Texas Tech v. New Mexico Post-Game Thread

We have an OL issue.
Sticks has game

Jeffers is a special talent.
Our defense is still not what it needs to be.

I hope all the players I saw leave the game because of injury aren’t seriously hurt.

This is a rebuilding year. We might as well get used it.

Thoughts:

- We’re unsettled at quarterback going into the 6th game of the season

- Our defense, despite a valiant performance against UT, gives up 400 + yards today after being blasted last week by the Coogs

- Our recievers simply aren’t that good. Lewis and Britton are not number 1 guys

- Our offense has become predictable. Teams know what we do and are able to stop us.

- Leach might be the Don Nelson of College Football. Great offenses, but lacks the discipline and commitment to defense necessary to sustain back to back 10 game seasons let alone pull out the Big 12 south.

- Can you guys give me something to hang my hat on? (For the record, I thought we would go 8-4, 9-3 this year, and followup with a huge year next year. After the UT game, I thought we had a legitimate shot at going 10-2. Now? Who knows. . . I would almost say that Leach seems to have lost the team (going back to the OU loss last year).

This is one of the ugliest wins ever. This team had better learn how to take care of the football; special teams are NOT so special; O-Line is porous; Defense is porous-very poor tackling-no wrap up; not enough running plays to stop the pass rush; receivers are only average-way too many drops; K-State will kill us next week! Am I happy….? NO WAY! I think the majority of Techdom expected an EEEZZZYYYY win. The team figured differently. ALL of them, including coaching staff, have to run two miles in the sand pit. Very, very disappointing for the 5th game of the season, even though it is a win. No top-25 anytime this year-just not as an elite a team as I felt they would be-no even close.

I was taking a break from football today, I needed it after the last two weeks. Listened to a bit of the game on the radio.

gross.

Though I have to hand it to our good departed friend Pablo M, Potts needed a benching for his own head, i think.

I like Potts’ toughness and I think he has flashes of brilliance, but Sheffield just seemed more consistently accurate to me. He made several great throws. Potts easily could’ve had 3 or 4 interceptions or fumbles from getting ravaged in the pocket during the first half.

I hope Potts is okay and he gets his head right.. there was pretty much no point during the first half where I really felt he was on top of his game. It was making me sick watching what was going on out there, and I thank Sheffield for making it all okay.

Jeffers and Batch were outstanding. Nickerson and Wall had key pass breakups and a great day overall on what was overall a pretty meh day for D. We got some pressure on the QB but it seemed like any time anyone got back there the QB was able to easily evade them.

Our special teams was okay..someone needs to let Zoo know if the ball goes in the end zone we get to take it out to the 20. We won the field position battle and had several punts end up inside the 5-10. Exle..Exelbr..our punter is the real deal.

enough to make a informed decision at this point, we have played some good teams and some bad teams. I did not see Potts look off receivers like he should of against this inferior defense because someone was always open, we would just eyeball them to death. Like mentioned above he does not want to move to create anything. I’m sorry if I’m bagging on the guy but he just does not seem to fulfill this potential that we all think he has. I’m not saying bench him even though I like what Sheffield did, but I just hope he gets it all together soon. That being said I hope that he is not concussed too badly and gets out there next week.

He is not alone, the rest of the team played poorly in my opinion but we should have executed much better than we did against this level of competition. I love the win but I still need to vent…..thanks guys.

First a quick response to the many comments about qb’s. Mike Leach is not likely to allow a qb controversy to develop. If Potts is healthy, he will start. I agree he was playing terribly, awful football.

Today’s running game was pretty effective. Batch’s 8 runs averaged almost 6 yards. Jeffers’ average was lower, he managed 8 for 3.6…keep in mind that he had a 2 yd td, and a 2 yd td. With only 2 yards in front it is hard to break a long one, and two runs out of 8 will average badly.

Jeffers and Batch were very effective from the rb spot today.

After seeing the last drive of the 1st half compared to everyother drive by TTU, I am somewhat convinced that there is help for the offense if they can play at a faster pace. TTU ran 69 plays, NMex ran 91, advantage N Mex. After Sheffield went into the locker room and came out after the break, his energy was way down by comparison. That hurt the effectiveness of the offense, just as it was hurting when Potts was qb. They are taking too much time to analyize and being methodical rather than letting go and play football.

That is what I am seeing at this point. I think if either qb plays relaxed and with a sense of fun, either will be more effective and the team will play crisper.

but I caught Jeffer’s swing pass TD between sets at the central sports tent. Was somewhat confused to see Sheffield playing and not Potts, though from the sounds of things he got knocked out of the game?

Our D actually played quit well, any D that was on the field for 91 plays will give up some yards. Yeah you read that right, 91 plays. That is what 5 turnovers will do to you. So I think with all the “stuff” this week our D will be fine, again remember we are very young on the D side of the ball but still very talented. The O seems to being going thru the usual growing pains, we just got used to the last 2 and 1/2 years of a very good Harrell. I also thought we had enough coming back the O-line would drop only a bit from last year but it is still a work in progress. I thought Potts had made good progress in the first 3 games and till half last week but the qb sneak carried over to this week and he did look like Harrell today( holding the ball 2 long!) . He is at his best with a quick tempo and being decisive an gettin the ball out quickly like a dart. Sheffield brings some intangibles that can serve Tech well and if Potts is out for sometime lets see if Doege can push Sheffield. Maybe a real up and down year but I still think TTech can get to 9 wins, not easily but it can and will happen. Wreck’Em Tech

Potts left with before the end of the half and Sheffield did just fine, in fact brought some good energy. Would love to see Leach include some rolls and bootlegs if “Sticks” has to play more. Wreck’ Em Tech

I hope that Sheffield continues to make plays, so that Potts is forced to step up big in order to keep his starting spot. I feel that Potts getting concussed could possibly be the best thing that ever happened to him (assuming Sheffield continues to push him). If Potts is good to go, he will start next week. I just hope this was Potts’ “Nevada game” for this year. I’m confident that the offense can begin to click once we get into the heat of conference play. I’m sure we’ll beat K State, we just have to focus. Potts needs to get out there and have some fun throwing the pigskin. It would help if our receivers could consistently catch the ball. Overall, I give today’s game a D+. Sure we only beat lowly New Mexico by 20, but our young D hung in there and came up big when we needed them, despite being on the field for 91 plays. I expect a win over the Wildcats next week. Has anyone noticed that we seem to play like garbage when we wear the scarlet tops and black pants (remembers the Nebraska game last year).

I think Leach should make it a goal to run the ball 35 times next week. We have all this talent and Jeffers is always a threat to score if he gets into the open field, but we only handed it off to him 8 times. The reason why we had so much success passing the ball last year is because we had a running game. When Leach refuses to run the ball (whether its stubbornness or bad coaching, I don’t know) it hurts the whole team. It really undermines the offenses’ efficiency and tires out the defense, since they seem to spend all day on the field. When we don’t run the football, we become predictable.

Finally, we need to get the O Line issues sorted out. Brandon Carter, if you’re reading this PLEASE get your act together. This team needs you. You saw how bad the O Line looked today against FREAKIN’ NEW MEXICO. They’re in ESPN’s Bottom 10!!!!! Apologize to your coaches and beg to play. WIthout you the offense isn’t the same.

Here’s to our 13th straight bowl eligible season. WRECK ’EM!!!!

I’ll say this, if Potts does start and doesn’t light things up and play with awareness and fire, I don’t think Leach will wait long to put Sheffield in. You have to win at the end of the day. And if Potts is our best option to win, I’m fine with that…provided he quits throwing so many bad INTs. Sheffield doesn’t get a free pass, either. His pick 6 was a horrible throw and the fumble could have been prevented with better ball protection.

But really…who out there wasn’t completely fired up watching Sheff run around and make plays vs. watching a guy stand back there and advertise every pass by staring people down? Like I said in the game thread, I’d rather be what we are with an exciting dual threat than by a single option threat…who I don’t trust at all to protect the ball.

The defense…shoot. 91 plays is a lot to ask of them. But how can Ruffin not scheme to cover the middle of the field? All season that has been as open as the Great Divide and still no adjustment. I do think it’s time for a change in defensive coordinators. We are not progressing in that area.

Our offensive line has proven to be quite the liability. I realize there are lots of new starters out there this year, but they are pretty porous. I have massive concerns about keeping Britton in the WR rotation. He’s also earned the “liability” label with his repeated drops.

Jeffers has been a super shining light, though. Wow, that kid can dazzle. And Batch continues to mature into a complete back. I’m very, very excited about our RB situation moving forward. I just wish we’d use them a lot more than we do with actual running plays. There’s no reason to force the pass sometimes like Leach does.

Speaking of Leach…is it just me, or does he seem to have stopped in his progression as a coach? Tech seems to make repeated strategic errors. Sometimes by omission as much as commission. I feel like we’re watching the 2005 and 2006 versions of Tech. Sure, they aren’t terrible and we’ll hopefully qualify for a bowl game. But I think this team isn’t really sure of themselves at all right now and place that on the coaches shoulders. We still haven’t played a clean game from start to finish this season, and that worries me. Still a lot of football to play and maybe that light will switch on before too long.

Uhhh, anyone catch what UTEP is doing to Houston? Lord!

to the tune of 58-41. There goes their BCS hopes, and a little more of the Big 12’s cred. Not looking too good as a conference.

I think Sheffield played great until late in the game with the int and fumble, but I’m not going to proclaim him the savior to the team just yet. Remember who the competition was. This was the expected result from any above average quarterback, so it’s not the greatest accomplishment in the world. UNM has given up plenty of points to teams that we can all agree are inferior to Tech.

Yeah, I’ll give it to him that he came in and was exceptional on the fly, but I would want to see him in front of some better teams before we hail him the starter. Potts had an off day and definitely has some mobility and decision making issues, but I think part of that may have just been psyching himself out. He was coming off two tough losses, the last being the most critically analyzed and painful in a long time.

Why does Potts never use the shovel pass to the RB? I used to see that play all the time but haven’t seen it forever until Sheffield used it about 3 times tonight, with 2 times working quite well, I think.

What’s with Potts and the intentional grounding problems? Poor decisions.

Tech needs some more under-center plays. The handoff to an in-motion Jeffers is great, except when you give it away by only going under center for it. Totally predictable.

Why did Jeffers not see a lick of action against UT? Sure would have helped keep them on their toes a little better.

Erxelaben – badass. I cannot believe there was even a competition with Carona.

They should have sent Britton to the showers after dropping the wide open TD pass. Stone hands.

Turnovers and penalties will kill us. 5 turnovers and 99 yards of penalties will not hold up to big 12 teams. Any team other than New Mexico would have been beating Tech about 31-7 at halftime after the way Tech played the first half.

I have come to the conclusion that making any predictions about this year’s Tech team is useless. It is impossible to figure out who is going to show up to play and if they can piece together a good overall performance. Consistency is the biggest lacking factor for this team.

when has he had a good day? I understand that his stats have been decent, but if you think he has played a single good game this year you should be checked. Everyone was all about him after UT, but what did he do there? He threw nothing but short comeback routes and screens. His yards passing is only because our receivers get tons of YAC. Potts has the potential to be the best ever at Tech, but until he starts actually making reads and stepping into his throws he needs to sit the sideline. That was what impressed me most about Sticks today, you could see his head scanning the field to make those much needed reads. If Sticks had started all year there isnt a doubt in my mind that we are 5-0 right now.

way too many interceptions, fumbles and busted plays. Kid needs huge work and we don’t have the time for it. Sheffield is more mobile and accurate. I also like Sheffield’s enthusiasm. Potts always looks rattled and lost. I’ve seen enough and heard all the crap about him being new but I don’t see any improvement week by week. I’m personally not sold on Sheffield but I do see an improvement of Potts easily. Next season I hope Karam and Young are looked at. This team as whole needs a lot of help and I really think this season could be ugly if we don’t get some help fast. The QB position is the nucleus of the offense and that guy has to be a leader and a winner. Presently we don’t have that in Potts. I think his time should be up and we make changes for the best.