Ed. Note: I'm short for time this morning, but please enjoy.
Defense Responds: LAJ's Don Williams writes that the defense is starting to respond and LB Bront Bird says (and TTUMAR's reports confirm this) that DC James Willis is vocal:
"Coach Ruff yelled a lot,’’ Bird said, "but he was more the guy that only yelled when something bad happened. Coach Willis is yelling the entire time. Not necessarily that everything is bad. I think it’s just his way of being a part of it and help lead us.
"I think it’s good. I think everybody responds to him very well.’
And DB coach Travaris Robinson wants to put pressure on his players to perform:
"Like I tell them all the time: We’re going to create the pressure of game day,’’ Robinson said, "when it’s 80,000 people in the stands and we’re on the road and no one likes us and they’re talking bad about us. Can you play when your back is against the wall? That’s what we’re trying to get these kids to do now — play with their backs against the wall.’’
Lots of discussion about how Willis and the staff demands that players hustle all the time, get up quickly after a tackle, etc. Bird talks about how at the end of practice, the staff keeps track of the "loafs" and has to do up-downs for each one
"If you look, from our first couple of practices how many loafs we’ve had to now — it’s just learning how to practice — at one point in time, we had in the 70s and now we’re down sometimes in the teens and less,’’ Bird said. "That’s a drastic improvement. His thing is, do everything right. Where it would be the easy way out not to run to the ball, that’s not how good defenses play.’’
Notes, Notes, and More Notes: LAJ's Don Williams writes that in this morning's scrimmage (it's at 10:00 a.m.) head coach Tuberville has three goals:
Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville says he has three main goals for his team’s third intrasquad scrimmage:
1. Put the defensive backs in pressure situations.
2. See what quarterbacks Seth Doege and Jacob Karam can do.
3. Work on the running game.
Interesting for sure . . . Tuberville also says that the younger offensive linemen needs to start improving:
"We’ve got some young guys who had a pretty good pedigree coming out of high school, but they haven’t shown us much,’’ Tuberville said. "They’ve got to really grow up and do something in these next two scrimmages. I don’t want to play freshmen (linemen) next year.’’
. . . DT Chris Perry had surgery yesterday on his foot and fellow DT Pearlie Graves returned to practice . . .
2011 High School Running Backs: ESPN's Gerry Hamilton writes about some of the top runners in the 2011 recruiting class and has this to say about Texas Tech commit, Kenny Williams:
Kenny Williams (Pflugerville, Texas): Williams committed to Texas Tech on March 27. This was a huge commitment for Red Raiders coach Tommy Tuberville as he begins the process of building his program. The 5-10, 206-pound back with a powerful lower body has the look and talent of past runners recruited by Tuberville at Auburn and Ole Miss. Williams picked the Red Raiders over offers from Louisville, West Virginia, Illinois, Kansas State and others. He totaled more than 1,700 rushing yards as a junior.
There's a ton of quality running backs in Texas this year.
After the jump, Wreck Em TV's Travis Cram with thoughts from Tubervile, LB Bront Bird and WR Alexander Torres.