Here's the official recap from Texas Tech's 56-14 win over UMass (boxscore) and the ever-important post game quotes.
Here's Captain Leach on last night's game:
On impressions of tonight's game
"I was proud of our overall effort. The first group all played well. Our twos squandered some reps that irritated me. There was a mixed group with the twos. As far as our firsts I think we were really good on offense, defense, and special teams. They played well. Defense played a sharp game other than a play here or there. Offense was pretty good. We went and got penalized a couple of times that I wish we hadn't. On special teams we did some good things, too sloppy on penalties. And we need to punt better."
Ruffin McNeill on the defense:
On the defense overall
"I like our guys' mentality. They work hard. Coach (Leach) mentioned it earlier they are very coachable. I'm very proud of the improvement. One thing we have talked about each week was that make sure we get better as a group and individually. I like that part. I like the fact that they are not worried about who we are playing, but how we play. That's the type of mentality we've got to make sure we keep and carry on. It's not who we play, but how we play, and just worry about Texas Tech and making sure they are doing their job at a high level. I'm proud of the boys and how they work."
McNeill also addresses what I've somewhat assumed, that he's holding back a bit. There's no need to show the entire blitz package until later in the season:
On playing with little blitzes
"I've been holding back a little bit on it because the guys have been getting to it (the ball), but we have some blitzes we haven't shown, and I'm looking forward to tossing them in there. I ran one with the second group towards then end, and they ran the right play for that blitz, but I'm pleased the kids are executing what we call."
Defensive end Brandon Williams confirms this as well, that he just wants the defensive line to just go out and play:
On what has changed from last year to this year
"I mean he (McNeill) took out a lot more plays than we had last year, so it's a lot off our shoulders. He just let us attack and that's really it. He just told us `go out there and play and attack up front'. We don't have to read as many plays as we did when we were under Coach (Lyle) Setencich, but when Ruff (Ruffin McNeill) took over he's just like our father, so we just look at him just as `Pops.' We just go out there and play every time."
UMass head coach Don Brown had some high praise for Texas Tech:
On the overall conclusion of the game
"I've been coaching in New England my whole coaching career and we've played a number of 1A games. That's the best 1A team I've ever been around or ever competed against. They're extremely talented and obviously Graham Harrell is unbelievable. He throws the ball on time and you can't trick him. Michael Crabtree is excellent. I was really worried about Eric Morris and he really hurt us. We just looked bad. We were in it today and they're a very, very good football team. We're in our third week on the road and this was not an ideal opponent for the third week.
And I thought this quote from UMass quarterback Liam Coen, that the Texas Tech defense only blitzed twice . . . the entire game:
On Tech Defense
"Very sound, good up front. May have blitzed us twice. Did a very good job of the run game. I thought they were as good in the game as they were on tape."
Coen also feels that this Texas Tech team was the best team he's ever faced:
On if this was the best 1A team they have played against
"Absolutely. Boston College was a good team last year they were up there in the rankings but this is a different breed down here and we knew that coming into the game. We expected that."