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Practice #16. Here is your video and non-transcript of head coach Kliff Kingsbury and defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt on the scrimmage from Saturday:
Kliff Kingsbury: Better than the first one. Improvement on both sides of the ball. I thought we were clenaer. More plays, faster tempos. We're not in game shape, but we'll get there. [How was it between the offense and defense?] Back and forth, I thougth both sides rose up and both sides clenaed up, we're getting close to being game ready. We're to the point where were about to split up in scout teams, they can see the light at the end of the tunnel. [Talk about position battles.] After this last scrimmage, we pretty much figured out who is gonig to play for us. [How is Kenny Williams doing at linebacker] continues to get better, he gets better each day. At any point, we can bring him back to the offensive side of the ball. We'll see how he does. He's just a great football player, was a great special teams player, can make tackles in space, now it is just working the system. It is a work in progress. Getting used to the tempo is tough, It is tough on the defensive line, they aren't ready to play as of today, but by next Saturday they will be ready to go. Jakeem Grant has had as good a year at receiver as anyone I've been around. We're just trying to get better each day, that's what we're shooting for. The third quarterback siutation is still a work in progress. [Eric Morris] had done tremendous. I worked with him at the University of Houston, he's been fantastic for me and a proud Red Raider and he has those guys playing at a high level. [Playing more vertical.] We have more speed and we're better up front and Davis Webb is more comfortable and I expect him ot push the ball more. [On signing Stidham to the financial aid agreement.] Open communication in signing Stidham. We're much father ahead than where we were last year, had a summer and spring to meet with them, we'll be much better this year. I think knowing what to expect, make sure those kids know I am consistent. [How did Patrick Mahomes play?] When he is in, the ball moves, he has the it factor and it is fun to watch him compete.
Matt Wallerstedt: We did not get off to a good start, gave up too many touchdowns, didn't take the ball away enough, we played hard, we did not win situation downs, "money downs" and didn't win 4th downs, therefore we gave up more touchdowns than we would like to do. Defense is still a work in progress, on the defensive line, still a lot of moving parts, at corner, we still have some good competition, Tevin Madison and Jah'Shawn Johnson are having good camps. Will linebacker is getting settled. Just trying to get depth. Those freshmen [cornerbacks] will be in the 2 deep. Those JUCO defensive linemen need to come up, corner play has to come on, if we do a good job up front, we seeing one of the best quarterbacks in the country and we are under a lot of stress and duress. We'll get into game week on Thursday. I think Justis Nelson continues to be solid, LaDarius is hot and cold and times, still needs to come on, Thierry has been solid for us, there are guys that are capable, we're seeing some good talent on the perimeter with our offense.
Notebook. Thanks to LAJ's Don Williams (there are actual quotes at the link), he writes that Sam Atoe is working towards making this team's two-deep, with his competition being Malik Jenkins. Williams has Atoe listed at 5-11/235, which is much bigger than I thought he was, and notes that the other inside linebackers are pretty much Sam Eguavoen, V.J. Fehoko and Micah Awe. Also of note are running backs coach Mike Jinks, who said that RB Justin Stockton has elite speed and could be utilized in the same fashion as Sadale Foster. Also of note is that Jinks said that RB Quinton White still had a few spin moves, but that he ran very tough and physical as well.
Top 15 in the Big 12. Athlon Sports asked a bunch of people to rank the top 15 players in the Big 12 and I was one of the "experts". As an aside, I think that Davis Webb is a better talent than Le'Raven Clark if that means anything to you. Yeah, like right now. While you are there, you can also check out the top 15 Big 12 games.
Roster Analysis. Per the LAJ, a short blurb about each player and a quote from a coach (see the link for the quote).
* DT Brandon Thorpe: Didn't arrive until the second summer session, working his way into shape, just working at the tackle position.
* BLB Pete Robertson: Starting to be a stronger voice and coming on in terms of rushing the passer.
* RB Demarcus Felton: Says that the running style reminds Jinks of Ray Rice, has a chance to play if he can contribute to special teams.
Marshall and Matthew's Minute. Well, this was tweeted to me and a ton of fun, Marshall Hughes and Matthew Villanueva from CBS7 ask Kingsbury, Wallerstedt and a handful of players a bunch of random questions (favorite superhero, best pickup line, nickname, favorite food, etc.). Check it out.
Sports On Earth, Big 12 Preview. Lots of good stuff here about the Big 12, and like everyone else, Matt Brown has questions about the defense, but we also go this:
4. There is, however, one thing to hang your hat on, one thing that makes Texas Tech so dangerous to any opponent it faces: The Davis Webb-Kliff Kingsbury marriage is going to be a prolific one. Kingsbury was the original Texas Tech pass-happy star QB over a decade ago for Mike Leach, and now, in between wearing Beyoncé shirts and flirting with recruits' moms, Kingsbury can restore Lubbock back to the golden days of the mid-2000s under Mike Leach. While only 35, Kingsbury has proven to be a brilliant football mind, and he has a good match in Webb, a sophomore who started only six games in 2013 but still threw for 2,718 yards. Texas Tech isn't ready to make a leap forward yet, but that doesn't mean the ride won't be fun.
Red Raider Most Likely with Keenon Ward.
Miscellaneous. The FootballScoop staff asked who is ranked outside the preseason top 25 will eventually end up there, and Doug chose Texas Tech . . . I know that the Elite 11 stuff is currently on the TV, but if you wanted a detailed idea as to how Trent Dilfer and his staff grade the Elite 11, this is a great place to start . . . Bleacher Report ranks a ton of players from the 2015 class and Breiden Fehoko was #53. Seriously, I think this is a 100 page slideshow, I'm not shittin' you . . . this is an except from a book via Grantland that takes a handful of games from college football's history to paint a picture of where it was and where it currently is . . . who knew that B.J. Symons helped East Carolina help find their current quarterback, Shane Carden . . .
