---

RUSTON — Louisiana Tech's defense has drawn a line in the turf at home this year, and once again that line was not crossed.

Fourteen points, that's all opponents get when they enter Joe Aillet Stadium these days, and Saturday was no different in the Bulldogs' 31-14 Western Athletic Conference win over San Jose State.

In four games at The Joe — all Tech victories — opponents have each left with exactly 14 points. However, on this occasion, San Jose opted to blow its budget in the first quarter.

The Spartans (1-7, 0-5 WAC) scored 14 points within their first 10 plays and gained 154 yards.
"In the first quarter they hit us with a few things we weren't prepared for," senior safety Alton Bryant said.

The Spartans, in the spirit of Halloween, decided to come as somebody else and put a fright in the 12,758 in attendance.

After Tech (4-3, 3-1) scored on its opening drive on a 1-yard Mark Dillard run to take a 7-0 lead, Adam Tafralis lobbed a perfect strike to Chester Coleman for 80 yards on the Spartans' first play from scrimmage to tie the score.

Tafralis caught Bryant — who later made amends with an interception — looking into the backfield and when the ball was in the air, he wasn't able to get over in time.

Tech countered with another scoring drive, with Anthony James rumbling on a 14-yard scoring pass to give the Bulldogs the lead back.

San Jose State responded in kind with an impressive drive of its own, and tied the game at 14 on James Callier's 1-yard plunge.

Suddenly this had the look of one of those high-scoring WAC games.

"They weren't running their offense," linebacker Barry Robertson said. "They came out in formations that other teams have hurt us with."

Credit Tech's defensive staff for quickly diagnosing the situation to counter the Spartans.

"The WAC is a copycat league and when somebody has success against you, you can cool believe you're going to get it," Tech assistant head coach/defensive line coach Ed Jackson said. "They got 14 points in seven minutes and we had to make some adjustments."

Tech's coaches figured out that San Jose State liked running everything to the tight end side, so the Bulldogs shaded over that way.

Suddenly the Spartans found the WAC's No. 2 defense tough to crack. San Jose State managed just 167 yards in the final three quarters.

"(Defensive coordinator Randy) Bates told us to weather the storm," said redshirt freshman linebacker Quinn Harris, who had a fumble recovery. "They came in 1-6; we knew they would try anything. You have to make adjustments and I felt like we did. We got used to everything."

The Bulldogs also forced two turnovers and started putting some licks on Tafralis, who finished 11-of-29 for 161 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

"(Tech) is a really good defensive team," Spartans coach Dick Tomey said. "The first half was not what you see on film from them. They play more like what you see on film in the second half."

San Jose State's six second-half possessions produced four punts, a lost fumble and a missed field goal.

"The defense, after the first quarter, really started to play," Tech head coach Jack Bicknell said. "That was huge. I was thinking it was going to be one of those barnburner 45 to 41 deals."

SCOTT BEDER is a staff writer for The News-Star. Contact him at 362-0287 or at P.O. Box 1502, Monroe, La. 71210.