Lower admissions standards. They have raised the bar some but back in the day LSU required that you take the SAT, LA Tech didn't.  Basically all you had to do is write your name on the test and you are in.  Bradshaw opted for LA Tech which did not have that demanding entrance requirement.

So why didn't the Mannings go to LSU?  Ol Miss and Tenn so not have the demanding entrance requirements LSU does and they aren't Rhodes Scholars.  They would have never gotten in at Tulane which actually held the athletes to a higher standard.  They take that student / athlete thing seriously at Tulane.