Running Behind: I'm really running late today, so I apologize for the brevity. [Note by Seth C, 10/23/09 7:20 AM CDT ] I'm also going to be at the game I'm I'd love to meet some of you guys so please leave comments as to where you'll be tailgating before the game and I'll try to stop by, steal one of your beers and say hello.
I Have Dinner With My Parents and a New Left Tackle Is Named: Seriously, I go to have a nice dinner with my parents and my wife, decide not to turn on the computer last night, and we have a new left tackle and right tackle.
LAJ's Don Williams writes that LaAdrian Waddle, a true freshman who pushed for playing time early (seriously, click on his name and see the times I wrote about Waddle previously) will start at right tackle, and Marlon Winn will start at left tackle. Here's OL Coach Moore:
"It’s just one of those things where he kept improving, kept improving, kept learning the offense,’’ Moore said. "That’s why we have Thursday night football (scrimmages for young players). He was getting 30 or 40 reps there every week. He’s been getting better and better, and with Terry getting hurt, I was looking for answers and that’s the answer I’ve come up with. He’s looked good in practice, so I’m going with him.’’
And Moore talks about, despite the numerous injuries, there being no excuses for this team:
"For as long as I’ve been around the game, it always seems to come in bunches," he said. "You have really healthy (seasons) one year, and the next year you have a bunch (of changes). But they’re going to step up every snap, no matter if it’s the first-team guy, second-team guy, third-team guy.
"That’s the way coach Leach coaches them to be. We’re not going to make excuses for anything. We’re just going to go out there and keep working. That’s what he’s instilled in this team, and it’s showing right now.’’
I'm not sure what to think here. If Waddle is as talented as Moore says he is, then this is a great move. I'm sure that I'm not alone in that the one play that is still ingrained in my memory is the play that Winn took off and Kindle leveled Potts. That cannot happen this week on either side. I'm nervous. Very nervous.
More notes and links after the jump.
Hawk Leaves Team: LAJ's Don Williams writes that WR Rashad Hawk has decided to leave the team and focus on track. I hope that Hawk has a tremendous amount of success in the track program.
So One Sided: DT's Alex Ybarra details the one-sided affair that the Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M game has been. Here's head coach Mike Sherman:
"Certainly they have been a nemesis for A&M, particularly here in the last seven trips and even longer than that," Sherman said. "They have kind of been a thorn in the Aggies’ side for a while."
What If: FWST's Dwain Price has a lengthy blog-post about freshman QB Seth Doege, wondering what would happen if Doege did play for Texas Tech. For those of you who don't know much about Doege, this is a good primer.
Texas A&M Aggie Links: Dr. Saturday's Holly Anderson writes that the TAMU vs. TT game will be one of the worst of the week . . . B/CS Eagle's Robert Cessna writes that the Texas A&M defense will have its hands full with the Texas Tech offense:
"Texas Tech's scheme has proven through the years to be one of the best throwing the football in the country," A&M defensive coordinator Joe Kines said. "Coach Leach has been in this system a long time, understands it, has developed it, grew it. I've played him at several different places, and he just does a phenomenal job teaching the fundamentals of throwing and catching."
Big 12 Media Days: Lots of stuff from the Big 12 Media Days and I'd love to be able to get to all of it, but for now, I'll have to point you in the right direction. First off, check out the official Big 12 Media Days page where you can find video and also a transcript of head coach Pat Knight's Q&A with the media (pdf). There's a lot to get to in those quotes, probably in another post next week that's solely dedicated to basketball, but here's a bit about what Pat Knight is expecting from some of the newcomers:
You know, we're always going to be halfjunior college when I recruit. It's just Texas Tech is just a really good situation to recruit junior college and high school kids. The three junior college kids -- Reese, Tairu, and Jenkins -- we brought them in immediately to upgrade our talent and athleticism, and I think you'll see them in the starting lineup a lot this year or being one of the first to come off the bench.
So really those three kids are going to make a huge impact for us just from an athletic and talent standpoint that we didn't have last year. You know, I think they'll be having those kids added to the mix with good players like Roberson and Singletary, now you have five guys that are actually a threat with the ball. But we can actually play defense now. We can get back to playing man to man.
No More Zone: LAJ's Courtney Linehan writes that PK is done with playing zone defense, had a Big 12 hoops notebook, where she talks about PG John Roberson's role changing:
"I want him to be more well-rounded the next two years, because he really is," Knight said. "People haven’t seen what a good player he is cutting and moving off of screens."
And PK confirmed that SF Mike Singletary has lost 20 pounds over the offseason, and this bit is very encouraging:
"Now Mike’s able to drive more, get by guys," Tech coach Pat Knight said. "He actually dunks in the half-court situation."
Pitching Depth on Display: LAJ's George Watson writes that the pitching depth will be displayed in the Red & Black series starting on Friday. Head coach Dan Spencer is encouraged:
"We’re not as deep as we think we will be in a couple of weeks when we get a couple of guys back (from injury) and can add them to the active roster," head coach Dan Spencer said. "I think if the (doctors) are kind to us … and we’re all able to progress and able to pitch in the spring, then the depth on the mound will be very good."
And I really love this quote about guys who think they are starters separating themselves:
"We feel we don’t have anybody positionally that will make this club and we’ll take into the spring who are pretenders," Spencer said. "They’re all Division I talent. We told them Tuesday that it’s time for guys who think they need to be a starter and those who need to fill roles to start believing in that and start separating themselves. I hope we’ll see that."