’Dogs dot ‘I’ bowl with win
Livas, Brown lead Tech to 17-10 nod over NIU
, buddy@rustonleader.com
12-29-2008
SHREVEPORT — Just over three decades.That’s how long Louisiana Tech University had waited to win a postseason game.
Thanks to a 17-10 victory over Northern Illinois University in the Independence Bowl Sunday night while 41,567 served as witnesses, the hiatus has officially ended.
Tech got Player of the Game performances out of Weldon Brown and Phillip Livas and a sterling, never-quit effort out of its defensive unit to capture its first bowl victory since 1977.
That “W” was recorded on the very same Independence Stadium turf with a 24-14 decision over Louisville. In their next two postseason appearances, the Bulldogs either lost or tied, the most recent having been to Clemson (49-14) in the 2001 Humanitarian Bowl.
Not only did Tech bring the curtain down on its own bowl drought, but also became the first Western Athletic Conference member to get a postseason win this season.
“We weren’t satisfied with just being in the Independence Bowl,” said coach Derek Dooley.
“Of course, we wanted to enjoy the experience and have some fun, but our main goal and purpose was to win. I am really proud of the work and dedication that our players and staff have put in during the past two weeks.
“All of the preparation and work that we did paid off in a tremendous win for the program and our fans.”
The Bulldogs held a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter and went to a 17-7 advantage early in the third period off of a 30-yard field goal by senior placekicker Brad Oestriecher before NIU provided the game’s final points with 7:31 to go in the latter quarter off of a 20-yard field goal by Mike Salerno.
Then it was up to the Tommy Spangler-coordinated Tech defensive unit to keep the Huskies’ offensive mixture of the run and pass stalled long enough to allow the Bulldogs to exit with a victory.
“We had a phenomenal defensive performance,” Dooley summed up. “We knew that it was going to be a tough, physically played game and that we had to hang in for four quarters. That’s exactly what happened. It was like a 12-round heavyweight fight and we were able to survive and win.”
Brown, a senior back who had returned home (he had starred at Bossier High) for his final college game, had a “lights out” performance of his own. He finished with 14 tackles, intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble and had a major quarterback hurry that resulted in a bad throw by NIU quarterback Chandler Harnish and a pick in the end zone by Tech senior back Deon Young.
No surprise: Brown was named as the Defensive Player of the Game.
“Weldon made so many big and dominating plays tonight that it’s tough to name them all,” Dooley said.
Livas had a big play, to be sure.
His 97-yard return of a kickoff with six minutes to play in the first quarter tied the score at 7-all and brought the Bulldogs off of the mat after the Huskies had gone up 7-0 off of an eight-yard pass from Harnish to fullback Kyle Skarb.
“When we have him back there, we feel like we’ve got the potential to get a touchdown every time he touches the football,” said Tech quarterback Ross Jenkins about Livas, who was named as the Offensive Player of the Game. “He keeps you alert.”
The Huskies had to settle for Salerno’s field goal after reaching the Tech three-yard line.
After Harnish completed a 40-yard pass to season receiving leader Marcus Perez to reach the eight-yard line, the Bulldogs’ defense bowed up and limited Harnish to two carries for four yards.
Brown then capped off the gutsy effort by Tech’s “D” with his pass interception midway through the final quarter.
“Every time Tech needed a big defensive play, they got it,” said NIU coach Jerry Kill. “Give Tech credit. They made the plays when we had some opportunities to swing the score.”
The first-year leader who took the Huskies to a bowl game after NIU had won only two games in 2007 showed his respect for the Bulldogs’ unit at the postgame press conference.
As Brown started to leave the podium, Kill stopped him and gave him a congratulatory hug.
“Good job, young man,” Kill said.
The Huskies’ boss could have been speaking for the entire Tech defense on this night.
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