Random things to worry about versus The Jayhawks

Reesing is hot. Doege is not: That’s a worry not a prediction.  It’s pretty uncommon for the Raider offense to stomp on its crank twice in row during the season. Meaning the dropped passes of last week are rarely repeated. So I don’t look for Doege to have trouble connecting. I expect the sticky hands of the WR’s to be just that. I do expect whatever  Leach QB plays next Saturday to have some trials and tribulations getting into the end zone. For all the football reasons we know. Compressed field. Less ground to defend, refs aren’t perfect,  a great defensive energy with your backs to the wall etc  etc. I do expect M. Williams to kick lights out FGs when called upon.

Not expecting Mangino or Leach to go for it on 4th down in the Red Zone. I am expecting Doege to break out over 300 yards and I am expecting Reesing to have several tipped passes. I can't speak for you folks but I will take an ugly win say Tech  28 – Ku 20  that sounds  okay  in October.  I Have had enough bitter losses for this season than you very much.

 Raiders’ defense vents their collective bowls again: Linebackers are doing sprints and up downs in the sand pit this week after their dismal showing against aTm.  Collective refocus on tackling drills or put it this way minimize the arm tackling. Just beat the Kansas RBs and TEs up,  if they go out for a pass put the redirect hit on them. Screen? Blow them up. Defensive linemen T. Reesing is short  get your hands up. He might surprise you and try to throw around you and it might be an errant pass. DB’s make a play on the ball. I am not expecting the Ruffin inspired  defense to sulk up, rather the reverse I’d say a fired up squad hands several Jayhawks their heads. Note the aTm post game comment from Colby Whitlock. The boys aren’t going to escape the wrathful coaches practice style beat down. I.e. the beatings will continue until moral improves.

 Why can’t we return a kick for a score? Raiders are overdue for a big return and I don’t want to see anything resembling a great KO return against us. Ideally I would worry if the Raiders punt more than  twice all game against the Jayhawks.  Offense stay on the field and run the clock down. No hangovers please. Special teams be dominating.

Who is afraid of the Raiders  offensive line. Or what planet is the Kansas  Defensive Coordinator from ? Blocking sets the tone. Block well and live. Err.. win. These are college kids and the team could suffer a hangover effect. To date  you haven’t seen  that type reaction to adversity. The team appears to be cohesive and supportive. So I would expect they will " Cowboy Up" and get ready to battle the Jayhawks. On paper its pretty even matchup for whatever that’s worth. TV has been good to the Raiders  in the sense that I haven’t seen any quit. In fact I didn’t see them quit in person against the Aggies. What I did see was a defense which seem confused that a tall relatively fast QB could  A. hide the ball on his hip then hand off to a  legitimately fast RB coming into a gap created by a pulling guard i.e.  the  trap play. I saw defensive players take one step too far in pursuit. I saw linebackers in overreacting to the play action / fake, then the required Tech defender  attempted arm tackle  failure. I saw defensive linemen with pads too high. I didn’t see them whip an Aggie lineman. The Aggie running backs really helped their line by continuing to churn away. Goes to wanting it more.  More often than not  rewarded with 5 plus yards at a crack.  I saw  Raider DB’s being out jumped for lofted up passes.  B.  I saw a Raider offense which except for 4 x drives,  ok 5 x  drives  with the 4th Quarter fumble  sort of  get wooden.  Slow to get back on the ball. Not take what was given and not punch the Aggie defenders in the mouth. The O line should ..should mind you have been able to move these smaller Aggie guys around. Nope the Aggies  started dictating the tempo. This must not be allowed against the Jayhawks.  This brings me to C.  Kansas has smallish quick set of linemen too. Expect more of the same type game planning.  To their credit when not getting penalties the  Raider O line and offense in general  moved the ball. Then a break down occurs  Potts / Doege gets  hurried / hit, fumble / miscue and the offense sets up the defense in a bad way. By my count the Raiders gave the Aggies a short field  4 x  times In the second half. So I worry about a loss type hangover.  Note the Husker vs. the Cyclones last Saturday very ugly my friends.

I don’t want to worry about a sulky quiet Raider crowd. Noise baby more noise…