Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe // 04.20.09

Odds and Ends

Back From Scrimmage, My Phone Stinks

I got back from the scrimmage yesterday afternoon and didn't turn on the computer until this morning as sleep seemed to take priority over DTN. In any event, I was up at 4:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, and by the end of the day on Saturday, I was pretty beat.

I also tried to watch the game with some DTN readers and for whatever reason, I didn't get any of the text messages until halftime, then, I didn't get any voicemails until 9:00 p.m. Saturday night. My carrier is AT&T. I know they sponsor the stadium and all, but I can't for the life figure out why I didn't get texts for 3 hours and voicemails for 6 or 7 hours. I'll be calling each one of you later this week to apologize.

I should have some spring game notes later this week. I figure that we've got a long sleep until we get to talk about football, I might as well and stretch this out a bit.

Posting Premium Content

I know that it's never intentional from you guys to post premium stuff from either RedRaiderSports.com or RaiderPower.com, but we have to be careful about posting their premium content. I know that everyone just wants to update everyone on what's going on with Texas Tech, so the intention is obviously good. We had two FanPosts yesterday (I didn't turn on the computer until this morning) that had some premium content that I've taken then down for that reason. And FYI, no one is mad, we're all cool, we just have to be careful.

Texas Tech Football

Red-Black Spring Scrimmage Wrapup

I'm sure you guys have already read a bunch on the game, so I'll link to a ton of things and ignore if you've already read it:

• LAJ's Don Williams likes QB Steven Sheffield and S Cody Davis (with video and boxscore):

  Between the quarterback and safety positions, Texas Tech had three seniors make a slew of key plays and garner all sorts of awards last season.

  With spring practice winding toward its conclusion, Tech coaches at least have a better idea who will be replacing those seniors.

  Steven Sheffield threw a go-ahead touchdown pass and Cody Davis returned an interception 100 yards for an insurance score as the White team beat the Red 19-7 Saturday in Texas Tech’s annual spring game at Jones AT&T Stadium.

• LAJ's Don Williams notebook talks of moving LT Brandon Carter back to guard and LT Terry McDaniel or LG Chris Olson moving into the starting position at left tackle:

  "I’d love for Terry McDaniel to work out and be able to be the starting left tackle and I could move Carter back inside, just because he is such a force in the run game,’’ Moore said. "You go back and watch (video from last season) and you see what a force he is in there at guard.’’

• FWST's Dwain Price on Taylor Potts:

  At times Saturday afternoon at Jones AT&T Stadium, it was as if Graham Harrell was still on the field quarterbacking Texas Tech.

  That’s how efficient and poised Taylor Potts was. Tech’s new quarterback completed 20 of 27 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown in less than three quarters, but his Red team still lost to the Black 19-7 in the Red Raiders’ annual spring game before a crowd of 12,500.

  Tech coach Mike Leach said his usual high-powered offense was stalled because he played some of his players on both teams. He also stopped the game with a little more than five minutes remaining.

  "I thought Potts played well," Leach said. "I think we consistently moved [the ball]. But any time you split the teams up, there’s going to be breakdowns in execution because you’re spread a little thin."

• DT's Adam Coleman on Steven Sheffield:

  But this spring and in Saturday's Red-Black game, he [Steven Sheffield] may have stepped out of the shadows into a new role - a role that could land him more time on the field. "I thought he did a really good job of creating a level of tempo out there," Tech coach Mike Leach said of Sheffield, who he believes is the No. 2 quarterback behind Potts. "Then if he made a bad play, I thought he did a good job of bouncing back and playing the next play."

• DT's Alex Ybarra Red Raider Football Notebook (5 pages worth of notes and go to BugMeNot to avoid registration):

  Tech's top cornerback Jamar Wall, who has missed all spring practices except one because of ankle surgery, could return from his injury in a couple weeks, cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell said.

  In the meantime, junior LaRon Moore and senior Brent Nickerson have gotten reps with the first team with Jarrell Routt, Taylor Charbonnet, De'Shon Sanders and Nathan Stone working behind them on the depth chart.

  "For the most part, they're experienced," Mitchell said of this particular group. "They know the coverage, they know the techniques. They've made some plays. We're still a work in progress, those guys with the incoming freshmen. We'll come up with a group of guys that can help us win."

• DT videos #1 and #2.

Two New Defensive End Commitments

According to LAJ's Don Williams, the Red Raiders received two additional commitments over the weekend. I'll update the recruiting sideboard on the left later this week, but give a big welcome to two defensive ends, Sulphur Springs Kedrick Dial (6-5/215/4.66) and Denison's JaQwaylin Arps (6-3/219/4.78).

Kedrick and JaQwaylin, welcome to Texas Tech, and Git Your Guns Up!

Texas Tech Baseball

Outfield:
LF - Michael Reed (Jr.); CF - Taylor Ashby (Jr.); RF - Mason Macnoll (Fr.)
Infield:
3RD - Justin Berry (Fr.); SS - Joey Kenworthy (Jr.); 2ND - Garrett Totten (Fr.); 1ST - Chris Richburg (Sr.)
C - Jeremy Mayo (Fr.)
DH - Scott LeJeune (Fr.)

*Click on the score for boxscore. Texas Tech series preview (pdf).

Red Raiders Win Series Against Jayhawks

I don't have time to break-down each game this morning, although I did get to see the first 3 innings of the Saturday night game and I'll have some thoughts about that later in the week. In any event, a nice series win by Texas Tech, despite Sunday's loss. After winning this series, the Red Raiders are 9-9 in conference play, which is good for 7th in the conference. I'll take a series win against the #24 team in the nation at home.