Odds and Ends
Get Your Guns Up: You may have to get fairly close to your computer, but I don't think this picture needs any explanation (although there is one):
Texas Tech Track
Roberts Runs at World Championships: This gets top billing this morning because 400m runner Gil Roberts competed in the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany. Roberts ran in the 5th heat this morning and finished with a time of 46.41. Despite not qualifying for the next round, this is a huge honor and congratulations to Roberts for competing on such a high level.
Texas Tech Football
Collier Hopes to Rebound: LAJ's Don Williams features linebacker weakside Blake Collier, who is currently backing up Marlon Williams, and his rough past two years (tearing the same hamstring two years in a row), but is looking for 2009 to be the year he gets on the field again:
"It was frustrating at first," he said, "but then I just looked at it as time to get better, rebuild, get my body right, get more flexible.
"I think I got a lot stronger, so I think it was a good year. Everything happens for a reason. That was one of those things that you just have to find the good in it."
Collier's biggest motivation is that he's a junior this year, and should he continue to perform, he will replace Williams in 2010.
Scrimmage Update: LAJ's Don Williams has a scrimmage update from yesterday and freshman RB Eric Stephens is making plays and breaking tackles:
Freshman running back Eric Stephens highlighted the scrimmage with a tackle-busting 14-yard touchdown off a screen pass from Taylor Potts. Safety Daniel Cobb hit Stephens hard and square, but Stephens bounced off, ran through another tackle by linebacker Sam Fehoko and carried linebacker Tyrone Sonier the last few yards into the end zone.
"It was one of the most impressive runs of the camp,’’ Tech coach Mike Leach said.
Go read the whole article for more details on last night's scrimmage.
Tech Football Notebook: LAJ's Don Williams discusses IR Adam James pushing Tramain Swindall and Cornelius Douglas . . . autograph night is at 7:00 p.m. this Friday night . . . full pads are scheduled to Monday, which is the last day of open practices . . .
Johnson in Focus: RedRaiderSports.com's Paul Lowery talks with freshman CB D.J. Johnson:
HOW HAVE THE OLDER GUYS AT CORNER HELPED YOU?
"Everybody, they’ve all played a part in it. The only thing is that [Jamar] Wall and the other cornerbacks teach you things, but you have to put your own little twist into it. So it’s like, ‘We’ll give you the basics, the things that you need to succeed but, you got to throw your own little twist into it to make if feel comfortable for you.’ What I do may not feel comfortable, but I mean everybody that’s on the team is helping me out tremendously."
Summary of 2009 Rule Changes: I'm pretty sure that I've posted something similar to this before, but Kevin Donahue of Fanblogs.com summarized the football rule changes in 2009.
Scouting the Enemy: per NewsOK, the Oklahoma Sooners believe that DT Frank Alexander will be pretty good this year . . . also per NewsOK, the Oklahoma St. Cowboys unveiled their T. Boone Pickens locker rooms . . . Rock Chalk Talk previews the Kansas Jayhawks cornerbacks . . . ESPN's Tim Griffin has scrimmage reports from Baylor, Missouri, Oklahoma St., and Texas A&M . . . Crimson and Cream Machine interviews SI's Phil Taylor . . . Bring On The Cats breaks down Kansas St. Wildcats quarterback situation . . . And The Valley Shook, a LSU Tigers blog, breaks down the Big 12 quarterbacks
Alumni: Former offensive lineman Glenn January is playing for Winnipeg in the CFL . . .