Alex Heard
Staff Reporter | amh072@latech.edu
The Diamond Dogs look on from the dugout during the match up with Louisiana – Lafayette last season at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
The Bulldogs are coming off the first NCAA Tournament at-large bid in school history. Photo by Tom Morris/LATechPix.com
Last season, the Louisiana Tech baseball team could make anyone believe in magic.
After flying under the radar, at the beginning of the year, the Diamond ‘Dogs amassed a 42-20 record, the most wins since 1988 and a NCAA regional appearance, their first since 1987.
Unfortunately, Tech fell to Mississippi State and not long after the loss, coach Greg Goff accepted the head coaching job at the University of Alabama.
Tech called upon a fairly local man to take over the team – Lane Burroughs.
Burroughs joins Tech after four years as the head baseball coach at Northwestern State. There he compiled 113 wins and led the Demons to three straight 30-win seasons from 2014-16.
Burroughs said moves are always tough for any family but Ruston and its residents have made the transition go smoothly.
“Ruston has been great,” Burroughs said. “Whenever you move you have a lot of stress because you have not only have to worry about your new job and new team but your family too – getting them moved, finding a house and selling a house. Getting (children) into new schools is always stressful, but the people of Ruston and Louisiana Tech have been wonderful to us. I get it, I have not lost a game yet since I have not coached one. Everybody loves me right now. The people here have made the transition so much easier than it could have been. I could not be happier where we are.”
BURROUGHS
Offense carried Tech last season.
Burroughs said Tech’s bats should still have the same pop in 2017.
“The players have looked good,” Burroughs said. “Offensively, we have almost the entire team back from last year’s regional club. The majority of our offensive punch is back.”
Burroughs said despite being a new coach and having new ideals, he does not want to fix what is not broken.
“You do not come in and reinvent the wheel,” Burroughs said. “When things are working, it would be kind of stupid to come in and change up things. I think that is when you check your ego at the door and adjust to what is here. We will probably get a whole new team next year since we have so many seniors.”
Burroughs said there has been no neglect of him and his staff’s ideals even though the team is not used to them.
Coach Lane Burroughs talks with one of his players during his time at Northwestern State. Photo by Parker Miller.
“The guys have been great,” Burroughs said. “They have accepted us with open arms and have done everything we have asked. Excited about what spring ball has to offer.”
Under Goff, Tech’s players had a “wolfpack” mindset – they fight for each other no matter the circumstance.
Burroughs said the team will keep that mentality and everyone must stay extremely close in order to succeed this upcoming season.
“The ‘wolfpack’ is an offensive thing that is kind of popular right now,” Burroughs said. “I am actually good friends with the guy that invented that wolfpack term – I know all about that and have done it before. Our whole thing is about family. I know that is a word thrown around a lot but it is big in the development of our players and our identity. If you don’t have an identity then when things start to go bad and you reach back to things to hold on to – you are in trouble. One thing about sports is the guys in that locker room come from different walks of life, whether rich or poor, having two parents or one. But when we get in that locker room we are essentially one heartbeat.”