Texas Tech Monday Morning Notes - Slowly Getting Back In The Groove Edition
by Seth C on Jun 23, 2008 6:20 AM CDT
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Double-T Nation News:
Okay, I've spent a day sleeping (Saturday) and a day working outside (Sunday). Now I need to spend a couple of nights catching up with DTN and that's probably going to happen this week. Be patient. I'm also working on a couple of items that are going to take time, but we've got at least 2 months to spin our wheels and pray that no more players get arrested, arraigned, convicted or kicked off the team. I'm serious . . . say your prayers every night.
In fact, I haven't even had time to pick up a Dave Campbell's Texas Football or Phil Steele's magazine. Just haven't had time. In any event, we'll get back on track sooner rather than later. The season can't come soon enough.
Texas Tech Football:
Holy crap. I just finished up reading the BON post, courtesy of billyzane, Let's Talk About: Texas Tech and I wanted to get out a couple of things, however, I should note that Skin Patrol and kayakyakr went to town on that post. Nice work.
- That photo of #51 makes me laugh every time I see it.
- There was a perception that in previous years, under Setencich, that there was NO hitting during the year and very little hitting during practices. Things changed once McNeill took charge. They changed immediately.
- Setencich had said that Leach doesn't care about defense, but I think that a more accurate statement would be that Leach wanted someone else to be as passionate about the defense as he was about the offense. Setencich is not a passionate man, but Ruffin McNeill is. McNeill demanded certain things change in the program when he was named as the DC and sure enough they did.
- Once McNeill was in charge, hitting in practice (I know, this sounds absolutely insane) became a daily occurrence. It should come as no surprise to the those who follow the program closely that the defense absolutely dominated the spring game. The Texas Tech defense reminded me of the Missouri defense last year. Swarming. Hitting. Breaking up passes. No huge plays by the offense. Getting to the quarterback.
- Slowly but surely, Texas Tech is recruiting better athletes on defense. I don't think Leach will ever sacrifice the offense completely, but as a quick example, Brandon Reid was recruited as a running back first and foremost, and by all accounts is a pretty talented runner. However, I think Leach and McNeill both think that he will play linebacker. Leach and McNeill know that his value on defense will be greater than on offense. Couple that with some JUCO All-American's at defensive end. A defensive tackle transfer from Miami.
- I think that Leach has found someone who can just take the defense and run with it. I get the feeling that this is what Leach always wanted and there's plenty of fault for Leach not letting Setencich go sooner, but the fact is that Leach wanted someone who would be in charge of recruiting, scheme, motivation, etc. McNeill is his man.
Columbia Tribune's Dave Matter is delving into the Big 12's best receivers this week and on top of the list is Mr. Crabtree:
1. Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: (134/1,962/22) Slice Crabtree’s 2007 numbers in half and he still would have led five Big 12 teams in receptions, seven in receiving yards and nine in touchdown catches. Crabtree’s touchdown total was greater than 72 teams had last season.
And an underrated Eric Morris:
9. Eric Morris, WR, Texas Tech: (75/767/9) Only in Lubbock does the offense’s third option put up numbers like the 5-foot-8 Morris did last season. There might be more talented players behind him on this list, but you can’t knock Morris’ production.
Matter also mentions that Missouri's Maclin and Coffman were at the Playboy All-American photo-shoot, which means that Mr. Crabtree was also there. What are the odds that those of us who are married or taken will be able to successfully use the excuse that Mr. Crabtree is in the September issue in order to pick up a copy?
In an attempt to find more things to waste your time, I stumbled upon KAMC28's video highlights and learned a couple of things. Taurean Henderson has a warrant out for his arrest for aggravated robbery. Incredibly sad if this is true.
KAMC28 is also running the Top 10 Leach Rants and they've already done #9 and #10.
Fox34 does Fact or Fiction in the Battle for Center between Shawn Byrnes and Stephen Hamby. Having not watched the spring practices I don't know if I can really give an opinion worth anything, other than I thought both buys played relatively well last year.
Texas Tech Track:
The accolades keep coming for the ladies track program as per Fox 34shot putter Patience Knight will receive the Honda Inspiration Award today. Congrats Patience!
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Patience Knight
is an inspiration to us all. She has displayed the intestinal fortitude to excel in her chosen field of athletics at a national level. All this while suffering the pain that accompanies treatment for cancer, plus an unexpected operation. Amazing woman. One I am very inspired by as a Tech ex. She has set a bar high enough for all future athletes to attempt to emulate. She has also shown her desire to be the best she can possibly be for her university while inspiring her teammates to higher achievements than they may have previously desired. If more student-athletes could lead and inspire their teammates this way for Texas Tech in all sports AND accademia, what a wonderful future our university would have. May she be greatly blessed by God in all future indeavers. She is the type person He wants to be his follower, an inspiration to others that if you have faith, anything is possible…..PRAISE THE LORD AND GUNS UP!!!
TTpilk
disagree here
Setencich had said that Leach doesn’t care about defense, but I think that a more accurate statement would be that Leach wanted someone else to be as passionate about the defense as he was about the offense.
Actually, I think the reality is, Leach DIDN’T CARE ABOUT THE DEFENSE. This is nothing new, Hal Mumme doesn’t care about the defense, either. Remember, Lyle was intimiately involved in the program, he saw what priority was put on recruiting for defense, he saw what priority was put on getting practice time for the defense, etc. He wasn’t an observer/fan, he was there.
Leach’s lack of commitment to the defense sure showed up on the field.
As for saying Lyle is not a passionate man, sorry, but that’s just retarded stupid. Do you have ANY idea what it takes to become a college football coach? Do you really think you can get there without being passionate about your job? ESPECIALLY if you are coach on defense, which is all about emotion, intensity, and effort?
I don’t know Lyle, feel incredibly weird defending him on this blog, b/c that isn’t my intention, but that statement is just asinine.
Compared to Ruff, Lyle was about as passionate as a tree stump. If the head coach doesn’t spend as much time recruiting on defense, that’s one thing. If the DC doesn’t bother coaching up the players he has, that’s another thing. McNeill has mostly the same players as Setencich had, and they’re playing harder, faster and smarter now. At a practice, you can see the difference that Coach Ruff brings. If the defense ever got lax, he got on them. He didn’t have to be told how to coach his defense by Leach, and the players really responded.
After all is said and done, more is said than done.
hi you vocal leach critic you.
gotta agree with what ayleein said: Lyle had nothing to give other than saying that his system was complex and too hard for most people to understand until they were juniors and seniors. I’m serious, he said that once.
Perhaps at one point Lyle was all full of fire, but he burned up long before he came to Tech and all that was left was an old blackened stump of a tree/coordinator.
Let's not forget...
“The biggest thing is he’s got some personal, family issues to deal with,’’ Leach said. “Trying to take care of both, I think, was a tall order for anybody. So we wish him and the family the best.’‘McNeill said Setencich’s wife, Kathy, has been hospitalized for the past several days. In July 2005, she suffered a brain bleed, a condition that causes effects similar to a stroke.
Leach declined to discuss that, but said, “Anytime there’s stress, demands, all that, I think it just adds up.’‘
Myers said Setencich, 62, is in the first year of a two-year contract and will be reassigned to other duties within the department. The specifics are yet to be determined.
Taken from RedRaiders.com
That's exactly
what I was looking for. So yes, I would think that a guy who has was having to help his wife deal with a serious illness would probably lead a guy not to be very passionate about his job. Besides Setencich’s personal problems, I still think he’d lost passion for his job and it showed on the field.
And you are correct I’ve never been a college coach and I assume that you haven’t either, so I don’t think it’s fair to call my comments asinine, especially when you probably can’t speak from experience either.
So now you’ve got a handful of Texas Tech guys saying that it appeared that Setencich has lost passion for his job. Is the comment still retarded stupid? I watch this team every week and I think most of the guys who post here do as well, you would think that any one of them would call me out if it was an incorrect statement.
I still think I’m right.
Setencich wasn’t a passionate coach at Texas Tech. He was probably a good teacher, but he wasn’t a salesman and he didn’t motivate players the way McNeill does.
Go Raiders . . .
as far as I can tell seth, beergut is an aggie who feels spike dykes was a genius coach. You can use that thought to determine how much faith to put in any asinine comments he makes.
(and no beergut, i do know what you meant with that comment, but I too am a bit of a troll.)
The only problem
I have with your analysis Seth, is:
Besides Setencich’s personal problems, I still think he’d lost passion for his job and it showed on the field.
I’d change it to:
Because of Setencich’s personal problems, I think he’d lost passion for his job and it showed on the field.
I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt considering the circumstances.
you're changing your tune
You said:
I think that a more accurate statement would be that Leach wanted someone else to be as passionate about the defense as he was about the offense.
Now you’re saying:
I would think that a guy who has was having to help his wife deal with a serious illness would probably lead a guy not to be very passionate about his job.
That is two totally different issues.
In one, you say he didn’t care about the defense the way Leach cared about the offense, in the other you say he lost his passion b/c of concerns about his wife.
I don’t think anyone would dispute that Lyle was distracted last season by his wife’s illness, and it was a valid reason to let him go. However, that isn’t the issue you originally addressed.
And you are correct I’ve never been a college coach and I assume that you haven’t either, so I don’t think it’s fair to call my comments asinine, especially when you probably can’t speak from experience either.
I’m not going to get into specifics, but don’t assume too much.
I think you’re a troll. Hi troll.
Of note: an Internet troll is one who will spend hours on the net, looking for some sucker to argue with. No matter how well you put an argument, they’ll have a response. It doesn’t matter if your argument has no holes, they are masters of the Internet and they will respond.
Here is a fundamental case: The troll finds two similar comments that have enough difference that they can claim the statements are contradictory. This allows the argument to continue.
I recognize my own.
Oh, and those weren’t contradictory statements: Leach wanted someone else that could be passionate about the defense. Lyle was not passionate about the defense.
In the first he failed to give a reason why Lyle wouldn’t be passionate. In the second, he gives the reason but doesn’t say, “Lyle wasn’t passionate because, _”.
I personally feel that Lyle lacked passion because he was old and didn’t want to have to do the grunt work parts of coaching. The wife thing didn’t help, but I don’t think he wanted to be there since even his first season with us.
I think
Mike Leach hired Setencich as a way to repay his friend and former colleague:
Following a year away from football, Setencich joined the Red Raider coaching staff in 2003, reuniting with Leach. The two previously worked together in 1987 at Cal Poly SLO when Leach, a young offensive-minded coach-to-be, asked Setencich for a chance to coach.
And I don’t think Setencich was a slouch:
Facing somewhat of an uphill battle during his first season in 2003 while installing his version of the Texas Tech SWARM defense, the unit has made tremendous strides under his leadership and the direction of his staff.
Setencich’s inaugural season wasn’t without its growing pains. The group ranked last nationally at one point in total defense, but has bounced back in each successive season. The 2004 defense improved to a top 50 ranking and the 2005 unit was among the top 30, as was last season’s group.
Last season’s defense produced some of the best numbers in the Mike Leach era including holding opponents to 151.1 rush yards per game, the lowest since 1999. Additionally, the pass defense has flourished since Setencich’s arrival, consistently ranking among the top 20 in the country the last two seasons and leading the Big 12 Conference. Texas Tech’s total defense in 2006 was the best since the 2000 season.
All quotes taken from TexasTech.com
When his wife fell ill, he could no longer coach at a high level. That’s my opinion, based soley on speculation and conjecture. I didn’t know the man personally, nor do I have any inside information. I’d just like to show a little compassion for his unfortunate circumstances.
Wes Welker can't be stopped.
I’m not denying that his system has potential, but the defense after falling in under a good defensive strategist didn’t have the next thing that was required: a passionate man able to not just install a defense but able to coach it as well. A swarm defense needs fire, drive and I just don’t think Lyle was the man to be able to provide that.
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