Monday Matador Mailbag - 8.8.16

You tell me!

I don’t.

Dauphine is more of an all-around back than a slot back. Also, we’re stacked at wide receiver too. I don’t think there’s any way Dauphine heads to slot wideout, barring some serious injury issues or a special package that involves a lot of jet sweep play action.

If you asked me if Justin Stockton was going to be a slot guy if he was a #2 running back, I would’ve said yes. I think Texas Tech will find a way to get Corey Dauphine on the the field, I just don’t think it’s at slot.

It all depends on your version of realistic.

The optimist in me says that with a favorable schedule, a couple of big breaks in terms of turnover differential on the road, and the general lack of established Big 12 quarterbacks, that they might have a chance at a title. The pessimist in me remembers the 2015 Oklahoma State game, which is everything Texas Tech has struggled with in a nutshell: a fast start followed by a lackluster second half that was brought on by a lack of run defense.

There are so many factors right now that it’s hard for me to make a prediction on realism without more information. We don’t know how so many things will go.

In the spirit of answering your question, I’ll err on the side of optimism. Texas Tech will have a realistic chance at a Big 12 title.

Definitely less.

There’s more hype on our offense this year than in 2014, but the hype on our current defense is so nonexistent it might as well be in the negatives. The hype on Rika Levi and Micah Awe was through the roof, and we saw how that defense ended up. There was so much hype on that team based on the fact that they might have had a functional defense. This year the hype is centered all on Patrick Mahomes and his ability to impact the game. Based on the level of hype around the defensive side of the ball, I’m going with much less.

The playmaking ability of Patrick Mahomes will definitely win us a couple of games that we wouldn’t have won otherwise. I don’t think we have the same fate as 2014 based on the level of star power that the rest of the Big 12 is returning and our relatively sane schedule. A huge issue with 2014 was the dependence on the reliability of Jace Amaro and the leadership of Kerry Hyder in 2013. We aren’t losing our big play guys this year, so I see this year as completely different than 2014.

I think they’re going to be great! They have a bunch of high profile transfers that will be playing for the first time in Red Raider colors in Recee’ Caldwell, Jada Terry, and Larryn Brooks. That’s on top of a solid recruiting class that included Grayson Bright and Brittany Brewer, who should both see the court for the Lady Raiders this year. There’s still some work to be done, but the talent level will be better than what we’ve had in recent years.

Keep believing in Candi Whitaker. She’s here through 2020 for a reason, and that reason will be apparent soon.

If you can afford it, beef jerky. It doesn’t get everywhere like chips or other foods, and it’s delicious.