CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2016 Louisiana Tech

9–⁠5 (6–⁠2 Conference USA), coached by Skip Holtz.

Schedule and results

Louisiana Tech in 2016, game by game: lost at Arkansas 20–21; won vs. South Carolina State 53–24; lost at Texas Tech 45–59; lost at Middle Tennessee 34–38; won vs. UTEP 28–7; won vs. Western Kentucky 55–52; won at Massachusetts 56–28; won at Florida International 44–24; won vs. Rice 61–16; won at North Texas 45–24; won vs. UTSA 63–35; lost at Southern Miss 24–39; lost at Western Kentucky 44–58; won vs. Navy 48–45+45−15Lost 20–21 at Arkansas-1ArkansasWon 53–24 vs. South Carolina State+29South Carolina …Lost 45–59 at Texas Tech-14Texas TechLost 34–38 at Middle Tennessee-4Middle TennesseeWon 28–7 vs. UTEP+21UTEPWon 55–52 vs. Western Kentucky+3Western KentuckyWon 56–28 at Massachusetts+28MassachusettsWon 44–24 at Florida International+20Florida Interna…Won 61–16 vs. Rice+45RiceWon 45–24 at North Texas+21North TexasWon 63–35 vs. UTSA+28UTSALost 24–39 at Southern Miss-15Southern MissLost 44–58 at Western Kentucky-14Western KentuckyWon 48–45 vs. Navy+3Navy
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 3atArkansasL 20–⁠2136%
Sep 10vsSouth Carolina StateW 53–⁠2484%
Sep 17atTexas TechL 45–⁠5952%
Sep 24atMiddle TennesseeL 34–⁠3847%
Oct 1vsUTEPW 28–⁠780%
Oct 6vsWestern KentuckyW 55–⁠5246%
Oct 15atMassachusettsW 56–⁠2875%
Oct 22atFlorida InternationalW 44–⁠2473%
Oct 29vsRiceW 61–⁠1683%
Nov 5atNorth TexasW 45–⁠2470%
Nov 12vsUTSAW 63–⁠3576%
Nov 25atSouthern MissL 24–⁠3971%
Dec 3atWestern KentuckyConference USA Championship GameL 44–⁠5831%
Dec 23Bowls & playoffvsNavyArmed Forces BowlW 48–⁠4545%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Navy 48–⁠45 in the Armed Forces Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll; 3rd in the Conference USA.

In program history: The 7th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 94 on file).

C-USA West champions6–⁠2 in the conference

Led the nationCorey Davis: receiving touchdowns (19 TD); Trent Taylor: receiving yards (1,803 yds)

Record
9–⁠5
Conference
6–⁠2 3rd in Conference USA
AP final
Unranked
Points
620–⁠470
Coach
Skip Holtz
Elo
1588 +20 this season
SP+ rating
3.1 No. 60 of 128; offense No. 16, defense No. 112, special teams No. 63
SRS
0.8 No. 60 of 128 in FBS
Returning
36% of last season’s EPA, No. 112 of 128
Recruiting class
No. 94 roster talent No. 78 in FBS
Offensive coordinator
Todd Fitch
Defensive coordinator
Blake Baker
Offense
Multiple
Defense
4–⁠3

How good, play by play

  • Offense1st of 128
  • Defense106th of 128
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted6th of 128
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted109th of 128
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense0.3453%1.261st of 128
Defense0.2049%1.21106th of 128
Opponent-adjusted0.25 off
0.18 def		51% off
49% def		—6th off
109th 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
Offense4.4own 3014% allowed
Defense4.7own 2916% caused

CORE rating 0.9, 59th of 128 (offense 12.0, defense 11.1).

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. CORE is CollegeFootballData.com’s context- and opponent-adjusted rating (points better than an average team; lower is better on defense). From CollegeFootballData.com.

Leaders

Passing yardsRyan Higgins QB4,617 yds
Passing touchdownsRyan Higgins QB41 TD
Rushing yardsJarred Craft RB1,074 yds
Rushing touchdownsJarred Craft RB9 TD
Receiving yardsTrent Taylor WR1,803 yds
Receiving touchdownsCarlos Henderson WR19 TD
TacklesJordan Harris LB94 tkl
SacksJaylon Ferguson DE14.5 sacks
InterceptionsXavier Woods S5 INT

Top recruits in the 2016 class

Willie Baker WDE★★★No. 780
Jon Randall Belton PRO★★★No. 808
KaDerrion Mason SDE★★★No. 963
Jack Abraham PRO★★★No. 1263
Devin Hamilton OLB★★★No. 1478

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

The 2016 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks23.00.844
Running backs22.50.794
Receivers23.00.818
Offensive line42.30.787
Defensive line32.70.831
Linebackers22.50.797
Defensive backs32.30.791
Whole class182.60.807

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 2017

The 2017 draft
Rd 3Carlos Henderson WRDenver Broncos
Rd 5Trent Taylor WRSan Francisco 49ers
Rd 6Xavier Woods SDallas Cowboys

Roster 121

The 2016 roster

121 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2016 line; 59 have a stat line. See the roster

2016 Conference USA standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Western Kentucky7–⁠111–⁠3
Old Dominion7–⁠110–⁠3
Louisiana Tech6–⁠29–⁠5
Middle Tennessee5–⁠38–⁠5
UTSA5–⁠36–⁠7
Southern Miss4–⁠47–⁠6
Florida International4–⁠44–⁠8
North Texas3–⁠55–⁠8
Charlotte3–⁠54–⁠8
UTEP2–⁠64–⁠8
Marshall2–⁠63–⁠9
Florida Atlantic2–⁠63–⁠9
Rice2–⁠63–⁠9

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