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Texas Tech Wednesday Morning Notes - Post Gator Bowl Edition

By Seth C

Double-T Nation News:

Check out the new poll to the right. I think the results will prove to be pretty interesting.

Here's the schedule: links this morning and analysis to come sometime starting on Thursday.

Texas Tech Football:

LAJ's Don Williams writes about how Graham Harrell continues to mature as a quarterback. An eye-opening quote from Harrell on calling running plays during the entire final drive:

"Every one that was a handoff,'' a happy Harrell said outside the postgame locker room. "I felt like we could have got some passes in there, but they were playing so soft and they were just emptying out the box. I knew we only needed a field goal to win it. Coach Leach's mentality is never play for a field goal. The mentality of this team is go score a touchdown, but if they're giving us 10 yards a pop on the run, you've got to take it.''

As much as Harrell frustrated you early in the game with the safeties, there's something to be said for running the ball on that last drive and essentially running out the clock. I remember saying out loud during the game, and incorrectly giving credit to Leach, for actually running the ball to essentially kill the clock. My brother-in-law wanted to continue to pass the ball and score. Ultimately I think the right plays were called and ran which led to the right result, with almost no time left on the clock.

Leach had this on the safeties:

"A safety obviously is one of the queen mothers of quarterback frustration,'' Leach said. "A lot of them don't come back from it if they get a safety. I thought he did a great job of continuing to compete and leading the unit in the second half.''

The Morris News Service's Francine King writes about Crabtree's second half performance. Here's Harrell on how Virginia was playing Crabtree:

"Early in the game, they were trying to take him away a little bit," Harrell said. "But at half time he came in and was like Hey, I don't care if they're near me, I can catch the ball. I'm open. Throw me the ball.'... He told me, Just give me a chance. I'm going to make some plays for you.' And he did."

I thought at the time that Harrell and Leach needed to force-feed Crabtree and let him make some plays. After Crabtree's score Crabtree told Henley to make a play:

"I talked to (defensive tackle) Ra'Jon (Henley) right after my touchdown," Crabtree said. "I told him, We need a big play on defense.'"

LAJ's Don Williams also writes on Alex Trlica's game-winning field goal and has his final Gator Bowl Notebook. The notebook contains info on Groh's complaints regarding the officiating, confirms Rylan Reed's broken ankle, the play of junior safety Jordy Rowland, final receiving records, the seniors, Chris Long and Trlica. It's a long notebook.

DMN's Brian Davis has his game story, discusses the defensive lapse that was the Simpson 96 yard touchdown run and also compiled a notebook.

YouTube user ebonygentleman97 compiled a couple highlights, including the Crabtree touchdown, the Henley fumble, as well as the Trlica field goal and asks you to decide. I'm not sure what you would be deciding on those two calls, but it's highlights so what do I care.

Texas Tech Basketball:

LAJ's Jeff Walker has his game story from Texas Tech's win over Lamar. It was Roberson who sunk two free throws to give the Red Raiders the lead, while it was the defensive stand on the last possession that Coach Knight gave credit to the team:

"The defense we played (on the final possession) probably was the best single defensive possession that we've had all year," Knight said. "We didn't get caught where they end up getting free throws, or a rebound out of it. We got pressure on the shot - you're going to get some kind of shot off, and we got pressure on the shot."

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