I'll be starting my look at each position group going into spring practice and the spring game. I don't want to make any promises when these will get done, so the best attitude is to be happily surprised when they appear.  [Note by Seth C, 02/24/09 7:23 AM CST ] I should add that this is scheduled to post at 10:00 a.m.

DTN's Top Five:

1. Wake Forest blog, Blogger So Dear with Part II of his Mascot Awards.
2. The Ticket's Bob Sturm talks about why it's so important for Crabtree to be drafted higher and to run his 40 now.
3. The NFL Network with video of the Combine's top bench press performers, including Louis Vasquez.
4. ESPN's Tim Griffin takes a look at Michael Crabtree's season and possibly the injury explains a decrease in numbers (we might also argue that he saw more double-coverage as well).
5. Rush The Court checks in on the Big 12.

Leach Sits Down With Dienhart

Captain Mike Leach sat down with Rivals.com's Tom Dienhart to discuss Leach's most recent contract negotiations and I thought I'd pull a couple of quotes from the article, although I get the sense from you guys that we're ready to move onward and upward.

Q: Is there a sense of relief?

A: I am pleased because it eliminates the distractions. Now we can just focus on football, which I think is best for everybody. We got those clauses all worked out, so I thought that was really good. The biggest thing I like is that it allows everyone to move on. It is good for our team, good for our fans and I think it sort of unifies everybody and gets us ready for the spring.

Q: Do you regret the process, which at times was very public?

A: I wish it would have gotten done quick and easy. But through the leadership of Chancellor Hance, we were able to get this thing put together. I thought it turned out pretty good. We were able to eliminate some outside influences, then pare it down to what was important. Once that happened is when we got things done.

Littrell Leaves for Arizona

Make no mistake that Seth Littrell has officially been hired to coach running backs and tight ends for the Wildcats, and now we focus on the Littrell's replacement. I have no idea where to start, but I am confident that Leach tends to find guys that may not be very well-known, but are highly successful. Perhaps Leach's best example of that is offensive line coach Matt Moore, who was coaching at Troy, with one year of coaching experience, before hired by Leach.

Trust in Leach.

Pat Knight Suspended for Wednesday's Game

You have your choice of stories to read regarding Pat Knight's one game suspension, which will be tomorrow against Texas (LAJ, DT and FWST). The DT has the video of the quotes that got Pat Knight in trouble, and I don't think this warrants a suspension. Here's Big 12 Commissioner, sounding as smug as someone can possibily sound through a written quote:

"I am disappointed that Coach Knight committed this violation soon after a January 31 incident during the Texas Tech game against Nebraska for which he was publicly reprimanded," Beebe said in the statement. "I was extremely lenient in that case and chose not to suspend Coach Knight. The nature and extent of his comments after the Texas A&M game, and his callous attitude in light of his commitment to me to abide by the rules, require a serious penalty."

Here's Pat Knight on why he felt it important to speak up about the ref situation:

"I don’t think one has anything to do with the other," Knight told the A-J. "If I have to get my point across and it’ll get me fired, I’ll do it if I think I’m right.

"There’s two ways you can get your point across. You can get a technical or get thrown out of a game or you can say something. I was not going to get thrown out again, so when I was asked the question, I answered it. I knew I’d get fined or suspended, but I had to get my point across for my players. If that’s the only way to bring attention to it, that’s what you have to do."

All of this comes on the heels of Saturday's game where Texas Tech was called for 34 fouls and Texas A&M shot 51 free throws. And just last night, in the OU vs. Kansas mathcup, the Jayhawks shot 41 free throws and OU shot 30 . . . over 70 free throws for a game seems like a ton of free throws and it will be interesting to see if the refs pull it back a bit because no one likes to watch a free throw shooting contest.

This doesn't really bother me in the least. I don't think that Pat Knight's comments warranted a suspension and I get the feeling from reading Beebe's quotes that because he was so lenient on Knight before, that he needed to suspend him a game for his quotes. That's some faulty logic, and personally, each incident should stand on it's own, one should not have anything to do with the other. Again, from Beebe's comments, it sounds as if Junior Knight is being punished for both events and not just one. Bad move Beebe.

Red Raiders Host New Mexico

*Click on the score for boxscore.

Here's the official Texas Tech press release for the series against New Mexico starting this afternoon and LAJ's George Watson previews the Lobos. The weather today should be great, a little windy, but even better tomorrow. Today's pitcher Nate Karns sounds like he's ready to pitch:

"Everyone pitched well this weekend, we got the wins and that’s what you’re supposed to do as a starter," said Karns, who was 3-6 with and 8.46 ERA last year. "Hopefully I can keep rolling and keep that going and not have to wake up the bullpen too early in the game."

Watson and Texas Tech second baseman Joey Kenworthy talk about how this year's squad is manufacturing runs this season:

Despite a lack of power, the Red Raiders had more than enough offense to get the job done this weekend. Tech finished the weekend with a .331 average and scored 38 runs, both number ranking fourth in the Big 12. Tech also ranks third in the league in on-base percentage (.464) and stolen bases (9) and fifth in slugging percentage (.451).

"Our speed and bunting and our pitching make it really tough on opponents," junior second baseman Joey Kenworthy said. "This weekend we came together and we know the strengths we have as a club. It was a good weekend for us to get four wins."