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.
PREDICTIONS – 7-5 (being generous here)
Sept 1 Northwestern State W
Sept 8 @
Texas State W
Sept 15 New
Mexico W
Sept 29 @ Iowa State W
Oct 6 Oklahoma L
Oct 13 West
Virginia L
Oct 20 @
TCU L
Oct 27 @Kansas
State W
Nov 3 Texas L
Nov 10 Kansas W
Nov 17 @ Oklahoma State L
Nov 24 Baylor
(Arlington) W
GUNS UP!
