page_title: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football
section_title: Sonny Dykes era (2010–2012)
hierarchical_section_title: Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football / History / Sonny Dykes era (2010–2012)
caption_attribution_description: English: University of California, Berkeley football coach Sonny Dykes speaks at 2016 Bay Area College Football Media Day on July 28, 2016 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
context_page_description: The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team represent Louisiana Tech University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. After 12 seasons in the Western Athletic Conference, Louisiana Tech began competing as a member of Conference USA in 2013. Since then, the Bulldogs have been coached by Skip Holtz and have won their last 6 consecutive bowl games. Since 1968, the Bulldogs have played their home games at Joe Aillet Stadium. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 630 wins, 465 losses, and 39 ties. In 118 football seasons, the Bulldogs have won 3 Division II national championships, won 25 conference championships, and played in 27 postseason games including 12 major college bowl games.
context_section_description: On January 20, 2010, Arizona offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes was hired to replace Dooley as the head football coach at Louisiana Tech. Dykes brought with him an exciting, up-tempo, pass-oriented offense known as the Air Raid.
  In Dykes' first season, LA Tech's record improved to 5–7 overall and 4–4 in the WAC. Despite coaching his team to a losing record, LA Tech's offense improved in several areas of the NCAA statistical ranks including passing offense (91st in 2009 to 62nd in 2010) and total offense (66th to 52nd) while the team's average offensive national rank improved from 65th in 2009 to 54th in 2010. Despite a 1–4 start in 2011, Louisiana Tech rallied to win seven consecutive games to cap off the regular season with the program's first WAC football title since 2001 and an appearance the Poinsettia Bowl to cap the 8–5 season. As a result of LA Tech's success, Dykes was honored as the 2011 WAC Coach of the Year. At the conclusion of the 2011 season, Dykes signed a contract extension to increase his base salary to at least $700,000. Dykes resigned as Louisiana Tech head football coach following the 2012 season to accept the same position at California.
  In 2012, Louisiana Tech joined Conference USA. That season, they finished with a 9–3 record, the program's best since 1997, but did not participate in a bowl game. Dykes guided the Bulldogs to a 22–15 record over his 3 seasons as head coach.
caption: Coach Dykes
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