Odds and Ends
Off Season Schedule
Here's my schedule for most of the rest of the summer, or so long as I can keep it up. I'm thinking that I'm going to slow down a bit on the Best of Lubbock, perhaps through June and maybe July. I will be taking a vacation in the middle of June so you'll be without me for a few days, but other than that, this is going to be how most days look going forward:
- Monday: DTN's Best of Lubbock Reader Submissions
- Tuesday: 5 Things
- Wednesday: Community Projections
- Thursday: 5 Things
- Friday: DTN's Best of Lubbock Poll
You'll notice that I'm going to start to bring back the community projections (click the link above for last year's projections). If anyone has any suggestions as far as players you would like to see, leave a comment.
Texas Tech Football
CFN's Texas Tech Preview
CFN's Pete Fiutak has College Football News' annual preview of the Red Raiders, and for the most part, it's pretty good. If you're lacking for something to do today, you've got plenty to keep you busy. In fact, Fiutak has also written something on the offense and defense. Lots of good stuff to read.
True Freshmen Playing Safety
RRS.com's Joe Yeager wonders if a true freshman will be in the 2-deep at safety this year. I actually started writing about the 2009 defensive back class early on Saturday morning so you can expect to see more on this next week. Here's Yeager on his candidates (and mine as well, but I'd also throw in Yahshua Williams as a nickel cornerback):
The three freshman safeties who have many tongues a-wagging are Will Ford of Abilene, Daniel Cobb of Killeen, and Terrance Bullitt of Garland. All three are talented and there's no reason why they should not have excellent careers in scarlet and black. Ford and Cobb, however, are probably more physically ready right now for the challenge of Big 12 level football.
Air-Raid Production by Position
This is something that I've wanted to do, but never took the time to actually do it. College Fantasy Football Insider's Alex Esselink is trying to determine who will replace Michael Crabtree and breaks down each position's production (by the top player). Lots of good numbers here and you can look forward to my look at whether or not we need to be concerned about replacing Michael Crabtree (schedule for a Tuesday post).
Scheduling Concerns
ESPN Big 12 blogger Tim Griffin thinks the TAMU, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma games are the key to Texas Tech's season:
Texas Tech (Oct. 24, Texas A&M; Oct. 31, Kansas; Nov. 14, at Oklahoma State; Nov. 21, Oklahoma): These four games will determine whether the Red Raiders can make a surprise charge into contention in the South Division. Tech coach Mike Leach has never lost to A&M at home, fashioning a 4-0 record. Kansas players remember a humiliating 63-21 loss at Lawrence last season that pushed Tech's margin to 10-1 in that series. Tech hasn't won at OSU since 2001. And the Red Raiders will be looking to hang a third straight victory in Lubbock over Bob Stoops after last season's 65-21 loss that spoiled the Red Raiders' 10-0 season start. Tech likely won't be challenging for the South title this season, but success in this four-game stretch should point them on a rewarding bowl trip. An 0-4 finish might keep Tech out of a bowl trip for the first time under Leach.
If it were me, I might start with the Nebraska game and end with the OSU game.
Meanwhile, CT's Dave Matter writes that the game against Rice is the 12th best non-conference game (not the Houston game, which is the game I would have chosen, but gets a mention):
12. Texas Tech vs. Rice, Sept. 12: This one figures to be keep the scoreboard busy. Texas Tech had the country’s No. 1 passing offense last fall. Rice, a 10-game winner last year, was No. 5 in passing.
Elf Gets a Chance
The Broadcast Booth's Brian Jensen writes this morning that Eric Morris will be going to rookie camp for the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Wednesday.
From the collective DTN readers, we wish you luck and will pass along good mojo on Wednesday.
Texas Tech Baseball
Looking Ahead
LAJ's George Watson take a look back at the 2009 season and thinks that the team is headed in the right direction. I really like this quote from Spencer:
"I would say maybe we exceeded (expectations) in conference," Spencer said. "I don’t think overachieving is the right word because we’ve got some achieving guys and some talent. But I think what we’ve done now is when we talk to kids, and when people talk about Tech, they say we’re a rival member of the Big 12 now and a place that you can win. We have won and will win again in the future."
TTU's Blayne Beal has another nice wrap-up of the 2009 team, including the Beal Awards (I agree with all of them) and summer league assignments. Lots of good things to read here.