Defense, Defense, Defense

When it comes to Texas Tech football, the first two things that people usually say are:

1. High powered offense.
2. Can’t play any defense.

There is no doubt that when it comes to Tech football we can light up the scoreboard. We could probably outscore the vast majority of the teams in the country, but can we stop THEM from scoring? That is the million dollar question, or in my mind, a 3-4 win factor.

In my personal season prediction, I had Tech going 10-2. Losing to Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. To most Tech fans, this sounds like a dream season, but most would say that’s a stretch. If we can manage to have an average secondary, not great, just average, then we will be pretty good. Everyone knows that we can put up 28+ points per game fairly easily, so if we can have a defense that only allows 21 or so, we will be set in my mind. Or if we could just somehow learn to tackle for once, that would be huge.

In my season prediction, I have 5 games where Tech will give up more than 20 points. At Arizona State, vs. Oklahoma, vs. Texas, at Oklahoma State, and against Baylor in Dallas. If we can manage to play a bend but don’t break defense, we might have a significantly less stressful season when it comes to 4th quarter comebacks. We may also be able to turn some of those games that will inevitably be a shootout, like against Baylor, and vs. Oklahoma into more favorable situations for us.

I truly believe that our defense will be the reason why we are 10-2, or the reason why we have to settle for another 7-5 season with a mediocre bowl game. I don’t know about y’all but I’m ready for a season in which Tech finishes in the top 3 of the Big 12, and I really do think that is possible if our defense shows up on a somewhat consistent basis through-out the course of the 2016 season.

We have one heck of a home schedule this year, and several night games already. If we can bring the noise, bring the intensity, and play to the level that I know we can play, this could be a season we will remember for a while. Not just one that we get to a bowl and call it good, this could be our breakout year, one that puts the school we love so dearly back on the map.

Let me make one thing very clear. I’m not saying that Tech is going to place 1st in the Big 12, because unless we have an absolutely remarkable season, that would be very unreasonable, in my mind. We are still going to be behind Oklahoma, and someone like TCU depending on how they are without Boykin, or behind Baylor, depending on his they respond to their off season issues. If Tech managed to crack into the top 3, I would be a very happy camper. Doing so is probably going to require at least a 9-3 season, and in my humble opinion, I think this year’s squad is capable of that. So here’s to a potentially great season, wreck’em.