RUSTON – Louisiana Tech offensive coordinator Tony Franklin announced his retirement from football this week.
 
"From August 1979 to February 2026, I worked with countless teams of young men from Kentucky to Louisiana to California and many more," stated Franklin. Each stop had its highs and lows, but the one consistency was that young people are amazing. They are strong, vibrant, curious, and courageous with good hearts who believe they can make the world better and at each stop they made me a better man."
 
The Bulldogs had the fourth best scoring offense in Conference USA in 2026 (27.3 ppg), and the second-best rushing offense in the league (195.4), which was the 24^th best in the NCAA.

Tech recorded four 300+ rushing yard games including a whopping 426 yards on the ground against Sam Houston, the most rushing yards by a Bulldog team in a single game since 1991.
 
"We are very appreciative of the impact in one season that Tony had on our team," stated head coach Sonny Cumbie. "He worked extremely hard to help our team win and the results were a byproduct of that effort. I want to thank him for his impact on me as a coach and leader and will take the lessons of this season with me for years to come. We wish him and Laura all the best and know he will continue to impact the game of football in a positive manner."
 
"I am deeply indebted to their sacrifices. It was an honor to have served Louisiana Tech for two different stints, each one challenging and each one gratifying in their unique ways," relayed Franklin. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to finish my coaching career at a school where we made history with one of the best offenses in college football history in 2012, with a conference championship in 2011, and finally with an eight win season and a bowl victory to help get LA Tech football back on track in their winning ways in this my final season of 2025. Laura and I want to thank Sonny Cumbie, Ryan Ivey, and Dr. Henderson for giving us this opportunity to end our coaching career at LA Tech and are excited to watch the program win championships in the near future."
 
In Franklin's first year on Tech's staff in 2011, his spread offense exploded into a high-octane mechanism in the middle of the season resulting with the team scoring 34 points or more in four of the final six contests and 41 or more three times. Running back Lennon Creek was the team's top threat, rushing for 1,181 yards and 10 scores on 212 carries. His average of 98.42 yards rushing per game ranked third in the WAC and 22nd nationally.
 
During Franklin's second season in Ruston in 2011 he orchestrated an offense that was fundamentally sound and continued to improve weekly on a Bulldog team that finished 8-5 overall and won the WAC title with a 6-1 league record before advancing to play TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl. Tech ranked third in the nation with five different scoring drives over 90 yards during the season. That precision guided Tech's offensive explosion at Fresno State when the team scored 34 points and notched over 400 yards of offense in the first half alone. The offense produced more than 40 points on three occasions and averaged 31.71 points per contest during a seven-game win streak to end the regular season. Patton was among both the top receivers in the WAC and across the nation in per-game yards receiving (92.46 ypg, No. 2 WAC, No. 20 NCAA) and receptions (6.08 rpg, No. 4 WAC, No. T28 NCAA), finishing with totals of 79 receptions for 1,202 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns.
 
On the ground, running back Kenneth Dixon was tabbed the WAC Freshman of the Year and earned Freshman All-American honors after breaking Marshall Faulk's NCAA freshman records for rushing touchdowns (27), total touchdowns (28) and points (168). Dixon led the country in scoring with an average of 14.00 points per game while totaling 1,194 yards on 200 carries. He was also second in the WAC and 33rd nationally in rushing with an average of 106.42 yards per game. Capital One Academic All-America first team selection Ray Holley, a graduate student pursing a degree in counseling with a 3.50 GPA, added 740 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground over 142 rushes.
 
In his final campaign with LA Tech in 2012, the Bulldogs posted a 9-3 record and led the nation in scoring offense (51.50 ppg) and total offense (577.92 ypg). Franklin was a nominee for the Broyles Award given annually to the college football's top assistant coach and one of four finalists for the FootballScoop.com Offensive Coordinator of the Year.
 
In addition to leading the nation in scoring and total offense with an offense that posted the fifth-highest per-game scoring average ever by a team in the FBS, LA Tech ranked among the NCAA's top 20 in 2012 in passing offense (3rd, 350.75 ypg), fewest sacks allowed (7th, 0.83 spg), turnover margin (10th, +1.08 per game) and rushing offense (18th, 227.17 ypg). The Bulldogs scored more than 40 points in 11 of 12 games and over 50 points in eight games.
 
"We are very appreciative of Coach Franklin and his many contributions to Louisiana Tech and Bulldog football," stated Vice President & Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey. "In his two stints as a Bulldog he has represented us with class and achieved much success. He has been a phenomenal coach and has mentored countless players and coaches over the years. From high school to the NFL, Coach Franklin has made a tremendous impact on the game of football. I wish him nothing but the best in a well-deserved retirement."