Double-T Nation News:
What a reminder. It can happen to you. I hope Captain Leach sits down with his guys and lets them know that there are no guarantees in college football. There are no gimmies, no handouts, no free passes. Every team can be upset, especially on the road. Texas Tech as a big game next week, and I'll probably say that for each Big 12 game because every game is big from this point forward.
Texas Tech Hockey:
BOOO! Thanks to the story and video from KCBD11, the Lubbock City Council notified the Texas Tech Hockey Club, yesterday, that they must vacate the City Bank Coliseum immediately. Oh, and by the way, the season starts tomorrow night. I hate this move and I'm still trying to figure out the city council's motivation.
For those of you in Lubbock, this would be a pretty good cause to support.
Texas Tech Football:
LAJ's Don Williams focuses on the play of linebackers Brian Duncan and Bront Bird and the fact that they are part-time players. Here's Williams:
When it’s second-and-long or third-and-long, Duncan and Bird usually come off the field as defensive backs Jordy Rowland and Anthony Hines go on. Plus, with the Tech defense showing a lot of proficiency on first and second downs, the six-DB package is getting plenty of work so far. Weak-side starter Marlon Williams, who McNeill regards as the team’s best pass-coverage linebacker, is the one most apt to stay in regardless of situation.
I'm not sure I agree with Ruffin McNeill's assessment of who is the best pass-coverage linebacker and would think that considering Bird was a safety not so long ago, would seemingly make him a natural fit at being that linebacker in on 3rd down.
Duncan on his position change from last year:
"I have no regrets," Duncan said. "I have no doubts about the position. I think coach Ruff has made the right decison. He trusts me to play there, get the job done, lead the defense and have these guys where they need to be. I take full responsibility in that."
And Bird on how he, Duncan and Williams work on communicating:
"We play a lot better when we’re on the same page," Bird said. "When we’re all moving as one unit, we’re about as good as it gets. It helps refresh your own memory when you’re communicating with the guy next to you. Sometimes they may not get everything or see everything you see. So if everyone’s communicating, we all see the whole field and it helps us out as a unit."
LAJ's Williams' Red Raiders Football Notebook provides an update on the outstanding special teams play of Daniel Charbonnet.
Neglected Videos: LAJ's Don Williams, Adam Zuvanich and some other guy with the Red Raider Report, lots of video highlights from the UMass game (BTW, if someone will tell me who the other guy is, who is wearing a maroon shirt, I'll give him credit) . . . these guys also review the Big 12 . . . Fox34 on Leach being happier with the offense . . . KAMC28 with some video of the players commenting on Texas Tech's new kicker, Matt Williams, a.k.a. Linwood, and a conversation with RB's coach Seth Littrell . . .
Texas Tech Recruiting:
Also in LAJ's Williams' Red Raiders Football Notebook is a little more on new Texas Tech recruit Kerry Hyder who the coaching staff thinks could play the Joker stand-up pass rush position (currently played by Daniel Howard, Brandon Williams and Sandy Riley). Hyder, who is 6'3" and 260, thinks he'll fit in nicely with the Red Raiders:
"I think I’ll fit it real well," Hyder said. ""My speed and my strength will help me a lot at that position."Snip
"I gained more body mass," he said. "It’s not like fat. I’ve gotten bigger. I’m moving real well with that weight."
Rivals updated their JUCO rankings and previous 1-star player for Texas Tech and JUCO players defensive back Ryan Clark is now a 4-star recruit. Jonathan Hollins was a 4-star recruit under Scout, which is why he always had 4-stars. I try and take the best ranking from either service, which makes DTN wildly inconsistent, but it makes me feel better. Rivals also updated Trevor Reilly to a 3-star recruit and I believe he is the commit who was on a LDS missionary trip the past two years.
In related recruiting news, according to Scout Texas Tech has the #24 recruiting class, behind Texas at #3, Oklahoma at #7, and TAMU at #8. Please note that Scout does not include the aforementioned Trevor Reilly in their commitment list for Texas Tech.
This will be another small class so don't get upset if we don't rank higher because of the low numbers. I'm looking at the fact that there's almost all 3-star and 4-star players who have committed much earlier than this program has ever seen. Congrats to the staff and I suppose Antonio Huffman, who it should be noted was hired to be the director of player personnel and although I have no intimate knowledge of the program, I don't think it's a coincidence that Huffman was hired and in the subsequent recruiting class Texas Tech has 17 early commitments.
Captain Leach, pat yourself on the back.