SBN Reacts: C-USA Fans Think Hank Bachmeier Will Elevate LA Tech in 2023

This offseason, we’ve been polling the Underdog Dynasty audience to see what they think will happen in the G5 in 2023. That’s mostly consisted of asking what teams are worthy of the highest expectations this year. Thanks to their newest signal caller, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are another team on that list.

41% of the UDD audience that responded to our latest poll chose Hank Bachmeier as the C-USA transfer that will make the most immediate impact on their team. The senior from Murrieta, California entered the portal this offseason after starting 29 games at quarterback for Boise State from 2019 to 2022. Bachmeier threw 41 touchdowns with 19 interceptions and 6605 yards in that span.

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Let’s Think About This

It makes a lot of sense that a quarterback would be a prime candidate in this kind of situation. It makes even more sense when that quarterback has something to prove. It makes the most sense when that quarterback is leading an offense coached by a former Mike Leach assistant in a league up for grabs.

Despite putting up some solid numbers in four years at Boise State, Bachmeier’s dealt with quite a few injuries and his team’s season was cut to just seven games in 2020 due to the scheduling issues the COVID-19 pandemic caused. The 2021 season was the biggest and best sample size we got from Bachmeier when he was completely healthy and the team went 7-5. His 2022 season was cut short due to yet another injury and he entered the transfer portal after four games.

via Sports-Reference.com

Bachmeier was sacked and hit quite a bit during his time at Boise. That includes 24 times in 2021. LA Tech and Boise State’s sacks-allowed totals over the last few years are somewhat similar. Taylen Green, the quarterback who replaced Bachmeier, is a very mobile dual-threat who ran quite a bit, which contributed to why Boise State’s sacks allowed fell to 14 in 2022 compared to 27 in 2021. Can Tech’s offensive line help Bachmeier remain healthy? Time will tell.

...On a related note, check out this video from UDD alum Joe Broback on Hank Bachmeier’s career from last fall. It can give more of an idea of what Bachmeier’s journey so far has been like. He has two years of eligibility left.