Red Raider Gridiron | Scrimmage #3 is in the Books

SCRIMMAGE #3 | The official site has a quasi play-by-play from yesterday's scrimmage and also had a short article about how fast the offense wants to play (NASCAR!).  The Texas Tech Tumblr blog also has some photos from yesterday's scrimmage.  RRS.com's Mike Graham has some notes from the scrimmage.  I very much enjoyed LAJ's Don Williams'  recap, saying that QB Seth Doege was (unofficially) 20-24 for about 200 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.  Rarely mentioned QB Jacob Karam was also said to be good, going 15-23 for 140 yards.  Williams said that OL Terry McDaniel played center yesterday and RG Deveric Gallington played right guard.  For those of you that asked if Gallington was too big, wondering if he shrunk over the years, I can assure that McDaniel is all of 6-5 and he has been since the 2nd grade.  Anyway, Williams also talked a bit about the defense:

The defense did make some noise. Starting free safety D.J. Johnson killed the first drive with an interception in the end zone off Doege. The second series ended with a missed field goal, the third with a third-down pass breakup by cornerback Jarvis Phillips and the fourth with back-to-back touch sacks of freshman quarterback Michael Brewer by third-string defensive linemen Chris Knighton and Branden Jackson.

A little later, when the offense worked in a get-off-the-goal line situation ... it had all sorts of problems getting off the goal line. Offensive guard Deveric Gallington got flagged for holding in the end zone, resulting in a safety, and nose tackle Donald Langley blew up the next play, a handoff to running back Eric Stephens.

I think I read somewhere that the interception referred to by Doege was also a result of IR Alex Torres slipping on the turf and resulting on the interception.  In special team news, K Donnie Carona was 5-8 yesterday.  He was apparently great from long-distance, but just can't get the height for a short field goal.  I hope there are others being given a shot to kick extra-points. 

The best report is from RP.com's Joe Yeager (the best for last!) and there's really too much for me to even blockquote, so if you want some insight, go click on over.  Yeager does write that LB Blake Dees started with the first team, Torres, Marquez and WR Darrin Moore all looked like the best receivers.  That DT Delvon Simmons is legit.  Freshmen LB Sam Eguavoen, S Pete Robertson and DE Kindred Evans are all getting snaps with the second team.  DT Chris Knighton also impressed Yeager.  Again, if I could encourage you to read one thing about the scrimmage, this would be it.

TEXAS TECH LINKS | Dr. Saturday's Matt Hinton thinks that the Tubervillian transformation is picking up steam, I was going to blockquote part of it, but would suggest that you go read the whole thing . . . OAOA's Adam Zuvanich writes about WR Bradley Marquez:

"Every cut matters and every technique matters at the college level," Marquez said. "I’m just being coachable and learning from the older guys and coaches and watching film."

The early returns have been positive. The 5-foot-10, 183-pound Marquez hauled in three passes for 73 yards, including a 46-yard reception that helped fuel a scoring drive, during the Red Raiders’ first intrasquad scrimmage Aug. 13. He reached the end zone himself in Saturday’s scrimmage, snagging a 29-yard touchdown pass from former Crane standout Seth Doege and finishing with six receptions for 63 yards.

Yesterday, the Texas Tech volleyball and football teams held their fan day and signed a bunch of autographs.  With all of the issues of people and players signing autographs on things and then people selling those things, like a helmet or a football, I'm wondering if eventually players won't be able to sign autographs.  The LAJ's Sam D. Young has a story and the official site has a photo gallery.

BIG 12 AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL LINKS | Dr. Saturday's Matt Hinton has doubt about the Texas Longhorn resurgence, at least for this year:

Maybe. But if the standing assumption is that things can't possibly get any worse, there aren't many specific reasons on paper to assume they're actually going to get better. The big questions at the start of the season — about the lack of viable options at quarterback, the offensive line and the absence of a reliable every-down back — are the same ones that plagued the Longhorns to the last whistle in 2010. Most of the potential answers involve guys who are still a lot longer on potential than production, a group that arguably includes new coordinators on both sides of the ball. The only remaining assistant coach who had a part in the glory days is quarterbacks coach Major Applewhite. The schedule offers just as many realistic opportunities to lose.