Louisiana Tech AD Ryan Ivey Comments on State of Bulldog Football

Joe Londergan | Aug 15, 2024

UTEP Miners linebacker Tyrice Knight (10) and company try to tackle Louisiana Tech Bulldogs running back Tyre Shelton (4) during the first half at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, Friday, September 29, 2023. / Ivan Pierre Aguirre/El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

This spring, Louisiana Tech hired former Stephen F. Austin University Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey to replace the departed Eric Wood. Ivey, a former football player himself at Memphis, understands that getting the football program competitive again after three consecutive 3-9 seasons is a major priority in his first fall on the job.

Ivey discussed that in an exclusive interview with the Ruston Daily Leader this week.

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While postseason opportunities are not the only thing that defines success for the program, Ivey made it clear that staying stagnant is not the answer. Five of LA Tech's nine losses were by two scores or more last season.

“Number one, we gotta win the games we’re supposed to win," Ivey noted ."If we’re the better team and we have the opportunity, then we need to win the games we’re supposed to win. And then the ones that we’re not supposed to win that we’re competitive and you put yourself in position to be successful at the end of games. Those are the things we’re certainly going to be looking at."

Prior to Cumbie's hire, the Bulldogs were coached by current Birmingham Stallions (UFL) head coach Skip Holtz. Holtz led the Bulldogs to seven bowl games, with six wins, in nine seasons at the helm. Getting back to that being a regular occurrence, or at least possibilite, is at the forefront of the minds of Ivey, head coach Sonny Cumbie, and many other Bulldogs stakeholders.

"I think for me right now, I’d tell you certainly need to be competing for bowl games and have a chance to participate in bowl games and have a chance to have some postseason play," Ivey said when asked to define success for the LA Tech football program.

The Bulldogs open the season on August 31 when the host FCS Nicholls.