FOSTER IMPRESSES | LAJ's Don Williams writes that IR/RB Sadale Foster has very much impressed during practices and scrimmages this year. A good part of the story focuses on how Foster and LB Will Smith were high school teammates, so that's pretty good. Here's head coach Tommy Tuberville on Foster:
"SaDale’s got quick feet," Tuberville said. "He’s built low to the ground, but he’s not a small guy. ... I’ve been impressed with how he really has learned the offense, and the great thing about it is he can catch the ball, too. You don’t have to worry about subbing for a running back when they need to catch the ball."
And here's Foster:
"I like having the ball in my hands," he said. "Being able to play multiple positions is a plus for me. More opportunities to get the ball. The main adjustment out here is trying to adjust to the wind. It’s always windy, so catching punts is a little more difficult here than it is in Southern California."
I think Foster is going to be a welcome surprise, but I'm going to temper expectations and try to not get too excited. And as far as the wind and catching punts . . . #jokes
STUDENT OF THE GAME | Hat-tip to Raider1992, S Cody Davis is writing about his last year on a new blog called Student of the Game. It's good and it's worth your time. Davis writes about the past coaches and the fact that James Willis' 3-4 scheme was difficult to learn, Chad Glasgow's 4-2-5 scheme wasn't as complicated, but required perfection and the team was afraid to make mistakes, while Art Kaufman's 4-3 is more simple:
Art Kaufman is now the defensive coordinator and the defensive back coach is John Lovett. Ironically we are back to the 4-3 defense where it all started. So far the defense seems simple and I am impressed with the knowledge and experience of my new coaches. Many people always ask me how I deal with all of the changes and the answer never changes. I only focus on what I can control, so I don't focus on what has happened or why. I only know what is now ahead of me and the work I have to put in to be successful. Every year I go out with the mentality of winning my job and being better than the day before.
Pretty much this. I think I have the same hope as Davis in that the defense is improved and hopefully the experience of the coaches will play a factor in the hopeful improvement of the defense.
VIDEO, VIDEO, VIDEO | Although this has more to do with track than football, I very much enjoyed this Raider Power segment on RB Ben McRoy transitioning to track. I ran track way back in high school and had forgotten how technical running can be and never considered how technical it is at the collegiate level. I had also posted a link to the other Raider Power segment on the first scrimmage, but now the video is on YouTube:
Spring Football wraps first week with 85-play scrimmage (via techathletics)
VIDEO BOARD UPDATE AND ADDITIONAL LINKS | DMN's Mike Graham writes that RRS.com reports that an engineering study came back on a new video board and the building where the video board was to be is not strong enough to support the new video board. Here's Graham:
The simplest option is to install multiple piers into the building the board will sit on top of. The problem is the piers would obstruct the current interior of the building. There are other ways to support the board externally, but Texas Tech has not chosen a route yet if the university is going with that option.
I'll let Castle take it from here:
