Texas Tech Red Raiders 20, Texas Longhorns 52 | Post Game Thoughts
by Seth C on Nov 6, 2011 6:33 AM CDT
in Texas Tech Football 2011
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Box Score | Post Game Quotes
I fully admit that I do this (talk about things that aren't related to the game in an attempt to mildly deflect you) and I shouldn't but wanted to mention that no matter what you think happened at Texas Tech, it doesn't even come close to what's currently happening at Penn St. This isn't your normal Sunday morning reading, but if you can stomach the details, SBN Penn St. blog Black Shoe Diaries is a good place to start. In reading some of the charges I just can't imagine. Also, shout-out to OU receiver Ryan Broyles, who is the NCAA's all-time leading receiver and has torn his ACL. Doesn't deserve that.
THE RESULT | I DON'T KNOW THE END-GAME | I'm trying to figure out how all of this eventually plays out. For two weeks straight, this Texas Tech team has been dominated in just about every facet imaginable. Offense. Defense. Special teams. And the problem for me is that I don't know or can't give you any solace as to what the eventual end game will be. For me, the end-game is me trying to predict what will eventually happen. It's usually me trying to base my decision on reality, the circumstances at hand and the eventual outcome. For example, the end-game of firing Tuberville right now isn't an option for me because it's not something that I realistically think is going to happen. I think that no matter what, Tuberville will have three years. I've said that I'll have a much better opinion about the job that Tuberville is doing after this year, but that's just my personal opinion.
I'm sure a lot of you feel like Nick Saban right now:
I understand, I really do.
Again, the end-game isn't necessarily what I want to happen, but it's what I think will happen. These post-game thoughts aren't going to be very insightful in to what was an arse-whipping of the highest degree.
THE STORYLINES
DEFENSE JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE PLAYERS | When Tuberville says (and I'm paraphrasing here) that the defense just doesn't have the players to compete, he's not lying. That's not coach-speak, that's honest to goodness truth and we've witnessed that the past two weeks. After watching LSU and Alabama last night, as well as some action in other Big 12 games, the thing that sticks out at me is that this team doesn't have the actual players to compete on a high level in the Big 12 this year. And I don't know that it's going to get much better next year either. As I watch the opposing offenses simply push any Texas Tech defender out of the way time after time, then you know that this isn't a situation where Texas Tech has the class of athletes, whether that opponent is Texas or Iowa St. to compete. At this point of the season, I wonder how this team has won as many games as they did. That's beside the point.
When the secondary is in a situation where offensive players are being considered during the week as either starters or as far as a position switch, then that should give you an indication that things aren't going as planned. Receivers Shawn Corker has made the permanent switch to cornerback, just like Derrick Mays did in the middle of last year, and it was discussed (I think) that Cornelius Douglas would be switched to safety.
This indicates to me two things. The first thing is that there aren't any players that are available that are even remotely the athletes that Corker and Douglas are. Let that sink in for a minute. I think that Corker and Douglas are probably fairly high level athletes, but is there any scenario where they should be considered as possible starters eight or nine weeks into the season? Absolutely not. And yes, this does speak to the depth of athletes in the program and Tuberville has had one recruiting class (I never know if I should consider the 2010 class Tuberville's class as all of the players were essentially already committed and my general thought is that it's not "his" class, but he did keep them on board) to make a difference, but right now, I don't know that I see change on the horizon.
Additional Storylines and MVP's after the jump.
One thing that I do know is that the defensive coordinator is going to stay. Chad Glasgow is trying to implement the third defense in three years. Yes, there are plenty of concepts that are essentially the same in previous years, but it's a situation he signed up for. With the premise that Glasgow is going to be in charge of the defense next year, he's got to find better athletes and players that can play. When we talk about the attrition of players, i.e. players that quit, or are injured, or just don't come back, during the course of the year, this is what programs like LSU and Alabama do. They oversign, each and every year (i.e. they sign more players than scholarships available) with the thought that they have figured out the players that can or cannot play.
It wouldn't surprise me in the least if this method is employed the next year and possibly the next two years. This team needs athletes, bodies and playmakers and I think that Glasgow will have full authority to do what needs to be done in order to make sure that this happens. I don't know this as a fact, but it's just something that I suspect will happen because it's painfully obvious to anyone watching yesterday's game, which is that no matter what you think, right now Texas Tech is out-classed in terms of athletes and players in just about every respect. You could certainly see the number of JUCO players increase as right now there are none, but there needs to be an immediate influx of talent on the defensive side of the ball and I don't know how that happens other than to recruit JUCO players.
As I continue to pile on the defense, I already mentioned that I think this is about having the better athletes and players. That's not to say that scheme doesn't matter. It does matter, but when you're lining up your two defensive tackles that don't weigh more than 270, you're going to get whipped up front. And when your linebackers don't weigh more than 215, more than likely, you're going to get whipped up front. It's really a perpetual problem with the defense in that one issue begets the other. The defensive line isn't big enough or strong enough to make any sort of plays and the linebackers aren't big enough or strong enough to help out the defensive line to make plays on their own. It's amazing to see the difference in size of linebackers between UT and TTU as UT runs out players that are 6-3/235 and can take on an offensive lineman if necessary, while Texas Tech runs out there linebackers that are 6-0/210 and are essentially pushed out of each and seemingly every play. That's just not going to cut it. And yes, it would be wise to invest in these freshmen that are getting pushed around like rag dolls with the hope that by this time next year, they'll be closer to that 235 range, but as I said before, I don't know that Tuberville and Glasgow have the time to be that patient and I think that players are regressing. There was a time when I thought that Cody Davis would be a good safety in this conference, but he's regressed this year and it's noticeable. Perhaps it's because the staff have him playing out of position a bit, but the fact that he's sometimes this team's last line of defense more times than not is an indication that he's not playing in the right spot and he's not made to be this team's free safety (which I know he's not the team's free safety, but he's put in that position). I don't think that every player doesn't have value I haven't had the time to try to figure that out just yet (that's what offseasons are for), but I do know that just about every player has to prove his value and the staff has to figure out how to improve the talent next year.
OFFENSIVE LINE WAS WHIPPED YESTERDAY, QUARTERBACK AND RECEIVERS WERE WHIPPED LAST WEEK | If it's not one thing it's another, and this point is going to be relatively quick. It is incredibly frustrating to see an offense struggle in two consecutive weeks. The offensive line was confused and took way too much line trying to figure out who was going to block who. Again, it was painfully obvious as the play-clock was winding down and the players are all trying to figure out who is supposed to block which defender. UT has been doing this for a couple of weeks, i.e. walking up defenders and not being sure who is going to rush and who isn't. This is just inexcusable.
ABANDONING THE PISTOL | As many of you know I completely missed and have not been able to watch the TAMU and Kansas St. games. So with that thought out of the way, the past three games that I have been able to watch, I've been meaning to mention that OC Neal Brown has just given up on the Pistol Offense entirely. After the spring and summer practices, where Brown and Tuberville talked about how they wanted to implement this type of offense to create an opportunity for the running backs to have more of a downhill run at the line of scrimmage, I am left with a handful of running plays from yesterday's game that will leave a mark on my memory. I don't necessarily remember the down and distance, but the running plays in question were in the redzone and they were absolutely futile. UT snuffed out the play, I'm pretty sure, before the ball was snapped.
I don't know why Brown and Tuberville have given up on the Pistol Offense, but they shouldn't have. Tuberville likes to run the ball more than Leach did, that's just a fact of life. The Pistol Offense is an offense that allowed Tuberville and Brown to have the best of both worlds in that it allowed the quarterback to still be in the shotgun formation, but also allow the running back a head-start at the line of scrimmage as opposed to just handing the ball off without a running start.
I liked this wrinkle, and I thought it was not just a wrinkle, but it was actually effective. The frustrating thing for me yesterday is watching the 22 personnel or 23 personnel that UT was running out there (2 running backs and 2 or 3 tight ends) and everyone in the world knowing what was going to happen, i.e. UT running the ball, and there was absolutely nothing that Texas Tech could do to stop it. For that reason, I wish that Brown would have kept the Pistol Offense. Sure, it usually meant more times than not that Texas Tech was going to run the ball (although to be fair, they were successful passing in that formation too), but it also meant that the line was usually imposing their will on the opposing defense. Yes, this usually meant that you might have in the game one or two tight ends and maybe a blocking back like Omar Ontiveros, who was punishing as a lead blocker, but it also meant that Brown could do a couple of things offensively, which is run it down the defense's throat, and for the most part they did, but it also allowed for a bit of play-action on the part of the offense, especially if you run it successfully enough and there is no doubt that Texas Tech did run it successfully enough early in the season to make defense at least consider the option.
If the offense is going to run the ball in the redzone, and it's fine that they do, but if that's going to happen, then you had better do it with some authority and make the opposing defense respect what you're going to do. The Longhorn defense essentially laughed at the Texas Tech offense in the redzone and forced Texas Tech to make plays in a smaller field and they couldn't.
TUBERVILLE IS AT A CROSS-ROADS | Tis is the tough thing for Tuberville, which is that I think he's at a serious cross-road as far as his coaching decisions. I think that the normal situation for Tuberville has been that if his coordinators aren't performing up to his standards, then to give himself more time he fires the coordinator and hires someone new. I can't and won't totally back this up from a historical standpoint, but I think this is generally how things go. I don't think that Tuberville is going to have that option here at Texas Tech. Last year, with James Willis, this was a weird situation, and with the allegations (I think there was a resolution to this, but for now, I'll use the word "allegations") about spousal abuse, he had no choice but to let Willis go and he had to start fresh, but I do believe that Tuberville is tied to Brown and Glasgow for his tenure at Texas Tech and I think that no matter what, even if Tuberville lets either of them go at the end of the season, it won't affect what essentially happens to Tuberville in the long-run.
I don't necessarily think that this is entirely Tuberville's thought and my natural reaction is that he should and will be given three years to pull in some players, which he is doing, but I'm not confident that things are going to change that dramatically next year, unless of course we see an influx of talent from the JUCO ranks. And not just averaged rated JUCO talent, but high level JUCO talent that makes a difference.
After it is all said and done, I think the offense will be okay (but there's really no excuse for a veteran offensive line to have the issues that they did yesterday) and I do think that Glasgow has a clue defensively, Tuberville is hitching his wagon to these two assistants to make sure that something spectacular happens in 2012. I hate to chalk up a season as a complete waste, but I think I'm at this point with 2011. I had aspirations of a 8 win season (sans the bowl game) but realistically, I don't think this team is bowl eligible and that is a sad reality to face. Oklahoma St., Missouri and Baylor can all run the ball with good to excellent success. I think it's going to be a long three games.
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I know we don’t like to criticize players around here, and for good reason. But I agree that our guys on defense are just not good players in general. They are slow and small, which isn’t really their fault. But when you are forced to start a slow and small guy because he’s your biggest and fastest guy, you will have enormous issues.
It does get old watching five line up and just whip the crap out of our four on every play. Scheme has zero to do with that…it’s just getting beat up man on man.
I’d add that our offensive line, which has an uncanny knack for stupid penalties at horrible times, is every bit as bad as our defensive line.
The only areas I’m comfortable with talent wise are the skill positions. I do think we’re pretty dang good there. But the rest? You can have ‘em all…go get 16 JUCO guys to be starters next year (entire defense and O-line) and I’d be more optimistic than if we trot this bunch out there again.
Been thinking about this myself
There were two or three guys that had particularly bad games yesterday. I get that we want speed and athleticism. To get there, we are playing and recruiting athletes and not positions. Gary Paterson (and Glasgow by proxy) made a living doing this at TCU. Recruit ’tweeners and put them in a place where they are maybe a little undersized, but with a willingness to learn, speed, and a motor, they can be effective. If you are going to field athleticism and not position, then you need to have the willingness and time to teach guys to do things they are not used to doing.
It seems to me that there are several guys out there that are not playing positions they are comfortable in. Right now, we have guys recruited as safeties playing LB, receivers playing DB, and a hand-full of one-trick ponies on DL. To borrow a couple of cliches, we changed horses mid-stream and are now in a trial by fire.
In order to be effective fielding athletes, you need time to teach and develop them. I believe in the philosophy and the 4-2-5 scheme, but I can’t help but wonder if throwing all of the newbies on the field at the same time wasn’t a mistake. I think implementation would have been made easier (at least for us fans) by starting with guys familiar with the position and teaching the new scheme, then fill in with upgraded athletes as they learn the position.
Seems to me it's a catch 22
If you play the guys that are familiar with the position, but not so much the scheme, and they make mistakes, we call for the young guy to be brought in because we’ve been told they young guy is a better athlete, and we’re building for the future. So you bring the undersized young guy in, and he makes mistakes, and we call for his head as well.
by Techsaninutah on Nov 6, 2011 12:03 PM CST up reply actions
Dees and Bullitt
Were the key injuries that really took away from the defense’s chances of not getting submarined. Dees is the only LB out of the current crop I’ve actually witnessed shuck a larger lead blocker and make a play on the ball carrier, and Bullitt is definitely the best run support safety now that Cody Davis has so much going on in his head that he’s become as solid against the run as he’s always been against the pass (not a compliment). Still, I see one or the other making a few more individual plays that, what? Take UT’s net rushing yardage down from 440 to… 350? 325?
by mojavereject on Nov 6, 2011 12:09 PM CST up reply actions
What is up with Cody Davis
Were my expectations too high for him? I really thought he would be a playmaker for this team this year, a leader. Now I think it’s expecting too much for him just to make a tackle.
by MatadorProud on Nov 6, 2011 12:24 PM CST up reply actions
Not sure why so many think so highly of Davis. He’s a decent player but certainly not a threat to opposing offenses. IMO he’s about as average as you can get in the secondary.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
Didn’t he switch from Strong to Free safety (or vice versa)? Maybe change in responsibility is slowing him down. He seems late to the play to me.
I think of him as very similar to Daniel Charbonnet
in that he’s kind of a marginal athlete, but he gives 100% effort every play and has his head screwed on pretty much correctly so if you put him in the right situations, he has a chance to succeed. I think he’s generally being asked to do too much when he’s required to cover every eventuality from the line of scrimmage all the way back to deep coverage. Honestly if he weren’t so small (and Dewhurst hadn’t beat him to it) he’d have made the switch to LB, where his tendency to play every play run-first would be better served.
by mojavereject on Nov 6, 2011 12:40 PM CST up reply actions
I just looked it up
Davis is 2nd in tackles on the team with 34 unassisted tackles in 6 games (stats through last week)
DJ Johnson is 1st with 37 ua tackles in 7 games.
they both play safety and both weigh about 200 pounds.
I have always heard that if you safeties are your leading tacklers, then there is a problem.
If everybody were passing on us, then maybe that would explain it. But the run has been very effective, and these guys are still stepping up and making tackles.
Maybe I’m focusing too much on the tackles he’s missing. Am I wrong in the thinking that tackles should be made before they get to the safeties when it comes to the run? And before you ask, “what are you a girl?”, the answer is yes!
by MatadorProud on Nov 6, 2011 12:45 PM CST up reply actions
well generally, yeah
Although in our current alignment, at least one Safety (remember, we’ve got 3 now) is playing from 0-10 yards off the line of scrimmage, so that number’s going to go up. DJ is the Free Safety, though, and so that’s still a serious problem.
by mojavereject on Nov 6, 2011 12:47 PM CST up reply actions
i just recall the play where davis got steam-rolled
and they showed it about 5 times in slow motion form every angle. But the thing i took away from it was, the RB was full speed, with probably a 10 yard head of steam, when Davis stepped into the hole, and was leveled, but still made the tackle..
Catch 22 indeed
So we either get beat because the other guy fields better athletes, or we get beat because the young guys are standing around not knowing what to do. THe best thing Ruffin ever taught was Clear minds = fast legs. We’ve filled up the field with guys that are thinking too much.
Guys that are thinking too much
They’re thinking – “Do I really want to step in front of that moving freight train?”
Scheme, tackling do matter
NM99, you hit on many good points, but here’s one you overlook.
Spike used to do this with regularity and with very good success. Convert the “tweeners” to new places and move guys from O to D with immediate success. Especially in his 4-4 scheme in the last 5-6 years of his tenure.
Small, slow or not, these guys are totally lacking the fundamentals of tackling! They could at least, or should at least, be able to do that, and they can’t!
Also on the 4-2-5, while I’m a believer of it against spread offenses, the coordinator has to be able to make it flexible to stop running teams, like ISU & Texas. Otherwise, they’ll always get socked for a game that’s a bad matchup! Any really GOOD DC would do this! Glasgow is not, at least not yet. I’m now of the belief he may not be after all. Not down the road, I mean.
Here’s the really ugly truth: they can’t fire Tuberville after this year, no matter how bad it gets. Sure, people will choose to bail out, not renew tickets, attend games, etc., but the admins cannot afford to eat his contract yet, and if he’s on the cusp of pulling in any players worth spit, you’d lose them.
So they have to give the guy one more year and hope he can pull in a very good recruiting class. Personally, I’m incredibly skeptical of the so-called talent he’s recruited to date, but time will tell.
Now on Glasgow? I think you may have to go ahead and can him right away. At season’s end. There seems to be almost no chance of improvement and if he’s unwilling to alter his schemes any to match opponents’ various attacks, he’ll never really work no matter how much better the players on D eventually get. I realize this would make six DCs in 10 years and four in the last five years, but there’s no other real option here.
I’m very underwhelmed with him and anything he’s done so far. UT’s true Fr QBs, threw on our pass D as they desired (McCoy’s only attempt went for a TD that should have never even been caught) and Ash had 156 yards on only five completions! Good God!!
Never mind the trampling the run defense took.
You can’t tell me that K-State, KANSAS and Iowa State have such better personnel on defense! It’s just not believeable at all! Those teams play tremendously better defense than does Tech, and can tackle much better.
To sum up, Tuberville is an abject failure across the board, but we have to endure one more year of this before we can go get a real coach!
As a general rule
Two tight end sets are not easily defended by a 4 lineman front, as it allows double teams and combo-blocking to the next level in any direction. The fact that we were seeing the same base looks against 2 tight ends, 2 tight ends + H-back, 3 tight ends, etc was what truly threw me for a loop, and has badly shaken my faith in what kind of DC Glasgow is right now and potentially what kind of DC he can eventually become.
Looking in from the outside....
Tubberville was a loved man at Auburn prior to “Jet-Gate”. His recruiting was above average, and he did switch coordinators frequently. That being said, he recruited big interior defensive linemen along with faster defensive ends, and big linebackers. At least compared to most college linebackers.
Defense is where the most help is needed, in my opinion, and I hope you can be successful on getting some quality JUCO talent, and then mix them in with a few special high school kids.
As far as the offensive line goes, that takes discipline, and Tubbs knows how to take care of that, if his heart is in it. I hope for your sake, that he really wants to turn things around.
I’ll still be an Auburn fan first, but I am pulling hard for you guys to turn things around. My few trips here have been met with friendly banter, and that is what it’s all about , for us anyway.
Good Luck!
Come and join me at http://trackemtigers.com
Well, he's losing the fans rapidly
If he’s gonna get it turned around he better hurry. Remember; this team wasn’t broke when he took over. He talks about rebuilding, but it was already built when he got here. Outside of recruiting, I see regression not improvement.
by Tech92 on Nov 6, 2011 7:13 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Wow - Tech92
I like this side of you & could not agree more.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
I was gonna ask if his wife was posting.
…While he was walking the dog.
I suppose things really are that serious now.
Wish it wasn’t so, but at least I am not just having a bad dream…
I know & it's not at all an "I told you so" or gloating thing
It is just sad. I SO wish we were all telling Tech92 how he predicted everything correctly & our rebuilding year was going well & we were seeing improvements.
No one wants this. Hate what the players must be experiencing. To have coaches, some of your teammates & fans quit on you??? (Obviously guessing on some of that last line…)
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
I extended this staff much more latitude than most of the fans
on DTN simply because of his past success (and show me a head coach who doesn’t have his fair share of mistakes and I’ll show you Jesus) in a difficult conference. I thought, all things considered, we’d see at a minimum the status quo with this team; maybe a slight dip due to obvious philosophy differences with the previous coaching staff.
But instead, we’ve seen significant regression as this season has gotten to the make or break point. OU was clearly an aberration for this squad. That’s not to say 2012 could be a great year. It COULD. But I’m much less optimistic based on more recent results, the struggles to beat up on weak teams, and the bizarre red zone play calling. (I personally don’t worry about go for it/punt on fourth down as it’s just not smart to go for it constantly – especially early in a game). Feel bad for these players, especially.
Is this Tommy Tubby himself, no way this is an Auburn fan;
how did y.ou fell after Alabama kciked your butt 36-0 in Tubby’s last game, and you fired him.
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
C’mon. There is no reason to do this. And don’t know why we have to keep accusing people of being someone other than just a fan. I get you may be wanting to start a fight but he’s not trying to start a fight with you.
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
by Seth C on Nov 6, 2011 9:12 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Agreed, but Seth, in general, the Auburn fans do not like Tubby, and did not even like him when he went 13-0.
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
He is not trying to pick a fight with you. His opinion of Tuberville isn’t wrong. It is an opinion.
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
by Seth C on Nov 6, 2011 9:37 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
i want,
some factual basis for this. your comment seems too all inclusive for me.
by Jameson Vernon on Nov 6, 2011 10:12 AM CST up reply actions
Tommy Tuberville and his heart being into this may be the key
The report last year that he was desperately unhappy at Texas Tech may have had some basis in truth. He sure seems disengaged when he tries to explain one loss after another. I can hardly tell the difference in his demeanor between wins or losses. Maybe he’s just playing out the string. His coordinators have a lot more at stake since they are at the beginning of their careers. You make your reputation as a coordinator if you ever want to become a head coach. Whatever his problem is this year, it annoys the living sh&t out of me. I wish he would at least pretend to be upset or embarrassed after embarrassing our university by getting blown out.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
Yep
Look at Saban in the picture/video above. Now that’s a coach who is into the game and proably doesn’t let his assistants or players off the hook.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
Pretty stark difference, isn't it...?
"Transition is hard." - TT
by Houston Raider on Nov 6, 2011 12:44 PM CST up reply actions
absolutely
I had no idea Tuberville was anything like we’re seeing. I was huge supporter of his coming to Tech.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
I don't necessarily need an overly emotional rah rah coach
I always thought watching Bo Pelini, (Nebraska) was comical – I mean the guy was literally foaming at the mouth.
But TubbyMoore is merely a spectator. If you are winning championships, you can afford to be a spectator – we ain’t there yet.
It just seems like it is breakfast and Tubs is the chicken... not the pig....
Personally, I don’t really feel like it’s breakfast if you don’t have some pig…
"Transition is hard." - TT
by Houston Raider on Nov 6, 2011 1:02 PM CST up reply actions
Coach demeanor
this is true! A guy doesn’t have to be yelling and screaming Woody Hayes style to be concerned about his teams or show that he cares.
I don’t know if Tuberville is disengaged from the team or not on the sidelines, but my problems with him are that he’s stubborn, his approaches aren’t working and he’s not changing it!
Try your darndest to change it, make effort and demand that your players put out effort and try. Practice fundamentals of blocking and tackling for crying out loud!
Think so too
I’m feeling strongly he really doesn’t care about this gig, and it’s showing in the way he’s reacting. If so, that explains a lot of things and doesn’t bode well for his regime.
by djn on Nov 6, 2011 7:54 PM CST up reply actions
If he really doesn't like being here, then that is concerning
but at the same time, if it is true I would think it would show-up in everything he does, recruiting, fundraising, etc. I agree he is at a cross-roads. It is not all his fault, he stepped into a very difficult situation.
As I watched Kansas St give Okie Lite all it wanted yesterday, I thought about the team that Bill Snyder inherited and what he had done with it. I haven’t studied and compared the two rosters, but my gut tells me that the team Snyder had to start with was not head and shoulders above the one Tubs inherited here. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe all those K-St kids were bigger and faster than ours across the board……… but I doubt it. That program was a train wreck.
I’m guessing it all has to do with coaching. I’m guessing Snyder evaluated what he had, coached them up, and devised a scheme that fit what he had to work with. After all, the schemes he’s running now are not the same schemes he ran there during his last tenure, as best I recall. I know they didn’t run the zone-read offense. OTOH, it seems our coaches came in with a scheme in mind and have stuck pretty close to that whether they have the kids to run it or not. If so, we have a dark future. The last time I remember Tech being able to recruit the talent to stand toe-to-toe with the big boys and play smashmouth was back in the wishbone days of the mid-70’s.
"I’ve established a reputation for integrity. I have maintained those high standards" - Craig James
It is about coaching and on one hand, Snyder is a coaching football legend in my mind and there may not be a better coach on the planet than Snyder and I cannot think of a higher compliment. But I also think that there is a lack of talent too.
I think that few coaches are on the level of Snyder (and yes, I think what he’s done is leaps and bounds more impressive than what Leach did at TTU, go back and look at where KSU was before he arrived the first time and what he’s done recently is nothing short of amazing). And I would add that Snyder did revamp the offense, personnel be damned, when he got there. He did what he knew he could coach.
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
I keep hearing Calvin Klien when I watch the game
It’s weird that his parents named him after the Michael J Fox character back in the 50’s in Back to the Future.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
I disagre here, Seth
I think Tech has the talent to go out and compete every game, winning 7 to 10 games, right now. As pointed out above even at K-State, coaching does have a great deal to do with it. Poor play selection, not coaching the players up…at…all…., giving up way too early. That is on the coaches, not the players. I have absolutely no respect for the staff right now, not even the holdovers from Leach’s staff. Look, I don’t want Leach back, especially with the same people running the place, but Tech needs someone who can coach these players, not those they wish they had.
TTpilk
"Never, never, never give up." Winston Churchill
I agree with you here TTpilk
Just don’t like any of this excuse making. It’s on the coaching
So while the rest of you wrestle with your precious moral ambiguity, His feats will be memorialized by the scribes who are paid to write them (or else). - London Raider
by raider realist on Nov 6, 2011 12:45 PM CST up reply actions
Agree with you Pilk....
The capability on the D side of the ball is as good as it has ever been for several years at Texas Tech…
Yet, the results are horrible…
If this is what we want to make as our excuse, then we might as well pack it in for the rest of time…
We will just have to sit back in mediocrity and hope for the occasional upset…
"Transition is hard." - TT
by Houston Raider on Nov 6, 2011 1:11 PM CST up reply actions
Snyder
also recruits the HELL out of JUCO’s. A LOT. I think I saw he had like 16 on his squad this year or something like that. So like Seth already pointed out, that would be a good way to go for Tech at this point. We need some serious influx of experience and size. Leach always brought in some JUCO’s from Cali quite often as well. Tubs would be wise to start scouring the JUCO’s for sure.
You nailed it TechFirst
everything you said here is true!
And before I head off for the day, I’m past the point of blaming one person or another for the issues (I think I’m going to see comments about the talent and it was good enough before, etc.) but the one thing that sticks in my brain is the thought that it’s not there now and I don’t care who is to blame, all I care about is seeing the problem resolved.
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
Talent may not be what it was...
But I think the loss of Bennie Wylie has really hurt us. We’ve had a lot of injuries this year that we didn’t have before-and look what Wylie’s conditioning has done for the UT running game! I know their recruiting is so much better, etc., but they’re a WHOLE lot more physical than last year and their running game sure tore big holes in our rapidly disintegrating defense. Gee, our team used to be that physical, didn’t it?
The end result of the Tubs era is rapidly becoming clearer, to my eye. Unless he makes some changes fast—and especially in himself, things are going to get real ugly. Hope I’m wrong, but I’ve seen this movie before at Texas Tech.
by djn on Nov 6, 2011 8:02 PM CST up reply actions
Physical shape...
of these players has to be questioned to some degree. I know Leach was always quiet about injuries which I actually prefered but it seems like we have a ton of players injured by mid season within the last 2 seasons. It may be just by coincidence but it does seem strange.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
I think this has been said a thousand times before
But what upsets me is not really the loss, but how we lose and who we lose to. My prediction from the first of the year was to have a really good, emotional team who would win a couple of games versus our rival teams. I figured both Oklahoma team would beat us and that we would split Fishbait/Whorns and pick up two more conference wins at Baylor and ISU. I think what we have are a group of guys just trying to play out the year. I think we pick up a win out of these last three, but it won’t come easy. All that to say, I want someone to beat our rivals. I was some excited about the OU win, but had that sinking feeling it was too good to be true.
I naively felt like today would be much closer…it was not. The persistent desire to kick field goals is sucking the life out of me. And the stubbornness that chooses to run even when it doesn’t work kills me softly.
Someone said yesterday day that Mack adapted Mich better than we did. He saw that we couldn’t stop the run, so he ran. It seems like Tubs said “well the runs not working, so let’s just keep doing it till does.”
I don’t know…I’m rambling. At the first of the year I think a lot of us thought that if Tubby came out and won, a lot would be forgiven. He hasn’t done that.
Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates. – Life on the Mississippi
by LBKpiratefan on Nov 6, 2011 7:34 AM CST via mobile reply actions
Either the Coaches are Incompetent...
…or they have given up. For you guys watching the NFL games today, look for this: When do these guys play a nickel defense? And a “soft” nickel defense at that? I guarantee you it will not be on down-distance where they expect a run.
Yesterday, with 4-5 exceptions, the Tech defense was in a soft 4-2-5 nickel package. 4 man front, 2 Backers 5 yards off the ball, and three safeties behind the LB’s. If an NFL QB sees that kind of defense on first down, I’ll guarantee you he’s calling an audible for a running play. That defense is not designed to stop the run….yet we ran it all day yesterday, making UT look like the best offense in the country.
If we stay in the 4-2-5, and I agree with Seth that we will, we need to get aggressive with it. Stop the run first. That is the mantra for any defense. Move the LB’s to 2-3 yards of the line, not 5 yards back. And do some run blitzes with the safeties.
Stop the run first.
by candyroll on Nov 6, 2011 7:36 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Awful
I cancelled my season tickets after leach got fired. Part because I was mad, part because my son was 1 and it was hard take him to games. I live 2 hours away so it is an easy roadtrip.
He has gotten older and likes to watch Tech now so I had decided to buy tickets again. I was considering club level seats so I contacted Tech and they gave me free seats to the ISU game. The seats were great and my son had a good time but the football was awful.
I can handle losing but I can’t stand to watch the awful performance like we have seen the last 2 weeks. The players are uninspired and the coaches are apparently not doing their jobs. If I performed at my job the way Tubby and company perform, I would no longer be employed.
I hate to sound this way but I am so disgusted. Don’t give me the crap about rebuilding and not enough talent. I guess of that’s the case then Ruffin is a better defensive mind than Tubby and Glasgow. I am so tired of their excuses.
Like I said, I can handle the losing but can we please be competitive. My friend and I got passes from our wives to go watch the game yesterday at a bar. He is a UT grad and he even agreed to leave at halftime because the football was so awful. I was planning to get tickets before the OU game so that win made me feel better about my decision.
At this point if they do not at least start competing, there is no way in he** I am wasting my money or Saturdays on this awful product.
Sorry for the rant.
by barneg on Nov 6, 2011 7:38 AM CST via mobile reply actions
in the same boat...
Had 4 season tickets on the 50; let two of them go after Leach got fired, ‘cause my sons were so angry at the administration they not only decided that they didn’t want to go to any more games, they were no longer looking to attend TT.
At this point, I’m not sure if I’ll keep my last two season tickets.
by Nm RaiDer FAn on Nov 6, 2011 10:33 AM CST up reply actions
And by the way, what did we hire Tubs for?
I seem to remember that he was going to make a difference on the defensive side of the ball. That was in all the papers wasn’t it? He’s had almost 2 years. I think we’re probably 115 out of 120 teams in total defense at this point in the season.
I know that I have harped on these so it shouldn't come as a surpise ...
but the fundamental problem with this team is coaching. The secondary problem is talent and injuries.
1) We have always had undersized players on defense. In the past, our defenses have played much better and fared better statistically, especially with Ruffin.
2) This team has a confidence problem. There is no way the talent of a player gets worse (i.e. Cody Davis), it’s their confidence and attitude that does. And the more they get their teeth kicked in and told by their HC that they aren’t talented enough, the less confident they will play. Coach them up coach!
3) Teams always end up reflecting the passion and personality of the head coach. Enough said.
Something is amiss....
While I agree that we do not have the athletes on defense, I think there is something else going on here. This team has gone backwards in a big way since the OU win.
This is a group that was competitive with A&M and K-State. Hangs on for crazy win at OU, then no shows for 60 minutes against I-State? An I-State team that barely beats KU at home yesterday. Then a poor effort against UT. Don’t get me wrong, UT is a better team and could beat this bunch 9 out of 10 times in Austin, but not like this. Clearly, the effort and focus were not there yesterday. Something really negative has gone down between some combination of players & coaches and it apparently happened after the OU game. I’m not going to speculate, but I think it will eventually come out. There has been a toxic spill and this team is polluted.
Couldn't agree more ...
This team regressing big time. Something is terribly wrong.
by Arizona Raider on Nov 6, 2011 7:56 AM CST up reply actions
Let's reflect...
Two years ago this was a team that had a coach that made them winners. Whether or not they agreed with his methods he still produced winners and could be tolerated. Until one day it all got turned upside down. Players started taking sides and big divide was created. They got past that and were presented with a coach that was going to take them to “Championship”. There was a renewed sense of brighter future. Last year was reasonably successful and even better season appeared to be on the horizon.
They started this season well by winning, though sometimes a little sloppy and late, but won none the less. Then when they didn’t win or perform up to the coaches standard they were told they weren’t good enough, everyone that is except for the James kid. For the last three games, regardless of the outcome, the James kid, “son of the NFL great and ESPN commentator Craig James”, is being given accolades for having “really turned things around” and “developed into a top receiver” and being a “team leader and motivator”. I heard something like that every time he made a play yesterday as if he was the only bright spot on the team.
I don’t think this team is a team any more. I think the divide is still there. I’m not sure there is a single source but an accumulation of things that have divided the players. These kids are not deaf or blind to the things that are going on around them and it affects them personally.
Hopefully graduation and recruiting will clear the air as time goes by.
Why did the Fox announcers go out of there way to give accolades to the james kid?
Does Fox FX have business relations with ESPN?
Does someone have sheep pictures?
James is our Shipley / McCoy.
Any time he does something, you have to mention it in bold letters, and also mention his relationship with his father. They are the media, and these are their rules. He’s got “celebrity” status.
Be a team. Be the most excited to play. Be the best at doing your @#&$ing job.
You've just said what I couldn't articulate
I’ve had the same feeling of, “something is really wrong”. You can write off the Iowa State game as a come down after OU. But as flat as we were, worst loss since 2000, even that seemed off kilter for a loss in comparison to play earlier in the season.
With yesterday’s loss & lack of any type of emotion from the coaches and/or the team I think you’ve hit the nail on the head: something, I have no idea what & won’t even try to speculate, happened to the chemistry of the team/coaches since OU & it’s not good.
Also totally agree with #2 from Arizona Raider above (agree with all – just especially 2). OSR & others have said this many times recently: we have to play with a chip on our shoulder. When we’re smaller, less skilled, slower, etc., we have to fire these guys up another way so they KNOW they can win. Coaches must give team confidence if they expect wins.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
There was not emotion from the coaches, not even running on the field before the game.
I really hate that man TT, he has destroyed our program.
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
Yep. Nothing.
We used to have swagger. Even when we lost.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
There is a cancer on this team.
I am afraid that this time it is the HC and his alliance with the evil forces.
Simple rule of thumb: Everything before the but is BS.
Toxic Spill? How about this from the A.J.?
Maybe this sheds some light:
"As a team, as individuals, we just need to look at ourselves and figure out what it is that we need to do to make the team better," Cobb said. "As a team, we need to stop arguing and just play together and do what coach says to do and we’ll be all right."
Asked to clarify what he meant by arguing, Cobb softened his words.
"It’s not arguing," he said. "It’s just little things. When something happens, we sometimes get frustrated. But there’s no arguing. We’re all great together but we need to come together even more."
by Arizona Raider on Nov 6, 2011 5:02 PM CST up reply actions
I saw it and thought to myself there has to be issues in the fieldhouse if teammates are arguing. You might be able to chalk it up to the team being down on theirselves, as it is easy to do when your head coach keeps reminding the media in press conferences that “Well, we just arent a very good team”.
"He lost the team"
And he was never going to get us to the next level. And he is 0% against Texas. Pretty damning when taken as a whole.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
something is VERY amiss with them
injuries add to this, no doubt. And Tuberville is excused for this to a degree.
But the schemes are so bad, and I think this group just is no longer buying into the staff or they don’t have the confidence in themselves, each other or the staff as a result.
It’s difficult for guys like Cody Davis and DJ Johnson to have been on their third DC in as many years. That never helps. But I think the players on D are wising up to the fact that the scheme is impractical and not doable for what they’re facing, and therefore are falling off.
Some people have said the team has quit. I don’t think they’ve quit, but I do think they’re doubting the coaching staff pretty significantly now.
talent vs the basics
I think we can all agree about our lack of talent and debth but its hard tt o look past a defense that can not tackle. To watch the Honey Badger kid tackle Richardson on his own tells the story its not about the size but playing smart and hitting them at the right angle. Our D is flat out missing this in a bad way. Scott Smith continues to out run the play which you would think the staff would try something new on this issue. I’m far from a football expert but seeing this D get handled on basic runs the entire game is unacceptable. The way I see it, if our DEs are bigger than our interior then flip them or mix and match to see what happens. It can’t be any worse. I think our offense will be fine and the explosive player bit will work itself out after this year.
I blame the DC first and then Tuberville
I think we have enough talent on the team to stop atleast a couple of drives no matter who the opposition is. I think it’s the inexperience of Chad Galsgow fas a DC for which the team is having to pay the price. Case in point:
Texas Tech vs. Northwestern (Ticketcity bowl): The Tech defense turned in what I thought was their best performance of the season in that game against NW. The performance wasn’t stellar but comparable to those that we saw under Ruffin Mcneill. What was the difference? I think it was because for the first time in that season the defense was being coached by a personnel with previous DC experience (interim coach Sam Mcelroy). Willis like Glasgow was a position coach and had no previous DC experience. The team paid the price as a result. We are doing the same this year. Glasgow and Willis’ coaching is comparable to that of Pat Knight here as all three of these young professionals will perhaps become great coaches in the future but unfortunately Texas Tech became their training ground. So, no matter how good we recruit on defense (and I truly believe that we have better defensive personnel now than we have previously had) we won’t be even a decent defense without a real DC to coach our team or unless Glasgow learns game planning and game calling in a hurry. In the end Tuberville is to blame because he hired these inexperienced personnel to be DC. Defense was the only area that needed any improvement in the otherwise ready team that he had inherited and Coach TT has managed to regress it.
No screw that!
Tubervilles the head coach……ALL things are HIS fault FIRST!….if you ain’t coaching it you’re letting it happen! I own my own business, if my clients are unhappy it’s my fault, because I own the place. I control who works for me, how they do their jobs, how they interact with my clients, etc. etc. etc.
I’ve have a friend/client who is a “well placed” Auburn alumni…..he called me yesterday right after the game…..he didn’t say hi….his first words were “I told you so”.
Unfortunately for us as TECH fans, we are just going to have to wait for this train to crash…. then pick up the pieces!
Wasn't this defense supposed to be small and fast?
You can hit with the same power if not more when you add speed even with smaller guys?
Didn’t we have an explainer about how it was supposed to make so much sense? Didn’t we do car analogies?
Well, when the yeti’s on the other side of the ball pick you up and set you aside, how much good does all that do?
Just leaves the beastly ones to be picked up by other teams in the conference – that’s what it does.
I am not big on calling for Tub’s job these this year because I would rather he do something useful, and would also rather we don’t have to do the new coach thing all over again. But really, at this point it starts to become a compelling point of view! How much of a loss could it really be?
On the field, each Saturday things seem to be moving backwards. Glasgow is easier to forgive, but still looks like things are moving backwards. Brown has a few good moments occasionally, but where is the consistency? He seems to hesitate from greatness.
It all just seems like everyone is on a short leash from the OC and the DC and other co-ordinators right down to the players, and it’s not only unimaginative, and uninspiring, but predictable, highly conservative and risk-averse at all the wrong times. It is about as far from Red Raider football as you can get, outside of maybe one whole game this season.
We know tubs is holding the leash and so does everyone else. I don’t see the advantage of his short-leash approach at all. It’s simply mismanagement of the brand of football we play, and it’s often enough nationally televised for all to see. What could possibly be accomplished by this? I am not angry or sad anymore, we are well beyond that point. I am perplexed. How is any of this style a good idea?
Good analysis.
I watched a number of games and most of OSU / KSU game and flipped to the Alabama / LSU game. One thing about how Snyder approaches the game are fundamentals, such as tackling, blocking, toughness, and team approach to everything. Those are ingredients missing from Tech in the past two and half games and possibly more on defense. Also I see something I haven’t seen in years at Tech – timidity or lack of confidence in the player’s ability, particularly on defense. There is a fine line between confidence – overconfidence and hostile aggressiveness – destructive aggressiveness. These factors are in fact coaching. Tech over the past decade has always had a weaker defense than offense, but not until lately have I seen a timid approach to football as I am seeing lately and with the exception of the OU game, Tech has only one turnover since the A&M game. Arm tackling and constantly losing the battle at the line won’t cut it in the B12.
"It's time to get down to serious business"
If the defense had the players to beat OU...
Then where did those players go?
Please no more excuses please, the problem is coaching …
by EDCNP on Nov 6, 2011 8:05 AM CST via mobile reply actions
Recommendation for Glasgow
Eroll all defensive players in remedial physics & geometry.
In physics we learn if the smaller object goes faster than bigger object, enough force can be generated for smaller object to stop bigger object. If smaller, faster object does not move, bigger object runs over smaller non-moving object with little resistance. Teach defense to move their feet, not just get low and crouch in front of RBs.
In geometry we learn about shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Should not be hard for faster players to identify right pursuit angles to intercept a player moving in a straight path down the sideline.
We fix this, then we can contain some of the big yardage plays we got gashed on, like keeping 30+ yd runs to 8-10, and maybe keep some running teams inside 200 yds. Of course that only covers our speed players on D. We still need major beasts on the D line that can line up and stuff runs through the middle and not get driven out of the way like tackling dummies.
"We're hell comin' out of the gates, but we aint't much for stamina"
by OutlawRaider on Nov 6, 2011 10:26 AM CST up reply actions
You are right
Even more better, get to the bigger object before he gets into motion.
so let’s see if this is about right.
Running back is 4 yards behind the line.
D-line was getting pushed back about 3 yards every play, while creating massive holes for the RB to run through.
Leaving it up to our undersized LB (if he has not already been blown out of the play) or our safety to step in front of the now moving freight train with a 10 yard head of steam.
I wasn't counting
Ruff’s guys were no all-stars but they were a quantum level above what we’ve seen since the defensive gurus showed up.
I went back to past rosters and counted the sophomores and juniors on defense. We should have returned 24 juniors and seniors this year on that side of the ball. We should have returned 27 upper-classmen the year before that. Where are they? I know several guys left the team in the off-season but I wasn’t counting. Did we run that many off? Were they all smaller and slower and less talented than the ones we’re playing now? I know without looking that we didn’t graduate enough to cause the nosedive we’ve seen.
"I’ve established a reputation for integrity. I have maintained those high standards" - Craig James
I'm done
"Trust your gut....mine always finds good Mexican food"
-Me
by oldschoolraider on Nov 6, 2011 8:44 AM CST via iPhone app reply actions
Be glad you turned down those tickets.
I had great seats, but the game was the worst ever. Team has given up, and TT and all the coaches have given up. What really pissess me off, they had defeat all over their faces even before the game stared. After the game, I watched TT walk over and shake Mac’s hand, he was smiling and having fun, that really pissed me off.
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
I'm sorry, but...
I can’t see how this is about talent. If we lose 35 – 0 to an incredibly well-coached and balanced UT team, then I’d accept talent. If we lost to UT 21 – 7 where they were just obviously better than us, then I’d believe it. But here is why I can’t accept “we don’t have talent”
UT put up over FOUR HUNDRED YARDS RUSHING on our team, we got zero stops and they had all of… what, ONE effective pass play? David Ash is NOT (yet?) a good thrower, UT’s best offensive players are all RBs, we’ve been gashed by the run, heck I knew they were gonna run it on us. Heck, but ELEVEN men in the box if you need to, but they should nto have AVERAGED almost a first down every rush. Against Kansas (let me repeat that, against KANSAS) Texas averaged 6 yds a carry and threw the ball 21 times. Against us they average over EIGHT yards a carry and threw a staggering NINE times (and one of those was an obvious “screwing around” pass from their RB).
That is absolutely RIDICULOUS. That UT was entirely one-dimensional (whate every defensive coach TRIES to do) and it was completely EFFECTIVE. If our defense can’t stop a run when EVERYONE knows the other team is going to run when UT doesn’t even need to PRETEND they’re going to pass, then we should drop all scholarsip players on defense or fire all defensive coaches. And for anyone thinking that’s excessive or extreme, tell me, what is the difference between having no scholarship players vs. having scholarship players who are apparently incapable of handling what a blind man can see? If it’s the talent, then there is NO way that 11 random high school seniors could play WORSE than that.
This isn’t a Leach praise, because we were considered the “worst” defense in the league under Mike, but we could at LEAST regularly limit even a GREAT running team to a 4-5 yd average. Adrian Peterson averaged 6.6 yds on us. Fozzy Whitaker AVERAGED 8.3, Fozzy Whitaker is a pretty good RB, but he is no AP.
Ash over threw three wide open receiver.
He hit one plass play in the second half that was a good throw. One pass.
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
+1..... and BTW.....
All those UT players gashing us for over 500 yards and stopping our NASCAR offense….are, for the most part….freshmen and sophomores…….Where is all our 18th/19th ranked recruiting classes?
And the most humiliating part of that loss yesterday was at the end of the game their walk-ons were in the game…..STILL RUNNING THE BALL DOWN OUR THROATS!
agreed
Again, if we stopped the run and they switched to the pass and basically we just couldn’t keep up with how effective their talent was, then I’d get it. Heck, if I thought Fozzy Whitaker was college football’s Michael Jordan and he ran for 20 yards with three guys hanging off of him, then “what are you gonna do”. But that’s just not what happened. There is ABSOLUTELY no reason their RBs should be that untouched when they have formations with ZERO wide receivers on the field.
Agree Wholeheartedly
The coaches gave up. I felt sorry for the defensive players, because they were put into defensive formations that are not designed to stop the run. I ask you again, please watch NFL defenses today. When do they run a soft nickel package? Certainly not when they are expecting a run. Yet that is exactly the formation the Tech defense was in almost the entire game yesterday.
Seth, I know you are not ready about talking about a coaching change, but it's time.
The reality is this team has stopped playing for TT. I was at the game in section 16 row 44 and watched our coaches do nothing. In fact, nobody was hardly ever within five feet of our HC, and the same goes for Russian Coffee and Neal Brown. It is obvious these coaches are unattached. For what ever reason, the team is not ready, and they are not playing hard. They just go through the motions, if something good goes our way, then they were lucky and they play, but if something goes wrong, then all hell breaks loose.
Never in my life I have I seen a team tackle as poorly as this defense tackles. The defense literally gave up on plays and let Texas run at will. I don’t know how many third down that Texas ran with Fozzy off righ tackle and they either go the first down or scored a TD. For Gods sake, they ran the same fucking play, just guess and move somebody to feel the hole. This is a joke. Our defesne does not hit anybody. This is Russian Coffee fault, period.
There is nothing for us to hold onto. TT is waiting for a five star Defensive Tackle, and five star line backers, hey dumb shit, they are not coming to Tech. Seth, if you want to put me in time out for name calling, I deserve it. TT, either coach this team or get out of Lubbock.
Even the Texas fans sitting around me were disappointed in our performance. I can’t tell you how many excuses I had to make for this coach. My wife and I were totally embarassed for our team and our University.
It’s time to burn TT house down and run him out of Lubbock.
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
Sadly have to totally agree
Longhorns around me started high fiving me if Tech did something good because they felt sorry for the Red Raiders. There were some other Red Raiders right there too, but I just happen to be rather vocal (who is surprised? raise your hand!) & had been cheering so hard…but after a while it wore me out so I just sat down & quietly watched. Pretty sad when the opposing team fans tap you on the shoulder & say, “did you see that? that was good”.
Stopped for ice cream on the way home (duh…) & a guy came in with his kids, walked over to me, gave me a big hug & said, “I am so, so sorry. Y’all are a better program than that & didn’t deserve this today”. And it was sincere.
No words.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
happened to me all day, we went to a pub and then dinner, loved me some Horns yesterday.
hell they almost made my cry.
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
by the way meeting you was the high light of my day yesterday
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
Really enjoyed meeting you, your wife, Extramp & his wife as well
It game me a real positive to take away from the game.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
Likewise meeting ya'll yesterday was an honor and the highlight of my day also
Everyone around where we sat felt sorry for us also. I really think the Longhorn fans were disappointed the game wasn’t very competitive.
American farmers feed & clothe the world!
same with me
I was the only Tech fan in my area. All the UT people started tapping me on the shoulder and asking “What happened to your team?” Like seriously…not in a sarcastic way. I’m literally dumbfounded at how this team exists the way it does today
how and the hell are we going to have a thanksgiving day rival now
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
Checked with Kirk Bohls
of the Austin American Statesman yesterday (see post game blog) and he said our terrible play last two weeks will not impact whether we get the Thanksgiving game.
Longhorns like playing us. They don’t loathe us like they do the Aggies but they have always seen us as a team to worry about & they like playing us (this from my Longhorn friends & family). These same people were genuinely disappointed by the game yesterday. They were looking for a competitive game.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
Austin, TX. thanks for the mood from the stands perspective ...
I can’t tell you how those UT comments sadden me. Often times, it’s the outsiders that give us insiders the greatest clarity and perspective. Tubs is teetering on the edge of self-destruction.
The good news is that he self-destructs and leaves, there is enough talent to rebound quickly.
by Arizona Raider on Nov 6, 2011 9:25 AM CST up reply actions
I know it is hard to keep emotions in check but please do this for me.
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
by Seth C on Nov 6, 2011 9:16 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
body language,
is definitely a huge indicator of underlying things
by Jameson Vernon on Nov 6, 2011 10:17 AM CST up reply actions
READ THE POSTGAME QUOTES
My gosh. We are starting to see a division here, and the fact that it’s public in a post game press conference is HUGE.
The players are confident that they have the right people to do the job and are circling the wagons around their teammates.
Tubs says we are out of bullets, and have a talent problem. We just don’t have the men on the field to play games anymore.
I have that sinking feeling.
If you are a player what do you think when you coach tells you that you don't have a chance.
Can’t wait to see what happens to the 2011 recruiting class.
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
The difference between Tubs and Leach was that Leach took unexceptional talent and made them winners. Tubs blaming it on talent is just another excuse for lackluster coaching.
by darlinclementine on Nov 6, 2011 11:43 AM CST up reply actions
One more thing. I hope no one thinks that I am giving the coaches a pass although it probably sounds that way in retrospect. It was just that it appeared that the last two weeks that the personnel seemed out-classed but there is probably a direct correlation that its also a coaching problem as well. There are more problems than I can detail, even when I get up at 4 at am (stupid tine change).
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
by Seth C on Nov 6, 2011 9:08 AM CST via mobile reply actions
What is a tine change?
Can you actually change the tines on your forks??
Sorry, just needed to distract myself for a moment…
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
Sorry. Wife is in the grocery store and I am in the car with the kid driving around in the parking so he doesn’t yell.
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
by Seth C on Nov 6, 2011 9:22 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
hahaha
I used to have to drive my youngest, who is now a junior at Tech, around the block at 10:00 oclock at night so she would go to sleep……:) Good times, goodtimes
Ha! I say those things with no excuse at all!
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
Leave him in the carseat and sit it on the clothes dryer while it is running. The vibration is just right to rock the little one to sleep.
Simple rule of thumb: Everything before the but is BS.
Just make sure it is secured
We almost had one vibrate off the dryer.
We found that the battery-operated swing was a lifesaver. He would cry, then his eyes would glaze over, probably motion sick, and then finally fall asleep.
Driving around works great, but as soon as we stopped the engine …. WHAAAAAA!… and then mom WHAAAAAA!….
He is 22 now, gonna go to med school, so there doesn’t appear to have been any long-term effects of the whole motion sickness thing.
understood
But there is NO way our players should be “outclassed” by Iowa State. We shouldn’t be embarrassed the way we were even against Texas, but no way should we be beat on “talent” by Iowa State.
Agree but
IMHO Paul Rhoads is one heck of an interesting coach. From the “do more with less” school of thought.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
I'd get that...
If we lost 35 – 28, heck if we came out flat like against Kansas and let them run up 28 on us before waking up and not being good enough to overcome that kind of handicap, then fair enough. But in the Iowa State game we scored ONCE in the entire game, at that was IN THE FIRST HALF. And our opponent put up 41 points on us. “Hangover” from OU should not last into the second half like THAT. But let’s say it does.
It is absolutely ABSURD to say that even with incredible coaching from Rhoads that Iowa State “does more with less” enough to put THREE HUNDRED SIXTY EIGHT (368) rushing yards up on us.
Oh, totally agree...
my point was his coaching style v Tuberville’s coaching style is what I think is effective at university’s like ours where we’ll never be the big dog
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
Cqulin Hubert
was Iowa St’s #1 defensive recruit before he switched and commited to Tech. To say there is “no talent (bullets)” on this roster is fucking asinine. Our roster is not competitive enough for Iowa st? Give me a f*cking break. Tub(b)erville is a complete fraud. Thats what comes to mind whenever I think of him. Total fraud the way he is throwing players under the bus, when its him that has no fucking clue. This is the poorest coached defense i’ve ever seen.
"Odds are its something simple" - @Coach_Leach
I agree. Something happened.
Pick one of the following:
a) Key Injuries
b) Lost leadership by players
c) Players did not prepare because they were overconfident
d) Iowa State was jacked up to play and beat us
e) The coaches did not prepare for the game
f) All of the above
g) None of the above.
for the record...
I think Tuberville is a “CEO style” coach (like Mack Brown) and that style CAN win, but that means he needs incredible coordinators (the kind Mack will try to poach) because Tuberville is a “recruiter” (players and coaches) not a coach. So Neal Brown and Chad Glasgow either need to play the last 3 games like their jobs depend on it, or we need to look for new coords. (Brown has been “ok”, but seriously, DC needs to step up, period)
You can't explain this team through talent alone
In previous years that was a good thing because we felt that we typically played above the individual level of talent on the team. Now it’s a bad thing because almost without exception this team is playing below their potential. We’re off the tracks and heading for the cliff.
If the answer to “why are we playing below our potential” is “Tuberville is not Mike Leach and needs to always have better players than the other team to win”, then I think we made a poor choice for a HC. That kind of philosophy puts our ceiling at the 3rd or 4th best team in the Big 12, and we easily can and are doing a lot worse than that.
Be a team. Be the most excited to play. Be the best at doing your @#&$ing job.
Right. There are more problems than I have time to detail.
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
by Seth C on Nov 6, 2011 9:25 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Iowa State folks, beat us sensless....
Please do not tell me they have better athletes or better recruits…we have a huge advantage being in Texas, not to mention the system Leach gave us that Tuby inherited..
We did not need to “rebuild” and if that defense on the field was “rebuilt”, with a new “scheme”, then God help us under the leadership of Tuby and coaches…face the cold hard facts,we have gone backwards and all the “stars” next to our recruits won’t do us any good if we can’t coach a group of players that have many advantages over Iowa Frekin State!!!!!
mama use to say if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all....
Tubs….. (-_-)
Texas Tech Defense..."60% of the time it works every time."
by I bleed Red and Black on Nov 6, 2011 9:33 AM CST reply actions
you have a good mama, I did not listen very well
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
naw
you just got to the rant before me :) and this is the best place to do it.
Texas Tech Defense..."60% of the time it works every time."
by I bleed Red and Black on Nov 7, 2011 11:28 AM CST up reply actions
well plan is boarding i will be out next couple of days.
thanks for allowing me to vent DTN, I hope someone can give me hope
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
I have hope.
But I have learned to temper my hope with not giving a shit. Yall have a great day.
heard during the game, but forgot till now
re: talent, it should also be noted that UT’s starting running back DID NOT PLAY in this game because of a toe injury. (also, their top receiver was out)
yea the announcers kept harping on that too...
adding insult to humiliation!
well, that's FRIGHTENINGLY bad if they beat our whole D on talent 3-4 RBs deep
(especially since Jonathan Gray is expected to go to them, and he IS projected as an Adrian Peterson level talent)
Watching the game
the success in the running game wasn’t due to who was toting the rock. You or I could have probably clocked 100 yards individually behind that run-blocking.
by mojavereject on Nov 6, 2011 12:16 PM CST up reply actions
Here is where we are
We have lost 4 of the last 5 games and the next 3 do not look promising. If we manage to win just 1 of the 3, will anyone go to the bowl game assuming we get offered on?
Simple rule of thumb: Everything before the but is BS.
OkSt, Mizzou, Baylor
The three remaining teams on our schedule EACH have one of the top 5 rushers in the conference, and Baylor ALSO has probably the best “mobile” QB in the conference. Not to be overly pessimistic, but I don’t think that’s a problem we’ll need to deal with.
Echo
I just want to echo Seth’s thoughts. After watching the Bama/LSU game I also had an awakening moment. Many of us here function with the thought that if we had the right coaching we could be a contender. Without giving tubs or any other coaches a free pass I do want to say that we are light years behind the “great” teams with our current size, speed, aggressiveness, and overall teamwork. Our current players don’t have all the natural talent almost all the players I watched last night. I would also say that same comment could be made for every team in the Big XII. Obviously a few teams in the Big XII have a handful of players that are in that class but none of the Big XII teams have as many first class athletes as those two teams last night. The next question I asked myself was what role the coaches at Bama and LSU had in producing the athletes we saw last night. My suspicion is the coaches had quite a bit to do with it. Hopefully we can figure out how to replicate this one day. That would be really special for all TTU fans.
by TTU '04 on Nov 6, 2011 9:52 AM CST via mobile reply actions
again...
Alabama has one of the (if not THE) best RBs in the nation. Twenty bucks says if you line up the Tide in I formation with no wide receivers ON EVERY PLAY, I’ll bet any other team in our conference (yes, probably including Kansas) would be able to at LEAST keep them from getting a first down before the end of the game. Heck, I’ll bet most any team in the MWC could do THAT.
by HeeroTX on Nov 6, 2011 9:59 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Hopefully
We can scratch out one more win. I’m doubtful but I think the extra practice is important. It’s hard to witness this team being so bad. We have regressed and a great deal of that is from a coaching stand point. The defense we have to today is one of the worst we’ve ever had IMO. I thought Tuberville was a defense coach? Well guess what? Mike Leach was an offensive coach and he had much better defenses than what we are getting now. Go figure.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
where and how
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
GIVE ME A BREAK
Quit using the excuse of not having the right talent. -
I starting coaching in 1976 and have game planned against any offense or defense you can think of with talent that I couldn’t recruit. If you are lacking talent you can’t stay in a base alignment and survive. The 4-2-5 base scheme won’t be able to consistently stop a two tight end running game unless the defense has overwhelming talent.
The player techniques in the the front 6 are bad. Position coaches are responsible.
When you are using small safeties to fill cut back holes they need to fill quickly or its all over. #12 got tired of being smashed and eventually started just giving a shoulder bump to avoid total destruction.
You have to place Backers -Safties closer to avoid different levels of contact, if not you leave horizontal escape routes for the runners.
You could key run blitz these positions as well and make them beat you with the passing game.
Jetting D-tackles is a another risk you can take but it can create problems in the backfield
If D-tackles are overmatched talent wise tell them to make piles and not be driven back. That at least gives you anchor points and allows backers/ safeties to get to the holes quicker. Hell get on your knees and at least make an Olineman fall on you.
by TotalDef on Nov 6, 2011 10:05 AM CST via mobile reply actions 5 recs
Makes sense ... thanks for the tips Total Def.
What would some things going through the coaches mind NOT to implement your suggestions?
by Arizona Raider on Nov 6, 2011 3:02 PM CST up reply actions
Sorry, I was in coaching mode
Obviously you give up something but damn at least take a chance. If sticking with mainly a base defense was caused by overconfidence, a fear of the pass ,or a lack of a special scheme to stop a two tight-end look, or teaching new positions to players with limited time to put in materiaI, I can’t venture a guess. I am pro -coaches but I get angry when anyone just says its the players. My main point of the post is that accepting the statement that it is just that the players are not good enough won’t solve the problem.
I thought picking a TCU coordinator would be a positive because he was used to playing without Primo recruits.- maybe the competition was worse in the WAC or he is inexperience with dealing with “inferior personnel”
Please note
You watch any pro game and see the exchange of defensive personnel to match offensive personnel. Two tight ends should cause us to put in another LB type to help with iso-plays and cutbacks. Limits our pass cover but what the hell. A 175 lb DB can’t take the continued punishment from a 220 lb back.
Until we start using one or two blocking TEs or a bad ass H-back in our offense we won’t improve our running game. We play James and Amaro at TE but rarely in a role that would cause a defense to change personnel.
Thanks. This really helps out. You have permission to go into coach mode
anytime on me. I have a ton of questions and you have started answering some of them. Since I have never been a football coach, I just don’t know all the possibilities or motives that coaches must think through to put their players in the best spot to win.
by Arizona Raider on Nov 6, 2011 6:18 PM CST up reply actions
Just lose out.
Fuck it. This team sucks. I’m surprised we beat Kansas. Let’s just stop the program and save the embarrassment.
That awkward moment when you wake up an realize your team won’t make a bowl game..(it’s seriously just ONE more win. Just ONE) and probably will suck next year, the next and the next…until the end of time.
"I just saw they left RoJo one on one in the corner, and, with a guy like that..uh, you just cant do that. It's nice to make 85,000 people shut up." -Graham Harrell after the 2006 A&M-Tech game at Kyle Field
by ttutyler on Nov 6, 2011 10:10 AM CST via mobile reply actions
Honestly
I would just find it perfect if this team didn’t make a bowl game. They shouldn’t, they don’t deserve it.
"I just saw they left RoJo one on one in the corner, and, with a guy like that..uh, you just cant do that. It's nice to make 85,000 people shut up." -Graham Harrell after the 2006 A&M-Tech game at Kyle Field
by ttutyler on Nov 6, 2011 10:16 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
I agree
Tuberville’s team does not deserve to go to a bowl game and if they did, it would be one if not the least watched game of the season.
But wouldn't the extra
practice be good for these guys? And the tv exposure, while not optimum due to the lower tier game, would be better than none.
by Techsaninutah on Nov 6, 2011 7:17 PM CST up reply actions
As much as i hate to agree
if we just lose out we are one step closer to having a new coach. Any games Tubs accidently wins are just more reason to get his contract extended. something has happened with this team behind closed doors since the OU game, and until they fix it we will experience this pain at least till the end of next year
I'd just like to say
That y’all don’t deserve this. I felt genuinely bad for my Red Raider friends yesterday, and I, honestly, didn’t really know what to say to them. When I got to Lubbock two and half years ago, it was just off y’all’s 2008 win against us. This fan base had swagger, (almost to a fault…I had some bad experiences, but that’s another story). Now I walk around, and it’s another world. The fans, the students…all have developed almost a sense of apathy. For example, yesterday afternoon, I walked out of my apartment wearing Burnt Orange and I was told by a student, “Hey, thanks for the ass whooping.” It just felt…wrong. I don’t know if that sort of gallows humor was is a coping mechanism, but you would never hear that kind of defeat in a Red Raider’s voice when I was on the 40 Acres. Even if we won, it was almost always a competitive game, and your fan base came out proud and ready to get it back the next year.
As a fan who had to endure some of these same issues (uninspired play, coaching, et cetera) last year and who is still watching a re-building team, I guess my advice is to try to stay back from the ledge. While the buck does stop at the head coach, the problems are usually way more complex than that. Our team was toxic last year, and I give a huge hats off to Mack for making the necessary changes to get some new life instilled in our team. We’re not there yet, but I think we’re heading in the right direction. I see a similar situation with Tuberville. It’s going to be up to him to make the necessary changes to get some life back into your program. If he does, y’all will be fine. If not, well, like I said, the buck stops with the head coach. Just don’t drive yourself crazy trying to pick one thing and harp on it. It’s not healthy, and almost drove me crazy last year.
I bleed Burnt Orange, and will always be a Longhorn fan, but my law degree is from Tech, and I don’t want this happening to my second alma mater. Y’all are a proud program and deserve better. Best of luck.
If you watch "The Lord of the Rings" backwards it's about this little dude that finds a really cool ring in a volcano and spends the rest of the three movies walking home.
Thanks for the post
Thanks for keeping it classy as well. Hopefully it will all workout for us.
by TTU '04 on Nov 6, 2011 10:36 AM CST via iPhone app up reply actions
I think one problem we have is tubs says hes a CEO coach
But even brown has admitted to letting tubs make the playcalls because he has all the “experience”. thats why we get a inside draw on a 3rd and 23, when we clearly are being dominated on the line.
"Nice Call Einstein"
Brown needs to say that to Tuberville every time Tubs overrules him & the play fails. Maybe Tubs will get the message that he should stick to what he knows best: Tying a Windsor knot.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
that was funny
besides, tying a full windsor is a skill that is dying out.
Which is ridiculous
Because it isn’t that damned hard to do.
If you watch "The Lord of the Rings" backwards it's about this little dude that finds a really cool ring in a volcano and spends the rest of the three movies walking home.
Hey now,
We have a CEO coach, and I’m perfectly fine with the results (minus last year) :-).
If you watch "The Lord of the Rings" backwards it's about this little dude that finds a really cool ring in a volcano and spends the rest of the three movies walking home.
Big difference...
You have proven coordinators with experience. The CEO model can work with the right people in the right place. Otherwise it’s more of a laissez faire model.
Oh, I'm fully aware
Was just going for the light hearted banter in lieu of legitimate discussion. You’re 100% right on what it takes to make it work.
If you watch "The Lord of the Rings" backwards it's about this little dude that finds a really cool ring in a volcano and spends the rest of the three movies walking home.
Signing 25 of the top 30 players in the state every year makes any CEO look brilliant on gameday
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
I disagree wholeheartedly.
We’re in the age of parity in college football. In the old days, yes. You could take the best of the crop and figure to look like a genius coach if you were in the right place. Now, not so much. There are kids who are at the same level or just below who get passed over that go to schools that are not necessarily considered traditional power houses, and if you don’t coach your top 25-30 players up, they’re going to get passed up. Look no further than our season last year. Our coordinators had reached a point of complacency and weren’t coaching our guys up, weren’t developing talent, and weren’t putting players in the right places. Accordingly, our 4 and 5 star recruits looked abysmal all season against schools that we destroyed in February.
If you’re going to be a CEO coach in 2011, you better be damn sure you have the coordinators in place to get them coached and developed or you’re going to be in trouble.
If you watch "The Lord of the Rings" backwards it's about this little dude that finds a really cool ring in a volcano and spends the rest of the three movies walking home.
what we have here is a fortune 500 CEO trying to run a small business
Huge difference in a characteristic and skill set of the person running a fortune 500 company.
Small business guy must be involved in all areas or business gets away from him – tends to be hands-on to insure success – if not, customers are lost. Business fails.
Big company has enough cash flow to overshadow stupid decisions.
Just replace “cash flow” with “talent of recruits” and you see the problem.
by tech 83 on Nov 7, 2011 11:34 AM CST via iPhone app up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed. That shit didn't make sense and still doesn't.
No excuse for that type of call. Give the freaking players a chance.
IMWTx
"We thought we were too good to play Texas f-ing A&M. Now how in the F can that be?" ML
by imisswesttexas on Nov 7, 2011 9:59 AM CST up reply actions
Thanks, lnghrn53.
I think we need to stop with the “end of the wrold” talk. This season stinks, but we cannot implode or jump off the ledge. I would like to win one more to be bowl eligible. Then, if we do not get pciked, that would be just fine.
I was at the game and I agree with Coach.
Our defensive players aren’t very good. Even from the nose-bleeds, I could see it.
I do not think we have a very good football team.
How do you explain the win over OU?
I just don’t understand.
by Nm RaiDer FAn on Nov 6, 2011 10:37 AM CST up reply actions
D
Our defense is build to go up against fast paced passing teams like OU, baylor, OSU. We don’t have the size to stop these big physical running teams. We did well against OU because we had an early lead forced them to abandon the run. Plus on offense tuberville took risks and wasn’t conservative. We forced the deep ball. It helped.
by Techcuz on Nov 6, 2011 11:09 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Hey... so we should be hopeful about at least 2 of our next 3 games...!
"Transition is hard." - TT
by Houston Raider on Nov 6, 2011 12:29 PM CST up reply actions
Call me crazy, but I feel like we've got a legit shot against OSU next week.
Be a team. Be the most excited to play. Be the best at doing your @#&$ing job.
Okay, you are one crazy guy. I gotta get some of whatever you’re smoking.
"I’ve established a reputation for integrity. I have maintained those high standards" - Craig James
there is a chance to beat OSU
We actually have a good pass defense, the same tactics used against OU should work against OU defensively. OSU’s defense is not as good as OU. We just can’t let them get a big lead early and we need to not be so conservative on offense. It is about matchups and our offense has to be near perfect.
by Techcuz on Nov 6, 2011 3:57 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
i just hope OSU looks past us
That’s in when they’ll lose.
by Techcuz on Nov 6, 2011 3:59 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I actually agree with you... except that we're playing them in the Jones...
What a messed up world it is when that seems like a disadvantage…
"Transition is hard." - TT
by Houston Raider on Nov 6, 2011 4:01 PM CST up reply actions
I have absolutely 0 stats to back up the sunshine.
But after a close, exhausting win against K-State I’m hoping we can catch them looking forward to better Big 12 teams like Iowa State, Oklahoma, and their MNC debut. Find those guys some fat little girlfriends and send them press clippings.
Be a team. Be the most excited to play. Be the best at doing your @#&$ing job.
ARE YOU CRAZY?
We only have a good pass defense because no one has to pass against us! They run all day long, maybe throw three or four passes. Look at what OU did to us in the third and fourth quarters, landry complete great passes all over the field. Hell, did you see the seperation longhorn recievers were getting? Our backs have no speed and bad technique.
ok
I regret making that comment.
We don’t have a good pass D.
But maybe it looks good compared to how bad the Run D is.
I like to look at the bright side of things.
I will concede that compared to our run D
our pass D is A.MA.ZING!
What ever happend to all the 08 & 09 D recruits? Why are we playing so many young guys? I dont know if I have ever heard an answer to that question.
This
College games are often about match-ups. We match up well against teams that have pocket QBs and terribly against teams that have a QB that will tuck it and run. Losses: A&M (running QB = Tannehill), KSU (Klein), ISU (Barnett), UT (Ash). Does anyone else see the pattern here?
OU's running back was smaller - and the arm tackles worked.
I have been watching our smaller backs get brought down with one arm of a defensive lineman for years.
That’s what we were able to do with the smaller OU back (that, and the OU receivers couldn’t seem to catch a ball).
OU RB Finch – 166 pounds
UT RB Bergeron – 220 pounds
if I’m the 180 safety, that’s expected to step in front of a 220 RB with a 10 yard head of steam… that’s kind of an intelligence test – am I gonna try stick my head into his gut.
Ouch!
The Longhorns had five different players rush for more yards than the 30 yards Tech mustered as a team.
Leach is hard to replace
Part of the problem is simply that Leach was a great fit for Tech and is extremely difficult to replace.
Another problem is that offensive schemes in the Big 12 are getting more run oriented (Texas, KSU, A&M, ISU) which poses a big problem for Tech since the Tech D practices against a strictly passing oriented O every day. ISU showed that Tech is very vulnerable to the power run. Texas just repeated the ISU approach.
It was really surprising that Tubs stayed in a 4-2-5. A 4-4-3 would have made more sense. Maybe Tubs is short on LBs. The Tech O is fine, the problem is with the Tech D. Tubs knows a lot about D and should be able to fix the problems with one or two more recruiting classes and developing the players that he has.
Where have y'all been, our athletes have never been on the same level as OU, UT and A&M
But somehow, Leach was able to figure out a way to win – sometimes.
That is what seems to be dividing us as a fan base.
I am usually a reader, not a poster. But my unsupported opinion is that those of us more mature fans (yep graduated in ’83) had experienced this uninspired level of performance before.
To repeat a previous post:
I lived through Dockery,
I lived through Moore (yes – help Jerry’s Kids).
So when Leach kicked it up a notch from Spike, I could not have been more pleased.
I MISS MIKE LEACH – there i said it, and I’m not going to apologize.
He was able to bring us the National Attention without winning the championships.
I looked forward to Saturdays. I enjoyed fielding questions from strangers who would notice my Tech cap. The conversation always ended with ..“I love to watch y’all play”.
Had you tried to tell me in the 80’s, and 90’s that we would OWN A&M and Nebraska. That there would be years that we would beat OU and Nebraska and A&M. I would have called 911.
Let’s face it – the team with the better athletes should win the game 75% of the time.
It’s like someone else posted one time… we are playing football at the play ground, and there are 100 kids wanting to play. UT and OU split the first 50 picks, A&M gets the next 25 – and we get whats left. That’s pretty close to reality – that’s just the way it is. That’s not going to change regardless of who you bring in as coach.
I think our younger fans do not appreciate what Leach was able to achieve – it was not always this way – it all looked so easy.
Sure we had some bad games – but mannn, we had some good ones – but that would be expected when you were expected to play over your head 5 weekends a year.
if you were not a Raider during the 80’s, then you can not appreciate what Leach was able to do.
by tech 83 on Nov 6, 2011 11:01 AM CST reply actions 2 recs
+1
Love your perspective. Started Tech in the Fall of 85 and graduated in the Spring of 90. Concur completely.
by Arizona Raider on Nov 6, 2011 3:11 PM CST up reply actions
+1
Same here!
Around here football is bigger than the state of Texas!
by Distant Raider on Nov 6, 2011 9:14 PM CST up reply actions
Well, I preceded you at Tech
by a good number of years and in my lifetime, it was only Leach’s tenure that made it fun and exciting to watch Tech football. Now with Tuberville, it is just depressing.
WWMLD (What Would Mike Leach Do?)"
"It was apparent that Tech wasn’t going to win the game at the half but coach Tommy Tuberville elected to punt on fourth-and-15 from the Texas 39-yard line. WWMLD (What Would Mike Leach Do?)"
….. AAS Sat. Nov. 5, 2011
This from the Statesman ….. the horns own private newspaper. They too were looking for a different team.
.
NUTS - Never Underestimate TEAM Strength
I've been a fan since 1981
and I too lived through the Jerry Moore years and even the mad mistake of David Mc. That all said I loved what Leach did but he built it on the foundation Spike left him. That said I think we all forget Leach had one “break out” year and that one year spoiled us and made us “expect” more.
Up until the game against us two years ago, Mike Sherman was on the “hot seat” in CS. Last year it was Mack Brown in Austin.
I firmly think and hope that the same is true with this team. I hate that this may be the first time in Big XII history that we will have a sub .500 record but if it allows us to move forward then so be it.
Just my two cents.
by travis.w.bishop on Nov 7, 2011 10:29 AM CST up reply actions
Sherman is back on the hot seat
And denigrating Leach’s accomplishments isn’t going to make Tuberville’s record so far look any better. He should be winning conference football games & he isn’t.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
I'm trying to denigrate anyone
I appreciate all ML did for the team and the university and I agree he got a raw deal from the admin and higher ups. I’m just waiting for the state SC to rule in his favor so he can be paid (which will also reinstate him as HC which he we won’t take) and then we can be bankrupt as an institution and just start over.
by travis.w.bishop on Nov 8, 2011 5:31 AM CST up reply actions
Give me a break. The new TV contacts pay Tech 10 million more a year in TV money. Nobody is broke.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
the whole
Decade was ‘breakthrough’..looking at tech’s history. How many times had tech beat #4 in the holiday bowl before?
Trying to feel good about this turd tub presides over doesn’t require revisionist history. How bout just saying thanks mike?
"Trust your gut....mine always finds good Mexican food"
-Me
by oldschoolraider on Nov 7, 2011 12:33 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions
I don't about the decade being a breakthrough
but it was a good decade all in all compared to decades past. But while we were third behind OU and UT as far as wins we were still a typical tier 2 team.
Trust me when I say, I too am losing patience and hope the future is brighter than it seems now. Maybe the story of the phoenix is most appropriate in this scenario and we’ll emerge a better team from the ashes. I know that’s sacrilege to say but…
by travis.w.bishop on Nov 8, 2011 5:33 AM CST up reply actions
One more win
…….to become bowl-eligible? Why? I don’t want to be humiliated again this year, especially in some minor bowl that no one has ever heard of before. Please understand, I am a rabid Tech fan. I want the best for our university, our students, our teams….but we do not deserve a bowl appearance this year. Instead I hope Tubs and his staff enjoy the distinctive honor of bringing our string of consecutive bowl games to a halt! Perhaps this will wake up the administration because $$ always talks. However, history has shown that they will NEVER admit to the error of their ways!
We need the extra practice...
"Transition is hard." - TT
by Houston Raider on Nov 6, 2011 3:52 PM CST up reply actions
With all due respect, we don't.
Seems like the more we practice and more games we play, the worse it gets.
by Arizona Raider on Nov 6, 2011 4:54 PM CST up reply actions
Good point... So what do we do..? Hang it up...?
"Transition is hard." - TT
by Houston Raider on Nov 6, 2011 6:12 PM CST up reply actions
We don't need more practice. We need better leadership!
Around here football is bigger than the state of Texas!
by Distant Raider on Nov 6, 2011 9:17 PM CST up reply actions
we need to forfeit and save the embarassment
"I feel sorry for the guys," Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "They fought hard tonight. We didn't look good on offense or defense at times, and at times we looked pretty good. It's just, I don't know. Weird game.
I started to count the number of times a Tech linebacker was in position to make a play and immediately got erased by a lineman or tight end coming clean to the second level
and almost immediately lost count. Yeah, there were a few ugly failed arm-tackling attempts from the LB corps, but generally speaking the story of the day was that they were completely taken out of the game by UT line play. Now, part of that is the mismatch that is our tiny defensive tackles, but as has been said before, at some point you have to look at a four man front staring down two tight ends plus an H-Back in addition to the 5 linemen and, as a Defensive Coordinator, sell out the scheme you’re married to and go to something that might actually have a prayer of plugging the holes.
Seth’s right in that we don’t have the players on D to ball with UT straight up, but that’s nearly always the case. That’s where the coaching component comes in. My basic philosophy is that a coach is paid his money to make his team more than the sum of its parts- if he doesn’t do that, he’s basically redundant as what shows up out on the field isn’t radically different than what you’d see if you locked these kids in the stadium, threw them a ball, and walked away.
A lot of people are banging on Tuberville right now, but correct me if I’m wrong, he basically is just the special teams coach and the final arbiter on close down and distance decisions when it actually comes to gameday coaching. The head I currently would like to see on a platter is Mr. 4-2-5 himself, Chad Glasgow, who is currently being exposed as a “system coach” of the very worst kind: a solid technician within his specialty (nickel secondaries), but an unequivocally overmatched babe in the woods when his system stops being the answer and adjustment is required.
I don’t know what kind of communication goes on between Sam McElroy and Glasgow during games, but at some point the following exchange had to have occurred-
Sam: “Hey Chad, I don’t know if you’ve noticed but my four guys up front are facing like 7 270-pound plus blockers on every play. They’re only going to attempt like 20 passes this entire game, I don’t know if we necessarily need 5 DB’s on the field for this shitshow when our line is getting paved over like every play”
Chad: “Okay, well I’ll bring an extra safety up to the line”
Sam: “Is my headset on? Did you just hear anything that I said?”
Chad: “Alright Sam, you drive a hard bargain, I’ll bring the safety and have both corners keep their eyes on the backfield and neglect their zone duties”
Sam: “I wonder if Tarleton State will take me back?”
Who knows. Maybe we pull in a wunderclass like the one that made TCU’s Rose Bowl mini-dynasty possible. Maybe he needs more time to grow into the role. All I know right now is that what’s happening out on defense right now is on par with the most mind-numbingly frustrating moments of the Setencich Era, and I don’t think it’s Tuberville’s fault, except in the sense that he’s been sold a bill of goods in Glasgow, who until he proves otherwise, is our latest and greatest Defensive Coordinator Fraud.
by mojavereject on Nov 6, 2011 11:53 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
agreed...
There’s a quote from Brian Harsin (OC of UT) where he basically says “as an OC, you aim to be 50/50 (pass/run) but when something is working as well as our run game was, well you ride that until it stops working”. (paraphrasing)
I read a fair few of Barking Carnivals "What To Expect" articles about their new Harsin-designed Offense
And one of the key components of what he’d done at Boise St that got overshadowed by their reputation as a trick play team was their propensity for setting up the run by outnumbering the defense at the point of attack by 3 or 4 players to one by shifting blockers around pre-snap, and lining up in unbalanced formations (which of course we saw a ton of yesterday). That makes it hard enough to defend against under the best of circumstances, but the way Tech’s defense was called, Tech created those numbers mismatches all on their own.
by mojavereject on Nov 6, 2011 12:32 PM CST up reply actions
Disagree... at least with the primary responsibility...
Tubs is supposed to be a good Defensive coach, isn’t he?
Wasn’t that the “missing piece” he was going to bring to Texas Tech?
Well, if you’re going to hire someone who hasn’t ever been a defensive coordinator..
then get over there and roll up your sleeves and help him out..!
What good is it being a CEO if half your organization is failing miserably? (especially, when its supposed to be within your realm of expertise..)
Only advantage of staying uninvolved is so you can blame someone else for all of the problems…
"Transition is hard." - TT
by Houston Raider on Nov 6, 2011 12:56 PM CST up reply actions
Well, thus far he's brought in a 3-4 guy and a 4-2-5 guy, neither of which are schematically in line with the defenses he ran
prior to rebranding as the hands-off, CEO coach, so I’m willing to bet that his day-to-day coordinating abilities were not the “missing piece” so much as the expected recruiting bump was. Which I assume is why he’s not coaching like his seat is getting hot: he knows he’s going to get the time he thinks he needs to bring in top talent- my thing is, what top talent wants to come play for a team that struggles to eke .500 on a yearly basis?
Second the disagreement.
Tubs seems to be exactly the guy who would shoot down any idea of making a game time change that was never practiced, charted or learned.
Is someone really going to reinvent company policy in front of the CEO coach for the next play on gameday and get away with it? I solidly subscribe to the short leash model, because it is the easiest answer. I also subscribe to the notion that Tubs would never permit the wheel to be reinvented during game time on a Saturday, no matter what the DC says.
I think Glasgow is between a rock and a hard place. We have, in the past- had other head coaches who would probably frown on such major structural changes on the fly- but give them a shot anyway, since you might as well do SOMETHING different. I don’t think those rare opportunities are available these days.
Leads me to the question, who is really running the defense if the guy hired to do it seemingly has his hands tied?
In other words, the Hands-off CEO coach seems to
be quietly micromanaging and ruling with an iron fist.
Haha
I just call it like I see it. It is the point I was trying to make. From where I sit, the label seems SO different from reality.
What else could it be?
I have been thinking HARD about this for days. I would love to point to a conspiring herd of penguins in Antarctica vandalizing out football program – But I don’t see anything anywhere to support that.
The short leash model seems to be the best fit. That’s not a hand’s-off CEO coach.
So we all sit here and sigh about it.
In this particular case I just don't see how any of it scans logically
No way a competent DC, no matter the amount of latitude or lack thereof given him by the head coach goes into his game prep for UT thinking that he doesn’t have to scheme differently for a two-back running offense than he does for the typical Big XII spread. It’s crazy.
A good rule of thumb I try to go by when I have imperfect information about a situation is that I try to assume incompetence before evil intent. The situation you’re describing is one in which the head coach is looking over the shoulders of his employees, seeing easy to recognize flaws in preparation, and nodding and walking off: that’s sabotage, and it makes no sense to anyone except the core conspiracy theorists who think Tuberville is some kind of Hance-planted Manchurian Coach. More likely by far that the DC is in over his head in situations where he’s not facing a specific type of offense, and the head coach just isn’t plugged in enough on the inner workings to be able to correct deficiencies as they arise.
by mojavereject on Nov 6, 2011 10:14 PM CST up reply actions
No not sabotoge.
I agree that he is not an evil man.
It looks like they are all just following the company handbook. It all seems so rigid, as if there were some law or code.
What if we pick one and only one scheme and stick with it? Coaches orders.
Okay, maybe it amounts to sabotage at the end of the day, but do I really have to assume evil intent?
Plus doesn't have to coach like he's on the hot seat because he can blame the coordinators... or the players...
Last year he recruited two 4-star defensive players… Mackey (JC) and Simmons…
Now we’re saying Mackey is too undersized…
I think Simmons is a horse, but where has he been the last two games? (realize can’t count on FR to be a difference maker, but is he even getting good experience?)
This year so far, we’ve got one verbal from a 4 star D player (Starts)…
Is this going to be enough to make the difference?
"Transition is hard." - TT
by Houston Raider on Nov 6, 2011 1:29 PM CST up reply actions
Agreed
It seems that Tubs wants to control with the offense but ignore the defense. What’s up with that?
Around here football is bigger than the state of Texas!
by Distant Raider on Nov 6, 2011 9:39 PM CST up reply actions
Running QBs
We can’t stop them. All of our losses were against teams with a running QB. Navada had one, too, and that game was too close for comfort.
Pay Him
I sure miss Mike but know he’s not returning. Next year the James boys will be gone. Now Kent, pay Leach what is owed so our emotional tie to the Raiders can be restored. It will give Tuberville at least a chance. It’s not Tubervilles’s fault you are an egomaniac.You haven’t changed since Delt/Blaw days.We didn’t get our degrees from Tech to learn how to SCREW people!
As long as he is still out of work, there's no reason why he couldn't come back
Now Leach would have the Belltower Gang by the short hairs in the negotiations. For instance, Leach only answers to the AD & has a voice in his replacement should Hocutt leave. Leach also gets paid for his last season & the two seasons he was blackballed because of their lies. If he is made whole financially & can get in writing minimal interference from the Dimmitwits running the show, he would probably love to be back home. He has nothing but good things to say about Raider Nation. He loves the fans. He loves Marsha Sharpe. And he got along well with 3 chancellors & 5 university presidents before Hance & Bailey came along. If Snyder could come back to coach Kansas State after they fell apart in his absence, Tech can do the same with Leach. Mike Leach IS Texas Tech football.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
So what you're saying is
Every employee who has gotten fired could totally come back, provided that the bosses who fired them could go ahead and forgive and forget all the reasons you fired the employee in the first place.
At some point you may wonder whether the guy who was fired was worth a lot more more than the guy who fired him due to a personality conflict.
It’s a true longshot and almost an impossibility, but I’d trade the Belltower for Leach and an administration that didn’t consist of a bunch of children wearing a suit and tie.
Be a team. Be the most excited to play. Be the best at doing your @#&$ing job.
by merrik on Nov 6, 2011 1:18 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, that's fine
but a lot of people seem to be substituting wishful thinking for a realistic assessment of what happens after a messy divorce. Yeah, you still love Daddy and Daddy still loves you, but Daddy and Mommy aren’t going to get back together, even if you promise to walk the dog every day and do the dishes and rake the leaves.
Sometimes Mommy loses custody - Hance is Mommy
And Mommy has been beating us with a failure stick ever since Daddy was kicked out. I think Daddy is the better parent.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
I still have my Mike Leach pajamas
And my bucket list has a fishing trip with him at very top, but I disagree about bringing him back. I think it would only divide the fan base even more because there are lots of folks that don’t like him at all.
What I would like to see is a coach that works to bring both sides back together. No rubbing salt in the wound, no telling us that we’ll understand his genius someday, no talk about a 3 ring circus.
It doesn’t make you a smaller man, or take away from your coaching abilities if you acknowledge you landed in a pretty good situation and that you’d like to build on that. Not tear it down and rebuild it, just build on what’s already there.
That coach would win over a lot of fans pretty quickly.
No bullfights. No gambling. No donkeys. No vanilla extracts. No piñatas. None of that stuff. Straight football. No switchblades.
by San Antonio Red Raider on Nov 6, 2011 5:03 PM CST up reply actions
I'd be happy with virtually any sort of change in direction.
How did you get Mike Leach pajamas? .. and where?
Be a team. Be the most excited to play. Be the best at doing your @#&$ing job.
They are actually Mike Leach's pajamas
Leach picked them up at JC Penneys in South Plains Mall. SA Raider asked if he could have them & the pirate captain said, you bet.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
Exactly
I traded him my Tommy Bahama hat.
No bullfights. No gambling. No donkeys. No vanilla extracts. No piñatas. None of that stuff. Straight football. No switchblades.
by San Antonio Red Raider on Nov 6, 2011 7:15 PM CST up reply actions
dangit - i was all excited!
I want some too!
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
Nice to dream about
But I can’t see it ever happening. I don’t know what the process would be for getting rid of the Bell Tower caste, but it would likely involve a political upheaval of biblical proportions. Remember the firing was unanimously approved by the BoR. Bailey, iirc, was one of the sane voices who only wanted to send a letter of reprimand.
I also remember a lot of talk here during 2009 along the lines that maybe Leach had taken us about as far as he could, considering the persistent bad losses and lack of defense. He didn’t deserve what happened to him at all, but I was hoping there might be a silver lining to that fiasco – that Tubs was a man of his word – that he would leave the offense just as it was and improve the defense. He obviously was blowing smoke up our skirts on both counts.
"I’ve established a reputation for integrity. I have maintained those high standards" - Craig James
"Taken us as far as he was ever going to take us"
That argument infuriates me more than any other. He took us to #2 for 3 weeks in November. Until somebody else does that or better, that argument means nothing. What if he took us as far as we’ll ever get? What did we gain by firing him?
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
Maybe the phrase should be reworded
it should be “he had taken us further than we had ever been”.
That was weird. The body of my message was deleted & the header repeated in a new message
And I was watching as it happened with no intervention by me.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
Never mind. I hit refresh & the message body came back & the duplicate disappeared
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
Nothing right ever comes from something done that was so wrong.
AD wants to go in a different direction? Do it the right way - don’t conspire to ruin a man.
Last season...
I got the feeling the team was coming together and improving. This season I see it coming apart and getting further from what we want to see. It just looks as if these coaches and players combined have given up. The effort isn’t there as witnessed in the UT game. The defensive unit gives half assed attempts at tackling and the coaches seemed uninspired on the side line.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
We are tied for second to last in the Big 12
We aren’t middle of the pack, we aren’t mediocre, we are just bad. Tuberville has taken a successful program and rebuilt it. When Tuberville says that we don’t have the players to win, I believe that is his opinion. I believe that he doesn’t know how to utilize the talent we have to win games in the Big 12. So I suppose that Seth is correct when he says that Tubervile is just being honest.
Simple rule of thumb: Everything before the but is BS.
Bingo
Anybody can coach a team full of 5-star talent. Tommy Boy doesn’t have a clue what to do with our guys.
"I’ve established a reputation for integrity. I have maintained those high standards" - Craig James
He Rich-Rodded us.
Michigan was an alright ball club before Richy took over. And boom….they sucked real bad.
Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates. – Life on the Mississippi
by LBKpiratefan on Nov 6, 2011 3:58 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Natural Selection at work
After reading all the above responses and queries, the two points I see as obvious apparently aren’t. After the Tech debacle, in watching the LSU-Alabama game it became clearer that the successful coaches, particularly with SEC roots, learn how to successfully adjust their coaching styles by first analyzing their new surroundings then figuring the best way to win in those new surroundings with the talent both existent and available. Saban won at Michigan State, when he moved south he didn’t say “Well this is what we’ll do ’cuz it worked at MSU.” Miles won at Michigan but LSU is different and he adjusted and won. If you aren’t comfortable in adjustment you will either win where you are—Joe Paterno, Tom Osborne—or be phased out. Say what you want about Tubs in the shadow of Leach, Saban is in the shadow of Bear Bryant—that’s a real tough act to live up to, yet he does it successfully. Tubs has yet to acknowledge that his SEC philosophy is incompatible with Tech and the Big12, and that has led to major problems with players and personnel.. He kept the Air Raid because he had to. He hired a young OC with great potential to run it, but (I feel) has yet to show complete faith in it or the OC. He hired a SEC guy (Willis) to run the defense used in the SEC assuming it would be superior to any Big12 defenses. It bombed—he fired Willis and hired a Texan to run 4-2-5, yet when asked about his new hire and his new defense Tubs told the press they’d still be in the old D, even as Glasgow was telling them they were converting to his 4-2-5. In recruiting D players, all were recruited to run Tub’s former D, not the 4-2-5. Again, a scheme Tubs didn’t want and had little faith in—it worked well at TCU but TCU isn’t SEC. Tubs I believe can’t adjust—and can’t understand why his tried and true methods aren’t working here. And the more at a loss he becomes , the more detached he gets. And this leads me to my second observation.
Several here have asked what do Paul Rhoads or Bill Snyder, or even Chris Ault have over us that lead their seemingly inferior teams to wins (or near wins) over more talented Tech teams. The same thing as Mike Gundy, Bo Pelini, and even Mack Brown. They CARE about their school. Snyder came back to help the team he loves; Rhoads is an ISU grad—this is his home. Ault has been the face of Nevada football off and on for years. They have a stake in the pride that goes with an association with the school and its teams. Gundy is an OSU grad—this is his school. Pelini, Brown, even Saban and Miles—they aren’t alums, but they have all taken a position that this is where they WANT to be and they are each as passionate about their school as any alum could be. They don’t give you the feeling they want to leave any time soon— this is where they will fight. That clip of Saban posted above is telling—ever see Tubs like that? In each passing week Tubs continues to give the impression that he isn’t comfortable here—this isn’t, nor will it ever be “home.” There is no excitement at being a “Red Raider.” He rarely defends, or “fights for” his team—His mantra from the start has been “We’re not very good.” When I watch him on the sidelines he always looks like he’s waiting for a bus—maybe one that will get him out of this mess and back to the South where things make sense.
In a way Tubs tenure here reminds me of Billy Gillespie—a big success in Texas—so big the SEC came calling. At Kentucky he basically said this is what worked in Texas so it should work in Kentucky—it didn’t; things got worse—he left. Now he’s “back home” and I feel will become successful again. He learned his lesson of sorts. I hope Tubs can eventually learn his, and this Big!2 “experiment” ends and he goes back South where he understands things better.
by Dr-Cane on Nov 6, 2011 1:40 PM CST reply actions 8 recs
Your first point is what I was trying to say up above. That instead of crafting schemes to fit his players, he brought in a preconceived system and stuck with it whether it fits our players or not.
"I’ve established a reputation for integrity. I have maintained those high standards" - Craig James
Right on, Dr-Cane!
You’ve just hit the nail on the head. Couldn’t have said it better! BTW, we’re now gonna see the contrast of Tubs and BCG coaching at TTU at the same time. The energy and passion of Gillispie coaching during games has started and will continue to make Tubs’ “don’t wanna be here” attitude so annoying.
by djn on Nov 6, 2011 8:23 PM CST up reply actions
It just seems common sense to me
We will never have a stable full of hosses. We will get the occasional 4 or 5 star …. but we are not like UT/OU, that looks out over the available HS athletes and decides which ones best fit their scheme.
I would expect that every year, we will have to look at what we have available, and adjust accordingly.
I'll green that
management styles aside, I have never believed he has ever embraced, owned or aspired to what Red Raider football is all about.
It’s not his baby. He saw, everything it was about the one game against OU, turned his back on it and went back to doing his thing.
Pine box? Rent house? MMkay…
I haven’t thought about it like that, but you may be right. During that game he was everything a Big12 coach should be—tactical, emotional, involved—and the results were great. Maybe it scared him. Or maybe, since he said he has “played #1 teams before,” maybe this is only how he approaches “#1 teams” Certainly he has not shown that level of coaching involvement before or since. Interesting from a psychological standpoint.
This should be a FanShot of it's on.
You’ve wrapped it up and tied the bow. I almost like the man now. (Tho, not as our coach.)
Good points
I think a head coach needs to be vested in a schools program in some form or fashion. Saban is a football guy who loves to win. He’s a classic Type A personality with a strong passion for football and winning. We don’t have that at Tech anymore. We have a coach who looks at tech as a job and only a job. I personally feel like Tech is a great place for the right coach and there are a few out there that would love to be here. We all know Dana H., Lincoln Riley and Kliff Kingsbury could run this offense perfectly. Dana H. and Art Briles are guys who understand the Big 12 and Texas Tech. I firmly believe we would be winning with one of those guys as our head coach with present talent today.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
Why is the Oklahoma State game set to start at 11 AM?
Probably doesn’t matter that much to people, but still :(
ABC is covering the game ....11am Nov 12, 2011
Texas Tech’s home finale against No. 2 Oklahoma State will kickoff at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, and will be televised regionally by ABC.
http://www.texastech.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/110611aab.html
Maybe because of the NBA lock-out and they need to fill the time that would have been showing basketball.
.
NUTS - Never Underestimate TEAM Strength
Senior Day
I said on another thread I suspect it may be to keep the student crowd down so that the James’ don’t get booed so bad. Hate to always suspect ulterior motives in everything, but after these last few years can you blame us?
by djn on Nov 6, 2011 8:25 PM CST up reply actions
That seemed like it may be right BUT
on ESPN, texastech.com, and the LAJ say it’s on ABC. Weird, because I don’t remember ABC showing games at that time…at least not for a while.
Wikipedia
is a great resource for football schedules/what tv station they are on. Pretty much every team and their schedule is up there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Texas_Tech_Red_Raiders_football_team
Just read ask these quotes...
even the sunshine pumpers are coming over too the dark side. Jesus, things are bad.
by battledome on Nov 6, 2011 5:27 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Dann phone...
Comments, not quotes… All, not ask
by battledome on Nov 6, 2011 5:28 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Don't feel bad
I make typos all the time, and I’m on a PC. Geez, I couldn’t get my fat fingers to make a post on a phone!
by djn on Nov 6, 2011 8:27 PM CST up reply actions
Where is the energy, fire, emotion, excitement, the want …??
It has been bugging me all week long. The loss to Iowa State was a very emotional and gut wrenching game to watch and deal with. And now the loss to the horns.
I know the players were flat and maybe they were looking past Iowa State and maybe they still were on "Cloud 9" from the OU game but where is the leadership in this team.
I watched and listened to the Oct 31st Press Conference and the Monday Presser and the answer Doege gave on the following question did not give me a good feeling about team leadership.
"Q. Who on the offense or on the team would you say is the emotional leader? The guy on the team that kind of rallies the troops or is there one?
SETH DOEGE: I think there are a lot of guys that we all kind of pass it along. It’s whoever is kind of at the moment who is in the lead, who can do it. But if I had to pick a guy, Adam James can spark some guys with what he says, and get some guys going by his excitement. Alex Torres does the same thing. When he says something, you listen to him. Those are two guys that really come to mind when guys are going to spark the team a little bit."
It did not bug me that he said Adam James was one of the leaders, what causes me to pause and wonder is the way he answered the question. If there were true leaders of this team, then the answer should have been clear and precise. "Doege: The team leaders are name and other name."
Why did Doege him-haw around on the answer and then if you read his statement it doesn’t really say James and Torres are the leaders it just states that sometimes what they say can spark some of the players.
There seems to be NO leadership from the players or the coaches on this team. There seems to be a lot of apathy and confusion. I am wondering what was really discussed during the "players only" meeting that was held a week ago.
I am hoping I am wrong and that the OU game was not just some fluke and that this team regroups and can come together and can use the talent and resources that they have.
The coaches need to coach and lead and help the players by using a game plan that is designed for the talent we currently have. The players need to play with the skill they know they have (shown in Norman) and if the coaches aren’t going to do it then the players need to pump each other up and show some emotion and fire both on the field and the sideline.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want some coach that is always yelling and acting like an a__hole on the sidelines but there is something that is not jiving with this team.
.
NUTS - Never Underestimate TEAM Strength
maybe Tubbs is in Craig James’s paycheck.(maybe Doege too). Why would you start praising Adam James suddenly? Try to throw the ball to him when other WR are open? It’s just a thought. I don’t know what the hell is happening to this team. :(
"You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game." Herm Edwards
Maybe Tubs is finally reading DTN and reading all the comments about Nancy
….he makes sure that little shit gets playing time to rub it our face….just a thought. I am reaching too much?
Dos mas por favor...dos mas!!
by RGV_REDRAIDER on Nov 7, 2011 8:26 AM CST up reply actions
Three Ring Circus
Everyone here needs to check out this weekends opinion section in the broke down LAJ. I totally agree with this kid. Bozo, Goofy, and Ronald Mcdonald are sure running the circus now? Like i have been saying 6-6 realistic 7-5 at the very best this year. O Fluberville is starting to run out of things to sell.
1992
O by the way, one day closer to Fluberville being gone!! Offense is 60 percent what it was, defense gutter. I saw a sign coming into from hunting in west texas and it said miss me yet? It was George W but it looked really similar to Leach. O Hance and cronies unfortunately at our expense ,and Tech’s expense are getting what they deserve. I just hate to watch this boring, predictable horse%$%^ football we are not enjoying anymore.
Adam Nancy James
He could not lead a kindergarten recess class, he sucks!! Him being a leader and captain at Tech says it all. WTF
Remember....
Saturday at 11 am is Senior Day. If you’re not happy with things, here’s your opportunity to express yourself! (Heeheeheeheeheehee—evil laugh!)
by djn on Nov 6, 2011 8:29 PM CST up reply actions
Wait, James is a captain for this Tech team? Are you serious?
"I don't really like pitchers." - Nelson Cruz
Yeah, I'm with that
I’m not really criticizing players myself, but the coaching staff—the HC in particular. I think our talent is young and inexperienced, but this same kind of talent was much better coached under the old regime. This staff is just not doing its job in teaching and coaching the players properly, and it shows on gamedays. Also, it drives me (and other TTU fans) crazy to see coaches acting like they don’t care! In my view, this is the fault of the HC—Tubs. If the head man doesn’t really want to be here, then everyone else picks up on that and morale suffers. Thus, the scene of players huddling on the sidelines Saturday without ANY coaches present.
Lots of contrasting viewpoints today on DTN, but I’m proud of the respect that posters generally give each other. Contrast that with RP, where different opinions get disrespect and juvenile namecalling. We seem to attract a lot more intelligent crowd here.
If you will notice, a lot of those that ran us into the ground last saturday were young and inexperienced.
"As we continue to merely "talk about championships""
Greeting to from Australia
I have essentially had an extra day to think about what I witnessed on Saturday since it is 4 pm Monday here when I am writing this and I have to agree with Seth. Our players at certain positions are just not good enough to be playing at the D-1 level right now. It has to be a mix of not enough talent on their part and lack of coaching. I question our strength program, but I am not sure that some of our guys could develop any further. This is not their fault it just simply re-enforces the fact that the talent level still needs upgrading.
"Again, once you employ childish language..(even when camouflaged behind parentheses)….the balance of your post is easily ignored. At that point, the impression is you are more interested in hurling invective than seriously contributing to the discourse." - ForestFlyer
Once again ...
Read this string, read Dr Cane’s brilliant analysis and instead if making excuses for the players, the same one’s that beat the number three team in the nation, time to smell the coffee -Complete lack of leadership starting at the top right down to all the coaches!
by EDCNP on Nov 7, 2011 7:10 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
Anyone else looking forward to today's presser
I guess we will see if the excuses continue. I listened to Tubs’ comments right after the game and he called it a “old fashioned butt whooping” and said something about the defense. I’m really anxious to see who steps up and takes the blame for this one.
Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates. – Life on the Mississippi
by LBKpiratefan on Nov 7, 2011 8:17 AM CST via mobile reply actions
i get the defense issue
but the offense didn’t show up either
you heard the saying – there ain’t no fight in this dog
thats what it felt like to me
when the offense got that penalty on the 2 yard line, it seemed like it was over after that
it seemed like the guys just rolled over for UT
i just want them to go hard every play
i just want them to take it to the horns
i could tell tubbs was p o’d
he was the same last week
you could see it in his face
the d caved in, the O didn’t show and when that happens
it gets ugly
we have an O and a QB that can hang with anyone in the nation
the d doesn’t have to win it for us, they just have to get a few stops
thats what happened in the OU game
the D got some stops
the O did its job
we squeaked out a win
the aggies beat us barely
Kstate beat us barely
the O showed up in both games and it was a shoot out
the D missed a few stops or the offense has a turnover and we lost
thats how close we are to being a good team
but when the O doesn’t show and the D gets no stops then we are fodder
come on guys
go Tech
Some people think football is a matter of life or death, but it's far more important than that.
I see what you're saying here....
So the team as regressed during the season….not improved.
Wonder how that happened?
Hi everyone! O am at the emergency room with the wife and kid. Wife tripped over something and she has a 2" cut on her shin that needs stitches. We are fine but the I have my hands full this morning.
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
by Seth C on Nov 7, 2011 9:15 AM CST via mobile reply actions
Wondered....
hope she’s ok. good luck and I promise I will not drop any f bombs until you return
"As we continue to merely "talk about championships""
Ouch!!
Take care of the family first. Hope all is well with your wife.
"You've got to find your inner pirate" - Mike Leach
I feel her pain.
Really…
Two weeks ago I got a gash on my index finger that took 12 stitches.
Take care of the wife.
Take Care of your wife and family
The Diatribe and other posts can wait
NUTS - Never Underestimate TEAM Strength
Glad everyone is okay but OUCH!!!
Hope the rest of your day is better.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
Best wishes to your wife and your family...
Feel free to take care of the things that are really important…
We will try to behave in here while you are away..
"Transition is hard." - TT
by Houston Raider on Nov 7, 2011 10:39 AM CST up reply actions
I know it is very serious right now
But think of the tall-tales you can tell in a few days about the shark attack!
The Blame Goes To:
For the loss, for the shark attacks, for my grandmother’s hemorrhoids, it’s all a result of the official Texas Tech tailgate party running out of Miller Lite. Seriously, how does this happen?!
I would like to know
how he knows about Grandma’s hemmorrhoids…kinda disturbing…
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "oh crap, she's up".
My wife saw this
And cried in laughter.
Can you imagine the producer saying “How did that ‘Penis’ sign get in here?!?!”
Gotta give it to the guy who made it. Pretty clever…I’ve watched ESPN for years and never made that connection.
Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates. – Life on the Mississippi
by LBKpiratefan on Nov 7, 2011 11:57 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
I'm done with this staff.
I’ll be going to what will hopefully be my last Tech football game until this staff has changed . The only reason I’m going to this one is so I can boo at AJ and TT, and because I can’t sell my tickets for much at all. Apathy has set in.
by RdrPwr on Nov 7, 2011 10:17 AM CST reply actions 2 recs
I hope
the streak is not over
the one where ever since the Big 12 was birthed there is only one team that has been bowl eligible every year
yeah
you know
that streak
it was something to be proud of
can you feel my pain
no one did it but one school
its not much, but its something
if you are a red raider football player i hope you can take pride in that one fact and get your act together
now go kick some butt
go tech
Some people think football is a matter of life or death, but it's far more important than that.
Are you taking a poetry class this semester?
It’s not iambic pentameter, but it has a poetic rhythm to it. Try setting it to sampled music like Vanilla Ice did. Try Bowie/Queen’s Under Pressure.
2011 Season - No excuses. Just win!
He all. This thread is getting a bit heavy, so feel free to go ahead and post comments in the new open thread. Explanation is there.
http://www.doubletnation.com/2011/11/7/2544569/open-thread
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
A Telling Moment...
During one of the TV timeouts in the second quarter when UT had the ball on about the Tech 30, our coaches talked to the players for about 45 seconds and sent them back on the field. It was a solid 90 seconds before the referees called UT back to the field. During that time, I didn’t see ONE Tech player talking to another. Not one. Noting said. Heck, these guys are college kids and there’s always that one thing you can discuss.
Critical time in the game. No on-field leader firing up the troops. Coaches offering very little except a pat on the fanny. I see many problems technically, but the biggest problem is leadership. Everywhere.
by kellyo on Nov 7, 2011 1:42 PM CST via mobile reply actions
they probablly heard that littlelonghorngirl was no longer in austin
and were saddened.
"As we continue to merely "talk about championships""
Tuberville is at a crossroad
and I think he will very likely can Glasgow after this year.
I don’t know that it will be the right thing to do or will help, but Glasgow’s clue that he has is how to run a 4-2-5. Well, that’s not going to cut it against these teams with heavy running attacks, especially QBs performing a zone read.
Not with lightweight DL and undersized LBs. You can do well with smaller, faster LBs, provided they are fast, if you have bigger DL. But like you said, Seth, you can’t have both. It’s a disaster.
I don’t know that he’s tied long term to Brown or Glasgow but Brown has done far better of the two.
I was less optimistic about this year, thinking we’d be 6-6 but that next year might be a lot better. But based on what you’re saying and we’ve been seeing, next year will suck, too.
Like it or not, the JUCO route has to be gambled on for this next class.
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