Injuries dent La. Tech’s lineup

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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RUSTON, La. — LSU fans shouldn’t feel insulted if they see Louisiana Tech coach Derek Dooley starting a bunch of second stringers against their top-10 club on Saturday evening in Tiger Stadium.

In some cases it’ll be third stringers trying to represent the Bulldogs. Tech fans who dialed in for the LSU-Alabama game on Saturday after their Bulldogs lost 45-35 to No. 5 Boise State saw Tigers quarterback Jordan Jefferson and bullish running back Charles Scott go down in the contest.

That’s bad news for coach Les Miles, who gets a break from SEC action this week to play the Bulldogs (3-6, 2-4 WAC) who are heading nowhere in the postseason. Already without three starters, Tech has nine more starters questionable for the 7 p.m. kickoff against their second consecutive top-10 club.

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Topping the list of losses is senior safety Antonio Baker, who has played all season with a metal rod in his leg and who was injured on the opening play of the Boise game.

Annually Tech’s leading tackler, the dynamic hitter is finished for the season.

“That hurts, and it’s a little bit sad that he couldn’t finish it the right way. We found a fracture during the summer and we had to make a decision on what we were gonna do. There was a point in June where we thought he might not play at all this year,” Dooley said. “He wasn’t the same this year. He battled hamstring problems, but what a great competitor he was. He never complained and went and laid it on the line every Saturday. It’s a shame, but it’s life. He’ll have the opportunity to play in the NFL. He’ll make a team and have a great career. I believe that.”

Factoring in special teams, the injury-plagued Bulldogs may struggle mightily against LSU’s ability to break a big play at any moment.

“They have the best special teams that I’ve seen in the country ... a great punter and kicker. And the last time we went down there, we didn’t play very well,” Dooley said. “We lose Baker, Brian White and Kiamani Washington. Those are our three best coverage guys on punts and kickoffs.

Dooley said his teams are trying to cover kicks with defensive ends and tight ends.