that all of what Seth stated above could force Tech to drop another game but I really feel like after last weeks train wreck Tech is going to play better than usual. Optimism isn’t really my mantra but this team needs a way to take out their frustration from losing to possibly the worst team in the conference. Coach Leach needs this win badly and Ruffin needs it even more. It’s a home game and we seem to do well against the Kansas schools since the Big 12 formation.

Another factor to at least consider is that KU was thorougly embarrassed at home last year by Tech. Dominated from beginning to end of the game on all fronts.

I don’t believe that “revenge” plays much into any team’s motivation, but there is no doubt that Reesing, Briscoe, and company would probably like to return the favor this year.

Plus, KU is in good shape vis-a-vis the Big 12 north race and they have plenty of motivation to win every Big 12 game they can from here on out.

If Tech gets dominated at home for this game I will consider them to have given up on the season. We might beat Baylor, maybe, but don’t count on much else.

I don’t expect them to get dominated in this game. I think Tech has more than enough motivation at this point after getting embarrassed last week. As the Aggies taught us so well, motivation through desperation is at least as powerful as any other motivating force. The offense will be fine (not great, fine) with Doege. Defense needs to come in severely pissed and blow everyone up, bottom line. If special teams came to play too, that’d be cool.

Seems a pretty clear pattern, underestimate your opponent = fail. Magino flat out said what he learned from Tech losing is you had better take care of your business and work during the week to get better or your gonna lose.

So I would expect for Tech to get a good effort from KU. The question at this point is how does Tech respond to the adversity. I mentioned this in the post-game thread. Who shows up for Tech ready to play this week will be very telling about the character of our team. I’m anxious to see how it all plays out.

Wreck ’em!

That’s scary for a Texas Tech offense that’s struggled to consistently run all year, whether it be a seasonal perspective or in an entire game. The rushing offense was essentially non-existent in the second half last week,

And its not that we can not run the ball its the coach or QB is not calling the run. This does not mean that the running game has struggled. The stats show our running game is quite good actually:

                   NAME CAR YDS YPC LONG TD
                   Baron Batch 76 408 5.4 33 6
                   Harrison Jeffers 31 207 6.7 35 4
                   Eric Stephens 24 105 4.4 12 1

Yea that does not take into consideration QB runs or sacks. But when one of our backs gets a “chance”, very few, they average decent yardage.

The way I read the statement from Seth, which I may have taken the wrong way Seth don’t hurt me, is what I get from reading what others say about Tech. In that we cannot run the ball. But a 5.5 yrd average between our 3 backs shows differently.

Now I do agree that we need to run more but the lack of yards in the rushing game is not because we cannot run its that we do not run the ball. That or maybe because the best players and my favorite players on the team are the running backs.

They have lost 2 in a row.

Reason #1 :: The Big 12 Has Some Good Offenses
Maybe we see the proverbial shoot out this week? 2 x very good offenses airing it out with success. Actually the two team stats are quite close if you use ESPN yard sticks (see the current preview of the TTU KU game). I like Todd Reesing and Jake Sharp and Dez Briscoe. When they are playing OU, NU and ut. Their skill positions look a lot like ours in terms of effectiveness. Both Run hard on short yardage situations; pass to disciplined possession style receivers. Both kick field goals with a very acceptable level success. Tech on the other hand sports Batch, Potts /Doege/Sheffield all capable passers Torres ,Lewis, Swindal are quite capable taking a 5 yard throw and getting 12- 25 yards. Neither offense is mistake free and in fact both have some built in weakness. First Reesing is short. Hiphopotomas of rock chalk talk/OU web site?? Says Reesing doesn’t have very many tipped passes so it would appear to matter not at all that he is height challenged. My take is Ruff may try to get linemen in his passing lanes. S. Doege is inexperienced. Sort of he’s probably thrown 5 thousand practice passes since arriving at Tech. Batch has been very good but not so many touches (not getting great blocks perhaps?) When he does get the nod its been pretty impressive always falls forward first guy doesn’t usually get him to the ground etc. Jake Sharp has been hurt like Batch but seems to be a very steady runner on the level of a 65 – 100 yard performances per game. Matt Williams is a poster child for consistency on short kicks. The KU kick specialist seems to have the longer range and is equally consistent. In fact I don’t think he’s missed single extra point and neither has M. Williams.

Reason #2 :: Not a Bad Defense:
Just to get it off our collective chests I am dismayed by the bi polar display by the Raider defense over the last 2 weeks. On the other hand KU defense was mauled by the OU offense last week. Our Linebackers are overdue for a break out game while the KU linebackers are getting a lot of experience real fast. And they are obviously good run stuff according to Seth’s review. KU is the 55th best defense in the nation huh?

Reason #3 :: Skill Players Out the Wazzuu:
I’m not convinced our WR/IRs are not way better than Kansas recievers. As a package of receivers. Meirs and Brisco are top flight but who backs them up?

Reason #4 :: Hassling the QB:
The TTU o line is going start its 8th rotation in 8 games played. Ugh! On the other hand Sharp and Howard as defensive ends haven’t been shabby. They did seem to get close to J. Johnson on lots of passes but whiffed, or he tugged loose and the horribly soft middle was left open to let him run up the field. That was a killer. T. Reesing did a lot of running against the cream puffs in the first third of the season. I don’t think he runs too much against the Big 12 defenses but after seeing us lose contain so much last Saturday he just might try it again.

Reason #5 :: Pounding the Ball:
No one except possibly Coach Clay Maguire could or would be more happy than I if the Raider Running backs suddenly amazed us all and ran for 200 plus yards from scrimmage. Often quoted before but the most productive position on the field for the Raiders is RB (tail back). Flares, screens, shovel passes and draws are all part of the staple of play calling. It’s just unlikely to happen because a. We haven’t got the protection, blocking scheme, execution down to an art form yet with the O line. b. This will sound funny but it’s my observation 2 x running backs in the back field seems to hurt us with regards to the passing game. Everyone is saying WTFO? Aren’t we talking about rushing? Yes lack of rushing success by the Raider Running backs. Because the o line can’t block – very well – we keep one back in to chip the linebacker or CB blitz. c. Our backs aren’t very good blockers. So far. Or they must have been out of position to be part of the sacks allowed debacle we have been seeing. 2 x backs in the back field appears to limit the # of targetable receivers the QB can throw to. The Throw down the field that is, either QB doesn’t have time or they can’ t read them because the QB’s are concentrating down field . I am not a coach so it’s a mystery to me. A short dump or lateral to the RB depends on the back getting YAC yardage. c. Our offense is predicated on having the reliable dump off i.e. they hit the RB when the protection breaks down and or all the receivers are covered up. The second back is supposed to complicate the LB’s life by giving him more folks to worry about. This method only exasperates the limited # of touches a RB could get via a hand off. I know we don’t care how they get the ball and short pass is like pitch to M. Leach. But so far this season for whatever reason the opponents seem to have gotten better at tackling in space and limiting YAC /RAC yardage. So much as we all like the running backs to have a break out performance it’s not something I would expect to happen.

I’ve already taken three Zantac and the game is still three days away. I am worried about this one…a real gut check for Leach and the boys this week.

We spent all of last week preparing for it. Reason #1 for why Tech will win.