Whatever it is that you do you should do, you should do
with your head held high. – PINK (yep I’m hitting the bottom of the barrel for
lyrics)
Where: Jones AT&T
Stadium
When: 6:00pm Central
TV: Fox Sports
Channel
Weather:low 70s,
partly rainy chance of rain
Line:Tech -33.5
The mighty Lobos of New Mexico make their bi-annual trip to
the slaughterhouse in Lubbock this week as the Red Raiders look to get
everything setup for Big 12 play.
But before we get into this week’s game, let’s look back to
last week…
You really can’t bitch about anything the Red Raiders did
against Texas State last week. The beat them on offense, defense and special
teams. It was the kind of game Tech needed and wanted to have. Great job all
around. 58 -10 has a nice ring to it.
So in limps New Mexico after getting their butts handed
to them by the Longhorns in Austin last weekend.
This has been a bad team for years. Bob Davie for some
reason decided to leave the warm confines of ESPN’s college broadcast and come
back to coaching after a bad tenure at Notre Dame to try and resurrect this moribund
program. I don’t know why, I mean I really don’t know why.This team was 1-11 last year and 3-33 that
past three years overall. They are awful.
Here’s what you need to know. They are installing a new
offense under Davie, the triple option but they have no threat to throw as
their QB is beat up and has been pretty inefficient to say the least all year.
This is gut check game for the entire defense. New Mexico
is going to try and control the clock as much as they can and just run and run.
BEST GUESS
TECH52
NM17
FUN WITH NUMBERS
22 – Straight road loses by the lobos
76 – Total points given up by New Mexico in two games.
4 – Tech’s rank in total defense (according to SI.com) take
it while you got it
I tried to find any songs about San Marcos but nobody has
yet to be inspired by visiting a city known for its Outlet Mall it appears.
Where: Jim Wacker
Field, San Marcos
When: 6:00pm Central
TV: ESPN3 (that’s the
internet)
Weather: mid 80s,
some wind
Line: Tech -18
The Texas Tech Red Raiders begin to play real football, at
least technically FBS level football when they travel down to the packed 30,000
seat stadium in San Marcos to take on the Texas State Bobcats.
But before we get into this week’s game, let’s look back to
last week…
Well, if there would have been a line the Red Raiders wouldn’t
have covered. But they took care of business. Seth Doege and Eric Stephens came
back and for the most part looked good, not great. Nice surprise was Kenny Davis
getting 75 yards on the ground. 13 different players caught at least one pass
and it was virtual 50/50 split of run to pass.
Best part was defense.
They only allowed 84 yards of total offense and 6 first downs.
Outstanding.
Now comes some “real” competition. I use quotation marks on
real as I don’t know what the Bobcats have got. Are they closer to the team that
Tech whipped 50-10 last year? Or are they closer to the team that won their
first FBS game as a member of the WAC against a Houston team on the road last
week (a Houston team who is replacing their Head Coach, QB, and lord
knows who else). Guess we will find out.
Dennis Franchione is rebuilding this team and his
reputation and they sure seem to be on the right track. Their defense held last
year’s top offense to just 13 points, though a lot of yards (sounds eerily
familiar). Their offense seems to be fairly balanced as they led on the ground
by Marcus Curry with 131 yards and 2 TDs. Their QB, Shawn Rutherford completed
almost 20 passes for 196 yards to 7
different receivers.
If I had any faith in Tuberville, which I have surprisingly
little of, I would chalk this up to an easy win. However, until we see what
this team really after a few more games is see a 14 pt win.
San Marcos Outlet Mall
BEST GUESS
TECH 42
TSU 28
FUN WITH NUMBERS
105 – seasons of playing intercollegiate football for Texas
State
2006 – Last time the Red Raiders held an opponent to 6 or
less points
49 – total number of plays that Northwestern State was able
to run, North Texas had 46 in 2000
He’s got fishing lines strung across the Louisiana rivers
,Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat He’s setting traps in the swamp catching anything he
can He’s gotta make a living, he’s a
Louisiana Man Lousiana Man – Doug Kershaw (hey sometimes its tough to
intro w/ song lyrics)
Where: Jones Stadium,
Lubbock
When: 6:00pm Central
TV: Fox Sports Plus
Weather: mid 90s,
clear no wind
Line: no line due to
crappy school
This is week one of Tech’s 88th season. There is
lots on the line but this games is nothing but a glorified scrimmage. Which is
good, cause after hitting your teammates for weeks, you need to get a test
against an opponent. Albeit in this case and opponent you should dismantle.
The Northwestern State (Louisiana) Demons take the field
against Tech. They are brining back 22 offensive and defensive starters, most
of which are Seniors and Juniors. So these guys have been playing together long
enough to not be picked up by any FBS school. Congrats.
This is short and sweet. Their QB is good, completing
almost 62% of his throws. Their defense is lead by Derek Rose who is a two-time
All American at this level of play. And they have a ten players, some starting,
who transferred to the school last year.
The Red Raiders need to focus on establishing the line of
scrimmage on both sides of the ball and block for Doege so he can pass for 400
yards and most importantly, get some pressure on the other guys QB.
BEST GUESS
NS Alum
TECH 56
NwSt 17
FUN WITH NUMBERS
75- 7 – score of the game from the last time these two teams
met
58-26-3 – Red Raiders all-time opening day record
4 – number of new coaches on Tech sideline after last year’s
train wreck
Have you heard
about the lonesome loser, beaten by the queen of hearts every time
Have you heard
about the lonesome loser, he's a loser, but he still keeps on tryin' – Little River
Band
Tommy, Tommy, Tommy. Ah you just can’t look at the 2012
Texas Tech Red Raider team and think of Tubs. He’s tenure resembles that one friend
you have that is going to Vegas with ‘his’ system and going to come home HUGE
winner. Of course the first night he comes out slightly ahead and he’s kind of
talking smack thinking he’s just warming up.
Then the second night, he just gets hammered. But it wasn’t
his fault, the system works, but the dealer was hot or the idiot sitting next
to him took his card cause he hit on 19 (who hits on 19!!!!)
Now it’s the 3rd day, his bags are packed and
he’s only got an few hours to break even. Screw the system, he’s playing
multiple hands, doubling down trying everything… and I got a good idea that he’s
going to be on a southwest flight home broken hearted. Along with a bunch of
pissed off Red Raider fans.
Welcome to your 2012 Texas Tech football team. Its
anything goes this year. Defensive Coordinator? How about 4th one in
4 years. Defensive system? 3rd in 3 years. JUCO Players? Why, not it
worked for Bill Snyder and KSU for years lets give it a shot. I’m waiting to
see that Tech is going to try the wishbone (which UT might want to consider
this year). It’s a make it or break it year for Tuberville, he knows it, the
fans know it, his players know it. The only person who doesn’t, and is probably
too stubborn to know it is Hance. It only took him and this staff two years to
wreck what it took Spike and Leach 20 years to build.
OFFENSE
Well at least we mostly know what we have here. Seth
Doege is back and will probably put up another year of ridiculous numbers and
over 4,500 yards passing. His back up is
Michael Brewer from Lake Travis who’s been riding the pine for a year. If you
don’t know about Lake Travis and what they’ve been doing in Texas High School
football check it out. But don’t look at the last stud QB from Travis, cause he
didn’t work out too well for the Horns.
Eric Stephens is back at running back after suffering a
horrible hit against the Aggies (I still think it was a late hit, but I’ll let
it go). And one of the JUCO guys, SaDale
Foster sounds like he’s getting ready to pick up any slack that is needed.
And the wide receiving corps is basically all back with
Moore, Ward, Torres and the gang essentially all back.
The offensive line, which as a little a few months ago
was then a strength is now probably the
biggest concern. There are possible big things coming from LaDanian Waddle at
left tackle. After that, due to injury and the arrival and very quick departure
of Brian Thomas from A&M (that move was not Red Ass), its going to be a mix
of guys moving from where they were going to play back to where they played
last year, to young guys stepping up.
Overall, unless something drastically bad happens against
medium to poor teams, this squad will put up points. However, you still have to
wonder what in the world happened against ISU and OSU last year when they only
scored 13 points combined.
DEFENSE
Pray. Pray often, pray loudly. That’s literally the best
option for Tech this year. Tuberville has gone back to one of his old
D-coordinators after the young TCU coach and his 4-2-5 scheme imploded. This part of the team was so bad last year,
you literally saw them stop trying on the field. They were not even competing
by the end of the year and gave up a school record 471 points and ranked dead
last against the run. Awesome!
In the Big 12 you better be able to stop the pass and
that’s why the focus on signing day was bring in a bunch of JUCO bandaids and
see if you can stop the bleeding. They
are going to be taking the field with a bunch of returning players from last
years squad. That ain’t good.
Anyone remember that last good linebacker Tech had? Still
Zach Thomas? That is getting to be a said story. JUCO’s here too. Plus a few
returners.
And lets just say that having a defensive line that could
stop a freshmen B team would be nice.
When: 6:00pm Central
BEST GUESS
