TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL
Meet The Two-Deep: Ryan Erxleben - Texas Tech Red Raiders Official Athletic Site (watch via YouTube)
Tuberville wants 12-team conference | Red Raiders
Tuberville is right, I think 12 teams is a good number, but I don't think that will be easy. I would also advise Tuberville to be careful. Last year when he said the conference wouldn't last, he was fined. Maybe Beebe needs to hire Tubs as a PR consultant and be ahead of the curve. Here's Tuberville:
"I would love for us to get back to 12 (teams)," Tuberville said. "I like the eight (conference) games that you play and then a conference championship game. I would hope that’s what we’re looking for.
"Obviously, we’re going to have to add one. I don’t know who that would be. Nobody’s going to ask us (coaches). They’re going to go out and pick whoever, but if we’re going to add one, we might as well go ahead and add three and get back to eight (conference) games and a conference championship game."
Red Raiders seek more quick-strike weapons on offense | Red Raiders
I think a lot of Texas Tech fans have been saying that this is what was wrong with the Texas Tech offense last year, the lack of a big play and deep threat. Tuberville talks about having options, in particular WR Bradley Marquez:
"It’s going to be wide receiver by committee," Tuberville said, "but I don’t think they’re going to be able to focus on one guy or two guys like people did against us last year. I think we’re going to have, not an abundance, but more guys that have a chance to make a play."
Among the several skill players the team signed, Odessa product Bradley Marquez has gotten the most praise in a short time.
"He has exceptional quickness and speed," Tuberville said. "He’s going to take all of our receivers to another level, because when you put a guy like him on the inside that can run, with his quickness, that forces single coverage on the outside a lot."
LAJ's Williams also details the big-play options in the article.
Red Raiders Football Notebook: Trahan returns | Red Raiders
Woot! TE Tony Trahan is back and back in time to be able to have that 3 tight end set that I've been craving to write about for next week. Also, Tuberville intends on traveling next week with about 68 players.
Tech D preps as Bobcats still unsure of starting QB - The Daily Toreador: Sports
I keep forgetting about the DT, it's going to take some time of checking the site after taking the entire summer off.
Williams & Hyatt On Demand | Texas Tech Red Raider Sports News & Commentary | Lubbock News
Hyatt has just about all of the audio from this week for free. Give it a listen.
Scout.com: Fearful Freshmen Forecasts
Yeager talks about the freshmen he expects to make an impact. Lots of good stuff here so I'll just tell you to go read the whole thing.
2011 Skywriters Tour Visits Texas Tech - Big 12 Conference - Official Athletic Site
Meh.
So much more after the jump (including Big 12, college football, basketball, soccer and your moment of zen)!
BIG 12 AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Big 12 Football Opening Weekend: Point Spreads & Predictions - Big 12 Hoops
Texas Tech is a 38.5 point favorite.
2011 Big 12 preview | National Football Post
NFP is always a pretty decent read.
Miami Football Investigation Sparks Report War Between Charles Robinson, Jason Whitlock - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
How salacious!
Big 12 should do its best to keep A&M-Texas rivalry intact - ESPN Dallas
This is funny as this article is written from Ed Cunningham, a correspondent and announcer for the Longhorn Network, and it feels like he's placing the blame on the fact that the UT and TAMU game won't be played any more on TAMU leaving for the SEC. Well . . . if Ed would ask why TAMU is doing that, i.e. the Aggies hate the fact that the Longhorns run the conference and the Longhorn Network, then he'd have his answer.
Uni Watch delivers every stitch of change in college football uniforms - ESPN
I didn't know where to put this as Lucas has a review of the every college uniform. I don't think he likes the new Under Armour uniforms (I'm not a huge fan, but I really like simple things) and says that the Texas Tech football uniforms now have a tramp-stamp. So there's that.
Texas A&M is Gone; What's Next? - Turfburner | Even post-A&M, 16-team conferences are no lock - CBSSports.com | BYU issues statement on expansion "distraction" - CBSSports.com | The Big 12 Expansion Wheel spins again: Where she stops, no one knows - Dr. Saturday - NCAAF Blog - Yahoo! Sports | Texas Is Always Ranked In ESPN's Eyes - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
I decided to put all types of Big 12 realignment and implosion links in just one spot. I think Tuberville is correct, I think a team needs 12 teams, not 10, and I think that finding 3 additional conference members that should be in the Big 12 is not so easy.
TEXAS TECH BASKETBALL
Gillispie adds talented, tall Kravic | Red Raiders | RedRaiderSports.com - Notebook: Raiders add transfer
As posted via FanShot yesterday, Texas Tech signed Dejan Kravic, a transfer who will sit out the 2011-2012 season, from York University. Here's Kravic's YouTube and an article about him from earlier this year. Also, Texas Tech head coach Billy Gillispie talks about Kravic:
"He’s tall and athletic," Gillispie said. "We’re learning about him as we go. We’ve done our research on him to make the decision to bring him here, but we’re really excited about the athleticism that he has, the size that he has and most importantly the determination and character."
LADY RAIDER SOCCER
Texas Tech Set For Challenge in Gainesville - Texas Tech Red Raiders Official Athletic Site
MOMENT OF ZEN
Don't even think that I'm going to do this every day, again hat-tip Unlikely Words.
Wild Wyoming, A Summer of Sunsets & Dark Skies from Eric Hines on Vimeo.