Thursday Five Questions

1. and is in favor of a more robust PRESEASON schedule. I would prefer a ramp up with the first being a Rice/Smu caliber team, then a UofH/Arizona for the second, and an Arkansas/Boise as the third. I am not in favor of a neutral site game and think we should demand home and home. Although I like playing ut early, I think both ut and TECH have produced enough lately to make stronger demands to the networks.
2. I believe that the simplicity approach is a good one and have no reason to believe that Tubs will change that (yet). My only concern is how much prarie dog we will see. I know that it has been stated by NB that perhaps only the backs and ends might sneek a peek at the sidelines, but it will still drive me to drink more.
3. The Sheffield injury update is concerning. It does seem like it is taking a long time to recover. Should we not launch and investigation as to why this innocent young man was allowed on the field and into the game at the Alamo Bowl? Was there a doctor’s release? Did hance and myers allow this by Ruff. Was cj consulted?
Also, why no mention of Karam? Is he not in the mix?
4. I know how I will treat sweet baby james if he ever steps foot on the field – the same whay I treated him in the Alamo Bowl and will continue to do so until such time as I am dead.
5. Seems to me that Tubs has been singing the same song all along and therefore has created an expectation in my mind at least. Should he drastically change from that expectation, credibilty would be out the window and I would be forced to place him in the shed with hance and myers.
5A. Just a question, what if Tubs/NB make Potts the starter next fall? Will Catfish Jesus suffer a bit in the polls?

1.) Love a tougher OOC schedule. Boise/Tech home and home 2011-2012?

2. Another of Leach’s teachings-repetition. I like the idea of practicing a play until our guys can run it in their sleep.

3.That bother me as well. Sheffield needs to bulk up or he will he shevled. Durability is a major concern for Sticks.

4. Adam James is about as useful as a sh*t flavored lollipop.

5. No doubt in my mind thqt Tubs will do what he says,soooooooo when can i expect that first conference title coach? :)

1. I want a home/home with ECU so we can play Ruff.

2. I think Brown will keep the offense pretty similar. If he keeps the wide splits, the rest falls into place.

3. It’s scary. I really hope Sticks’ injury was irregular, because if he gets injured during the season, we’ll have to fall back on Potts or Young/Karam.

4. James will still be booed. I’m sure all the frat boys kept their sweet baby james gear.

5. Tubbs will keep his word. For now.

1. I don’t think the non-conference schedule is a big issue, as long as we don’t play an FCS opponent. There are no trophies for toughest SOS and the Big 12 competition is plenty tough enough. I know as fans we like to see better games, but I think provided we stick with the regional competition (UH, New Mexico, TCU, etc), we are fine. The goal is to put yourself in a position to play for the national championship and you’re more likely to do that playing New Mexico than by playing USC.

2. I don’t think the offense will be the same. Brown has a huge learning curve ahead of him. The Big 12 is not the Sunbelt Conference. Tuberville’s track record suggests that he is to offense what Leach is to defense. I wouldn’t put any bets in Tuberville’s favor on this matter yet. (And yes, Tuberville is responsible for the offense’s performance. Are we only going to hold Tuberville responsible for the performance of the special teams?)

3. Hopefully Sticks will recover and will make the competition for the starting spot a horse race. The bigger issue is that he is healthy. I doubt very seriously that the delay in spring training is being done solely for Sticks’ benefit. I have a feeling that the new coaching staff still is getting its bearings and could use a couple of extra weeks to prepare. In the end, that’s good for Tech.

Tubs is an excellent communicator, but one thing I’ve noticed is that Tuberville says some odd things about quarterbacks – ie.’ the QBs told me they want to run the ball more’, when it is the QBs who had been making that decision during the games, and when the adjustments discussed by Brown are only likely to result in a handful of extra running plays per game in any case. Also, ‘I don’t know much about our qbs’ ; ’I’m delaying spring training for Sticks to heal.’ etc. When Tubs’s talks defense he inspires confidence. When he talks about the offense he sounds like Mike Leach discussing defense. Pointing to the Sun Belt guy every time the subject of offense comes up is not really doing it for me yet.

4. I think James will get less touches in 2010 than he did in 2009 because of the talented redshirts that will be contributing. Maybe Tubs can find a place for him on special teams and see how that goes.

5. I think Tubs is still getting his sealegs under him. His messages about being a friend of Mike Leach, not being responsible for the past, not changing the offense too much and building on Leach’s success took a few weeks to refine, but are now all on target. He had to say those things to retain his prize recruits and to win over sceptical fans. At the same time, I believe he is sincere. I like that he is going to the basketball games and reaching out to the Tech community in general. Leach had 10 years to win the fans’ trust, and Tubs is trying to that the same thing in a few months. Until the season starts there is only so much he can do in this department, and it sounds like he is doing everything he can.

I think the OOC schedule is one reason the national media continues to rank us lower than our performance usually dictates. Beating D-IAA and D-II teams should NOT give you any confidence or respect. You SHOULD pound those teams into oblivion. Not saying lets play USC every year, but I like the idea of a “real” game before conference starts.

The simplicity is fine. It’s subjective, though. What’s complicated to you, may be simple to me. No way to gauge that, but I’m sure the coaches will know if the players are baffled. (p.s. not sure why everyone is freaking out over the idea of the prairie dog, but it bothers me not…whatever works best for the coaches and players)

Sheffield, as talented as he is, worries me due to his slight build. He can normally run away from the big boys, but not all of them. He needs another 20 lbs on his frame – minimum. The slow healing leads me to believe the injury was probably worse than advertised.

I think Adam James will not be well recieved, at first. But with just about any other fall from grace, we all love a story of redemption. He has that opportunity. I seriously doubt he’ll be booed if he scores the game winning TD against UT…

Finally, Tubberville will change what he thinks needs to be changed. As he’s said, and he’s 1,000 pct right, we have not won any thing of substance doing what we’ve been doing. So there IS room for improvement. If that means altering things and looking different than what we’re used to, I’m all for it. Not so much concerned with being known as a passing team as I am being known as a championship team. Whatever it takes to get a Big XII championship or the BCS. The style of offense is just window dressing and secondary to results.

1. Not only yes but hell yes we need to schedule better competition in the preseason games. I would say adding one BCS conference team would help elevate our status. The Big 12 south scedule is tough enough but we have to keep pace with A&M and UT.
2. I think this offense will be largely the same. If Cumbie wasn’t a huge part of Brown’s team I would say otherwise. The major difference will be the added running game. I still see our Air Raid passing attack on quick slants. These players know this offense and Tuberville doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel in such a short amount of time. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
3. Sheffield’s physical make up scares the hell out of me. I have feeling that is why this guy was a walk-on. He has the athleticism and accuracy but if he gets hit hard enough he will be out for the season. The kid is beyond skinny for a QB. He’s my choice at although I doubt he goes the whole season before injury. I’m done with Potts and would rather use a kid that lacks stature who can win. Karam is my second behind SS. I do expect Karam will see some playing time in 2010 since SS and Potts are on the way out.
A successful SS means more body weight and a adding muscle.
4. I think Tuberville did exactly what I would have done in this case. Talk breifly to the kid and make him understand he isn’t being singled out but just treated equally among other players regardless of what happened between he and Mike Leach. Fact is the kid is at best an average athlete that will never see play time again. I think Tuberville knows this is a kid has a sense of entitlement and will just stay clear of him. I doubt Craig James makes it onto Tubbs training field. Tuberville will run a tight ship and these players will see a more military type atmoshpere. I think the James family messed with a fraternity of coaches and will be black balled rightly so.
5. I don’t expect anything short of what these coaches committed to with regard to changing things. I’m sure some will pick apart everything they do and try and claim “major changes” but lets be realistic. If you don’t expect some changes with a new staff you need your head examined. Any coach will make suttle changes at the least. The offense will look the same to about 75% of fans but he novice will be able to see where the changes were made. I suspect a great deal of us here will notice these changes but the average joe in the stands won’t. The passing game will be our mantra as always with an effective run game which god knows we need. The special teams will get more attention and defense will look completely different. All in all I think what we have heard so far from these guys will hold up. I just want to win and I could care less how we do it as long as we win!

1. In keeping with Thursday’s tradition – third person speak – Centex likes me some cupcakes. It would be okay to play TCU, LA Tech or Colorado State regularly as has been suggested but it got to be a home and home arrangement. If ever we were going to have a good time to play USC, Ohio State or LSU with a bit of regularity it is right now. They aren’t ready for the Air Raid. We have the Seniors. In 2012 I don’t have clue what this team will look like… so that arrangement might be end up being a bad thing. The Big 12 season is tough, not interested in SOS just win games. FCS teams not too thrilling schedule a max of one per year.
2. Repetion between QB and Receivers is the key. Simplicity in blocking assignment is key. Fewer plays equals less mistakes. How many times did we hear M. Leach talk about playing with 9 -or 10 guys and not all 11 ? Simply speaks to knowing what your assignment is and violently executing it.
3. Sheffield: Didn’t he break bone in his foot? I saw him running around the Alamo Dome? So I guess that means it’s sore. Still. I have no idea how a tooth pick like Sticks gains 20 pounds in 5 x months of off season work? Hell folks he’s been there for 4 years and hasn’t gained any weight. He’s must have the metabolism of a hyper active rodent. Maybe the new strength coach can make him down Muscle milk 5 x times a day. This stuff about needing more time to heal that’s pretty much "organizational" hooey. IMO. Much more accurate to think the Coaches need a few weeks to get the Spring Practice routine set up, rewicker who does what in game situations and get the terminology written down on water proof athletics products. (Wrist bands etc). I recall Leach said in 2000 he was doing surgery with a chain saw on Spike Dykes run heavy offense. Clearly it’s not that radical with Neal Brown but it’s probably pretty tough none the less.
4. I am so ready to stop talking about Herr James. He and the Coach have only one thing to do get better. Prove you can contribute and whip some freshman butt. It’s an irrelevant conversation with regards to a team sport. I would hope people just ignore the young man at the Spring game.

5. The Coaches are not trying to disguise their intentions on future game planning. The coaches want immediate success; it doesn’t make sense to change much of what the Raiders do well i.e. throw the short pass. Think Yards after catch. Turn up field. Sprinkle in motion and some run off tackle. A deception plan takes energy. Tubs didn’t hire anybody who doesn’t like to pass so.. no IMO there is not attempt to pull the wool over our eyes. I just think the Coaches need every spare minute to get their style of game management implemented and insure the players know what that terminology means.

1. Do you like the idea of trying to schedule at least one BCS conference team in the non-conference schedule

LOL ! I am one of the people that like football games. I really do not care who we play, I like to see the team win. Ideally, they would never lose and it would make no difference who is on the field. Strategies to get recognition by bowl selection committees indicate that the strength of schedule really is not that important, winning late seems to have more bearing, winning over ranked teams—especially late seems to have significance. I can see the value of maybe the third game being against a better team.

2. I’d love to see a show of hands of those who believe that Tuberville and OC Brown will keep the offense generally the same and keep things simple.

As if the lines have not already been drawn…LOL ! Of course they are going to do what they say they are going to do. At least withing the bounds of reason. As Seth indicated, telling the truth tends to be important to some of the people who might wish to play football on scholarship.

3. Does it concern you that it’s taken Sheffield 4 months to get over that broken ankle?

Let’s see, broken ankle, pins, played on it one game anyway…Harrell had a broke ankle and took a year to heal…hmmm. I really don’t know. This break may be a 4 month heal. I am impressed that the staff is smart enough to allow additional time for the heal (for Sheffield and ‘other’ injured players) so that the injuries have more time to mend…everyone has a fairer chance of showing their stuff…leading to a best opportunity evaluation of who can play.

4. Being somewhat serious for a minute, is anyone else really concerned about how James is going to be treated once football starts and what do you think the initial reaction is going to be once James steps on the field?

‘Fans’ are going to be fans. People are going to be people. We each get to show our character by our behaviors. Without a bit of kindness, deserved or not, handed out hear and there, life gets really sucky quickkly. Most of us have more than enough within us to enable magnanimity for a kid that we know is young and immature…I have been equally stupid in my own way and in my own time…maybe today will be one of those times, but I am not going to take any anger out on a college kid.

5. Answered in 2. above.

1) I think scheduling a BCS opponent is a great idea. Lets do a home/home game with someone from the Big 10. I would love to watch Tech vs. Michigan.
2) I think they will keep it the same and simple. Why try to fix something that isnt broke.
3) I’m not suprised. A broken ankle is something that takes time for sure.
4) I think James will be fine. I hope fans dont continue to heckle him. He is a member of our team and we should support all of our players.
5) I think the coaches are being honest. Coaches want to win and why would you change a teams offensive philosophy when each and every year they rank in the top 5. Just doesnt make sense to me.

going on here in regards to Adam James. I am personally conflicted, but I think that’s very interesting. What a turn of events that would be. Adam redeems himself, becomes a better person, performs well on the field, is embraced again by the fans. I really can’t wait till kickoff.

How people keep mentioning if x and y happen then we might have to fall back on Young next year. Young won’t play in 2010. We all know he is planning to redshirt. On top of that, for them to blow his redshirt mid season would require Sticks, Potts, Doege, and Karam to ALL simultaneously be injured at the same time.

Just got back from lunch and was listening to the longhorn’s homer station. They are terrified of facing Tubs early in the season and in Lubbock. Ordinarily, these guys talk about Tech as if we were Baylor, dismissing us arrogantly as a gimmick novelty act. But these guys were calling next season’s matchup in Lubbock “the test of the year.” And why not? They have to come into the Jones having lost a ton of their starters from last year (Colt, Shipley, Kindle, Earl Campbell) are facing a coaching staff they have never seen before, and starting a sophmore quarterback.

Overall, the whole Big XII is looking pretty weak…no one really stands out as a dominant team. Could be the perfect year for Tech to sneak up with a fresh new look and take a title in the first year of the Tub’s regime.

1. Houston & SMU were both bowl teams last year. Our 2010 OOC schedule looks fine. Imagine if TCU was still on there?
2. In Brown We Trust. As long as he is the OC, all will be well (assuming he can call a good game against Big 12 defenses). If Tubs wavers & cans the kid, God help us.
3. It concerns me more that Tubs says he has no opinion on the two QB’s yet & it waiting for practices to start. Haven’t we seen this movie before? Potts is a terrific practice QB. It’s under pressure that the kid wilts. Tubs needs to watch game film two to one over watching them in practice. Sharp practices don’t add to the win column.
4. He will hear more Booos every time he gets near a ball than Darrell Johnson heard “Mooose” every time he touched the ball as a Dallas Cowboy. The bottom line is, nobody has a gun to his head saying he has to play football at Tech. His Daddy can afford the tuition if he gives up the scholarship.
5. In Brown We Trust

I do not want nor do I think we need a strong OOC Schedule. Look, the Big 12 is already tough enough. It is really hard to win six games in conference. We should only be scheduling teams like University of New Mexico, UTEP, Houston, Rice, TCU, and occassionally someone like UTAH and or BYU. We need to play Texas schools to make sure that we win the recruiting war for those top three and four star recruits. Now, if we are gonig to start recruiting in SEC country, then schedule bottom half of the SEC conference. Better make sure we win though. If you go undefeated in your OOC Schedule, then win six games in the Big 12, then you are looking at 10 win season every year. If we can win 10 games every year, then every now and then the stars will line up and we will get a BCS bid. This program is ripe, why let an early loss to another BCS school hurt the year end in review. In football, nobody cares who you play early except the fans and the boosters. I would rather beat up on schools just underneath us, win the recruiting wars, and win eight to ten games and make a top tier bowl every year. Pride should not get in your way. Go Red Raiders.

But I like playing one tough game….at least one game with a team from the sec, PAC or acc.
I don’t have to cheer for everyone on a team I support….AJ is persona non grata in my book.

1-5 are all about winning in the first year of a new coach’s tenure. Keeping the same offensive philosophy will ensure another exciting year. An improved defense should mean at least two extra chances at getting a win. It does not matter who we play OOC, just WIN! As for Adam James: he made his shed…..er, bed, so he will have to stand, uh lay in it. I think he has some good abilities, but really don’t think he has the capabilities to play much, if he remains on the team. What I mean, is that I think his lack of interest in performing well in practice will prevent him from being given a chance to play very much. His attitude so far has been below normal and if he continues to act like a fool, Tubs will treat him in a like manner. Overall, expect the team to play this year as though they have something to prove: they are great players and can be as successful with Tubs and crew as they were for Leach and his band of pirates.