T-Day Spring Game Kicks Off Saturday

RUSTON, La. – The annual T-Day Spring Game is here after 14 grueling practices for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. The players, coaches and support staff have been split into two teams and more is at stake than just bragging rights.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Joe Aillet Stadium on Saturday and the winning team will have a steak dinner Sunday night while the losing team sits along side eating hot dogs. It’s a tradition head coach Derek Dooley started last year he believes adds a little more excitement and incentive to the spring game. Besides the game, there will be a number of activities for fans at the stadium before, during and after a winner is declared. Beginning at 11 a.m. the Kids Zone will open on the south hill inside Joe Aillet Stadium. The zone will be complete with an inflatable jumper, face painting with the cheerleaders, a dunking booth, ball toss and Tech mascots Champ and Tech XX. Kids will also have the chance to welcome the teams onto the field at the base of the entrance ramp. The Kids Zone will remain open throughout the game and following fans can get autographs from all the Bulldogs on the field. Another way of getting the Tech family and community involved Dooley believes is having honorary head coaches. Just like last year, a guest coach from the Tech faculty has been chosen for each team and members of the local media will be an honorary head coach as well. This year’s honorary coaches are Scott Boatright of The News-Star and Karl Puljak of the College of Architecture for the White Team. The Blue Team honorary coaches are Geography professor Taylor Mack and Shreveport Times sports reporter Jimmy Watson. Dooley said he is looking forward to the T-Day Spring Game to see the progress his team has made throughout spring workouts. He hopes the intensity of the spring will serve as a catalyst for the program in the 2008 season. “I’ve been pleased with the overall progress we’ve made together,” Dooley said. “We’ve certainly been pleased with the intensity and competitive spirit we practiced with the most part of the spring. That’s progress and where you have to build the foundation.”