Earlier in the week, I wrote about making sense of the HBU disaster. I tried to sound measured, and show both the good and the bad of that mess. Apparently, trying to find any positive makes me a blind optimist as the comments were soon full of despair and rage. Fans are understandably in a panic, but this was one game of what will be a very weird season.
So, can the season be salvaged? Was there anything in the nuclear fallout of that game to show some signs of life for a successful season? Despite the justifiable depression of every Tech fan, there was some moments that speak to a better future. Last season after Kansas I went full rage mode, but this year I am going to find the silver lining hell or high water.
Alan Bowman
#TeamBowman4Lyfe is my motto this season. The hate this guy gets is way over the top. He missed a few deep throws. The problem wasn’t arm strength or even accuracy, he just needs to put a bit more air under his throws and he has two more TDs and a bunch more yards.
He mistimed his receivers’ break and a few throws looked a bit behind his target. But are we really sneezing at 460 yards of offense? And moreover, despite everyone whining about him playing scared the guy was perfectly willing to take hits to scramble for first downs.
He showed the tools needed to be a Texas tech quarterback, and I suspect the haters will be shut up after the Texas game.
The offensive talent
Carter and Vasher are obviously the two with most hype, but every receiver who touched the ball looked dangerous. Yes, there were drops but that is an accepted norm for this year early on.
While the receivers were great, the running backs look as deep as Tech has had in years. Thompson and Brooks received the majority of the touches and looked great. Thompson’s more punishing style is complimented by his clone in Brooks and they looked great despite HBU throwing everything at the box to slow them down. Yost ran them into that trap too often, but they still produced. And Townsend looks like a game changer. His speed and elusiveness has the potential to break a game open.
Fields and Schooler did not play
The defense is not going to be good this year. Two weeks and some live action is not enough to sort out the mess in the secondary. However, missing the two best players on your defense did not help.
Fields will be an upgrade in the secondary, which will hopefully mean someone is covered at least once. Schooler will add an immediate upgrade to the pass rush and run stopping. Paired with Jeffers, that is as dynamic of an LB corp as anyone has.
Patterson has to scheme better, and man can my guy Frye get some more help from the coaches with his position and PT? But getting these two back will do wonders for a defense that desperately needs some life support.