Side Bar Content
You'll note that I've changed some things along the left sidebar. Below the ads, I've added a few new items.
First, I want to start compiling the list of offseason projection polls. I thought that having one central location for all of them would make them easier to find (duh) and allow those of you who don't get to vote in a given week the opportunity to vote later, despite the fact that I may have moved it as a main poll. My thought is to put a new poll up on Thursday night and leave it there for a week, so vote early and vote often.
I've said poll 3 times in the last paragraph and now a 4th time overall. That's my limit.
Second, you will also note that I've added a place for us to keep track of the "A Season In Review" series. They will be in chronological order according to year. Right now I have no plans to move in any order although I do notice that I'm taking quite a few of the better seasons (I've posted 1989 and 1974 and I've finished 1955, 1976, and 1995.).
I've also added the Recruiting Board for easy reference. I've also edited the 2008 Football Recruiting Board by dividing the group into two charts: verbal commitment and offer. As I have time, I'll try to add every player under the sun, but this will take some time. The DTN editorial staff (that's me) will add more sports to this section as they become available.
Texas Tech Football
I receive a Google News Alert every week and for the most part it's a bunch of junk. Then I find this little gem from the Merced Sun Star about Logan and Carter Todd, preferred walk-ons this year at Tech. Apparently the Todd brothers might be scholarship players by next year:
"From what you see on the tapes, from talking to coaches, to the kids themselves, I couldn't believe that there weren't schools out there lining up to go after these guys," Leach said.
"But hey, we're thrilled to get them."
So much so, in fact, that Leach had his staff jump straight onto the case of getting the Todd brothers enrolled and putting them in touch with the school's financial aid people.
Like any other coach at college football's elite level, Leach was careful not to promise the boys anything - but he did say he thought both had the talent and potential to become scholarship players after a single walk-on year.
Carter is a wide receiver and was only offered a scholarship by Nevada. Logan, the quarterback, wasn't offered a scholarship at all, but much of that may have been to do with a bum knee for much of his senior season.
I have to imagine that Leach believes that there will be some attrition to this year's recruiting class, just as there is with any class. The thought of "re-stocking" a class with good kids seems like a decent idea, so long as they've got some ability and it looks like these kids do. The one thing that scares me is Logan's 40-yard time, which seems incredibly slow, but I wonder if he was running on a knee that hadn't fully recovered. I think I'll believe that, simply because I'm out of shape and I think I could run a 4.9 40-yard dash, wind aided of course.
Rivals.com Olin Buchanan ranks the schedules for all Big 12 teams this year, taking into account conference play, and the Red Raider check in at #9 (it's a list, and who doesn't love a list?):
Toughest game: A Nov. 10 trip to Texas figures to be difficult. The Red Raiders have lost in their last four trips to Austin and were blown out in three of those.
Cakewalk: Last year the Red Raiders severely beat up on a Division I-AA opponent, trouncing Southeast Louisiana 62-0. They enjoyed it so much the Raiders scheduled Division I-AA Northwestern State. The result should be similar.
Trap game: A year ago, Tech didn't seem to take UTEP all that seriously and needed overtime for a 38-35 victory. The Miners could provide another scare if the Red Raiders aren't careful.
Changes from last season: Rather than TCU, Tech will play Rice early. That translates to replacing a loss with a win. The Raiders travel to Texas, but get Oklahoma and Texas A&M in Lubbock.
I think Olin's a pretty good writer and usually puts out pretty good material, check out the entire article.
College Football News is predicting the bowl games - in June. Where do our Red Raiders figure in all of this? Wait for it . . . the Houston Bowl against . . . Houston. Seems a little underwhelming if you ask me, but my expectations are always a little higher than most. CFN is also thinking that Tech may be considered for the Independence Bowl or another dominating performance at the Insight Bowl. I don't know if I like any of those choices. I'd love to go to the Alamo Bowl and that's where I'm setting my sights this year.