managers, a textbook focused on helping foresters and land managers apply GIS to real-world data and management problems. In this conversation, we discuss why GIS matters in modern forestry and how mapping tools can move beyond "pretty pictures" into practical decision support. Dr. Crosby explains how spatial data can help answer questions about forest condition, access, disturbance, risk, invasive species, and management planning. The episode also touches on how students and working professionals can build confidence with GIS, even if they are not coming from a technical background. We also discuss the growing role of remote sensing, aerial imagery, and spatial analysis in forestry education and practice. From identifying patterns on the landscape to supporting better field decisions, these tools are increasingly important for foresters, land managers, consultants, researchers, and students preparing to work in natural resources. This episode is a useful listen for forestry students, consulting foresters, land managers, extension professionals, GIS users, and anyone interested in how spatial tools are changing the way we understand and manage forests. You can contact Dr. Michael Crosby at mcrosby@LATech.edu Additional resource: Geographic Information System Skills for Foresters and Natural Resource Managers Dr. Crosby co-authored this GIS textbook for foresters and natural resource managers.

Dr. Mortissa Harvey, director of Title IX compliance at Louisiana Tech University, discusses her role in ensuring the institution adheres to Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education. She emphasizes the importance of building trust and relationships to make the Title IX office a resource rather than a punitive body. She shares her background, including her education at Spelman College and Louisiana Tech, and she reflects on the growth of the Title IX office's visibility and impact over her five years at the University. Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

Show Notes Geographic information systems, remote sensing, and spatial data are becoming everyday tools for forestry and natural resource management. In this episode of Timber University, Dr. Michael Crosby from Louisiana Tech University joins us to discuss how GIS can help foresters, landowners, students, and natural resource professionals better understand forests, make maps, analyze management decisions, and connect field observations to landscape-scale patterns. Dr. Crosby is an Associate Professor in Louisiana Tech's School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry, where his work connects forestry, spatial modeling, forest health, invasive species, weather, and climate. He has also co-authored Geographic Information System Skills for Foresters and Natural Resource Managers, a textbook focused on helping foresters and land managers apply GIS to real-world data and management problems. In this conversation, we discuss why GIS matters in modern forestry and how mapping tools can move beyond "pretty pictures" into practical decision support. Dr. Crosby explains how spatial data can help answer questions about forest condition, access, disturbance, risk, invasive species, and management planning. The episode also touches on how students and working professionals can build confidence with GIS, even if they are not coming from a technical background. We also discuss the growing role of remote sensing, aerial imagery, and spatial analysis in forestry education and practice. From identifying patterns on the landscape to supporting better field decisions, these tools are increasingly important for foresters, land managers, consultants, researchers, and students preparing to work in natural resources. This episode is a useful listen for forestry students, consulting foresters, land managers, extension professionals, GIS users, and anyone interested in how spatial tools are changing the way we understand and manage forests. You can contact Dr. Michael Crosby at mcrosby@LATech.edu Additional resource: Geographic Information System Skills for Foresters and Natural Resource Managers Dr. Crosby co-authored this GIS textbook for foresters and natural resource managers.

Sometimes, two Louisiana Tech stories intertwine. Dr. Wyatt Olson and Madison Kaufman have come from very different hometowns and have had very different journeys that have led them to the University, but the crossing of their paths was fate. As the two of them eye their fast-approaching wedding date, they take time to reflect on their careers, their affinity for Louisiana Tech, and the many things they love about each other. Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

This week we welcome Dusty May, Head Coach of the 2026 NCAA Champion Michigan Wolverines Men's Basketball team. He was hired in 2024 by Michigan and immediately turned the program around winning 18 more games than 2023 and leading the Wolverines back to the top of the Big 10 and to the NCAA Sweet 16. In 2026 they went 37-3 and defeated UConn in the NCAA final to take their second ever national title. In this incredible conversation, May shares what his non negotiables are, how he creates a player centered environment centered around decision making and a willingness to make the right kind of mistakes. He also speakes to why he has such a calm sideline demeanor, the role of love in coaching, and so much more.  Prior to Michigan, may led Florida Atlantic for six straight winning seasons in Boca Raton, Fla. (2018-24), May captured Florida Atlantic's first regular-season and tournament championships while playing in Conference USA in 2023. He compiled a program record of 126 wins and helped the Owls make a run to the 2023 NCAA Final Four. Before earning his first head coaching job at Florida Atlantic, May was an assistant under Mike White for seven years with stints at Florida (2015-18) and Louisiana Tech (2011-15). Before working under White, May was an assistant under Kerry Rupp at Louisiana Tech for two seasons (2009-11).  May started his coaching career at Eastern Michigan (2005-06) with Charlies Ramsey, before heading to Murray State (2006-07) to work under Billy Kennedy. Before joining Louisiana Tech, May spent two seasons with Mike Davis at UAB (2007-09). BE THE FIRST TO KNOW ABOUT THE RELEASE OF OUR NEW BOOK Captain: The Athlete's Guide to Being an Exceptional Team Leader, due out in May 2026. Please fill out this quick Google form and you will be notified when discounted book pre-orders are available. We are constantly asked "where have all the leaders gone?" Now more than ever, it is up to schools, clubs and coaches to develop our leaders, and this new book is a perfect guide to train and develop them. It is filled with stories of champion team captains on the professional and college level, Hall of Fame coaches, and more, and is a masterclass on leadership. It will help your athletes understand the qualities needed to lead, the responsibilities they must accept, and the most common challenges they will face. The chapters are short and sweet and have discussion questions so that your leaders can work through them together and set your team up for great success. BOOK A SPEAKER: Interested in having John or one of our speaking team present to your school, club or coaching event, either in person or virtually? Looking for leadership training for your student athletes, a coach development workshop or parent education? We are still booking Fall 2026 events, please email us to set up an introductory call John@ChangingTheGameProject.com PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS FOR OUR BESTSELLING BOOKS, AND JOIN 2025 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS FROM SYRACUSE MENS LAX, UNC AND NAVY WOMENS LAX, AND MCLAREN F1! These are just the most recent championship teams using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes and support teams. Many of these coaches are also getting THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT so their team parents can be part of a successful culture. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next? Click here to visit John's author page on Amazon Click here to visit Jerry's author page on Amazon Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This weeks podcast is brought to you by our newest sponsor, Zone 14 Coaching. Zone 14 Coaching is a company built by coaches for coaches. If you have ever ended a session thinking, "Did that practice really hit the mark?" you will love what they have created. Zone 14's next-gen journals for coaches and players help you plan every practice, reflect on what worked and track progress all season long. Built on intentional coaching and backed by neuroscience, they bring structure and purpose to your training. Visit zone14coaching.com and use code Champions20 for 20% off. Or if you want to outfit your whole team or club and improve consistency across coaches, you can get in touch with Zone 14 via their website to discuss bulk discounts. This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a software platform for youth sports clubs.  Yeah, there are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites, communication tools and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams. Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you've been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. BECOME A PREMIUM MEMBER OF CHANGING THE GAME PROJECT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST If you or your club/school is looking for all of our best content, from online courses to blog posts to interviews organized for coaches, parents and athletes, then become a premium member of Changing the Game Project today. For over a decade we have been creating materials to help change the game. and it has become a bit overwhelming to find old podcasts, blog posts and more. Now, we have organized it all for you, with areas for coaches, parents and even athletes to find materials to help compete better, and put some more play back in playing ball. Clubs please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com for pricing.  Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our Premium Membership, with well over $1000 of courses and materials. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will be granted a Premium Changing the Game Project Membership, where you will have access to every course, interview and blog post we have created organized by topic from coaches to parents to athletes. Thank you for all your support these past eight years, and a special big thank you to all of you who become part of our inner circle, our patrons, who will enable us to take our podcast to the next level. https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions

This week we welcome Dusty May, Head Coach of the 2026 NCAA Champion Michigan Wolverines Men's Basketball team. He was hired in 2024 by Michigan and immediately turned the program around winning 18 more games than 2023 and leading the Wolverines back to the top of the Big 10 and to the NCAA Sweet 16. In 2026 they went 37-3 and defeated UConn in the NCAA final to take their second ever national title. In this incredible conversation, May shares what his non negotiables are, how he creates a player centered environment centered around decision making and a willingness to make the right kind of mistakes. He also speakes to why he has such a calm sideline demeanor, the role of love in coaching, and so much more.  Prior to Michigan, may led Florida Atlantic for six straight winning seasons in Boca Raton, Fla. (2018-24), May captured Florida Atlantic's first regular-season and tournament championships while playing in Conference USA in 2023. He compiled a program record of 126 wins and helped the Owls make a run to the 2023 NCAA Final Four. Before earning his first head coaching job at Florida Atlantic, May was an assistant under Mike White for seven years with stints at Florida (2015-18) and Louisiana Tech (2011-15). Before working under White, May was an assistant under Kerry Rupp at Louisiana Tech for two seasons (2009-11).  May started his coaching career at Eastern Michigan (2005-06) with Charlies Ramsey, before heading to Murray State (2006-07) to work under Billy Kennedy. Before joining Louisiana Tech, May spent two seasons with Mike Davis at UAB (2007-09). BE THE FIRST TO KNOW ABOUT THE RELEASE OF OUR NEW BOOK Captain: The Athlete's Guide to Being an Exceptional Team Leader, due out in May 2026. Please fill out this quick Google form and you will be notified when discounted book pre-orders are available. We are constantly asked "where have all the leaders gone?" Now more than ever, it is up to schools, clubs and coaches to develop our leaders, and this new book is a perfect guide to train and develop them. It is filled with stories of champion team captains on the professional and college level, Hall of Fame coaches, and more, and is a masterclass on leadership. It will help your athletes understand the qualities needed to lead, the responsibilities they must accept, and the most common challenges they will face. The chapters are short and sweet and have discussion questions so that your leaders can work through them together and set your team up for great success. BOOK A SPEAKER: Interested in having John or one of our speaking team present to your school, club or coaching event, either in person or virtually? Looking for leadership training for your student athletes, a coach development workshop or parent education? We are still booking Fall 2026 events, please email us to set up an introductory call John@ChangingTheGameProject.com PUT IN YOUR BULK BOOK ORDERS FOR OUR BESTSELLING BOOKS, AND JOIN 2025 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS FROM SYRACUSE MENS LAX, UNC AND NAVY WOMENS LAX, AND MCLAREN F1! These are just the most recent championship teams using THE CHAMPION TEAMMATE book with their athletes and support teams. Many of these coaches are also getting THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT so their team parents can be part of a successful culture. Schools and clubs are using EVERY MOMENT MATTERS for staff development and book clubs. Are you?  We have been fulfilling numerous bulk orders for some of the top high school and collegiate sports programs in the country, will your team be next? Click here to visit John's author page on Amazon Click here to visit Jerry's author page on Amazon Please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com if you want discounted pricing on 10 or more books on any of our books. Thanks everyone. This weeks podcast is brought to you by our newest sponsor, Zone 14 Coaching. Zone 14 Coaching is a company built by coaches for coaches. If you have ever ended a session thinking, "Did that practice really hit the mark?" you will love what they have created. Zone 14's next-gen journals for coaches and players help you plan every practice, reflect on what worked and track progress all season long. Built on intentional coaching and backed by neuroscience, they bring structure and purpose to your training. Visit zone14coaching.com and use code Champions20 for 20% off. Or if you want to outfit your whole team or club and improve consistency across coaches, you can get in touch with Zone 14 via their website to discuss bulk discounts. This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Sprocket Sports.  Sprocket Sports is a software platform for youth sports clubs.  Yeah, there are a lot of these systems out there, but Sprocket provides the full enchilada. They give you all the cool front-end stuff to make your club look good– like websites, communication tools and marketing tools – AND all the back-end transactions and services to run your business better so you can focus on what really matters – your players and your teams. Sprocket is built for those clubs looking to thrive, not just survive, in the competitive world of youth sports clubs.  So if you've been looking for a true business partner – not just another app – check them out today at https://sprocketsports.me/CTG. BECOME A PREMIUM MEMBER OF CHANGING THE GAME PROJECT TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST If you or your club/school is looking for all of our best content, from online courses to blog posts to interviews organized for coaches, parents and athletes, then become a premium member of Changing the Game Project today. For over a decade we have been creating materials to help change the game. and it has become a bit overwhelming to find old podcasts, blog posts and more. Now, we have organized it all for you, with areas for coaches, parents and even athletes to find materials to help compete better, and put some more play back in playing ball. Clubs please email John@ChangingTheGameProject.com for pricing.  Become a Podcast Champion! This weeks podcast is also sponsored by our Patreon Podcast Champions. Help Support the Podcast and get FREE access to our Premium Membership, with well over $1000 of courses and materials. If you love the podcast, we would love for you to become a Podcast Champion, (https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions) for as little as a cup of coffee per month (OK, its a Venti Mocha), to help us up the ante and provide even better interviews, better sound, and an overall enhanced experience. Plus, as a $10 per month Podcast Super-Champion, you will be granted a Premium Changing the Game Project Membership, where you will have access to every course, interview and blog post we have created organized by topic from coaches to parents to athletes. Thank you for all your support these past eight years, and a special big thank you to all of you who become part of our inner circle, our patrons, who will enable us to take our podcast to the next level. https://www.patreon.com/wayofchampions

Watch or listen to episode 320 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast, in which Neil chatted with Kevin Richardson, Vice President of Content, Clemson Ventures. Kevin discusses how Clemson Athletics is operating as a full-scale production house — building ownable IP, distributing original content across ESPN, Fox, Amazon Prime, and streaming platforms, and pushing the boundaries of what college athletics content can look like. Kevin breaks down the shift from fan affinity to content as a revenue driver, the vision for non-endemic storytelling that goes well beyond wins and losses, and how data is informing every content decision they make. He also shares his career path from Louisiana Tech and Rice to Texas and ultimately Clemson, the business case behind every piece of content Clemson Ventures produces, and why he believes college athletics hasn’t come close to scratching the surface of what’s possible. 87 minute duration. Listen on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Rebecca Quebedeaux Pike ran track & participated in cross country at Louisiana Tech. Today, she's helping to guide membership & marketing efforts for the university's Alumni Association. Quebedeaux Pike reveals how her time as student-athlete pursuing two degrees has helped her champion the journey of life and not the destination, Plus, she describes how competition differs from her athletic background to how she approaches her success with social media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Commissioner Noreen Morris to exit the NEC, Louisiana Tech and CUSA reach a settlement and more.We would love to know what you think of the show and you can let us know on social media @D1ticker.If you are not subscribed to D1.ticker, you can and should subscribe at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.d1ticker.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

On this episode of The Group of Five Guys Podcast, The GOFG break down which Group of Five programs dominate at wide receiver and tight end, plus what Louisiana Tech's move to the Sun Belt means for the future of G5 football. Do not miss out on another jam packed episode of The Group of Five Guys Podcast! SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@GroupofFiveGuys WEBSITE: http://www.groupoffiveguys.com/ MERCH: https://groupof5guys.onechaptr.com/group_of_5_guys_2-24/shop/products/all?page=1 Subscribe and follow the Group of Five Guys! @groupoffiveguys @Sprouse_68 @Tyler_J_Tipton @JMurphyLee SPONSOR THE SHOW OR BUSINESS INQUIRES: Email: groupoffiveguys@gmail.com Direct Message on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GroupOfFiveGuys #G5 #groupoffiveguys #G5Live Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sadie Patton is a 4th-generation Louisiana Tech graduate who is approaching her 8th football season as part of a university that is so near & dear to her heart. A Partnership Solutions Coordinator for Louisiana Tech Sports Properties, Sadie reveals an endless stream of duties related to her job title, but also elements of her youthful energy & unrelenting focus that guide her pursuit of helping to achieve what is best for Tech and the community.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Caroline Milford splits her time at Louisiana Tech between the Lambright Sports & Wellness Center and the university's Regal Blues Dance Team. She knows firsthand what it takes to create a good team culture, and she dives in to the essence of that culture as she charts her journey from a Regal Blues dancer at Tech to head coach of the squad. She talks about being drawn to Louisiana Tech and why, even after changing majors and universities, she found her way back to the place she calls home. Regal Blues on Instagram: instagram.com/latech_regalblues Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

On today's episode, we discuss how law, politics, national security, and emerging technology are colliding in the early days of President Trump's second term. James opens by raving about riding in Dwayne and Glenn's new Tesla—marveling at convoy‑style car‑to‑car communication, obstacle avoidance, and “future” comfort—before pivoting to Steve Bannon's contempt conviction being vacated and what that means legally. The crew then unpacks a federal judge's attempt to halt Trump's privately funded White House ballroom expansion, the 8–1 DC monuments board vote backing the project, and what this tug‑of‑war reveals about separation of powers, remedies, and judge‑shopping. Glenn and Dwayne walk through Trump's ultimatum to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic role of oil and helium in chipmaking, and a dramatic F‑15 shoot‑down and two‑day rescue of a downed weapons officer coordinated with elaborate disinformation. From there, they turn to migration and election law, highlighting alarming statistics about “birth tourism,” foreign‑born children with U.S. citizenship who can vote from abroad, and pending Supreme Court cases on birthright citizenship and voter‑ID‑for‑citizenship requirements. They close by examining eminent‑domain‑driven carbon‑capture pipelines in Louisiana, the safety and aquifer risks of high‑pressure CO₂ storage, mushrooming NGO‑political money loops, and Mark's prediction that accelerating AI adoption will trigger major tech‑sector layoffs and force universities like Louisiana Tech to retool how they train future knowledge workers. Don't miss it!

This April 1, 2026 episode brings Louisiana Tech's beloved mascot, Tech XXII, to the guest table. This exclusive, in-depth interview with the loyal and friendly four-legged family member covers everything from his puppy beginnings at the University to his love for fast cars and slow days. Did we mention it's April 1st? Tech XXII on Instagram: instagram.com/techxxii Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

Koki Riley, an LSU reporter for The Advocate, joined Sports Talk. Riley recapped the Tigers' victory over Louisiana Tech. He evaluated the team's lineup issues, questioned their plan after losing Saturday starter Cooper Moore, and previewed LSU's matchup with Kentucky.

Steve and Charlie listened to LSU head baseball coach Jay Johnson's postgame media availability after the Tigers' 15-5 victory over Louisiana Tech.

Steve and Charlie criticized the MLB's Opening Day schedule for the start of the 2026 season. Koki Riley, an LSU reporter for The Advocate, joined Sports Talk. Riley recapped the Tigers' victory over Louisiana Tech. He evaluated the team's lineup issues, questioned their plan after losing Saturday starter Cooper Moore, and previewed LSU's matchup with Kentucky. Steve and Charlie listened to LSU head baseball coach Jay Johnson's postgame media availability.

Dr. Dickie Crawford played basketball for Tech about 3 decades ago. Today, he's the Senior Vice President for Student Advancement & Chief Operating Officer at Louisiana Tech. Dr. Crawford shares his love for the university, memories of his playing days, the experience of helping on ESPN+ productions for the Dunkin' Dogs, and how he never let age get in the way of obtaining his doctorate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joe Healy, a writer for D1Baseball.com, joined Sports Talk. Healy broke down LSU baseball's slow start to SEC play, highlighting the Tigers' lineup issues. He also previewed LSU's upcoming matchups against Louisiana Tech and Kentucky.

Steve and Charlie listened to LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier's media availability at the school's annual Pro Day. Joe Healy, a writer for D1Baseball.com, joined Sports Talk. Healy broke down LSU baseball's slow start to SEC play, highlighting the Tigers' lineup issues. He also previewed LSU's upcoming matchups against Louisiana Tech and Kentucky. Steve and Charlie reset the NCAA Tournament bracket.

If you're betting on March Madness, stop guessing. We break down the ONLY six teams that can actually win it all based on real trends that have held up for decades. But that's just the start of the chaos. Tonight's episode includes: • World Baseball Classic drama as Team USA pushes for the title (and the commercials get… weirdly specific) • Louisiana Tech somehow scheduled for 20 football games thanks to a conference lawsuit

Chuck believes the number of struggling basketball coaches being retained right now emphasizes how important football is. Chuck and Heath discuss Louisiana Tech's current status of having two schedules released for playing in two different conferences. Jed May of UGA Sports previews Georgia spring football.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this edition of the Peristyle Podcast hosts Ryan Abraham, Connor Morrissette (aka "Triple-Double") and intern India Otto are back in studio to talk about the various news and notes surrounding the USC football program during this long off-season heading into the extremely important 2026 campaign. Kicking off the show the crew breaks down all of the new assistant coaches and new roles for returning coaches on the staff. Inside receivers coach and tight ends coach Chad Savage was promoted to passing game coordinator, defensive analyst Skyler Jones was promoted to defensive tackles coach, defensive analyst AJ Howard was promoted to outside linebackers coach, Mike Ekeler was hired as as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach, former Baylor assistant Paul Gonzales was hired as the new safeties coach and passing game coordinator and former Louisiana Tech assistant Sam Carter was hired as secondary coach. The guys also take a look at the 2026 roster and try to predict who they feel will be breakout candidates for each side of the ball and discuss the seven former Trojan football players that were invited to the NFL Combine. ⁠CLICK HERE for 50% OFF an annual VIP membership to USCFootball.com!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Make sure you check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for complete coverage of this USC Trojan football team.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the Peristyle Podcasts hosts Ryan Abraham and Coach Harvey Hyde are back together discussing the major shakeup on the defensive side of the ball for the Trojans, with Gary Patterson coming in as the new defensive coordinator, Paul Gonzales from Baylor to come in and help coach the secondary and former TCU safety Sam Carter from Louisiana Tech for a role on the staff as well. Coach Hyde gives his thoughts on what we learned from Patterson's introductory press conference, including his issue with Lincoln Riley not staying up on stage after introducing Patterson to the media. He also gives his thoughts on USC's 2026 schedule, with only 11 games as of now after Notre Dame came off the schedule. The Trojans play all three Big Ten playoff teams from last season and have two bye weeks with some extra rest in the middle of the season. Coach Harvey Hyde has been part of the Peristyle Podcast since 2008 and in the USC football world he is an expert on X's and O's, personnel, coaching philosophies and recruiting. Please follow Coach Hyde on X, Facebook and Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CoachHarveyHyde⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or go to his website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HarveyHyde.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all his his content, including Vegas & Southern California radio shows. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE for 50% OFF an annual VIP membership to USCFootball.com!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Use promo code PERISTYLE to get your BET BACK BONUS token at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MYBOOKIE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Make sure you check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for complete coverage of this USC Trojan football team.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices