Louisiana Tech gains Independence
By Chris Talbott
Associated Press
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SHREVEPORT, La. — Weldon Brown has been a regular at Independence Stadium for most of his life.
He played here twice in Peewee football and two more times in high school, but all of those games — and every one he played in college — paled compared to the performance the senior defensive back put in last night in Louisiana Tech's 17-10 win over Northern Illinois in the Independence Bowl.
"It really was my greatest game," Brown said. "To come out here in my hometown, it's a privilege and an honor and I'm just thankful to have my career end here."
Every time the Bulldogs (8-5) of the Western Athletic Conference needed a big play as the Huskies (6-7) threatened, Brown was there. He stopped one scoring threat with a shoestring tackle to set up fourth down, then batted down the ensuing pass. He recovered a fumbled punt to set up a field-goal attempt and ended one of two late drives with the game on the line with an interception.
He finished with 14 tackles and was named defensive most valuable player.
"What a great way to end a career," coach Derek Dooley said. "In your hometown, a senior and you end up being defensive MVP. If we'd gotten that field goal, it would've made him look better."
Along with Brown's big plays on defense, Phillip Livas returned a kickoff 97 yards, Daniel Porter rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown, and Louisiana Tech scored its first postseason win since the 1977 Independence Bowl with its seventh come-from-behind win of the season. The Bulldogs hadn't won eight games since 1999.
"They went out as champions," Dooley said. "That was our goal, to go out as champions."
Much of the scoring and all the big plays came in the first half. Northern Illinois dominated the first quarter with 125 total yards to 23 for Tech.
The Huskies scored on Chandler Harnish's 8-yard pass to fullback Kyle Skarb in the left flat, his fifth straight completion for 53 yards on the drive.
"They came out and punched us in the mouth pretty good early," Dooley said.
But poor special teams helped erase the Huskies' advantage. First, Livas broke a tackle at midfield and shook Chase Carter at the 30 with a dynamic move on the ensuing kickoff. It was the eighth non-offensive touchdown of the season for the Bulldogs, moving them into a tie for the most in major college football.
"It's been our formula all year — a big play on special teams to get us going," Dooley said.
After three quick offensive plays, Northern Illinois tried to avoid Livas on the punt, but Mike Salernos shanked a rugby-style kick for 15 yards. Louisiana Tech took over at the Huskies' 42 and got help with a 15-yard facemask penalty on Larry English and a 24-yard pass to Porter.
Porter then carried it in from 11 yards out off left tackle to put Louisiana Tech ahead to stay at 14-7 with 1:19 gone in the second quarter.
The teams traded field goals on their first possessions of the second half, then played to a stalemate the rest of the way.
