Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe :: 10.16.09

  Premium Information:  I know that everyone is curious about who will start this week, but I'd just ask you guys not to publish any premium information from any website.  Even if you're not quoting from it, there's a reason why that information is premium and I've always tried to respect what those guys do and if there's information out there, it's eventually going to get out.  I will say that Chris Level confirmed on Twitter that QB Steven Sheffield would start so that means that sometimes, we've got to get creative with where we can find information, but we still shouldn't quote premium information. 

And since we're somewhat talking about FanPosts, one general rule of thumb is that if you have to repeat words or phrases to meet the 75 word limit then what you are posting might be better suited to be a FanShot. 

  Recommended Reading:  If you guys want some insight as to how the Nebraska defense will play on Saturday then I highly recommend Rock M Nation's RPT look at how the Cornhuskers diffused the Missouri running game.  Complete with screen caps and just beautifully done.

  Two Players No Longer With Team:  Yesterday's very abbreviated DTN DD mentioned that freshman OL Matt Goetz is no longer with the team, but Level tweeted yesterday that Goetz and TE Omar Castillo were dismissed from the team 2 weeks ago.  Is it just me or is it just amazing that stuff like this takes 2 weeks to get out to the media?

  Freshman Focus:  LAJ's Don Williams continues his weekly series taking a look at the freshmen players who are being redshirted and this week is OL Kyle Clark.  Here's Williams and OL Coach Moore:

At the moment: Clark has been training all season at left guard. His strength is one of the attributes that’s impressed Tech line coach Matt Moore from day one.

Moore said Clark might be pound-for-pound the strongest of the team’s young linemen.

"He’s kind of like (sophomore guard) Lonnie Edwards was when he first got here," Moore said. "He’s not a big, heavy O-lineman. He’s kind of thin, but he’s muscled up and he’s strong. He’s a weight-room guy."

  Myers Conflicted:  LAJ's Don Williams writes an editorial today regarding AD Gerald Myers quandary of wanting a sellout for the TAMU vs. TT game or putting the game on television, which can come at a cost.  An interesting read for sure and I can see both sides of the argument, Myers has an obligation to try to have a sellout prior to getting a game on television, and then there's the issue of potentially waiving the appearance fee. 

  Keep Away:  DT's Alex Ybarra writes that the Red Raiders must not allow Nebraksa to play keep away on offense this year.  LB Bront Bird knows what the Cornhuskers tried to do:

"That’s one thing they tried to do to us," Bird said. "They’d try to run a lot of stretches and everything and get us used to those — then fake a stretch and run a bootleg. That was kind of their game plan going in to last year, and they kept our offense off the field a lot."

  Texas Tech Red Raider Links:  TR has come out firing with a look at the Nebraska personnel and a look at the Texas Tech offense . . .

  Nebraska Cornhusker Links:  Corn Nation with a statistical comparison of Nebraska and Texas Tech . . . HuskerExtra has a ton of stuff, including freshman RB Dontrayevous Robinson may play on Saturday, Red Raiders to watch, Nebraska confident in their offense, TE Mike McNeill might be the focus of the NB offense, CB Dejon Gomes is pretty good . . . BRN with a plan of attach against Texas Tech and a post defending QB Zac Lee . . . LAJ's Adam Zuvanich profiles DT Ndamukong Suh as does DT's Alex Ybarra . . . 

  Big 12 Links: LAJ's Adam Zuvanich with a look at Big 12 and national games . . .

  Preseason Picks:  Texas Tech was picked to finish 9th in the conference and to be quite honest, I haven't at all looked at what the other teams have to offer.  Remember that there is an open practice on Friday night at 5:00 p.m.

  Focus on Defense:  LAJ's Courtney Linehan writes that Pat Knight and his squad will focus on defense and hopes the improved athleticism will help:

"We need to give up about 60, 62 points, so we’ve got to make a big change from a defensive standpoint," Knight said. "Our offense can be run badly and we can still score from an offensive standpoint."

Part of the problem, Knight said, was a lack of athleticism and depth. The Raiders had few go-to bench players, cornering the coach when starters began to slack on defense. That’s changed this season, with the addition of five newcomers, including three junior college transfers Knight expects to see in the starting lineup or as the first players off the bench.

Theron Jenkins has a soft touch and a strong shot. Brad Reese has a versatile inside-outside game. And David Tairu is already known as one of the hardest-working, toughest attackers on the team.

And C Robert Lewandowski is very aware that Knight has made the defense a priority:

"This year it’s a totally different mindset," he said. "Coach has made it very clear if we don’t play defense, it’s our heads. That’s something everyone on this team can do, from the walk-ons to the top scholarship guys. Everyone can play defense."