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Texas Tech Thursday Morning Notes - At The Point Of Contact Edition

By Seth C

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Double-T Nation News:

In no particular order, DTN's Top Five:

  1. KenPom breaks down the Sweet 16.
  2. Dirk is doing play-by-play and it's quite funny.
  3. No longer will the NCAA logo be on the floors, now they just need to remove the logo from the jerseys and I'll be happy.
  4. Everone else is making fun of Aggies, so why shouldn't DTN at the very least participate.
  5. March Madness not quite as popular as it used to be.
  6. Why is it if you are a college athlete, it is sometimes important to pose with money? I just don't get it.

Texas Tech Football:

I'll start out with LAJ's Don Williams' Red Raiders Notebook this morning. Williams has updates on Todd Walker, who has returned from injury last year and is backing up Mr. Crabtree. D-Coordinator Ruffin McNeill had this on backup WILL linebacker, Blake Collier:

"Blake's a guy who stepped up today and has improved a lot mentally from last fall to bowl practice to off-season to right now,'' McNeill said.

And backup SAM linebacker, Tyrone Sonier:

"People are going to notice how hard he hits when he starts playing,'' McNeill said. "He really has a knack for being very physical at the point of contact.''

Williams then focuses on Brian Duncan's move from Sam linebacker last year to the middle linebacker. Here's Duncan:

"It was already exciting knowing that I was going back there,'' he said, "but actually getting in that position and doing it in practice, it was overwhelming.''

Snip

"You're controlling the defense,'' he said. "I'm a very talkative guy. I'm loud. I like to command, so being put in that position made it even better for me.''

More interesting, it may have been the progress of Bront Bird and Tyrone Sonier that prompted the move.

"I was reluctant,'' McNeill said, "and then I've seen the progress of Bront through the off-season and Tyrone through the off-season. That gave me the confidence to make the move.''

Make sure and check out Fox34 Day One Practice Report, which includes snips of Mike Leach, Graham Harrell, Baron Batch, Ruffin McNeill, and Aaron Crawford, who lets out a funny laugh when first asked about whether or not he was out of shape last year.

Texas Tech Baseball:

LAJ's George Watson previews the Missouri Tigers, check that the #2 nationally ranked Missouri Tigers, who come to Dan Law Field for the weekend series. You should go check out pitcher and possible #1 pick Aaron Crow at the very least this weekend.

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