When you get right down to it the team has a pretty good Special team construct. They aren’t giving up TD runs off of punt returns or kickoff returns. Ok KSU's Tyler Lockett torched us. They make most of the PAT’s and FG's from 40 yards inwards and they are ok with kick off returns and punt returns i.e. they aren’t dropping them or routinely getting hit by the ball when blocking for the return guy. Yes that is an improvement over 2013 efforts.

Offensively Tech is pretty good they routinely can amass 350 yards passing and over 100 yards rushing per outing. That’s good news. The badness is they seem to be unable to get into the end zone. Very much think they get rattled under pressure when its 3rd and 7 yards to go. This causes the Tech Offensive linemen to hold and receivers to start looking to run before they secure the ball. I think the offense is tough enough. I think they lose focus and get little too anxious especially in the third period.

Defensively the team is kinda shook up. We have seen the some of the work Mohave kayakyakr and other posters have done showing the attrition of defensive linemen. We have some depth issues. https://www.vivathematadors.com/2014/11/23/7270491/ten-thoughts-on-texas-tech-34-iowa-state-31

(what ?!? How did that happen??) Halfway down the comments see kayakyakr generated link of attrition by position spreadsheet But even more than that we have limited butt throw weight. The Defensive linemen just seem to get stood up or pancaked or out hustled especially late In the game when opponent throw the FB / TE out there and just run right at you 7 or 9 plays per series. Then the NT/ DE /DT all get worn down and the Line Backers start getting chipped and running around trying to do too much. It’s a pretty blinding flash of the obvious that opponents even Iowa State doesn’t need to pass to beat this position groups(s). All they have to do is show pass once per series we bail out and then the QB pulls the ball down and he gashes us. So when they do pass usually somebody is open because the rush has set us up for the knockout blow. OSU got luck and punished our small corners and safeties. The secondary is depleted because every safety had to make 10 plus tackle per game just to keep the running backs coming at them from making a first down on every play. So now all their e shoulders are shattered hitting brick wall at speed head on. It’s really a tale of kinetic strikes.

I don’t see the defense getting significantly better in 2015. I think the Raider/Bandit LB experiment is a failure. At least its failure when you are trailing by 2 scores. I think the opponent play selection - say 50 % pass 50 % run in the second half would let the Bandit be effective because yes he’s faster than most of their Tight ends and Full backs/ blocking leaking running backs. Pete Robertson is definitely faster than every QB except RGIII in this league. Problem is an extra lightweight tackler is now a liability because Tech trails. The conditions don’t allow this guy or guys to make an impact, put them in 3rd and 6 yards plus and it’s a totally different construct. He’s either gonna get held or chase the QB out of the pocket or take away the over the middle dump off pass to the RB/TE. I hope coach Mike Smith can recruit coach up and field a 4 – 3 Defensive alignment. I don’t think they can remedy the lack of defensive linemen in one 6 month offseason, but maybe it can be mitigated. By all accounts it would really help this position groups total snaps played i.e. apparent tiredness - if Tech can score an extra 10 points per outing.

Decision 2015. How to get to a reasonable game construct which beats who you should. Beats one or two of the league leaders (the upset). Tec finishes up with a Bowl eligible end state in December.