CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2015 Louisiana Tech

9–⁠4 (6–⁠2 Conference USA), coached by Skip Holtz.

Schedule and results

Louisiana Tech in 2015, game by game: won vs. Southern 62–15; lost at Western Kentucky 38–41; lost at Kansas State 33–39; won vs. Florida International 27–17; won vs. Louisiana 43–14; won at UTSA 34–31; lost at Mississippi State 20–45; won vs. Middle Tennessee 45–16; won at Rice 42–17; won vs. North Texas 56–13; won at UTEP 17–15; lost vs. Southern Miss 24–58; won vs. Arkansas State 47–28+47−34Won 62–15 vs. Southern+47SouthernLost 38–41 at Western Kentucky-3Western KentuckyLost 33–39 at Kansas State-6Kansas StateWon 27–17 vs. Florida International+10Florida Interna…Won 43–14 vs. Louisiana+29LouisianaWon 34–31 at UTSA+3UTSALost 20–45 at Mississippi State-25Mississippi Sta…Won 45–16 vs. Middle Tennessee+29Middle TennesseeWon 42–17 at Rice+25RiceWon 56–13 vs. North Texas+43North TexasWon 17–15 at UTEP+2UTEPLost 24–58 vs. Southern Miss-34Southern MissWon 47–28 vs. Arkansas State+19Arkansas State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 5vsSouthernW 62–⁠1584%
Sep 10atWestern KentuckyL 38–⁠4148%
Sep 19atKansas StateL 33–⁠3934%
Sep 26vsFlorida InternationalW 27–⁠1775%
Oct 3vsLouisianaW 43–⁠1470%
Oct 10atUTSAW 34–⁠3165%
Oct 17atMississippi StateL 20–⁠4537%
Oct 24vsMiddle TennesseeW 45–⁠1674%
Oct 30atRiceW 42–⁠1753%
Nov 7vsNorth TexasW 56–⁠1390%
Nov 21atUTEPW 17–⁠1577%
Nov 28vsSouthern MissL 24–⁠5871%
Dec 19Bowls & playoffvsArkansas StateNew Orleans BowlW 47–⁠2847%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Arkansas State 47–⁠28 in the New Orleans Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 3rd in the Conference USA.

In program history: The 2nd-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 94 on file).

Led the nationKenneth Dixon: points per game (17.0)

Record
9–⁠4
Conference
6–⁠2 tied for 3rd in Conference USA
AP final
Unranked
Points
488–⁠349
Coach
Skip Holtz
Elo
1602 +37 this season
SP+ rating
8.3 No. 45 of 128; offense No. 32, defense No. 64, special teams No. 63
SRS
0.8 No. 64 of 128 in FBS
Returning
46% of last season’s EPA, No. 95 of 128
Recruiting class
No. 82 roster talent No. 77 in FBS
Offensive coordinator
Tony Petersen
Defensive coordinator
Blake Baker
Offense
Multiple
Defense
4–⁠3

How good, play by play

  • Offense21st of 128
  • Defense49th of 128
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted42nd of 128
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted62nd of 128
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense0.1948%1.2621st of 128
Defense0.0642%1.1649th of 128
Opponent-adjusted0.14 off
0.08 def		46% off
43% def		—42nd off
62nd def
How these are measured

Play-weighted averages over games against FBS opponents; raw numbers, not adjusted for the strength of the opponent. EPA (expected points added) measures how much each play changed the expected score; success rate counts plays that kept the offense on schedule; explosiveness is the average EPA on successful plays. Lower is better on defense. Ranked by EPA per play among teams that were FBS that season. The opponent-adjusted row (offense / defense) is CollegeFootballData.com’s WEPA, which accounts for who each team played.

Drives and havoc

Points per trip inside the 40Average startHavoc
Offense3.8own 273% allowed
Defense3.3own 292% caused

A trip inside the 40 is a drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line; points per trip is how many it scored on average (allowed, on defense). Average start is where drives began (the defense’s line is where its opponents started). Havoc is the share of plays ending in a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception or a pass broken up. From CollegeFootballData.com.

Leaders

Passing yardsJeff Driskel QB4,033 yds
Passing touchdownsJeff Driskel QB27 TD
Rushing yardsKenneth Dixon RB1,070 yds
Rushing touchdownsKenneth Dixon RB19 TD
Receiving yardsTrent Taylor WR1,282 yds
Receiving touchdownsTrent Taylor WR9 TD
InterceptionsBryson Abraham CB3 INT

Top recruits in the 2015 class

Johnny Shaw S★★★No. 764
Ephraim Kitchen CB★★★No. 1412
Jaqwis Dancy RB★★★No. 1674
Javonte Woodard ATH★★★No. 1694
Aaron Roberson ATH★★★No. 1781

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2015 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Running backs13.00.819
Receivers12.00.791
Offensive line22.50.797
Defensive line42.50.788
Linebackers32.30.791
Defensive backs32.70.827
Athletes and specialists43.00.809
Whole class182.60.803

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Drafted in 2016

The 2016 draft
Rd 1Vernon Butler DTCarolina Panthers
Rd 4Kenneth Dixon RBBaltimore Ravens
Rd 6Jeff Driskel QBSan Francisco 49ers

Roster 113

The 2015 roster

113 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2015 line; 31 have a stat line. See the roster

2015 Conference USA standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Western Kentucky8–⁠012–⁠224
Southern Miss7–⁠19–⁠5
Marshall6–⁠210–⁠3
Louisiana Tech6–⁠29–⁠4
Middle Tennessee6–⁠27–⁠6
Rice3–⁠55–⁠7
Old Dominion3–⁠55–⁠7
Florida International3–⁠55–⁠7
UTEP3–⁠55–⁠7
UTSA3–⁠53–⁠9
Florida Atlantic3–⁠53–⁠9
North Texas1–⁠71–⁠11
Charlotte0–⁠82–⁠10

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.