The 10 things (or so) to worry about versus AtM

It’s simple - special teams seems to be okay.  I was worried before the season about Donnie Carona on extra points but  in fact it’s been no Problemo folks.. The most pleasant surprise was / is  McRabbit  Ben McRoy who is pretty much money on kick returns.   20 yards per return on average this would be the week where he gets that extra 5 plus yards and a chip block to spring and we start to see a Welker like score on a  kick off.  And it’s long overdue folks. Kick Coverage was good until last week.. we saw what happens in Big 12 play when you spot the opponent a short field.  So I worry about silly things like deep snaps.  Here’s  a switch I worry McRoy won’t average but 15 plus on his KO returns. I worry that Ryan Erxleben  is making tackles.

No one cares (figuratively speaking) about blocking and tackling. I worry we are going to lose contain on Tannehill because everyone is trying hit C. Michaels and C. Gray.  Shudder shades of Nevada.  And well our defense can’t tackle but it’s not totally down and out.   The O line blocks pretty good but Doege is still running for his life 5 - 7 times a game.. The receivers blocks on the other hand have been spectacular at times - picking off defenders  I call them the "levelers".  This week’s opponent  the  "ATM"  ran a total of 89 plays on offense against Arkansas, rushing the ball 54 times and passing the ball 35 times. With a rushing effort of 381 yards in the game, and an average of 7.1 yards per carry, that is really good.  Passing the ball the Aggies had 25 completions on 35 attempts, which gives me a reason to pause.. if the Raiders don’t match the early scoring the Aggies sack experts are just going to tee off and God help our smallish QB and his gimpy center. 

Aggie Stats

I worry that we have enough depth among the defensive backs.. it’s been bedeviling us now for 2 seasons the Injuries vice 2nd string (not knowing what to do)  vice depth its annoying in all its permutations  &  while I am slightly optimistic (only because Ryan Tannehill is only an okay passer- unlike L .Jones or  B. Weeden who are flat out gamers)..  now I AM UPSET by  the DEFECTIONS – Will Ford, Tony Trahan, L. Rumph and Sam Fehoko… am I crazy? But folks what is so hard about finishing your senior season.. Last week Fehoko would have played.. I don’t think that was a stretch at all. The injury bug is thinning our ranks a lot Darrin Moore,  Justin Keown (back for now),  Tony Morales, Mickey Okafor,  Arron Crawford,  Harrison Jeffers.

Nobody likes (adores) the defense but it’s the king maker. If ever there was game where the Raiders defense needs to display some dominance this is it folks.  I worry Scot Smith is going to run himself right out of QB contain. I worry that the veteran Aggie O line is going to pancake the crap out our NoseTackles & Defensive Tackles .. a lot of pancakes.

 TTU Coaching versus AtM coaching -  I don’t want to tip my hat to Tim DeRuyter and I don’t what to praise Mike Sherman.  I want someone to get 13(+) TFL and hold Christine  Michaels and Cyrus Gray to under 200 combined yards.  The defense must stay even and force 2 - 3 take aways. Did I mention get your hands up and disrupt Ryan Tannehill..  BTW old Okie lite coach Pat Jones from FSN said. "He’s (Tannehill) better when he just gets to manage and handoff to runs and throws for little jabs .." IE not trying  to roll into a passing stern chase and play catch up. Bet you any type of beer you want to drink that that’s exactly how Mike Sherman wants this to play out.  Run 4 x times in a row for 20 - 30 yards gained, then throw the out route or skinny post when Tech crowds the box.I worry the  4 signal dudes are going thow their collective shoulders out wig wagging. Madly wig wagging.

You the fan need to open your checkbook then the tipping point will be reinforced. Move forward or die on the vine. I worry folks will be scared of the weather and not show up. (A minor worry )

I worry we are not a good foul weather team.. sloppy footing,  ball wet, cold rain, hurting hammys and fingers. Do we even have heater units for the players on the sidelines? Do we?  The forecast is dicey at best it’s going to be windy wet and cold all the rest of the week in the Hub city. So practice suffers. Weather will out because God owns the weather Angel  –  I just have no idea if Tech is a mudder team..  a team which  can  perform  in bad conditions.  Extra energy, extra focus required to deliver a stellar or even adequate performance. But they better not display any hesitation in the cold, wet, windy weather on Saturday night on the South plains. I worry the bad weather helps the aggies more than us.

 ATM is a baby and needs to be paddled - my take on this is that going to the SEC -  is that aTm is going to like irrelevance in their new conference even less than being UT’s little brother. I worry they change their minds..

Travel to Lubbock is hard on the middle class. I am taking my daughter to the game and I pray RaiderDoc is serving up some chow because I can’t afford this 400 plus dollar travel bill -  gas, food, tickets and hotel fare.  RaiderDoc do you have chow cooking on the Math /Chem. Quad Brother ?  I worry I will miss his brisket and BBQ.

America needs a winning Tech Team.. Hell I remember when Ronald Reagan used Lubbock as a litmus test for future speeches. If it flies in Lubbock it will play in America. So I will posit that so goes Texas Tech football so goes America ..  How much more of a homer can you be?  Not too much greater than me.  I worry..not.