Texas Tech Football
LAJ's Don Williams has some less than encouraging news in that DE Brandon Sesay is not going to be on the preseason practice roster, which is capped at 105 players. Captain Mike Leach puts it succinctly:
"Contrary to popular belief, no train stops for Brandon Sesay,’’ Leach said.
I have no idea as to the actual issues that Sesay is dealing with, but you've got to think that either he's just not spending enough time in the classroom or he just can't make the grades. I'm hoping for the best, and it maybe by the time the season starts, Sesay will be eligible, but don't anyone hold your breath.
Williams has two additional notes football related items. Item #1 is one I never understood in the first place, but David Neill, former DT, then OL, and now DT, has switched back to the defensive line. I never understood why Neill was moved to the offense in the first place back in September of last year, perhaps because of some defections and players leaving the program, but the defensive line is typically the toughest position to recruit and with the graduation of so many players this year, Neill should have been a valuable backup at this point with the potential to start next year. At least Neill is 6-5/286, and we'll see if he plays at that weight and how his re-adjustment to the defense works out.
Item #2 is that DE Brandon Sharpe will be the co-first team at the right defensive end position with fellow DE Daniel Howard. Defensive line coach Charlie Sadler had this to say:
"Both of them will play a lot,’’ Sadler said. "I could see them anywhere from splitting reps to, when we get in situations where go 30 package (three defensive linemen on pass-rush downs), Daniel could be in the joker (standup rush) position and Brandon being at end. So they could be on the field at the same time.’’
I have no doubt that Howard and Sharpe had better be ready to play a lot, especially with the news about Sesay.
Off the field, Williams has a good breakdown of the current season ticket situation as well as the tickets sold for the Baylor game. Go check it out.
FWST's Dwain Price (for those of you who do not recall, Price is one of the non-Lubbock writers that writes about Texas Tech as much as possible) writes that the Red Raiders' confidence is sky high after an 11-2 season. Here's Captain Mike Leach:
"We had the best recruiting class that we’ve had since I’ve been here this year and now we’re starting to work on next year’s class," Leach said. "One positive by-product is a lot of people were excited about Texas Tech based on last season, so we have plenty of recruits that we’re writing to.
"I think everybody was excited about how can we best keep our forces together and maximize our efforts toward making Texas Tech as good a university as possible for our students, fans and alumni."
Lots of good information in the article itself, and only one item that I thought was inaccurate, which was that Price thought that DT Myles Wade would end up at defensive end, and at 6-2/340, there ain't no way that Wade plays defensive end. He should get plenty of time at defensive tackle, and as the LAJ article mentions above, the other defensive end spot will be split between Daniel Howard and Brandon Sharpe, opposite, Rajon Henley.
Doug Gillett from Hey Jenny Slater is filling in for Spencer Hall at EDBS and takes a look at the Hal Mumme coaching tree and comes to the conclusion that it's more of a shrub with the most significant branch being Mike Leach.
Scouting the Enemy: ESPN's Tim Griffin writes that Baylor QB Robert Griffin, III has put on 10 pounds and is just as fast as he ever way (I believe it) . . . BOTC's TB with some good thoughts on who will win the Big 12 North . . . ESPN's Tim Griffin notes that Oklahoma St. will need to find a second receiver to pair with Dez Bryant . . . Also from ESPN's Tim Griffin, a bit on Baylor OT Danny Watkins and his hockey career . . .