RUSTON ? Just call it a ?food fight.?
After all, besides bragging rights, the main prize for the players involved in Saturday?s T-Day Spring Game at Joe Aillet Stadium will be a steak dinner for the victors.
While the losers get hot dogs!
When the Blue and White Teams take the field at 1 p.m. Saturday, the Louisiana Tech coaching staff will be evaluating the Bulldogs in a real-game setting in the finale of spring drills.
Head coach Derek Dooley?s T-Day Spring Game format was designed to make the game fun while also meaningful to the players and to the fans. Dooley began a new T-Day tradition by having the seniors-to-be draft the two competing teams, including coaching and support staffs.
?By allowing the seniors to draft the teams, I?m expecting a good competitive match-up between the two sides which will hopefully result in an exciting game for our fans,? Dooley said.
For three days since the draft, the smack talk has been flying around Joe Aillet Fieldhouse.
?Everyone has been talking a lot of trash,? said linebacker Quin Harris, member of the White Team. ?The excitement surrounding the game has really gone up. It?s not just like another scrimmage. Anytime you get a chance to play in a game especially against your own guys it?s great. Everybody has been talking white or blue. Hot dogs or steak depends on whether you win. That is motivation in itself.?
Dooley also took steps to involve the local media and university faculty by naming honorary coaches for the two teams.
Longtime north Louisiana media legend O.K. Buddy Davis will team with Dr. Selwyn Ellis of the university?s school of business to serve as honorary coaches for the Blue Team.
Longtime Shreveport television icon Bob Griffin will join Genaro Smith of the
Tech English Department to serve as honorary coaches for the White Team.
?I hope Buddy Davis will allow me to be a guest columnist to critique some of the calls he makes this Saturday,? Dooley said.
The contest will be comprised of four, 10-minute quarters with a full compliment of special teams play.
Gates open at 10:45 a.m. and all Tech fans are urged to attend the contest which is free to the public.
All Bulldog fans are encouraged to tailgate prior to and following the game in the parking lot of Joe Aillet Stadium. All tailgating spaces are open on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The concession stands under the west side of the stadium will also open at 11 a.m.
A Kids Zone will be provided outside the west side of the stadium. The young Bulldogs at heart can enjoy inflatables and face painting, while visiting with Champ, Tech XIX and the Tech Cheerleaders. A firetruck courtesy of the Ruston Fire Department will also be on site for the youngsters to view. This area will be open starting at 11 a.m.
The Tech Pep Band and Miss Tech Bethany Moore will also be in attendance while ESPN 97.7 will be on hand with pre-game and in-game updates.
Members of the Louisiana Tech Athletic Department will be stationed inside the stadium to take season ticket orders and CHAMPS memberships while also handing out schedule cards to all fans.
2007 T-Day Spring Game
White Team
No. Name Pos.
1 Tony Moss DB
2 William Griffin RB
5 Carl Turner WR
7 Stephen Jackson DB
8 Shawn Simmons WR
11 Ross Jenkins QB
13 Michael Mosley QB
14 Tyler Ingram P
15 Tavaures James RB
16 Justin Johnson DB
19 Dorian Price DB
20 Daniel Porter RB
21 Fredrick Green DB
22 Alex Anderson DB
23 Brian Henry LB
26 Brandon Brock DB
29 Mark Dillard DB
30 Melvin Ellis DB
31 Danny Horwedel K
34 Courtney Bowman DB
35 Weldon Brown DB
36 Brian White LB
37 Quin Harris LB
39 Alex Dempsey LB
42 Chris Lowery LB
43 Dustin Mitchell TE
51 Austin Kesterson DS
54 Nolan Darby LB
55 Timothy Reddick LB
63 Ryan Considine OL
66 David Accardo OL
68 Chris Tusch OL
69 Greg Greathouse OL
72 Will Taylor OL
74 Rob McGill OL
78 Ryan Snell OL
81 Josh Wheeler WR
82 Phillip Beck WR
84 Clayton Chambers TE
86 Thomas Augusta WR
90 Wes Day DL
92 Joshua Muse DL
93 Nick Narcisse DL
97 Jason Lewis DL
98 Ben McGilton DL
99 Breon Jackson DL
IR Jared Parten DL
IR Travis Williams DB
White Team Coaching Staff
Bob Griffin, Honorary Coach
Genaro Smith, Honorary Coach
Frank Scelfo, Offensive Coordinator/QBs
Kenny Evans, Linebackers
Pete Perot, Offensive Line
Eric Russell, Tight Ends/SpecialTeams
Terry Joseph, Recruiting Coordinator/DBs
Boyd Dalrymple, Offensive Graduate Assistant
Quarvay Winbush, Strength and Conditioning
Chris Whittle, Strength and Conditioning
Ben Soignier, Student Assistant
White Team Support Staff
Leslie Kiletico, Recruiting Office Coordinator
Michele Dummett, Sports Medicine
Bradley Choate, Equipment
Malcolm Butler, Media Relations
2007 T-Day Spring Game
Blue Team
No. Name Pos.
3 Brian Jackson WR
5 D?Anthony Smith DL
6 Tym Toussaint DB
8 Antonio Koone LB
9 Joe Danna QB
10 Zac Champion QB
15 Chris Keagle P
18 Shalamar Walker DB
19 Shane Womack WR
21 Adrian Linwood DB
22 Matt Mason DB
23 Patrick Jackson RB
25 Deon Young DB
26 Myke Compton RB
27 Stevon Howze DB
28 Kelvin Morris DB
31 Barry McGee RB
33 Brad Oestriecher K
34 Antonio Baker DB
35 Drexel Perkins RB
38 Adrian Logan LB
41 Chris Pugh DL
42 Terrell Davis LB
43 Shaun Smith DB
44 Anthony Crosby LB
45 Marquis McBeath LB
46 Marvin Lubin LB
47 Anthony Harrison TE
48 Joshua Stoufflet LB
49 Dennis Morris TE
50 Joe Thomas LB
51 Broderick Franklin LB
52
Thomas Graham DS
56 Terrance Freeman LB
59 Thad Williams DL
60 Lon Roberts OL
62 Ben Harris OL
64 Corbin Best OL
70 Kevon Bagot OL
73 Tyler Miller OL
75 Dwight Alexander OL
76 Cudahy Harmon OL
80 Lloyd Morgan WR
85 Randy Grigsby DL
87 Roderick Handy WR
88 Earl Griffin WR
99 Mark Cassimere DL
IR Brannon Jackson LB
IR Bill Jones OL
Blue Team Coaching Staff
Buddy Davis, Honorary Head Coach
Selwyn Ellis, Honorary Coach
Tommy Spangler, Defensive Coordinator
Conroy Hines, Wide Receivers
Ed Jackson, Defensive Line
Brent Indest, Running Backs
Russ Rothar, Defensive Graduate Assistant
Damon Harrington, Strength and Conditioning
Neil Hitchen, Strength and Conditioning
Thad Wheeler, Strength and Conditioning
Matt O?Neal, Student Assistant
Blue Team Support Staff
Linda Lewis, Operations Office Coordinator
Bob Burns, Sports Medicine
Sam Wilkinson, Equipment
Kyle Roberts, Media Relations
David Wiechmann, Media Relations
Daniel Kuhn, Video
