Double-T Nation News:

One of my puppy dogs, Blue, is going under the knife today. She apparently has a mass about the size of a quarter in her bladder. Think a good thought or send out some good mojo for Blue this morning. As an aside, Blue is a mut, I picked her up from someone giving away free puppies about 3 years ago.  I think she's part Husky, Blue Heeler, and Australian Shepard, but I'm not sure. I have a real soft spot for muts and that's what she is:

Texas Tech Football:

Barking Carnival's dedfischer previews Texas Tech's offense and I thought overall, it was really well-written, except I would disagree with the notion that Texas Tech only gets 4-star recruits once in a blue moon. Last year Texas Tech had 3 4-star recruits, including Jeffers, Sesay and Dixon. The year before that, Lonnie Edwards was a 4-star recruit. That being said, Texas Tech doesn't sign 4-star recruits at the rate of UT and TAMU, but the Red Raiders will sign 1 to 3 each recruiting class. Nevertheless, this is a good read and certainly worth your time.

SpreadOffense.com has an interesting look at balance in the spread offense, and it's not necessarily about running the ball, more:

Balance in the spread has to be measured in touches. Backs, slots, and outside receivers should all get about the same number of touches. Obviously, the best back, the best slot, and the best outside receiver should get the most touches from their respective groups, but the defense needs to be forced to defend everyone.

X.......T.G.C.G.T....Y
....B..............................Z
................Q..A..

If X has 9 touches, Y has 8 touches, Z has 13 touches, B has 19 touches (14 from the slot, and 5 from the backfield), and A has 17 touches; you would have 22 touches by the outside receivers, 22 touches by slot receivers, and 22 touches by backs. That, I submit, is pretty good balance, even though the more talented players (A, B, and Z) got more touches and passing and rushing were not even brought into account.

It seems like Leach has said this exact thing before, that it is more about making sure that just one guy doesn't dominate the ball than necessarily running the ball.

ESPN's Mark Schlaback writes about how college defenses are adjusting to the spread offense and apparently, it is difficult for every team to find quality defensive linemen, not just Texas Tech:

Ironically, as the importance of defensive linemen has grown in college football, they have gotten smaller. Only four of the past 12 defensive linemen named to the Associated Press All-America team weighed more than 300 pounds. Pass-rushers built in the mold of former Virginia All-American Chris Long and South Florida's George Selvie have become a premium on the recruiting trail.

"It's the premier position at the next level in the NFL," said James Coley, Florida State's tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. "You're seeing more of them in college. You see particular teams in college with a guy whose sole purpose is to come off the edge and get after the quarterback. It's a big deal for us, and it always has been."

Finding defensive linemen with the ability to stop the run and rush the pass isn't easy, though.