I've got the running back preview coming up at 10:00 a.m., which is my Friday gift to each and every one of you.
Texas Tech Track and Big 12 Indoor Championship
I thought I'd give the track team a little love this morning, as they'll be heading to College Station this weekend to compete in the Big 12 Indoor Championship. LAJ's Don Williams talks with Will Flemmons (long jump and triple jump) while DT's Adam Wadsworth previews the event.
DTN's Top Four:
- Double-Extra Point -- Todd McShay gets pwned by Mel Kiper.
- Rick Pitino and Christian Laettner discuss the "shot".
- The real Robinson Crusoe (hat-tip Kottke).
- LAJ's Big 12 Extra (pdf).
Southlake DE Jackson Richards
RP.com's Mark Sparrow talks with Southlake Carroll defensive end Jackson Richards (it's free for now) who will be at the Texas Tech Junior Day this weekend. Here's Richards on his current commitment:
"I’m very solid to Tech, and I just don’t really see that changing. Now with Coach Leach having signed his extension, there won’t be any coaches, so I’m pretty dang solid."
And I think Richards follows Texas Tech recruiting better than me:
"It was a pretty good recruiting class. I know the running back [Eric Stephens] is supposed to be really good. The wide receiver who switched from Oklahoma, Eric Ward, is also very good, and I’ve heard a lot of good things about the receiver from Fossil Ridge [Aaron Fisher]. The linebacker from Fossil Ridge [Brandon Mahoney] and the two defensive tackles who signed at the last minute [Pearlie Graves and Myles Wade] were all really good news, and I’m really looking forward to playing with them."
Big 12 Fantasy Football Preview
This is me grasping for content. College Fantasy Football Insider's Brian McDonald takes a look at the offensive production of the Big 12 South, which includes our Red Raiders. The article isn't entire accurate about Texas Tech (i.e. we also lose Stephen Hamby), but this is a good overview of the entire Big 12 South offenses and McDonald writes Lyle Leong is the player to watch:
Lyle Leong does a lot of things well. He can run pretty fast, he has nice hands, and he can go up and get it. Good enough for us.He’s only totaled 33 catches for 380 yards and four scores in his first two seasons. But a player looking to catch passes, let alone touchdowns, with Michael Crabtree, Eric Morris and Detron Lewis ahead of him on the depth chart would, to paraphrase Del Griffith, have more luck playing pickup sticks with his butt cheeks.
Leong could really emerge now that the reception and touchdown whore has moved on.
Griffin Unsure, Pattillo Suspended
It's never "good" news to hear that a player has been suspended, but when your team is 2-11 in conference play, you'll take all they help you can get. Sooner forward Juan Pattillo has been suspended for Saturday's game and Blake Griffin is still unsure when he'll play. Again, not wishing any ill-will on anyone, but maybe there's a chance we win?
DT's Alex Ybarra previews tomorrows game against Oklahoma and Texas Tech guard John Roberson hopes that Griffin plays:
"I want him to play because I would hate to end up actually winning the game that he didn't play," said Roberson, whose Red Raiders play No. 3 OU at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the United Spirit Arena. "Then everybody will say, 'Oh, Blake Griffin didn't play.' I wanna play them 100 percent."
And forward Mike Singletary is staying positive, very positive:
"This is a big time opportunity for us," he said. "Right now we're at the bottom and they're up at the top. We feel like if we get this win, that could salvage the season a little bit. At the same time, we want to end the season on a high note with wins and that's just one step towards that goal."If (Griffin) doesn't play, that'll be a little bit better for us. If he does play, we'll still be ready for him."
Texas Tech Takes on the Matadors
Date | Start Time | Texas Tech Starting Pitcher |
Cal State Northridge Starting Pitcher |
Result |
2/27/2009 | 4:00 p.m. | Chad Bettis (1-0, 2.70) | Ryan McCarney (0-0, 2.57) | - |
2/28/2009 | 3:00 p.m. | Miles Morgan (1-0, 3.00) | Ryan Juarez (1-0, 3.00) | - |
3/01/2009 | 3:00 p.m. | AJ Ramos (1-0, 0.00) | Bryan Harper (0-0, 1.69) | - |
*Click on the score for boxscore.
DT's Mike Graham previews the series against the Cal State-Northridge Matadors and head coach Dan Spencer says this is business:
"To get guys out there and to see something different is part of the college experience," he said. "It's different. All those clubs out there have won some games and played good people. There's no gimmes out there."
And first baseman Chris Richburg is excited:
"You can't be too disappointed with having to go to California to play baseball," Richburg said. "Everybody's really fired up and we're excited to go on the road."