Double-T Nation News:
Two weekly features that we all love the Tortilla Retort's Texas Tech Post-Morten: OSU and The Boy's Beyond The Boxscore Rankings and Projections at Rock M Nation
Basketball preview coming at noon.
Texas Tech Football:
LAJ's Don Williams discusses this team's change in fortunes against ranked teams. QB Graham Harrell talks about something that I've mentioned a couple of times:
"In the past, when we got down to those teams … there was more doubt on the sideline and stuff," Tech quarterback Graham Harrell said Monday. "Now after having some big wins, we understand we can compete against anyone."
I'm sure that I've mentioned this before, but to reiterate, this team is completely unaffected by anything that goes on around them. Granted, OU will be this team's biggest distraction, but this team has a true calmness about them, whether it be the offense or the defense.
Captain Leach seems happy:
"I think they’ve played good," Leach said. "You just go out there, do what you can and see what happens. But I think they’ve had a real mental stability with regard to those things."
Williams also has his Red Raiders Football Notebook, where he writes about the availability of the Baylor tickets (1,000) left, the OU/TTU TV lineup, and some notes on the new Under Armour, Inc. deal, including this from Captain Leach:
"I can say firsthand that the service is unparalleled," Leach said, "because I’ve dealt at some point in time with every shoe manufacturer that there is. I haven’t had a problem with any of them really. But I’d never been really, really excited about any of them, and Under Armour’s the only one that I’m truly excited about. They’re my kind of people. They’re aggressive as far as trying to reach for the top and trying to achieve in high fashion."
What's a guy gotta do to get from free swag so he can brag about it on a website?
ESPN's Tim Griffin writes about how life has changed for Graham Harrell over the past two weeks:
"I'm just glad I have unlimited texting," Harrell said. "It's expensive, but it's a good deal."Snip
"We're getting more attention, that's for sure," Harrell said. "Even in Lubbock, there's a different level of excitement around campus. But as far as players go, we're just trying to stay focused and excited about the upcoming game. That's the key for us.
"It's a change for us. More people want to talk to us. But hopefully, we're going to stay focused and hungry to take care of the task at hand."
Griffin also posted this video interview of Captain Leach:
Nice interview by the Texas Tech media relations department of quarterback Graham Harrell.
DMN's Brandon George writes that WR Michael Crabtree is happy to have a week off:
"The ankle is getting better," Crabtree said. "It probably won't even be hurting at all come the next game."In the last three games against top-20 teams Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma State, Crabtree has played in pain but has totaled 27 catches for 286 yards and six touchdowns. He's hobbled off the field after plays at times.
"It's been all right, but a lot of people have been going at my foot, so every time I get hit they try to twist it or whatever," Crabtree said. "But it hasn't been enough to keep me from playing."
And Leach talks about the rumors to other open coaching vacancies:
"I don't pay any attention, just get ready for OU," Leach said. "Playing OU is enough of a hand full without worrying about any of that."
FWST's Jimmy Burch notes that Texas Tech is solid because of the improved running game. Here's Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops:
"We’ve always felt in playing them that handling their running game is a factor. This year, in particular," Stoops said. "Their backs do a great job working in space and they’re great at finding seams."
And Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy:
"In defending them, the success they’ve had running the ball makes it tougher … to get them off the field," Gundy said. "This year, they’re able to keep you off-balance more with the running game."
DT's Alex Ybarra talks about how this team is trying to avoid any distractions, here's defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill:
The polls, the media attention, the distractions, all of those are distant thoughts in the minds of these Tech football players, McNeill said."It's a different group, leadership is different," he said. "They really don't care. They really just wanna hang out. They wanna practice. They wanna play. They care about each other as a team. It's a really unique deal."
Neglected Video: Fox34 with some post game thoughts after Saturday's win, including Eric Morris, Baron Batch, Michael Crabtree and Graham Harrell . . . The Tech Talk guys review the OSU game . . .