Texas Tech Monday Morning Notes - Shaky Calls Edition

by Seth C on Jul 14, 2008 6:15 AM CDT

Double-T Nation News:

Since RaiderAde and I were both doing previews at the same time, I thought there was no point in duplicating what was essentially the same thing, so make sure and take in ayleein's preview of K-State.

I'll add my two cents here, which is I have no idea what to expect from a team adding 19 JUCO players, that's a lot of talent to add that should play immediately and then know how it's going play out for your team. Just a ton of variables. For instance, there were three JUCO signees in the 2007 class for Texas Tech, DeShon Sanders, Daniel Howard and Brandon Sharpe. We haven't seen Sanders and Sharpe play hardly at all, which means that they've got this year to prove that they're going to contribute something to this team. I think K-State faces a similar problem, but on a greater scale. Will Prince feel pressure to play these guys? Are they actually ready to contribute, physically? Etc.

Texas Tech Football:

At the end of this interview with Sonny Cumbie, Fox34's Jarrod Edwards mentions that SMU dropped Texas Tech from the schedule next season (still playing this year), which means that Texas Tech is going to have to find a replacement. At least SMU is giving Texas Tech plenty of time to find a quality replacement.

Fox34 is taking a look at Five Ways to Ten Wins for Texas Tech. The shortened version of the first two ways are as follows:

Improve 3rd down conversion rate on defense, i.e. stop teams on 3rd down.
Detron Lewis must be a playmaker on offense.

Although these guys have yet to reveal their other reasons, I hope one of the keys is for Texas Tech to quite simply stop the run. I'm sure that stopping opponents on 3rd downs includes doing a better job of stopping the run, but I think that if McNeill and some of those guys along the line can figure out a way to limit opponents running the ball then I think this defense improves quite a bit.

I'd also agree with the Detron Lewis issue, but would prefer to say that it just needs to be someone who steps up and fills the play maker void. Whether that be Britton, Walker, Lewis, or anyone else, someone has got to step-up for this offense to be great.

Mack Brown v. Captain Leach makes #18 of Coaches Hot Seat Blog's list of 25 Coaching Match-Ups that Coaches Hot Seat Will Pay to See in 2008:

18. Mack Brown vs. Mike Leach
Texas at Texas Tech

November 1, 2008 – Lubbock, Texas

After the Texas-Texas Tech game in ’07 a frustrated Mike Leach got off several great lines when talking about some shaky calls from the video booth and the officiating in the game: Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdKEWZP7nrE. Don’t think for a second that Leach want remember that ’07 game against Texas when the Longhorns come calling in Lubbock on November 1. Let’s just hope those Big 12 officials don’t miss any calls in this year’s game….. The winner is…..

CHS Winner: Mike Leach and the Texas Tech Red Raiders

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Sonny Cumbie

Is it just me or has this guy been california dreamin? Check out that hair, def not going to be a posterboy/cover guy anytime soon, but hey he did beat cali in the holiday bowl. I think we need to have a poll for who Tech should play to fill the SMU gap. My pick LSU, Virginia, or bring back Penn State.

by ST04 on Jul 14, 2008 10:22 AM CDT 0 recs

Sonny's

goin’ for the Mcconaughey look.

Wes Welker can't be stopped.

by 10forTech on Jul 14, 2008 5:17 PM CDT up 0 recs

Doesn’t look like they have openings but bama and boston college do

by ST04 on Jul 14, 2008 10:31 AM CDT 0 recs

BC would be ok.

I’d like to play WVU, VT, or GT.

Alabama is probably the team I least want to play in the SEC :-/.

by kayakyakr on Jul 14, 2008 11:51 AM CDT 0 recs

Bama ain't so bad

They were soso last year, and sure they got a huge class comming in, but UT used to get the same 1-3 classes and never did anything. Georgia is who I am scared of in the SEC, mainly bc of moreno

by ST04 on Jul 14, 2008 2:05 PM CDT 0 recs

Pac 10 or Big 10?

What about UCLA, Cal, Oregon or maybe Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State. Remember its just preaseason any middle to top contender from another BCS conferance would be an upgrade from playing Div-1AA teams.

by Texas Techsan on Jul 14, 2008 2:14 PM CDT 0 recs

I agree

I would like to bring back the Penn State game but it looks like they don’t have room in their future schedules.

by ST04 on Jul 14, 2008 3:51 PM CDT up 0 recs

I'm with Techsan

I’d like to see us get some PAC 10 games, just for more west coast exposure. UCLA, Arizona, Washington…someone like that. Of course, so long as the replacement is I-A, I won’t be too picky. I really don’t mind one I-AA team a year as maybe the very first game. But let’s shoot a little higher, Mr. Meyers. Scheduling Houston was step in the right direction, but let’s look intersectional as well. Everyone in Texas already knows about Tech and the offense.

by Tech92 on Jul 14, 2008 4:46 PM CDT 0 recs

Let's look outside of Texas

I agree scheduling Houston was as step in the right direction and I always enjoy intrastate games but I would like to see us move out of the state. I think the key is to get at least one preseason game a year with another BCS conference team. It will improve our strength of schedule, it will give us more National exposure and it should mean more TV money, depending on the opponent.

by Texas Techsan on Jul 14, 2008 4:54 PM CDT up 0 recs

Bama AND Boston College

I’d like to play them both. Someone closer would be preferable like Arizona, Arizona St., or even Iowa, but going home and home w/ Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide? Hell yea!

Wes Welker can't be stopped.

by 10forTech on Jul 14, 2008 5:03 PM CDT 0 recs

Is distance a factor?

I’ve heard that money is an issue and going away to the east or west coast would be a costly road trip. We could make it up with ticket sales during the home game, though, if it’s a good BCS opponent (it would have to be a home/home). Anybody have any inside info on that? Do Myers/Leach have to stick closer to home because of $$$?

by djollie111 on Jul 14, 2008 5:19 PM CDT 0 recs

$$$

If it is a good BCS opponent then it will probably be televised which would mean more TV money. As you know the preseason games with smaller programs aren’t typically televised. I agree that it should be a home and home, that way we could have a big game in Lubbock. I don’t think that distance is that big of a factor though because a few years back we played teams like Ohio State, NC State and Ole Miss.

by Texas Techsan on Jul 14, 2008 5:28 PM CDT up 0 recs

The money is an issue

our profits are lost if we have to travel too far, especially with an increasing cost of travel. The game would need to be assured of TV time and i’d like to see an immediate payoff (shared TV revenue between home team and away, plus travel cost paid for by the home team). A home/home with alabama or arizona state or UCLA would get TV time and we’d probably fill up the home stadium for our end. Safer to play TCU and UH as the only two legit non big XII teams in texas and not pay so much for travel.

a “home/home” with LSU in 2 superbowl configured stadiums would be beneficial money-wise. LSU could pack more into death valley, but the neutral site game is more appealing to me (since profits would be split 50/50 and we wouldn’t have to play in death valley)

also, ohio state was a payoff game and is part of the reason why, while GM is in charge, we won’t accept anything worse for us than a home-home series.

by kayakyakr on Jul 14, 2008 5:30 PM CDT 0 recs

neutral site

I don’t see this happening bc of the new contract w OSU, that would mean that we would loose another potential home game.

by ST04 on Jul 15, 2008 9:39 AM CDT up 0 recs

Then

it’s Alabama. We could play the first game in New Orleans, the second at Jerry World. It would be a good game, an SEC opponent, and televised.

Am I dreaming?

Wes Welker can't be stopped.

by 10forTech on Jul 14, 2008 5:59 PM CDT 0 recs

yup

by kayakyakr on Jul 14, 2008 6:58 PM CDT up 0 recs

LSU

Two game series at Reliant Stadium with LSU?

by Texas Techsan on Jul 14, 2008 8:00 PM CDT 0 recs

Houston?

I seriously doubt LSU will agree to it. They like Tiger Stadium (death valley).

With a seating capacity of 92,400, it is the sixth largest on-campus college football stadium in the nation… Tiger Stadium is generally considered one of the loudest and most electrifying college football atmospheres in the country.

During the October 6, 2007 game against the University of Florida, CBS recorded 129.8 decibels.

Tiger Stadium was the site of the legendary “Earthquake Game” against Auburn in 1988. LSU won the game, 7-6, when quarterback Tommy Hodson completed a game-winning touchdown pass to running back Eddie Fuller in the waning seconds of the game. The crowd reaction registered as a legitimate earthquake on the seismographs in the LSU Geology Department.

wiki

Wes Welker can't be stopped.

by 10forTech on Jul 14, 2008 9:05 PM CDT up 0 recs

LSU in Houston

I am currently living in Louisiana and I have heard rumors that LSU is looking for an opponent to play in Houston in the future. I’m not sure if that is just fan talk but they have a strong alumni base in Houston.

I also read the following on The Sporting News Blog.

LSU is scheduled to play TCU in 2013 and 2014 with the road game probably being played at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium. Ausberry said that the Tigers are trying to find an opponent to play at Reliant Stadium in Houston in the future.

Supposedly these comments were made by Verge Ausberry, Associate Athletic Director at LSU.

If this is true, I think that Texas Tech would be a good candidate.

by Texas Techsan on Jul 14, 2008 9:38 PM CDT up 0 recs

Ole' Verge...

I wouldn’t trust a word that guy says after this:

It was reported earlier today by the LSU Rivals site in which LSU’s Senior Associate Athletic Director Verge Ausberry said, “The AD at [Texas Tech] wanted to play. The head coach turned it down. People are not going to play home and home with LSU.”
After speaking with Head Coach Mike Leach just moments ago, we can confirm that there’s actually more to the story:

“I never talked to the guy at LSU,” said Leach…

LSU had a chance to play Tech home and home. It didn’t happen, and probably won’t happen until Mike Leach moves on or dies.

(I apologize ahead of time to those who might think I’ve whipped this horse to death.)

Wes Welker can't be stopped.

by 10forTech on Jul 15, 2008 5:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

i’d prefer one at reliant and one at jerry’s world.

by kayakyakr on Jul 14, 2008 10:17 PM CDT up 0 recs

LSU

I would rather play them at the Jones, and I doubt they would give up their death valley stadium for any neutral site. As far as their alumni base in Houston, they do have a huge following, but you can also drive to their game fairly easy.

by ST04 on Jul 15, 2008 9:41 AM CDT 0 recs