Monday, October 24
Wiggins' Gameday Notes
Texas exposed the previously undefeated Texas Tech Red Raiders 52-17 on Saturday afternoon. There's really no other way to put it. One one side of the field was the best team in the country and there was a top 20 team on the other. This was another no-contest. Don’t let the arrival of Gameday and their top 10 ranking fool you. This was the neighborhood pickup game between big brother and his friends vs. little brother and his friends. You can play all afternoon and the youngsters are never going to win.
That said, give Mike Leach credit. The Red Raiders compete with Texas, OU, and A&M every year and occasionally spring a huge upset. They simply don’t have the talent to win, though. Coaching can only get you so far. You have to have the pl,ayers, too. Tech lands west Texas and Dallas high school products who are of no interest to Texas or OU. So, when you don’t have the talent, you have to come up with another way to win. Mike Leach has done so: a gimmick offense.
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics: Tech had eight more first down, gained 468 yards (24 more than Texas), and dominated the time of possession 36 minutes to 24. Hodges was 42/64 for 369 yards and two touchdowns. Looking at only those stats, some would have thought Tech won, and no one would have predicted a 35 point blowout loss. But that is exactly what happened.
Last week, Texas played the best team from the Big 12 North, Colorado, and the game was over after the first quarter. This week, we played the next best team in the Big 12 South, and the game was over after the second quarter. Tech will continue to beat non conference pansies by 50+ points to start the year. They will continue to beat teams without solid defenses in the Big 12. They will continue to put up mind boggling statistics as long as Mike Leach is the head coach. And they should easily finish 10-1 with a long shot at a BCS berth. But until you focus on all three aspects of football--offense, defense, and special teams--there is no way Texas Tech can compete on a national level. Tech didn’t lose by 35 points because of their offense. They lost because they couldn’t stop Texas’ offense and they couldn’t execute in special teams. Their first punt went 19 yards. Their second was returned inside the 15 yard line. And their last before halftime was blocked leading to another UT touchdown and realistically ending the game.
Texas is the best team in the country, and made Tech look silly for much of the afternoon. The Horns are the only team in the top 10 nationally in offense and defense. I don’t care how many games USC has won in past seasons: this season Texas is the best team. We have the best offensive line in the country, the best quarterback, and the best freshman running back. We have a smothering defense with stars like Wright, Harris, and Huff who are all up for national awards. And our special teams are improving. Greg Johnson’s kickoffs are deeper and higher, and, consequently, our kick coverage has improved. Pino has been solid with field goals and extra points and McGee is solid enough punting when our offense happens to get stopped. USC may have a slightly more explosive offense, but overall the Horns are better. Let the debates rage.
--AW--
That said, give Mike Leach credit. The Red Raiders compete with Texas, OU, and A&M every year and occasionally spring a huge upset. They simply don’t have the talent to win, though. Coaching can only get you so far. You have to have the pl,ayers, too. Tech lands west Texas and Dallas high school products who are of no interest to Texas or OU. So, when you don’t have the talent, you have to come up with another way to win. Mike Leach has done so: a gimmick offense.
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics: Tech had eight more first down, gained 468 yards (24 more than Texas), and dominated the time of possession 36 minutes to 24. Hodges was 42/64 for 369 yards and two touchdowns. Looking at only those stats, some would have thought Tech won, and no one would have predicted a 35 point blowout loss. But that is exactly what happened.
Last week, Texas played the best team from the Big 12 North, Colorado, and the game was over after the first quarter. This week, we played the next best team in the Big 12 South, and the game was over after the second quarter. Tech will continue to beat non conference pansies by 50+ points to start the year. They will continue to beat teams without solid defenses in the Big 12. They will continue to put up mind boggling statistics as long as Mike Leach is the head coach. And they should easily finish 10-1 with a long shot at a BCS berth. But until you focus on all three aspects of football--offense, defense, and special teams--there is no way Texas Tech can compete on a national level. Tech didn’t lose by 35 points because of their offense. They lost because they couldn’t stop Texas’ offense and they couldn’t execute in special teams. Their first punt went 19 yards. Their second was returned inside the 15 yard line. And their last before halftime was blocked leading to another UT touchdown and realistically ending the game.
Texas is the best team in the country, and made Tech look silly for much of the afternoon. The Horns are the only team in the top 10 nationally in offense and defense. I don’t care how many games USC has won in past seasons: this season Texas is the best team. We have the best offensive line in the country, the best quarterback, and the best freshman running back. We have a smothering defense with stars like Wright, Harris, and Huff who are all up for national awards. And our special teams are improving. Greg Johnson’s kickoffs are deeper and higher, and, consequently, our kick coverage has improved. Pino has been solid with field goals and extra points and McGee is solid enough punting when our offense happens to get stopped. USC may have a slightly more explosive offense, but overall the Horns are better. Let the debates rage.
--AW--
Comments:
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I’m with the NEWB up above. Tech was holding on those screen passes all day long. I was screaming at the television, “look at that fat SOB hold on to his jersey!”. IMO, Leach instructs his lineman to do this, because it’s what makes those plays so effective.
Also, Quan is the only player that should be returning kicks, period, end of discussion.
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Also, Quan is the only player that should be returning kicks, period, end of discussion.
# posted by 
: 10/24/2005 10:49 AM
: 10/24/2005 10:49 AM << Home |
