Red Raider Gridiron :: Defense Responding

by Seth C on Apr 10, 2010 6:41 AM CDT in Texas Tech Football

Ed. Note: I'm short for time this morning, but please enjoy.

Defense Responds: LAJ's Don Williams writes that the defense is starting to respond and LB Bront Bird says (and TTUMAR's reports confirm this) that DC James Willis is vocal:

"Coach Ruff yelled a lot,’’ Bird said, "but he was more the guy that only yelled when something bad happened. Coach Willis is yelling the entire time. Not necessarily that everything is bad. I think it’s just his way of being a part of it and help lead us.

"I think it’s good. I think everybody responds to him very well.’

And DB coach Travaris Robinson wants to put pressure on his players to perform:

"Like I tell them all the time: We’re going to create the pressure of game day,’’ Robinson said, "when it’s 80,000 people in the stands and we’re on the road and no one likes us and they’re talking bad about us. Can you play when your back is against the wall? That’s what we’re trying to get these kids to do now — play with their backs against the wall.’’

Lots of discussion about how Willis and the staff demands that players hustle all the time, get up quickly after a tackle, etc. Bird talks about how at the end of practice, the staff keeps track of the "loafs" and has to do up-downs for each one

"If you look, from our first couple of practices how many loafs we’ve had to now — it’s just learning how to practice — at one point in time, we had in the 70s and now we’re down sometimes in the teens and less,’’ Bird said. "That’s a drastic improvement. His thing is, do everything right. Where it would be the easy way out not to run to the ball, that’s not how good defenses play.’’

Notes, Notes, and More Notes: LAJ's Don Williams writes that in this morning's scrimmage (it's at 10:00 a.m.) head coach Tuberville has three goals:

Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville says he has three main goals for his team’s third intrasquad scrimmage:
1. Put the defensive backs in pressure situations.
2. See what quarterbacks Seth Doege and Jacob Karam can do.
3. Work on the running game.

Interesting for sure . . . Tuberville also says that the younger offensive linemen needs to start improving:

"We’ve got some young guys who had a pretty good pedigree coming out of high school, but they haven’t shown us much,’’ Tuberville said. "They’ve got to really grow up and do something in these next two scrimmages. I don’t want to play freshmen (linemen) next year.’’

. . . DT Chris Perry had surgery yesterday on his foot and fellow DT Pearlie Graves returned to practice . . .

2011 High School Running Backs: ESPN's Gerry Hamilton writes about some of the top runners in the 2011 recruiting class and has this to say about Texas Tech commit, Kenny Williams:

Kenny Williams (Pflugerville, Texas): Williams committed to Texas Tech on March 27. This was a huge commitment for Red Raiders coach Tommy Tuberville as he begins the process of building his program. The 5-10, 206-pound back with a powerful lower body has the look and talent of past runners recruited by Tuberville at Auburn and Ole Miss. Williams picked the Red Raiders over offers from Louisville, West Virginia, Illinois, Kansas State and others. He totaled more than 1,700 rushing yards as a junior.

There's a ton of quality running backs in Texas this year.

After the jump, Wreck Em TV's Travis Cram with thoughts from Tubervile, LB Bront Bird and WR Alexander Torres.

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10 thoughts for the 2010 Red Raiders defensive campaign

1. Inflicting just 1 more three and out per game removes 50 yards from our opponents ledger.
2. We need a trend of 2- 4 tipped passes per game by the Tech D linemen.
3. Getting over 30 sacks versus the Big 12 opponents equals 45 plus points removed from the scoreboard.
4. The secondary needs 3 x pass break ups and an interception per half (Tech secondary dropped 8 x sure picks in 09).
5. If 9 x Tech down linemen can play defense with little drop off in performance- its unlikely any running back will gain 100 yards on the Raiders.
6. If no one can gain 100 yards on the ground versus the raiders – then they will win a minimum of 10 games. And play in the Big 12 championship.
7. A Tackle for a loss trumps any first down, a strip or forced fumble equals a net 10 points for the Raiders.
8. 4 x Raiders will be all Big 12 first team honorees- on the defense – if they win the South.
9. Red Zone defense is likely to be the difference in at least 3 x games this year.
10. The Raider crater subtracts two scores from every opponent. BTW expect Coach Willis to play 4 down linemen around 40 % of the time but one may be a LB with his hand on the ground.

"do routine things routinely"

by centexraider on Apr 10, 2010 8:24 AM CDT reply actions

This looks like the key scrimmage for Spring Practice

Apparently from Bird’s comments, everything is in as far as scheme, so they are working on perfecting what they ‘know’. The scrimmage will highlight areas where most improvement is needed so they can work that before the final scrimmage.

I continue to like what I hear about the run game, it is more about blocking for the o-line and making reads to find holes for the rb’s. There has to be some new stuff in the scheme of that for them to be focusing on it so much and it also is a point of imphsis that we have heard from the HC all Spring. I am taking it in the light of year before last when the running game was more a focus and the results on the field were much better for TTU’s running backs. It is not so much how many times the ball is run, but how effective the team is when the ball is run.

The db’s are another area in which there has been emphasis all Spring, getting them working their new roles and techniques is key to the overall defense. Test them hard today and work on the weak areas for the Spring finale.

All you who attend the scrimmage, I hope you have a great time today, enjoy the team, the weather and your fanship….and please give us you thoughts on what you saw.

women should put pictures of missing husbands on beer cans

by TallMike on Apr 10, 2010 9:39 AM CDT reply actions

Herschel Sims

5-Star, Abilene, running back Herschel Sims is said to be making a visit to Tech for the Spring Game on the 17th in the article about Kenny Williams. Even though it may be a pipe dream, how amazing would it be to have Williams and Sims in the backfield of the future?

by aggieraider on Apr 10, 2010 12:44 PM CDT reply actions

From his Scouts Profile

“He will remind many people of Ladanian Tomlinson, because he has great hands so he is also able to make some big plays in the passing game.”

Perhaps Tub’s could sell this kid on the number of touches he might get, if he has the hands to be a receiver as well

by aggieraider on Apr 10, 2010 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions

That would be awesome

Just imagine – Two five-star RBs on top of the Air Raid. Defenses would have to pick their poison ‘cause they couldn’t stop both. Only problem is that recruits will know they wouldn’t get as many carries here as they would for a running team, especially if they were sharing carries with another top back (for all four years). But then again, look at Boone.

"I’ve established a reputation for integrity. I have maintained those high standards" - Craig James

by TechFirst on Apr 10, 2010 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions

Kenny Williams is a four-star, not five...

but I’d love to see both he and Sims at Tech…

by battledome on Apr 10, 2010 3:09 PM CDT up reply actions

watched him in the 5A championship last year

great hands, quick feet, bruising runner………….real deal and would look very good in black, red or even white helmet.

"There's going to be ups and downs but you have to enjoy the battle." Mike Leach

by blackbeard on Apr 10, 2010 5:32 PM CDT up reply actions

As long as there's a double t on the side of that white one.. not a longhorn.

by RdrPwr on Apr 10, 2010 5:40 PM CDT reply actions

Scrimmage results

It looks like Doege (301 yards on 29-for-52 passing, 52%) is getting into the flow pretty good and Karem (184 yards on 11-for-33 passing, 33%) is struggling to to get it all down. Jeffers got 139 yards on just nine carries & scored 2 TDs — from 40 and 29 yards — against second-stringers, going over the 100-yard mark with two big gains on the last two plays. Tuberville had high praise for Torres:

"He plays the ball so well in the air,’’ Tuberville said. "For a quarterback, you know if you’re throwing it to him, you just kind of hang it up to his outside shoulder and he can adjust to it. Having hands is one thing, but being able to adjust to the football the way he does is amazing.’’

For more, go to Don Williams’ article here:
<http://www.redraiders.com/2010/04/10/doege-karam-throw-for-five-tds-each-in-scrimmage/comment-page-1/#comment-54091>

TTpilk Psalm 117:
1 ¶ O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

by TTpilk645 on Apr 10, 2010 6:34 PM CDT reply actions