By Malcolm Butler
From Bearcats to Bulldogs.
Louisiana Tech officially opened preseason football practice Wednesday morning, but before the Bulldogs took the field, head coach Sonny Cumbie specifically mentioned three familiar faces from Ruston High who could play key roles in the team’s success this fall.
As the Bulldogs begin preparations for the 2026 season after finishing 8-5 a year ago and defeating Coastal Carolina in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, Cumbie pointed to former Bearcats Jadon Mayfield, Zheric Hill and Dylone Brooks as players positioned to make significant contributions.
For Mayfield and Hill, that opportunity comes as members of what Cumbie believes is the strength of Louisiana Tech’s defense.
“On defense, it’s definitely the linebackers and D-line,” Cumbie said. “They’re the strength in terms of returners. Guys that have played, known production, big-time playmakers, and so we feel great about that room.
“You’ve got guys like Alonso Jackson, who’s going to play a huge role this year. Zheric Hill is ready to emerge. Jadon Mayfield has been emerging.”
Cumbie’s confidence in the linebacker unit is supported by last season’s production.
Mayfield, a redshirt sophomore, started the final seven games of the 2025 season and finished fourth on the team with 61 tackles while adding 9.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and five quarterback hurries. His performance earned him Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors despite spending the early part of the season working into the lineup.
Hill also enjoyed a productive freshman campaign, appearing in 11 games with one start while ranking ninth on the team with 34 tackles. He also recorded 2.0 tackles for loss, a half sack and six quarterback hurries, giving Tech another athletic playmaker at linebacker.
Cumbie said the position group’s makeup gives it a chance to lead the defense throughout the season.
“When I think of our linebackers, I think of football players,” Cumbie said. “Those guys are football players. They love to practice. They’re smart, instinctive, they play downhill and they make a lot of plays. They undoubtedly are the strength of our defense, and I’m excited to see them elevate the group.”
While Mayfield and Hill are expected to anchor one of the Bulldogs’ deepest defensive units, Brooks enters fall camp facing one of the team’s biggest opportunities on offense.
Tech must replace its top four rushing leaders among running backs from last season, leaving the starting job up for grabs entering preseason camp. According to Cumbie, Brooks has put himself squarely in the middle of that competition.
“I think Jaden Miller and Dylone Brooks really, at the end of spring, asserted themselves there,” Cumbie said. “Dylon’s had a really good spring, and so I’m excited about those two.”
Cumbie identified Brooks and Miller as the current frontrunners in the race for the starting position.
“I think you’d love to have a situation at some point during fall camp where you go into that first game and this is our starter and this is the guy that’s going to carry the load,” Cumbie said. “Right now that would be Miller and Brooks.
“They’ve got to continue to improve in pass protection, certainly. That’s the area I think they can take a big jump during fall camp.”
Brooks appeared in three games as a freshman last season, mostly on special teams units.
The opportunity awaiting Brooks reflects one of the biggest position battles on the roster, while the emergence of Mayfield and Hill bolstering the continuity Cumbie believes gives the Bulldogs a chance to build on last season’s success.
“The journey undoubtedly started for our football team back in January,” Cumbie said. “I think the core, the nucleus of this team returning is the benefit, if we allow it to be a benefit. If they pour into these younger players and challenge them, we’ve got some difference-makers, and they need to be different every day in practice.
“Our guys are prepared. They’re going to practice fast. They’re going to practice really well together.”
An additional trio of former Ruston High players round out the six Bearcats on this year’s Bulldog roster, including Tulane transfer tight end Josh Brantley, sophomore linebacker Zander Hayes, and junior defensive back Jacoryian Crowe. All three could also make contributions in 2026.
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