Lots to Get To: There's lots to get to this morning (including post game thoughts on the Stanford win and if I have the time, a look at the football team's newest recruit), but this will probably be my last DTN DD until this weekend or Monday. I certainly want to wish you guys and gals a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays. Travel safe and you'll have to tell me about all of the great Texas Tech gifts that you received.
Things to Think About, Part I: This is to add a bit to the question of whether or Missouri's possible move to the Big Ten would affect recruiting in Texas, as a large number of players come from Texas and CT's Dave Matter asked this question of Missouri's LB Sean Weatherspoon (who is from Texas):
I posed that question — Could Missouri recruit Texas kids to play in the Big Ten? — to Tigers linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, a native of Jasper, Texas. He leaned toward doubtful for two reasons. "If you look at that conference, you think of it as being cold all the time," he said. "And you think of never really getting the chance to come down south so your parents can see you play or family members that you want to see you play."
Things to Think About, Part II: Have you ever thought that ESPN college football analyst Todd McShay has no idea what he's talking about? Well, the NFL Advisory Committee (the folks that let underclassmen know if where they will be drafted) agrees, per ProFootballTalk:
"That's the problem," the source opined. "McShay is clueless. Up until three weeks before the 2008 draft, he said that [Kentucky's] Andre Woodson would be a first-round pick. He went in the sixth and is out of the league."
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"The problem I have with people like McShay saying stupid things is parents and others who 'advise' these kids think McShay knows what he is talking about," the source said. "And they believe him before they believe the Advisory Committee. Then, when the kids go a lot lower than projected they are pissed and/or depressed. . . . This stuff happens every year and we have to deal with the broken hearts because people who don't know what they are talking about put visions of grandeur into young players' heads."
Red Raiders Take Down Cardinal: LAJ's Courtney Linehan has the story from last night in Texas Tech's 100-87 win over Stanford. Head coach Pat Knight had this to say about the team at halftime:
"They weren’t happy at halftime, they know we weren’t playing well, but I told them you have to feed off that last play," Knight said. "I didn’t think we played with good energy, we played lethargic the first half, with no emotion. We didn’t play athletic. They got it going the last play when Brad made the block, and they really fed off that. It got us going the second half."
I was able to watch almost all of the second half and the team did tend to take care of business after a somewhat close first half. SF Mike Singletary agrees:
"It was good to come back here, take care of business and get the win," Singletary said, "even though it was kind of ugly."
Notebook: LAJ's Courtney Linehan's notebook has additional info about last night's game . . . G Nick Okorie injured his shoulder last night, MRI is scheduled for today . . . PG John Roberson scored his 1,000th point last night and PK had this to say about his point guard:
"The kid’s going to leave here being one of the best guards who ever played at Texas Tech," Knight said, "and we still have him another year and a half."
. . . over 13,000 fans showed up last night (good for the folks at the game) . . .
Moving to San Antonio: LAJ's Don Williams writes that the team and staff had one last practice yesterday in Lubbock and then after the holiday, the team will start working in San Antonio. We've already been down this road, but Leach talked about starting QB Taylor Potts:
"He’s played well, and at some point we need to get consistent at that position," Leach said. "He’s played real well down the stretch, so we’re going to put the reps in him and let him play the best he can. He played real good against Oklahoma, and I thought he played well against Baylor.
"I don’t think we played well as an offense against Baylor (in a 20-13 win). I thought he did. He didn’t have a lot of help."
Wideout Wave: LAJ's Don Williams writes that the coaching staff is excited about the next wave of redshirt freshmen receivers (Aaron Fisher, E.J. Celestie, Derrick Mays and Eric Ward) and captain Mike Leach is excited:
"We’ll find out,’’ Leach said this week, "but we have a young group that’s enthusiastic, that works extremely hard and works well together. I don’t see all those (returnees) holding them off. I really don’t. We’ll play the best eight, but I don’t see all the faces that played this year holding off all the young guys.’’
Williams also mentions where these guys are lining up offensively:
Since they came aboard in the summer, split end Eric Ward, flanker Derrick Mays, "Y’’ inside receiver Aaron Fisher and "H’’ inside receiver Ernest Celestie have built coaches’ anticipation.
And wide receivers coach Lincoln Riley likes what he sees:
"Mays and Fisher both can really run,’’ inside receivers coach Lincoln Riley said this week. "They run better than anybody we’re playing with right now. Fisher does it as a big body. Mays is the fastest person on this team.
"Ward is the most physical receiver right now in the program, more than anybody we’re playing with. As much as we emphasize blocking in playing at (split end) … that’s going to give him a chance.
"Celestie’s probably the most steady of all of them. He shows up every day and does what he needs to do. Guys like that have always had success here, especially at that position.’’
You'll want to go read the whole thing.
Finishing Strong: SAEN's Jerry Briggs writes that the Red Raiders are wanting to finish strong and CB Jamar Wall thinks the team is focused:
"I personally think we have worked harder for bowl preparation than we have in any of my four years here," Tech senior cornerback Jamar Wall said.
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"We usually take it kind of easy," Wall said. "But, I mean, seeing that we took it kind of easy last year and weren't successful, the (coaches) kind of changed things up."
Notebook: LAJ's Don Williams has a notebook of information . . . offensive line coach Matt Moore will be keeping the same starting lineup, although LT Terry McDaniel is close to returning and will be a backup against Michigan St. . . . Moore also talks about how he wants Mickey Okafor and Deveric Gallington to win the right guard spot next year and more on Joel Gray's move to center. . . seven players graduated in December: CB Brent Nickerson, CB Nathan Stone, LT Chris Olson (graduated early), RG Brandon Carter, C Shawn Byrnes, DT Victor Hunter and S LaShawn Vation, congrats to all seven gentlemen!
Miscellaneous Links: The Rivalry Esq.'s Graham Filler with Air Raid basics . . . FWST's Jimmy Burch with post season awards . . .