Viva The Matadors - West Virginia vs. Texas Tech: Story StreamTHE Site For All Red Raider Sports Fans!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50015/vtm-fav.png2014-10-12T06:47:45-05:00http://www.vivathematadors.com/rss/stream/66814282014-10-12T06:47:45-05:002014-10-12T06:47:45-05:00Ten Thoughts on West Virginia 37, Texas Tech 34
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<figcaption>John Weast</figcaption>
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<p>Ten thoughts on Texas Tech's last second loss to West Virginia, including thoughts on the 4th and 3 and the redzone issues for Texas Tech.</p> <p><b>1. 4th and 3. </b></p>
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<p><b>Q. Coach, would you talk about the decision on the 4th and 3 there at the end of the game with about 50 seconds to go and the process you went through on that decision?<br>KLIFF KINGSBURY:</b> Yeah, I thought we could pin them back. We ended up kicking it in the end zone, and on second thought had we known that we probably would have went for it, but thought we could pin them back and them only having a couple time-outs, go to overtime.</p>
<p><b>Q. Was that a confidence factor in your offense and not being able to get three yards do you think?<br>KLIFF KINGSBURY:</b> Yeah, I didn't like how we were handling the man coverage to be honest. They kept rolling down and playing it and we couldn't win and we couldn't make the throw, so we just decided to do that.</p>
<p><b>Q. Was the struggle against man more on the receivers or more on the --<br>KLIFF KINGSBURY:</b> Both. Both. You should invite that type of coverage, but they came down the last couple drives got in our face and we didn't have an answer, and I've got to have some plays to draw up to get people open, too. I'll take that responsibility.</p>
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<h2>Game Links</h2>
<img src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/37332530/457071168_medium.jpg"> <span>* <a href="http://www.texastech.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2014-2015/ttu06.html" target="newwindow">Box Score</a><br> * <a href="http://www.texastech.com/view.gal?id=167841" target="newwindow">Photo Gallery</a><br> * <a href="http://www.texastech.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/101114aac.html" target="newwindow">Quotes</a></span>
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<p>I just happened to catch the end of the TCU vs. Baylor game and Gary Patterson was faced with an almost exact and similar situation. It was 4th and 3 and TCU was around the 50 yard line with about 1:17 left in the game. Patterson called a couple of timeouts and sent out the offense and sent out the punt unit and then sent out the offense again and eventually went for it, coming up short. Baylor gets the ball back on downs and it felt like it was church for TCU. Baylor only had to go a few yards in order to kick a game-winning field goal, which they did.</p>
<p>Kliff says above that had he know that P <span>Taylor Symmank</span> was going to punt the ball through the endzone, then he would have gone for it and the biggest problem was that the offense couldn't must much of anything offensive through the last 4 drives other than a 69 yard touchdown run by <span>Justin Stockton</span>.</p>
<p>I hardly get to twisted about whether or not to go for it on a down or distance because, I suppose, I see both sides of the argument. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that you're wrong for thinking that Kingsbury should have gone for it on 4th and 3 and I won't tell you that you're wrong to think that Kingsbury should have punted.</p>
<p>Quite literally, the game was on the line and I suppose that the thing that makes me scratch my head is the idea that this really is what Kliff Kingsbury is known for. Being confident. Extremely confident, about a situation and about life in general. Confident in his offense to outscore your offense and that's not what happened on 4th and 3. Kingsbury didn't have that confidence in his offense and very much admitted that the man coverage was kicking his team's tail and they didn't have an answer.</p>
<p>Philosophically, I think that's my biggest disappointment. I want Kingsbury to feel 10 feet tall and bullet-proof and he doesn't feel that way. He's being a realist, which is what I'm supposed to do.</p>
<p><b>2. Take Away That Last Play.</b> Generally speaking, I really loved a lot of things that the team did as a whole. It's never easy, especially right after a game, to take away a last-second and losing play, but generally speaking, I had a really good feeling about how the team played. It felt like, for me, that there were fewer mistakes on offense and more plays on defense. This is one of those things where writing something like this doesn't take away the sting of yesterday's loss, but putting aside that last play, I liked the way that this team played yesterday. I see improvement. Of course, I'm a glass half-full sort of person.</p>
<p><b>3. Webb Played Better.</b> Progress. Regress. Progress. That's where I'm at with Webb. I thought he played much better. Perfect? No. We'll get to the redzone issues a bit later, but I thought that Webb didn't lose this game as a result of his play. That's not to say that Webb wasn't at fault, but my general sense after the game was that the offense stalled not necessarily as a result of Webb. A contributing factor? Yeah.</p>
<p>Webb finished with 7.5 yards per attempt, perfectly acceptable for me, and 3 touchdowns to 1 interception. Again, acceptable for me, with a completion rate of around 60% for the game. Webb's lone interception was a bad pass, but he seemed to miss fewer receivers and didn't throw behind receivers as much, getting them in stride. Webb, did look much better passing against West Virginia when they blitzed and didn't get rattled when it appeared that there was some significant pressure. Webb deftly threw where the blitz was coming from more times than I can remember and that's the sign of a quarterback making the right read (I think). Webb's biggest faults were on the last drives, where he and the offense couldn't even muster a few first downs to get into field goal range. Kingsbury mentioned during the press conference that the receivers and the coaching staff have to figure out how to get open in press man coverage. This is a season-long problem and it is the reason why the wide receivers haven't made nearly the impact that I think they should have. In other words, sure, Webb gets some fault for not getting the ball out, but the receivers have to get open too and with Kingsbury admitting that the problem is an offensive-wide problem, makes me think that it's not just Webb, he's a large cog, but there are other parts that aren't working.</p>
<p><b>4. Redzone Failures.</b> This hurts much worse for me than the 4th and 3 call, not being able to convert on two redzone opportunities and kicking a field goal for three points rather than try for the touchdown. Maybe it's my fear of impending doom and failure that I live with pretty much with me right now, but I felt that West Virginia was going to mount a comeback and Texas Tech coudln't afford to just take field goals when they were going to need touchdowns late in the game.</p>
<p>Texas Tech is up 21-13 and Texas Tech has driven down the field in impressive fashion. Texas Tech is pretty much completing 1st downs at will and gets down to the West Virginia 3 yard line where a <span>Quinton White</span> run gets a 1 yard loss. Webb and Cantrell attempt a fade that's incomplete and then a screen pass to <span>Rodney Hall</span> goes no where.</p>
<p>Texas Tech gets one of those turnovers deep in the third quarter at the West Virginia 37 yard line and promptly gets down to the West Virginia, partially saved by a holding penalty against Marquez, to give Texas Tech a 1st and goal at the West Virginia 9 yard line. A couple of fade passes later, Texas Tech is looking at a <span>Ryan Bustin</span> for 25 yards. The passes weren't executed and the last person that I really want a fade pass to is <span>Jakeem Grant</span>. That's simply a bad match-up for Grant pretty much no matter who is covering him because he has to go up and get the ball.</p>
<p>The fade route to Grant and the screen to Hall were my biggest problems because I don't think those are plays where you are giving your offense the best opportunity to score. Grant has to out-jump a defender that is most likely already much bigger than him and then Kingsbury is asking Hall to essentially make enough moves to get 10 yards to score. It's one thing if Hall is completely open in the endzone, but with West Virginia blitzing, Hall was the correct read (I think) but Texas Tech needed playmakers in the game, guys that could make some plays and make some people miss.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, on the West Virginia side of things, West Virginia has the ball and has driven down the field with about 4:39 left in the game and they find themselves down at the Texas Tech 6 yard line, rushing the ball 4 straight times and eventually netting a 1 yard touchdown.</p>
<p>That was the difference in the game for me. The 4th and 3 was big, but this exchange was bigger. WVU capitalized in the redzone and went for it on 4th down here and Texas Tech didn't.</p>
<p><b>5. Improved Defense.</b> The last few drives for West Virginia were an awful taste in my mouth after what I thought was a real defensive improvement. The defense looked absolutely gassed on those last few drives by West Virginia and it was truly unfortunate because I thought the defense played a fantastic three quarters of football. This is not a consolation prize, either. The lack of depth is still problematic, but that wasn't going to be solved in an offseason or two, it is going to take some time. Still, I absolutely loved some of the moves that <span>Mike Smith</span> is still tweaking and making after being named the defensive coordinator.</p>
<p>I really am encouraged by the play of the defense. Smith is getting plays from a handful of players and they aren't letting a team like West Virginia to just gash the defense for 7 or 8 yards a rush, which they are capable of doing, play in and play out. The defense really made some stops, forcing a few punts, and a missed field goal and making plays behind the line of scrimmage. It's not perfect, but for my money, the defense is improving. It's baby steps, but it is improving. Smith is doing wonders with <span>Pete Robertson</span>, who is really starting to come on and I don't really understand how he could look so rough early in the season to now find his groove defensively now. <span>Keenon Ward</span> has been the best player for the defense for the better part of the season.</p>
<p>Or course, don't read this as an indication that everything's just peachy. The safeties still get lost a few times in coverage and those plays result in a couple of long touchdowns.</p>
<p><b>6. Bethel and Ross.</b> Aside from Bethel's pass interference call, which was suspect for me, I thought that both <span>Nigel Bethel II</span> and <span>Andre Ross</span> showed up big time. Ross has recieved significantly more playing time since Wallerstedt resigned and Ross has been a huge factor in causing some serious havoc for the opposing offense. He's playing defensive end and he's certainly not as big as <span>Branden Jackson</span>, but he's really getting to the opposing team and he's making some serious plays.</p>
<p>Bethel, for my money, played a fantastic game. Bethel had the toughest assignment on the entire team and this is just his 3rd game game from a 3 game suspension. As an aside, WVU's CB Darryl Worley grabbed a woman around the neck and threw her to the ground. He was charged with assault and pled no-contest to a misdemeanor assault charge. Worley missed 2 games. Just keeping track of this sort of thing makes me sick, but thus far, Bethel's case is the only one that we are currently looking at with the Big 12 issues where the woman involved did not want to press changes and actually apologized for her role in the situation and asked that the player, Bethel, be reinstated. And he still was suspended 3 games.</p>
<p>Bethel covered <span>Kevin White</span> for almost the entire game and White made a ton of plays, but son of a gun, Bethel doesn't back down and he's right there with White for the better part of the game. Just be patient with him.</p>
<p><b>7. Washington Was Fantastic.</b> RB DeAndre Washington continues to be my favorite player to watch. He is electric and I'm incredibly glad to see Kingsbury give Washington the ball play after play, to let him do his thing and try to make plays. Washington finished with 132 yaards rushing on 29 carries for 4.6 yards per run, plus an additional 4 catches for 25 yards gave Washington 157 yards on 34 touches. I'll take that every day. That will eventually play huge dividends for this team.</p>
<p><b>8. Wide Recievers . . . Finally.</b> It seems as if we have been waiting forever for the wide receivers to finally make some plays. <span>Devin Lauderdale</span> helped lead the charge, catching 3 passes for 112 yards, including what was essentially a 34 yard run, but it was a push-pass from Webb as Lauderdale is crossing the field and then caught a 75 yard bomb from Webb for a touchdown. This still is not enough for me, but it's a start. I still really need to see more from <span>Dylan Cantrell</span> and <span>Reginald Davis</span>, but this is a start.</p>
<p><b>9. Penalties and Turnovers.</b> Just in case you needed to keep track, this is the first game in what seems like a long time where Texas Tech did not lose th turnover battle. It was 1-1 even. As far as the penalties, it was more of the same, 12 penalties for 115 yards.</p>
<p><b>10. Yeah, we're 2-4.</b></p>
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<p><b>Q. Is this as tough a spot as you've been in in your time here, in your time coaching here?<br>KLIFF KINGSBURY:</b> At Tech? I'd say so, yeah.</p>
<p><b>Q. Can you elaborate on that?<br>KLIFF KINGSBURY:</b> Yeah, we're 2-4.</p>
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https://www.vivathematadors.com/2014/10/12/6964435/ten-thoughts-on-west-virginia-37-texas-tech-34Seth C2014-10-11T14:55:41-05:002014-10-11T14:55:41-05:00Texas Tech loses 37-34 to West Virginia
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<p>Texas Tech loses in the last seconds on a 55 yard field goal by West Virginia.</p> <p>Texas Tech loses in heartbreaking fashion, at the end of regulation, on a 55 yard field goal by West Virginia with no time left on the clock.</p>
<p>The game was tied 34-34 and Texas Tech had the ball with one minute left and decided to punt facing 4th and 3 and gave West Virginia one last shot to win the game. Kingsbury's decision to not go for it, resulted in just a net of about 26 yards as <span>Taylor Symmank</span> punted the ball into the endzone. the defense failed to stop West Virginia at all the last two drives and <span>Davis Webb</span> could hardly complete a pass in the last drive to get to the point where Texas Tech could kick a field goal.</p>
<p>West Virginia trailed almost the entire game, up until the last few seconds.</p>
<p>I can't believe I have to write 10 things tomorrow morning.</p>
https://www.vivathematadors.com/2014/10/11/6962605/texas-tech-loses-37-34-to-west-virginiaSeth C2014-10-11T13:30:02-05:002014-10-11T13:30:02-05:00Game Thread III: West Virginia vs. Texas Tech
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<figcaption>Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Let's do this.</p> <center>
<p><b><img src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/assets/1195683/Helmet_West_Virginia.gif" height="50"> West Virginia vs. Texas Tech <img src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/102071/Helmet_Texas_Tech_1975-1983.gif" height="50"></b></p>
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<p><b>Date:</b> October 11, 2014<br> <b>Time:</b> 11:00 am CST<br> <b>Good Guys:</b> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivathematadors.com/">Texas Tech Red Raiders</a><br> <b>Bad Guys:</b> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.smokingmusket.com/">West Virginia Mountaineers</a><br> <b>Location:</b> Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, TX<br> <b>Weather:</b> <a href="http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USTX0808" target="newwindow">High of 72, low of 55</a><br> <b>TV/Stream:</b> FS1 <br> <b>Radio/Stream:</b> <a target="newwindow" href="http://sportsaffiliates.learfieldsports.com/affiliates/texas-tech">Broadcast Affiliates</a> and <a target="newwindow" href="http://tunein.com/">TuneIn App</a></p>
https://www.vivathematadors.com/2014/10/11/6961481/game-thread-iii-west-virginia-vs-texas-techSeth C2014-10-11T12:00:02-05:002014-10-11T12:00:02-05:00Game Thread II: West Virginia vs. Texas Tech
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<figcaption>Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Let's do this.</p> <center>
<p><b><img src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/assets/1195683/Helmet_West_Virginia.gif" height="50"> West Virginia vs. Texas Tech <img src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/102071/Helmet_Texas_Tech_1975-1983.gif" height="50"></b></p>
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<p><b>Date:</b> October 11, 2014<br> <b>Time:</b> 11:00 am CST<br> <b>Good Guys:</b> Texas Tech Red Raiders<br> <b>Bad Guys:</b> West Virginia Mountaineers<br> <b>Location:</b> Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, TX<br> <b>Weather:</b> <a href="http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USTX0808" target="newwindow">High of 72, low of 55</a><br> <b>TV/Stream:</b> FS1 <br> <b>Radio/Stream:</b> <a target="newwindow" href="http://sportsaffiliates.learfieldsports.com/affiliates/texas-tech">Broadcast Affiliates</a> and <a target="newwindow" href="http://tunein.com/">TuneIn App</a></p>
https://www.vivathematadors.com/2014/10/11/6961479/game-thread-ii-west-virginia-vs-texas-techSeth C2014-10-11T06:16:11-05:002014-10-11T06:16:11-05:00WVU v TTU: Game Time, TV, Streaming, Radio & Links
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<p>We've got how and where to watch this morning's game against West Virginia, as well as a compilation of the morning news and links.</p> <center>
<p><b><img height="50" src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/assets/1195683/Helmet_West_Virginia.gif"> West Virginia vs. Texas Tech <img height="50" src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/102071/Helmet_Texas_Tech_1975-1983.gif"></b></p>
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<p><b>Date:</b> October 11, 2014<br> <b>Time:</b> 11:00 am CST<br> <b>Good Guys:</b> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivathematadors.com/">Texas Tech Red Raiders</a><br> <b>Bad Guys:</b> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.smokingmusket.com/">West Virginia Mountaineers</a><br> <b>Location:</b> Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, TX<br> <b>Weather:</b> <a target="newwindow" href="http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USTX0808">High of 72, low of 55</a><br> <b>TV/Stream:</b> FS1 <br> <b>Radio/Stream:</b> <a href="http://sportsaffiliates.learfieldsports.com/affiliates/texas-tech" target="newwindow">Broadcast Affiliates</a> and <a href="http://tunein.com/" target="newwindow">TuneIn App</a> <br> <b>Vegas:</b> Opened with Texas Tech receiving 2 points and now it is up to 6 (via <a href="http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaaf/west-virginia-texas-tech-odds-october-11-2014" target="newwindow">OddsShark</a>)</p>
<p>The open thread will go up in just a few hours. Let's have a great day.</p>
<p>* <a href="http://redraiders.com/sports-red-raiders-football/2014-10-10/mountain-climbers-texas-tech-has-dominated-west-virginia#.VDkM3dTF-wE" target="_blank">Mountain climbers: Texas Tech has dominated West Virginia | Red Raiders</a><br>* <a href="http://redraiders.com/filed-online/2014-10-10/tech-cornerback-undergoes-shoulder-surgery#.VDkMf9TF-wE" target="_blank">Tech cornerback undergoes shoulder surgery | Red Raiders</a> -- The cornerback in question is <span>Jah'Shawn Johnson</span>.<br>* <a href="http://redraiders.com/sports-red-raiders-football/2014-10-10/qa-texas-tech-defensive-back-jj-gaines#.VDkMhdTF-wE" target="_blank">Q&A: Texas Tech defensive back J.J. Gaines | Red Raiders</a><br>* <a href="http://redraiders.com/sports-red-raiders-football/2014-10-10/backup-plan-texas-tech-g-james-polk-keeps-finding-himself#.VDkMkdTF-wE" target="_blank">Backup plan: Texas Tech G James Polk keeps finding himself in the starting lineup | Red Raiders</a><br>* <a href="http://redraiders.com/sports-red-raiders-football/2014-10-10/texas-tech-west-virginia-could-be-high-scoring-affair#.VDkMlNTF-wE" target="_blank">Texas Tech, West Virginia could be a high-scoring affair | Red Raiders</a><br>* <a href="http://redraiders.com/filed-online/2014-10-10/taylors-visit-could-lead-commitment#.VDkMc9TF-wE" target="_blank">Taylor's visit could lead to commitment | Red Raiders</a><br>* <a target="_blank" href="http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/wvu/2014/10/11/Mountaineers-hit-the-road-to-face-Texas-Tech/stories/201410110148">Mountaineers hit the road to face Texas Tech - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</a><br>* <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/texas-tech-red-raiders/20141010-texas-tech-trying-to-avoid-first-0-3-conference-start-since-1990-against-familiar-face-dana-holgorsen-west-virginia.ece">Texas Tech trying to avoid first 0-3 conference start since 1990 against familiar face Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia | Dallas Morning News</a><br>* <a target="_blank" href="http://www.charlestondailymail.com/article/20141011/DM03/141019871/1278">Charleston Daily Mail | MOUNTAINEER GAMEDAY: Numbers & Nuggets</a><br>* <a target="_blank" href="http://www.charlestondailymail.com/article/20141011/DM03/141019870/1278">Charleston Daily Mail | MOUNTAINEER GAMEDAY: Shell suddenly a factor late in games</a><br>* <a target="_blank" href="http://www.register-herald.com/sports/college_sports/article_ab654903-9750-5108-853d-6b67c2e6884d.html">Mentor meets apprentice in WVU-Texas Tech contest - Register Herald: College Sports</a><br>* <a target="_blank" href="http://www.texastech.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101014aac.html">TEXASTECH.COM For Love of the Athlete - Texas Tech University Official Athletic Site</a><br>* <a target="_blank" href="http://www.texastech.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101014aai.html">TEXASTECH.COM Lending A Helping Hand - Texas Tech University Official Athletic Site</a><br>* <a target="_blank" href="http://www.smokingmusket.com/2014/10/10/6955135/west-virginia-mountaineers-texas-tech-red-raiders-rivalry">Why Texas Tech Should Be West Virginia's New Rival - The Smoking Musket</a><br>* <a target="_blank" href="http://www.smokingmusket.com/2014/10/10/6952895/west-virginia-mountaineers-texas-tech-red-raiders-football-preview-q-and-a">Staring Down The Musket At...The Texas Tech Red Raiders. A Q&A With Viva The Matadors. - The Smoking Musket</a></p>
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https://www.vivathematadors.com/2014/10/11/6961463/west-virginia-vs-texas-tech-game-time-tv-streaming-radio-morning-linksSeth C2014-10-10T11:00:02-05:002014-10-10T11:00:02-05:00Weekly Conversation: It's going to be ok.
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<figcaption>1942 Texas Tech Football Team | Paul Jay</figcaption>
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<p>Seth C. and Travis discuss West Virginia, Kingsbury's moves, recruiting and perspective.</p> <p><b>Seth:</b> Well, that was pretty awful. I wrote a bit earlier this week about the reason why Kingsbury maybe is giving Webb such a long leash in terms of playing time. This is really a two part question, but would you give Webb the same long leash and part two what would you do against West Virginia?</p>
<p><b>Travis:</b> Man I don't even know where to start. I wouldn't give Webb a long leash but I'm also not a well-paid football coach. Your post was outstanding, and really made me think about patience and looking at the big picture, but for now all I can see are maddening 3 and outs followed by backbreaking drives from the opponent that always include a couple of inopportune penalties to keep their drive alive. Our own mohave talks about how necessary it is for a defense like this to have a successful offense and I think he has a point. Smith's unit has flashes of brilliance, and if the offense could just hold up their end of the bargain, even a few more times a game, it would make a huge difference. I can't remember exactly but I think there were four or five stops against Kansas State last week- that should be enough to not only stay in the game, but often pull out a win. I know what all the stats say, but my eyes tell me that Webb just isn't getting it done and is in fact regressing. That's why I'd have a short leash and try to change things up.</p>
<div class="pullquote">Mahomes may not be ready to win us any games, but right now I'd settle for a few more first downs and better field position and see how things shake out. <span>-Travis on why he'd never be a good football coach.</span>
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<p>And that segues into what I'd do against WVU. Just try and control the ball for a decent period of time. The true enemy of this team and its chances are the 3 and out, less than a minute drives that force an already tired and overmatched defense back on the field. Mahomes may not be ready to win us any games, but right now I'd settle for a few more first downs and better field position and see how things shake out.</p>
<p>So let's forget about Webb and the entire QB situation for a minute. What would you do differently to change things up a bit, beyond the QB?</p>
<p><b>Seth: </b>This is a trick question, right? The only change that matters is at quarterback. Okay, yeah, I agree with you, I would be fine with seeing what Mahomes could do, but mainly because I think Webb's injury is a problem. Of course the problem with doing that is that then, Webb, would possibly have to have a procedure and he would be out for a while and then there's just no debt at all. With Webb playing and getting those reps, as painful as they are now, it does, at the very least protect Kingsbury from playing Testaverde, Jr. should something happen to Mahomes. I'll say it again, I think Webb is sacrificing quite a bit for this team by playing.</p>
<p>On to your question, and I think that Kingsbury has pretty much pulled the same moves I would have done. Fiddling around with the receivers and seeing what he has there.</p>
<p>I'm also thinking that despite the defense giving up the same big gobs of yards, that there is improvement there.</p>
<div class="pullquote">The things that I am theorizing that are important are experienced wide receivers, defensive linemen and cornerbacks. In looking back at that fateful 2011 season, Texas Tech didn't have really an abundance of those things and that's to me the biggest problem with 2014. <span>-Seth C. on similarities between 2011 and 2014</span>
</div>
<p>One of the things that I'm working on (that will be published in the Huddle, but I'll post it here) are warning signs of a team that might not be pretty good and what needs to happen to avoid not being good. The things that I am theorizing that are important are experienced wide receivers, defensive linemen and cornerbacks. In looking back at that fateful 2011 season, Texas Tech didn't have really an abundance of those things and that's to me the biggest problem with 2014. I think in what Texas Tech as to do, these are the positions that have to make plays and without a few playmakers at each of these spots, then more than likely, you're going to be an okay team. It's why I have some pretty decent optimism for 2015, but the thing that Kingsbury has to do is build that pipeline of these sorts of players so that there is never a drought at these spots, or really young and/or inexperienced players at these positions.</p>
<p>So what do you think? Half-baked or pretty solid?</p>
<p><b>Travis:</b> No, I think you're theory is solid. I've never been a recruiting guru but I've always thought it's a good idea for a coach to try and recruit a brand new team every year. By that I mean out of your 25, get a player at every position (or as close to it as you can). While not always feasible, an approach like that does help prevent some of the lean years in certain areas (i.e. defensive line, etc.) An ideal class would be 1 QB, 2 RB, 4 WR, 5 OL, 4 DL, 4 LB, 4 secondary or something close to that. You could then use the remaining spots to fill in gaps. Of course, if you've got a 5 star DL banging down your door and you're already full you don't turn him away, but I think you get the point.</p>
<div class="pullquote">go after the studs at each position, regardless of where they are geographically. <span>-Travis on why he'd never be a good football coach.</span>
</div>
<p>And I agree with you- the 2015 team seems to be set up with a strong foundation because of the young OL and DL, some defensive playmakers and maturing offensive players. The good news is that Kliff has five more months to complete the class and hopefully he can continue to bring in some big-time names. I wouldn't mind patterning after Ole Miss- go after the studs at each position, regardless of where they are geographically.</p>
<p>So, Texas Tech has asked that the #ATMO and "Suns Up Guns Up" shirts be removed and will no longer be for sale. Those terms and the colors red & black are apparently off limits for VTM. Do you ever feel like all the work you do (and the rest of the staff does) to promote Texas Tech isn't worth it? Do you ever just want to throw up your arms and say "eff it?"</p>
<p><b>Seth:</b> Yes, the t-shirts were essentially removed. The ones that said #ATMO and "Sun's Up, Guns Up!" were removed from the t-shirt store that I have used, along with the Kingsbury is BAE shirt.</p>
<p>So yeah, I'm not sure what to do about this because I also purchased 250 or so koozies with the VTM logo on it with the thought of selling them. I was waiting on my accountant to tell me whether or not I needed to charge sales tax and now, as it turns out, I guess I'm glad I waited because I'm assuming that Texas Tech would have a problem with me selling these koozies as well since they are red and black. The last thing that I want is to have to pay money to anyone or anything for selling some koozies. I really don't know what I'm going to do with a box full of koozies other than try to give them away.</p>
<p>And this was probably a bad week for me to get this sort of thing. I received some disheartening news on our adoption of a child from the DRC so this somewhat just added to the pile of things that were disappointing. To clarify, the news on the DRC adoption is just that it looks like our family is going to have to wait for our child to come home and there is the thought that the DRC may never allow him or any children in similar situations to come home.</p>
<p>The news that Texas Tech or someone has requested that the t-shirts be removed was minor and I've been asked to do this before, so I guess at this point, I really don't even care. Texas Tech feels like they need to aggressively pursue any possible trademark infringement issues against VTM. This week, I've been depressed, not because of the trademark issue, but because of my kid that's halfway across the world. In both situations, I can't control or force anyone to do anything and it certainly makes you realize that YOU are not in control. We're all just hanging on and we all just have to do the best with what we have.</p>
<p>/45 minute lapse between emails/</p>
<p>I had a bit more to say, but I needed to get on the elliptical.</p>
<p>I am sad.</p>
<div class="pullquote">It's going to be ok. I promise. <span>-Seth C.</span>
</div>
<p>I've been sad since Monday afternoon. I haven't wanted to be online or anywhere. I continue to write in the morning, but I haven't felt like participating on VTM and discussing things. I just want to be alone for a while. I keep telling myself and my wife and my family that everything is going to be okay. Everyone keeps telling me that as well because you just don't know what to say. It is an incredibly rough situation and we don't know how to deal with it. I tell people that my belief system is dependent upon the idea that if we do good things that everything is going to be okay and it will work itself out. If you ever wanted to know why I believe that Kingsbury will work out, it's because that's how I'm wired. I don't know how to believe any other way. It's why I don't rail on players or coaches. I just have to believe that everything is going to be okay.</p>
<p>It's going to be okay. I promise.</p>
<p>/2 hour lapse between emails/</p>
<p>One little last thing. Please don't be sad for us. We appreciate your good thoughts. We really do. But be sad for our kid and other kids who are in similar situations that can't come home to a family that is waiting for them. I'm not sad selfishly, I'm sad that I can't help him.</p>
<p>Two questions: 1) Would you like a koozie or two? 2) What do you see happening against West Virginia?</p>
<p><b>Travis:</b> 1) Yes, I'd love some koozies. 2) Everything will be ok. Against West Virginia, and everywhere else.</p>
<p>It'll all be ok.</p>
https://www.vivathematadors.com/2014/10/10/6951477/weekly-conversationSeth CTravis Hale2014-10-10T08:00:04-05:002014-10-10T08:00:04-05:00The Huddle: West Virginia vs. Texas Tech
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VRcEsS4wOqnVnkYPOS82_sxSzTY=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/41381182/20140913_ads_aj7_407.JPG.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We take a long look at the game between the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Texas Tech Red Raiders, with thoughts on why Texas Tech is struggling, the uniform tracker, the best players for WVU, keys to the game and so much more.</p> <p><b>Learning Lessons.</b> One of the things that’s been rolling around in my head for a few weeks is that there are three areas of concern for this team that somewhat relate to the 5-7 team from 2011, specifically, what were the things that I thought that were important and the similarities between those two teams.</p>
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<td align="center" style="color: #ffffff;"><b>Game Information</b></td>
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<td width="275">
<center> <b>West Virginia <br> vs.<br>Texas Tech</b><br> </center> <img height="20" src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/assets/1680889/Wingding_-_stopwatch.png"><b> When:</b> October 11th at 11:00 am<br> <img height="20" src="http://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/assets/1263825/Wingding_-_compass.png"><b> Where:</b> Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, TX<br> <img height="20" src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/2365719/Wingding_-_movies.png"><b> Watch:</b> FS1<br> <img height="20" src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/1263843/Wingding_-_wrench.png"><b> Key Injuries:</b> <span>Tony Morales</span>, <span>Alfredo Morales</span>, <span>Jah'Shawn Johnson</span>
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<p>I should point out, that we really need to start watching with this current recruiting cycle. The pipeline has to start and it can't stop. The recruiting part of the equation means that you have to recruit players at each of these positions, consistently each year, otherwise, you'll find yourself grasping for straws for some recruiting cycle.</p>
<center><img height="20" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/54869/dingbat.gif"></center>
<p><b>1. Cornerbacks. </b>My first conclusion is that both the 2014 and the 2011 teams both serious lacked a decent player at cornerback. Oh, sure, there were players there, but go back to that 2011 season and there just aren't any cornerbacks that were decent. Maybe the best cornerback was <span>Tre' Porter</span>, who ended up moving to safety, but other than that, you had <span>Jared Flannel</span> and <span>Derrick Mays</span> and <span>Cornelius Douglas</span> all manning the cornerback spot. Not exactly all-conference caliber players. Now, the difference between 2011 and 2014 is that some of those cornerbacks had some experience, like Flannel and Mays and Douglas, but they just weren't that great. In 2014, the only cornerbacks are cornerbacks that are young and completely inexperienced. In fact, Kevin Curtis has pretty much decided that any cornerbacks that have any sort of experience, like <span>La'Darius Newbold</span> or <span>Tyler Middleton</span>, who had a cup of coffee at cornerback, or <span>Theirry Nguema</span>. So, Texas Tech is opting for the absolutely most inexperienced group that you can imagine at cornerback with the hope that they can</p>
<center><img height="20" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/54869/dingbat.gif"></center>
<p><b>2. Defensive Line.</b> Part two of the equation is to stay on the defensive side of the ball and address the defensive line. Any time that a team is pretty much replacing entire chunks of the defensive line and your name is not Bill Snyder, then you can pretty much be assured that the defense is going to be horrible. This isn't a situation that Kingsbury necessarily put himself into, especially given the departures of <span>Delvon Simmons</span> and <span>Michael Starts</span>, but those were the guys that were supposed to bridge the gap between <span>Kerry Hyder</span> and <span>Dartwan Bush</span>. Because they were gone or transferred or asked to leave, there was no bridge. No bridge at all. Wallerstedt and Kingsbury ended up having to put all of their eggs in the baskets of the four JUCO defensive linemen to play significant roles this year. And if you ever needed confirmation of this theory, this is that year. It takes time for JUCO guys to develop. It just takes time. These guys just aren't in the same type of weight room and conditioning programs that they have at Texas Tech. Now, with the four JUCO players, Texas Tech should be okay at defensive line next year . . . but . . . it's after 2015 that should scare you. Right now, Texas Tech only has two defensive line commits, Breiden Fehoko and Broderick Washington, and they are the only high school defensive line commits for the 2014 and 2015 classes. This has to change. This has to change in the 2015 class and not with JUCO players. If that happens again, then you're on the same treadmill as this year.</p>
<center><img height="20" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/54869/dingbat.gif"></center>
<p><b>3. Wide Receivers.</b> This third item is admittedly a bit shaky, but here goes: experienced wide receivers. I'm drawing a distinction between the inside and wide receivers as I tend to think that the guys inside have it a bit easier than the guys on the outside. The guys on the outside have to learn how to make plays and learn how to go fight for the ball. The first thing to note from 2011 is that this was Eric Ward's breakout year and as a redshirt sophomore, he was terrific and would be a staple at this position for two more years. But other than that, you also had first year starter, <span>Darrin Moore</span>, who was a JUCO guy and also <span>Alex Torres</span>, who, if I remember correctly, played both inside and outside receiver, but was moved outside when Moore was injured because there were no other options. You get the idea here. Other than Ward, who ended up being unproven and inexperienced prior to the 2011 season, there were a lot of questions at that outside receiver spot, especially after Moore went down. Right now, Texas Tech is searching for a threat from the outside spot and as of right now, there really hasn't been any player that's stepped up. You have a ton of young and/or inexperienced receivers that have yet to figure out how to play the game. And it takes time to play this position, more time than you probably give them credit. The good thing is that Texas Tech really dipped heavy into the receiver ranks in 2014 and you can expect a lot of these guys to make impacts through the years, from <span>Ian Sadler</span>, <span>Jakari Dillard</span>, Byron Daniels (who didn't qualify, but I'd guess he ends back up at Texas Tech), <span>Devin Lauderdale</span>, and Cameron Batson. I'm not so worried about this group, but starting in 2016, you'll probably see more receivers here. I should mention that Jonathan Giles is a really nice looking athlete that's expected to play receiver. He's a productive player.</p>
<center><img height="20" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/54869/dingbat.gif"></center>
<p><b>Uniform Tracker.</b> Because at the heart of it all, VTM is a fashion blog.</p>
<table border="1" align="center" style="width: auto; font-size: 14px; box-shadow: 5px 5px 5px #888888;" class="sbnu-legacy-content-table">
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<tr style="background-color: #EEEEEE; ">
<td align="center" style="color: #000000;" colspan="7"><b>Uniform Tracker</b></td>
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<tr>
<td><b>Opponent</b></td>
<td><b>Helmet</b></td>
<td><b>Jersey</b></td>
<td><b>Pants</b></td>
<td><b>Result</b></td>
<td><b>Photo</b></td>
<td><b>Photo Credit</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Central Arkansas</td>
<td style="background-color: #000000; "></td>
<td style="background-color: #000000; "></td>
<td style="background-color: #000000; "></td>
<td>W, 42-35</td>
<td><a href="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/37767210/20140830_jcd_aj7_069.JPG.0_standard_305.0.jpg" target="newwindow"><img height="30" src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/37767210/20140830_jcd_aj7_069.JPG.0_standard_305.0.jpg"></a></td>
<td>Michael C. Johnson -<br>USA Today Sports</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>UTEP</td>
<td style="background-color: #000000; "></td>
<td style="background-color: #000000; "></td>
<td style="background-color: #FFFFFF; "></td>
<td>W, 42-35</td>
<td><a href="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/38138056/454839362.0_standard_305.0.jpg" target="newwindow"><img height="30" src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/38138056/454839362.0_standard_305.0.jpg"></a></td>
<td>John Weast</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Arkansas</td>
<td style="background-color: #000000; "></td>
<td style="background-color: #000000; "></td>
<td style="background-color: #808080; "></td>
<td>L, 49-28</td>
<td><a href="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/38916396/455398166.0_standard_305.0.jpg" target="newwindow"><img height="30" src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/38916396/455398166.0_standard_305.0.jpg"></a></td>
<td>John Weast</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Oklahoma State **</td>
<td style="background-color: #E5E4E2; "></td>
<td style="background-color: #E5E4E2; "></td>
<td style="background-color: #E5E4E2; "></td>
<td>L, 45-35</td>
<td><a href="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/40107056/456114388.0_standard_249.0.jpg" target="newwindow"><img height="30" src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/40107056/456114388.0_standard_249.0.jpg"></a></td>
<td>Brett Deering</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kansas State</td>
<td style="background-color: #FFFFFF; "></td>
<td style="background-color: #FFFFFF; "></td>
<td style="background-color: #FFFFFF; "></td>
<td>L, 45-13</td>
<td><a href="http://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/41011020/20141004_ajw_as4_321.JPG.0_standard_249.0.jpg" target="newwindow"><img height="30" src="http://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/41011020/20141004_ajw_as4_321.JPG.0_standard_249.0.jpg"></a></td>
<td>Scott Sewell</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<p><i>* Click photos to embiggen.</i><br> <i>** The color intended to be depicted is ombré.</i></p>
<center><img height="20" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/54869/dingbat.gif"></center>
<h4>
<img height="20" src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/assets/2297873/Wingding_-_pen.png"> Quotes</h4>
<p>I had no recollection that West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen talked so much, but here you go. <a href="http://www.wvusports.com/blogs.cfm?blog=footballBlog&story=26486" target="newwindow">Lots of words from the WVU head coach</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><b>Opening Statement:</b> In preparation for this week's game against Texas Tech out in Lubbock, Texas, the first thing that comes to mind is that when I think Texas Tech, I've got a history with Texas Tech as everybody knows. I've been out there a bunch. Everything kind of starts offensively when you think about Texas Tech and think about (coach) Kliff (Kingsbury) and what he's already been able to accomplish there. You immediately think offensive football. Based on what they did last year, they're a different team in general, but they're pretty much the same offensively. Things are going to start with their quarterback. <span>Davis Webb</span> is still the Davis Webb that he was last year when he came out here and beat us in the second half. He's got a couple of inexperienced guys at receiver. They're going to continue to be able to get on the same page. I would expect to see improvement with them each and every week moving forward. I do think they're doing a little bit better job of running the ball this year. <span>DeAndre Washington</span> is a good back - as good a back as we will see. He's quick and shifty - has been productive. I would anticipate that they will continue to do things with him. They've got two outstanding inside receivers in <span>Jakeem Grant</span> and Bradley Marquez. Those guys are good players. They've been around there for the last couple years. They're extremely productive. That's his (Webb's) comfort zone at this point in time. He's got big tackles, and an experienced offensive line that is used to pass blocking. They will continue to show improvements on offense, and already they're scoring a bunch of points.</p>
<p>Defensively is probably where I see the biggest difference with them. I studied what they did prior to two weeks ago, when they made the change at defensive coordinator - promoted Mike Smith. They've simplified, and I've seen better effort. I see a defense playing with more energy. They have simplified what they're doing slightly - not doing as much as what they were doing. I think that's going to put them in position to be able to be better on defense. What they are doing with on defense is what we dealt with on offense last year. They've got a lot of new faces. They were very senior-oriented last year. Nine of the guys who played against us last year are not there. They replaced them with some very talented true freshman, and a bunch of junior college guys who are starting to get their feet underneath them. Again, I would anticipate tremendous improvement from them week in and week out defensively.</p>
<p>Special teams, they're great in the return game. It's problematic - punt return and kick return they've got guys who can go. The (Jakeem) Grant kid is really good. The (Cameron) Batson kid who is a true freshman is extremely quick. They do a great job at the point of attack. Everybody says 'well you have to have a great returner in order to be good in the return game.' If you don't block at the point of attack, you're going to have problems. That's one of the bigger problems I see with our punt return team right now is we're not blocking at the point of attack. Last year, we were not on the front line on kickoff returns. This year, we're doing a much better job of that, and you can see the improvement has been there. We have to stop the return stuff, which is a great week for us to challenge our punt team and our kickoff team to get better and be more consistent and get down the field and make plays. And do it at a consistent level regardless of what the score is and regardless of who is in the game.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p><b>On if there are similarities between Kliff Kingsbury as a quarterback and <span>Clint Trickett</span> as a quarterback and on the friendship between Holgorsen and Kingsbury:</b> I have a soft spot for coach's kids when it comes to quarterbacks. I've said that a bunch in here. Kliff was a coach's kid at quarterback and a student of the game. He was around it his whole life. His dad was a coach. He would come in and want to watch a ton of film and knew how to be a leader in the locker room - knew how to be a leader in the huddle. He was extremely competitive. I see all of those qualities with Clint. The physical qualities are much different. I don't want to go into any of that, but being a coach's kid and understanding the game of football. It's important to him. He's a great leader in the locker room. He's a great leader in the huddle. Being competitive out there, I see a lot of other similarities than just that. Just like I see similarities with (former Houston quarterback) <span>Case Keenum</span> and (former Texas Tech quarterback) Graham Harrell. Other coach's kids, they all possess that same quality.</p>
<p>I always knew Kliff was going to be a great coach, just because of that. The same reason why Clint is going to be a great coach. Those qualities translate into a good coach - Kliff could never let go of the game. When he went to the NFL, he bounced around four or five different places. He could never let it go, because he was so competitive, and he wanted to play. It started to fizzle out for him - I was always in contact with him - so I said 'move to Houston, keep training, if you get an opportunity, great. If you don't, then see if this coaching thing is worth your time. He worked out every day when he was at Houston and never got that opportunity to keep playing. At some point, he just said 'I'm done with it,' then went full throttle into coaching and has obviously been successful ever since.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p><b>On how the passing on the outside has opened up the run game:</b> It's a cat and mouse game. If you're able to do both, then it becomes getting a bead on what their plan is. Their plan could change from series to series. It could change within the course of the series. It could change from set to set. Our job is to figure what their plan is. It's all about dropping in coverage and giving you a weak box. Or coming toward the line of scrimmage, and giving you a heavy box. Then you have to be able to figure out how you attack it. If they're going to give us a weak box, we're going to run it a bunch. If they're going to give us a heavy box, we're still going to try to run the ball a little bit. We're just not expecting 10 yards a pop. We just try to figure out what their plan is going to be. You have to have experienced guys like Clint (Trickett), which is one reason why we're having success. Not to the point to where we're truly dominating people. We haven't done that yet. But we're having success, because we identify what they're doing, and we're able to execute based on calling the appropriate plays.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I was going to stop with that last quote, because, well, this preview is on the edge of 4,200 words, but I Holgorsen's answer to this question was interesting and fantastic.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><b>On how Holgorsen's offense has evolved over the years:</b> How much time you got? We're going to wrap things up here in a few minutes. To make a long story short, my background with (Washington State head coach) Mike Leach is throw the ball everywhere. Him throwing it 70 times and having 800,000 yards passing is no surprise to me. When I went to Houston, me and (Texas A&M coach Kevin) Sumlin got together and wanted to run the ball more with more up-tempo. Keep in mind, Kevin was at Oklahoma and had just gotten throttled by West Virginia. That was a lot of up-tempo run game, which is what (former WVU coach) Rich (Rodriguez) did with some movement. So we incorporated some of that. I went to Oklahoma State - and that was with (Joe) Wickline - it was little bit more of a dig your hands in the dirt and come off the ball and strike you. The more I did that, the more I realized it makes throwing the ball a little easier when you've got more people up in the box. We kept our core principles in the pass game with our progressions, and the routes that we run. We just added to it with being able to come off the ball and smack you, or create some movement and tempo to be able to run the ball a little bit as well. Enter (WVU offensive line coach) Ron Crook, who has a little bit more of a heavier set - not talking about his weight - heavier set offensive game plans with tight ends - that Stanford inside zone power. That sort of thing. He was really good at that stuff, and that's why I was very interested in bringing him on board. We've evolved a little bit into that as well. I'd like to think we can do any of what I just said. We could spread it out and throw it. We could go fast and run it, go fast and throw it. Use movement and run it, use movement and throw it. And then dig our knuckles in the ground and come off the ball and whack you if we need to do that as well. It takes a while to get there, but I think we've gotten to the point where we're there.</p>
</blockquote>
<center><img height="20" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/54869/dingbat.gif"></center>
<h4>
<img height="20" src="http://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/assets/3222611/Wingding_-_chart.png"> Stats</h4>
<table border="1" align="right" class="sbnu-legacy-content-table" style="width: auto; font-size: 14px; box-shadow: 5px 5px 5px #888888;">
<tbody>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
<th>Stat</th> <th><img height="40" src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/2108345/West_Virginia_Logo.gif"></th> <th><img height="40" src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/156689/TexasTechLogo.gif"></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Total Offense</b></td>
<td>552.6 (10)</td>
<td>470.4 (32)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Rushing Offense</b></td>
<td>170.8 (65)</td>
<td>135.0 (93)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Passing Offense</b></td>
<td>381.8 (6)</td>
<td>335.4 (11)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Scoring Offense</b></td>
<td>36.6 (32)</td>
<td>29.6 (67)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Total Defense</b></td>
<td>358.6 (43)</td>
<td>470.4 (110)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Rushing Defense</b></td>
<td>171.8 (79)</td>
<td>247.4 (121)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Passing Defense</b></td>
<td>186.8 (21)</td>
<td>213.0 (36)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Scoring Defense</b></td>
<td>25.8 (71)</td>
<td>40.0 (117)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Turnover Margin</b></td>
<td>-1.60 (117)</td>
<td>-1.60 (117)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>3rd Down % Off.</b></td>
<td>49.4% (13)</td>
<td>48.4% (20)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>3rd Down % Def.</b></td>
<td>35.9% (49)</td>
<td>43.% (90)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Yds/Play Def.</b></td>
<td>5.30 (61)</td>
<td>5.80 (82)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The WVU offense is one of the best in the country and the only problem that they appear to be having is scoring, which is similar to Texas Tech, but they're a good touchdown better and have played Alabama. The most depressing thing in updating these numbers is the rushing rank for Texas Tech, which, I think was in the 60 or so last week to 93rd best rushing team in the nation. Despite the score, I hope Kingsbury doesn't abandon the run like he did last week.</p>
<p>Defensively, the rush defense is much better than Texas Tech's and part of the reason why WVU has such good numbers against the pass is that they only allowed 80 yards passing against Towson, Oklahoma only passed for 200 yards and Kansas is still pretty poor at passing the ball, only netting 111 yards through the air.</p>
<p>Perhaps the biggest battle of wills will be Texas Tech's third down conversion rate on offense to West Virginia's third down conversion rate on offense. To only allow 36% or so of third downs to be converted is a huge part of the defensive success for a team.</p>
<h4>
<img height="20" src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/1263810/Wingding_-_caption.png"> Tweets</h4>
<p>Hey! Make sure and follow the official Twitter account for the men's basketball team (if you want).</p>
<blockquote data-partner="tweetdeck" class="twitter-tweet">
<p><a href="https://www.vivathematadors.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Red Raiders</a> in full swing. Season starts Nov. 3 in exhibition game. <a href="http://t.co/a4yNGgORKe">pic.twitter.com/a4yNGgORKe</a></p>
— TexasTech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TexasTechMBB/status/519988367220412416">October 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>I cannot remember if I posted this last week, but here is your new linebacker's coach, Matt Brock.</p>
<blockquote data-partner="tweetdeck" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Huge weekend for the Red Raiders coming up! Looking forward to being back in the Jones! <a href="http://t.co/oRblcpCmnk">pic.twitter.com/oRblcpCmnk</a></p>
— Matt Brock (@Coach_MBrock) <a href="https://twitter.com/Coach_MBrock/status/520195993082793984">October 9, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Lady Raider Minta Spears!</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>We found <a href="https://twitter.com/MintaSpears">@MintaSpears</a> right by her own poster in <a href="https://twitter.com/UnitedSpArena">@UnitedSpArena</a> - getting ready to do interviews for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Big12WBBTour?src=hash">#Big12WBBTour</a> <a href="http://t.co/jznUOn48fr">pic.twitter.com/jznUOn48fr</a></p>
— Travis Cram (@traviscram) <a href="https://twitter.com/traviscram/status/519543084686659587">October 7, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<center><img height="20" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/54869/dingbat.gif"></center>
<h4>
<img height="75" align="left" src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/assets/1088765/Five.jpg">Five Things</h4>
<p><b><u>1. Three Players to Watch on Offense for West Virginia.</u></b></p>
<p><b>1) QB <span>Clint Trickett</span> (6-2/186):</b> Just on passer rating alone, Trickett has made significant strides, going from a quarterback rating of around 116 to his current rating of 157. Trickett has gone from 200 yards a game to around 380 this year, which is really nothing short of incredible. Kudos to Trickett. Of course, he was injured quite a bit last year and there were times where he struggled to complete much of anything, but the light has gone on for him this year and he's been terrific.</p>
<p><b>2) WR Kevin White (6-2/211):</b> Well, those freshmen Texas Tech cornerbacks had better be ready because White has caught over 100 yards a game this year and is averaging about 16 yards a catch. For the year, White is averaging about 150 yards a game and he's caught 4 touchdowns thus far this season. White can really do it all. He's not afraid to go over the middle and he's terrific at going up and getting a ball and making a play. This is, without a doubt, the toughest match-up for Texas Tech.</p>
<p><b>3) WR Mario Alford (5-9/177):</b> Alford also lines up on the outside, but he's smaller in size that White, but he's got a second gear. Alford started slow, but he's really picked things up as of late and has been effective since the third game of the season, catching 11 passes for 137 yards against Maryland, 7 for 101 against Oklahoma and 4 for 80 against Kansas.</p>
<p><b><u>2. Three Players to Watch on Defense for West Virginia.</u></b></p>
<p><b>1) S <span>Karl Joseph</span> (5-11/196):</b> Joseph has turned into a fantastic player for WVU. Started as a freshman (I think) and has really matured into the leader for the Mountaineer defense. Joseph has 38 tackles and at the safety position, he's definitely got the size to handle the run and he's really matured as a cover safety. And he's also a really good open-field tackler.</p>
<p><b>2) LB Nick Kwiatkoski (6-2/236):</b> Kwiatkoski is second on the team in tackles at 37 and already has 6 tackles for a loss this early in the season. Kwiatkoski is a productive player and led the team in tackles last year at 86. Kwiatkoski is not your slow, plodding run-stuffing linebacker, but he's very mobile and from what I can tell, WVU runs a 3-4 type of defense (they call their Raider linebacker a Spur linebacker) and Kwiatkoski is pretty much on the field every play.</p>
<p><b>3) LB Wes Tonkery (6-2/223):</b> We'll feature Tonkery here, because, as mentioned above, there's some movement on the defensive front and I think that Tonkery is still very much part of the equation. Tonkery is currently third on the team with 27 tackles and he's also got 4 tackles for a loss this year and 1.5 sacks.</p>
<p><b><u>3. Three Keys to the Game.</u></b></p>
<p><b>1) WVU is Daring Texas Tech to Run the Ball.</b> Earlier this week, Holgorsen mentioned that they are preparing to go with smaller and faster players to better take on the more wide open offenses of the Big 12. For big parts of the Kansas game, they took off the field, a 288 pound end and 265 pound end and replaced them with a 242 pound end and a 228 pound linebacker. I'm all about match-ups and making attempts to force a will on someone, but if West Virginia goes small, nothing would make me happier than to see DeAndre Washington get a ton of carries to then force West Virginia into playing those bigger players and maybe giving the passing game an advantage.</p>
<p><b>2) Get to Trickett.</b> This isn't just a great stat, but it's okay. West Virginia is giving up about 2 sacks a game, which is tied for 70th in the nation with a ton of other teams. This is one of those times to create opportunities for yourself, the ones where it seems that Texas Tech hasn't had any sort of opportunities of late. Texas Tech forced a fumble against Kansas State, the first one since Central Arkansas and recorded 3 sacks against Kansas State, their highest count all season, to go along with 9, yes 9, tackles for a loss against Kansas State. Those are all huge improvements on the defensive side of the ball, although it didn't show on the scoreboard. If a team creates enough of those sorts of opportunities, then Texas Tech should have some opportunities are some turnovers and the offense needs as many chances as it can get.</p>
<p><b>3) Contain the Running Game.</b> Not exactly an easy task for a team that is giving up almost 250 yards rushing, but in West Virginia's two losses, against Alabama and against Oklahoma, they only rushed for 28 and 137 rushing yards. I think it is impossible for Texas Tech to have Alabama's results, 24 carries and 28 yards rushing, but I would love to see the sort of results that West Virginia had against Oklahoma, 40 carries and only 137 yards would be great. And make mos mistake, despite what you might think, West Virginia is averaging, yes averaging, 43 carries a game. If Texas Tech is picking their poison, I'd gamble with Trickett because if that WVU running game gets going, it could be church.</p>
<p><b><u>4. Two Reasons Why Texas Tech Will Win.</u></b></p>
<p><b>1) Special Teams Will Be Special.</b> I think it's going to happen here, Texas Tech will flip the penalty script on special teams and Texas Tech will earn some easy points against WVU's special teams, which have already allowed 2 punt touchdowns, 1 against Maryland and 1 against Kansas, and a kickoff returned for a touchdown by Oklahoma. Texas Tech has teetered on the edge of success with special teams, they've just had too many get called back. That stops this week. Book it.</p>
<p><b>2) Turnover Streak.</b> Texas Tech will will the turnover battle on Saturday morning (or afternoon). West Virginia and Texas Tech are both awful at turning the ball over, including an astounding 7 fumbles lost. I've already mentioned that the Texas Tech defense is making more and more plays and that's eventually going to result in some turnovers. Saturday is the day that the defense celebrates some turnovers. WVU has been in the red in turnover margin every game and over the last three games, WVU has been -3, -2 and -3.</p>
<p><b><u>5. Two Reasons Why Texas Tech Will Lose.</u></b></p>
<p><b>1) Can't Keep Pace.</b> Trickett is clearly better than Webb right now and West Virginia has a better offense. Not only that, but White and Alford are probably the best receivers that Texas Tech has faced this year (not talking about explosive players, but actual receivers. For my money, White and Alford along with Trickett could really pile the dirt on early and often if the freshmen don't step up and play at a higher level. Those Texas Tech cornerbacks simply cannot get abused like they did against Oklahoma State and Kansas State and for my money, that's a really tall task given their last two games.</p>
<p><b>2) We're Talking 100 Yards Better.</b> Nope, not the offense, but the defense. And to be a bit more accurate, the overall defense for West Virginia is about 110 yards better than Texas Tech's porous defense. Kansas State was a very good offensive team, but by no means where they elite. and they still had over 500 yards of total offense. With the prospects of playing WVU, Texas Tech is going to have to hold in check the #6 passing offense and the #10 total offense in the nation.</p>
https://www.vivathematadors.com/2014/10/10/6951391/preview-west-virginia-mountaineers-vs-texas-tech-red-raidersSeth C