Returning: SS Joey Kenworthy, Sr., C Jeremy Mayo, Jr., 3B Justin Berry, So., 2B Garrett Totten, So., C Kevin Whitehead, So.

Newcomers: 1B Stephen Hagen, Jr., 3B Nick Popescu, Jr., 2B Jamodrick McGruder, Fr., C Bo Altobelli, Fr.

Gone: 1B Chris Richburg (Graduation), 2B Willie Rueda (Graduation), 1B Logan Leslie (Left Team), C Mehdi Alavi (Left Team)

Injured: 1B Duke Von Schamann, Fr.

The infield will be the strongest part of the 2010 Red Raiders, with four positions being filled by returning starters. Leading the way will be Joey Kenworthy, a three year starter with a .309 career average. Kenworthy may only stand 5’5”, but he more than makes up for it with his leadership and heart. In the past two seasons, Kenworthy has shown an ability to not only reach base, but move runners and score runs. The senior is no liability with a bat, but led the Red Raiders in errors last season. Jeremy Mayo was the biggest surprise in 2009. After a freshman year with only a .235 average and a single home run, Mayo exploded for 11 homers and a .313 average. Defensively, Mayo threw out 24 of the 66 runners who attempted to steal on him last season. Justin Berry started his first career game at 3rd base, and established himself as an up and coming fielder in the Big 12 Conference. After a hot start with the glove, Berry cooled off and finished the season with 13 errors, but supplemented it by hitting .292 with four home runs despite playing the entire season with a hip flexor. Berry had offseason surgery, but will start the season on the bench for a few games while he recovers from a hand injury. 2B Garrett Totten wowed the coaching staff last fall before suffering an injury that sidelined him for a few games at the start of 2009. Totten was thrust into the starting lineup due to an injury to Willie Rueda, and finished the year on a positive note with a strong late season hitting streak which continued through the fall.

Replacing 1B Chris Richburg will not be easy, but Coach Dan Spencer recruited the talents of Stephen Hagen, the 2009 NJCAA home run leader with 29. Hagen was recruited by Spencer at Oregon State, but opted to attend Eastern Oklahoma State where he hit .315 and added 85 RBI. 3B Nick Popescu will begin the season as a starter due to Berry’s injury. Popescu was a member of Howard College’s 63-1 NJCAA Championship team last season, hitting .420 with 8 HR and 78 RBI. The junior from Flower Mound, Texas played errorless defense this summer with the Coppell Copperheads of the Texas Collegiate League, and had a great fall at the plate.

Texas Tech added a trio of talented freshmen who will no doubt help the Red Raiders in future seasons. C Bo Altobelli will battle with incumbent backup Kevin Whitehead for playing time. Whitehead only hit .197 last season, but managed an average over .400 during the Fall Series. Not to be overshadowed, Altobelli showed great promise at the plate, and may see quite a bit of action during the week and in blowouts. 2B Jamodrick McGruder may be the fastest player on the roster this spring. During the fall, McGruder saw time at second base as well as in center field, but struggled to get hits. 1B Duke Von Schamann battled Hagen for the spot at first base, but couldn’t overcome an elbow injury suffered in the fall. Von Schamann will sit out the season while healing the injury.

Outfield

Returning: CF Taylor Ashby, Sr., LF Michael Reed, Sr., RF/DH Scott LeJeune, So.

Newcomers: LF Bonham Hough, Sr., RF Barrett Barnes, Fr., OF Alec Mielnicki, Fr.

Gone: OF Logan Brown (Left Team), CF Kengray Fleming (Left Team), OF Mason Macnoll (Injuries)

Injured: OF Nick Hanslik

Taylor Ashby rebounded from a sophomore slump with a .330 average, and led the team with 17 2B and 12 stolen bases. Now a senior, the son of former Tech Head Coach Gary Ashby, is looking to improve on his All-Big 12 Honorable Mention season. Ashby’s speed makes him an excellent defender in the outfield, and a tough out once he gets on base. Playing next to Ashby will be Michael Reed, another speedy outfielder with an incredible eye at the plate. Reed hit .287 last season, but drew 45 walks and was hit by 10 pitches. His .439 OBP was good for third on the team behind Richburg and Mayo.

The right field spot could fall into the hands of freshman Barrett Barnes. Barnes, a shortstop in high school for Fort Bend Austin High School, has plenty of speed as well as an excellent bat. In the fall, Barnes made a habit out of hitting doubles down the opposite field line. With the outfield taken care of, Scott LeJeune will most likely return to the DH role. As a sophomore, LeJeune hit .327 with 14 2B and 37 RBI, earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in the process. The first option off the bench will be Bonham Hough, a senior transfer from Texas-Pan American. Hough hit .314 for the Broncos last season, and led the Raiders with two home runs in the fall. Alec Mielnicki had an impressive fall and an even more impressive high school career. Mielnicki will have to prove himself as a valuable option in the early part of the season to see a good number of at bats in 2010. In what seems to be a trend, Nick Hanslik will sit out 2010 with an elbow injury after a promising freshman season.

Returning: LHP Ben Flora, So., RHP Brennen Stewart, So., RHP Kellen Monreal, Sr., RHP Jordan Stern, Jr., RHP Colton Farrar, So.

Newcomers: LHP Jay Johnson, Jr., RHP Brandon Petite, Fr., RHP Justin Cooper, Jr., RHP Joseph Burnett, Fr., LHP Scott Erzinger, So.

Gone: Brian Cloud (Graduation), Brandon Foster (Left Team), Lorenzo Douglas (Graduation), Cory Large (Graduation), Austin Quick (Left Team)

The 2010 bullpen will be much different from what we saw in 2009. Five bullpen guys have moved on, one is injured for the year, and two other have moved to the starting rotation. The bullpen also suffers from a lack of D1 experience, with only one player who has multiple years under his belt.

Jay Johnson is the most important member of the Red Raider bullpen. The transfer from Canada is expected to take over for Chad Bettis as the team’s closer. The 6’1” left-hander was a 25th round pick of the Baltimore Orioles, and a surprise arrival on campus. Another newcomer expected to make a splash is freshman Brandon Petite. Petite had an incredible fall, striking out three batters and allowing no hits in the two innings I saw him pitch. The other big surprise during the fall practices was Brennen Stewart. In a pair of appearances lasting 4.1 innings, Stewart allowed only 3 of 15 batters to reach base, and struck out four teammates. The righty appeared in only a pair of games last season, showing a good bit of promise, before suffering an elbow injury in the ninth game of the season.

The majority of the experience will be with Jordan Stern, a junior with 14 career appearances and 16.43 ERA. Stern has struggled in his first two seasons, but had a promising fall that could get him more playing time. Former 3B/OF Kellen Monreal has switched to the pitching staff full time due to injuries. Monreal was sidelined during the middle of the season, but made seven short appearances with a 3.00 ERA at the end of the season. Injuries slowed him down again at the end of the summer and all of the fall, but he is expected back for the new season.

Ben Flora struggled in his first year after being named Co-Player of the Year in Texas along with Texas RHP Taylor Jungmann. Flora was limited to 9.2 innings in 12 appearances with an 11.17 ERA. His performance during the Fall Series didn’t win him much praise, but he is primed for a breakout season as an option for long relief. Colton Farrar is also another option for the Raiders in mid-game. Farrar was a highly sought after recruit, and allowed earned runs in only five of his 13 outings.

The rest of the bullpen is made up of Vernon College transfer Justin Cooper, freshman Joseph Burnett, and former team manager Scott Erzinger. Erzinger didn’t post an ERA higher than 2.20 in his three seasons at Houston Lamar High School. Burnett is a candidate to redshirt.

Returning: RHP Chad Bettis, Jr., RHP Louis Head, So.

Newcomers: RHP Bobby Doran, Jr., RHP John Neely, So., RHP Brett Bruening, Jr.

Gone: RHP A.J. Ramos (Graduation), RHP Nathan Karns (MLB Draft), RHP Miles Morgan (Graduation), LHP Robert Kilcrease (Injured), LHP Zach Fowler (Injured)

Tech will be without the weekend starters from last season, but Team USA member, Chad Bettis, will shift back to the starting rotation after a highly effective season in the closing role. Bettis is inarguably the most valuable player in red and black for 2010. Clocked with a fastball around 94 mph and a strong slider, Bettis will be the Friday starter in 2010. Bobby Doran, a transfer from Seward CC, will most likely be another weekend starter. Doran, at 6’6”, finished last season 10-3 with a 2.58 ERA for the Saints, and was named the Jayhawk League’s Top Prospect by PGCrosschecker.com after reaching 94-93 with his fastball. The final weekend spot will belong to Louis Head. Head started four games in 2009, finishing 1-3 with a 7.63 ERA and lasting only 15.1 innings in the process.

The midweek games will feature starting pitchers John Neely, a transfer from North Texas Central College, and Brett Bruening, a 6’7” transfer from Grayson County College with a 98-95 fastball. Neely finished last season with a 5-0 record in nine games, while Bruening was 6-6 with 74 K in 67 innings. While Bruening has the size and power, his lack of control is very reminiscent of former Red Raider Nathan Karns.

Juniors Robert Kilcrease and Zach Fowler, a transfer from Texarkana College, will both sit out the season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery in the fall. Kilcrease was 3-1 in 2009, appearing in 22 games with four starts.

I have been able to make it to two of the three games, and put together some boxscores and stats thanks to my experiences this summer.

Game 1 Boxscore

Game 3 Boxscore

Rough Stats

I wasn’t there for game 2, but Robert Giovannetti, the voice of Texas Tech Baseball, gave us this…

Black

Jamodrick McGruder (2nd base) 2-4, drove in a run and scored a run
Bonham Hough (left) 1-4, drove in a run, scored a run
Joey Kenworthy (short) 1-3, drove in a run, scored a run
Barrett Barnes (center)2-4, drove in a run, scored three runs, two doubles
Nick Popepscu (third) 4-5, drove in four runs, scored twice, two doubles and a triple
Duke VonSchmann (first) 2-5, drove in a run and scored a run
Kevin Whitehead (catcher) 2-4, drove in a run, scored a run, double
Ryan Morgan (right) 1-4, scored a run

Pitchers

Jordan Stern, five innings, seven hits, two runs, no walks, four strikeouts
Brett Breuning, one inning, no hits, one run, one walk, two strikeouts
Jay Johnson, one inning, no hits, no runs, one walk, one strikeout

Red Team

Garrett Totten (second) 2-4, scored a run, double
Taylor Ashby (center) 1-4, drove in a run
Scott LeJeune (right) 0-3, two k’s, walk
Jeremy Mayo (catcher) 0-4
Justin Berry (short) 1-4
Steven Hagan (first) 0-2, walk
Bo Altobelli (third) 1-3, scored a run
Alex Mielnicki (left) 2-2, drove in a run, double

Louis Head 3+ innings (faced two in the fourth) eight hits, six run, two walks, two strikeouts
Kellen Monreal, two innings, four hits, three runs, one walk, two strikeouts
Brandon Foster, two innings, three hits, two runs, one strikeout

Personally, I’ve been very impressed with some of the pitchers. Jay Johnson, a lefty transfer from Canada, could lock down the closer role, putting Chad Bettis into the starter’s role. I, personally, prefer to see Bettis used like last season because he does a very good job in short relief, and provides the much needed experience out of the bullpen. Of course, that all depends on who can step up as a starter. Brennan Stewart has been excellent in his pair of appearances on the mound. Freshman Brandon Petite struck out three of the first four batters he faced, constantly playing with the inside corner on the righties.

Hitting has been a key point thus far. Former Coppell Copperhead (holla!) Nick Popescu has continued the strong glovework from this summer, and is hitting .500 on the series. Freshman Barrett Barnes has done a great job putting balls done the left field line in route to a .455 average with three doubles. Fellow freshman Bo Altobelli has also shown flashes with his bat. Duke Von Schamann, another freshman, has great power potential, but needs to work on his defense at 1B if he wants to maximize his playing time.

The regular names, Ashby, Kenworthy, LeJeune, and Berry haven’t disappointed too much. LeJeune’s bat is still his strength, while Kenworthy and Berry are black holes at SS. Ashby has struggled to get hits, but has yet to strike out.

The infield is going to be the question for this season. Its not a point of a lack of talent, but rather too much talent. 1B will probably go to Stephen Hagen or Von Schamann. Hagen has played better D while Von Schamann is leading at the plate. 2B looks to be Garrett Totten’s spot to lose. Fr Jamodrick McGruder has been his counterpart, but has made some mistakes on defense. SS and 3B are the problems. Kenworthy and Berry have Big 12 talent at both positions, but Popescu will cause a problem. All three players give Texas Tech the best chance to win, but there are only two spots. This battle could push out Totten at 2B in order to get all three players on the field. Jeremy Mayo, Kevin Whitehead and Bo Altobelli are all more than capable to catch, and probably will split time doing so. Mayo has the experience and the bat, Whitehead has the size, and Altobelli is the wildcard.

Outfield is the question mark. Michael Reed and Ashby are obvious choices in left field and center field, but right field is an unknown. Barrett Barnes could play his way into the spot, or Scott LeJeune may take over, if he can solidify his defense. Senior transfer Bonham Hough brings experience to the mix, and will probably be a much needed talent on the bench. Freshmen Alec Mielnicki and Ryan Morgan have played well enough to possibly see action in the spring. If Jamodrick McGruder isn’t able to crack the infield, he could possibly be used as a centerfielder, thanks to his speed.

If I were to make a prediction on the lineup, it would look something like this…

C- Jeremy Mayo

1B- Stephen Hagen

2B- Joey Kenworthy/Garrett Totten

3B- Nick Popescu/Justin Berry

SS- Justin Berry/Joey Kenworthy

LF- Michael Reed

CF- Taylor Ashby

RF- Barrett Barnes

DH- Scott LeJeune

The main players off the bench- Whitehead, Altobelli, Von Schamann

I have no idea what the pitching staff will look like. Louis Head, Chad Bettis, Bobby Doran and Robert Kilcrease are likely starters. There are a lot of new players in the bullpen, so it’ll be a situation of “wait and see.”

Absolutely Obknoxious Heisman Favorites…

1. QB Tim Tebow, Sr., Florida – One of two voting members still playing (along with 2008 winner Sam Bradford), Tebow is basically on top of every list. The undisputed leader of the defending BCS champions and current top ranked Florida Gators, Tebow will not wow anyone with his stats like he did in his previous Heisman-winning season of 2007. However, Tebow has accounted for 12 touchdowns in 5 games, including a win over then #4 LSU. His best statistic, besides the 5-0 mark, is his passing efficiency, which ranks 3rd in the NCAA behind Jimmy Clausen and Kellen Moore.
2. QB Jimmy Clausen, Jr., Notre Dame - Unfortunately for Jimmy Clausen, he does not have a defense behind him like Tebow does, but fortunately for him, he is very good at engineering comeback efforts. Clausen’s Irish team is sitting at 4-1 right now, thanks to a Tate Forcier touchdown pass with 0:11 left, but would likely be 1-4 without the youngest of the Clausen legacy. Currently, Mr. Clausen leads the NCAA in passing efficiency, throwing for 1,544 yards and 12 touchdowns to only 2 interceptions. Being on Notre Dame, Clausen could very well jump Tebow if the Irish continue to win.
3. WR/PR Jordan Shipley, Sr., Texas – Colt McCoy may be the quarterback in Austin, but it is Jordan Shipley that provides the spark for victory. Shipley is averaging about 9 catches for 116 yards per game, but his main skill rests in punt returns. While he is no Wes Welker, Shipley still maintains an ability to break open a game with his speed. With a 19 yard average on 14 returns, Shipley has already scored twice via the punt, both times helping Texas to a victory. All Colt has to do is throw the ball, while Jordan does all the hard work.
4. DT Ndamukong Suh, Sr., Nebraska – Stats aren’t the only thing that can get you a Heisman. In Mr. Suh’s case, it’s about game-changing ability. While Jordan Shipley does it by gaining yards, Suh does it by disrupting the flow of the offense. His performance against Missouri in week 6 is the classic example. Not only did he spend a great amount of time chasing Blaine Gabbert and forcing errant throws, but he also picked off a pass in the 4th quarter that helped Nebraska overcome a 12-0 deficit in the 4th quarter to win 27-12. Suh proves that you don’t need to garner individual stats to be a dominant force.
5. QB Tony Pike, Sr., Cincinnati – Pike began 2008 as a backup, before taking the reigns after starter Dustin Grutza suffered a fractured bone against Oklahoma. Since then, Pike has led the Bearcats to a 13-2 record as a starter (missed 2 games in 2008 while injured), throwing for 32 touchdowns and nearly 3,900 yards. This season, the Bearcats are 5-0 and ranked 8th in the AP Poll. Pike has amassed 1,493 yards and 13 touchdowns, with a passer rating of 159.9 (9th overall).

Other candidates: QB Todd Reesing (Kansas), RB Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon State), RB Jahvid Best (California)

• Bobby Doran, Chad Bettis, Brett Bruening, Jordan Stern and Jay Johnson (I think) pitched.
• Doran was throwing fairly hard, as was Bettis (high 80′s), but Bruening had the best stuff, topping out at 94 in his 1st inning.
• One team consisted of: C- Whitehead, 1B- Von Schamann, 2B- Totten, 3B- Popescu, SS- Berry, LF- Mielnicki, CF- McGruder, LF – Barnes
• Other team: C/3B- Mayo, 1B- Hagen, 2B- McGruder (played for both teams), 3B/C- Altobelli, SS- Kenworthy, RF- Hough, CF- Ashby, LF- LeJeune
• Doran started a bit wild, hitting 2 in the 1st, but finished with 3 IP, 3 hits, 3 runs, 2 Ks…I missed how McGruder got on base to start the game.
• Bettis had trouble in the 1st, but settled down…3 IP, 3 hits, 3 runs, 1 K, 2 BBs
• Stern gave up 2 hits (both doubles) and 2 runs in 2 innings.
• I saw 2 of Bruenings innings. 2 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 walk, 3 K…he was throwing 94-91 in his first inning, but dropped off to about 92-88 in the 2nd outing.
• Jay Johnson did fairly well while I was there…1 IP, 2 K, 1 BB.
• Stephen Hagen has a powerful swing. He was HBP in his 1st AB, and FF2 in his 2nd, but put a double off the LC wall in his 3rd AB.
• Kenworthy was his regular solid self on defense. Nothing to wow about, but he makes the plays. Popescu is very similar to Kenworthy at 3rd. He doesn’t do anything flashy, but gets the job done.
• LeJeune and Barnes both misplayed balls in LF.
• Barnes, McGruder, Mayo, Hagen and Berry all collected doubles while I was there
• Mayo reached base 4 times, 1 hit, 2 walks and an HBP
• Totten had some trouble at 1B. He was picked off by Bettis, and then thrown out at 3rd by Hagen after a failed pick off throw went wild.
• Larry Hays, Clint Bryant and Brooks Wallace all had jerseys on the RC wall

Brett Bruening

Bobby Doran pitching to Stephen Hagen

Chad Bettis pitching to Duke Von Schamann

Chad Bettis pitching to Duke Von Schamann (2)

Larry Hays, Clint Bryant and Brooks Wallace retired jerseys

• One of the problems with Potts is his throwing motion. I’m not even through three drives yet, and I’m already noticing that he throws the ball a lot like Vince Young does. Throwing a football side-armed takes away a lot of the power behind a throw since you can’t get your whole body behind it like you can with a 3/4 or overhand motion. Couple that with Taylor’s back foot problem, and his balls end up underthrown. The clearest example was his 1st interception. His ball was underthrown by a good 7 yards, where a better throw would’ve been a TD. The second clearest was his 2nd interception.
• Marlon Winn has a tendency to start backpedaling as soon as the ball is snapped. Now, I’m no OL coach, but just watching film, it is easy to see that this causes the DE to get to the QB a good second faster, forcing a quicker throw with less reads. The play where Sheffield fumbled, Winn was basically pushed into Sheff by the DE who seemed to have a clear shot after he caught Winn off balance. Think the Sergio Kindle hit, except the DE didn’t go around him, but took him back into the QB.
• Our defenders cannot break blocks. Daniel Howard is the most effective, using a spin move after about 4 steps, but Bront Bird just seems lost once he is engaged. The secondary has almost no chance to do anything if they get a blocker near them, while Colby Whitlock is easily taken out of the play by a double team from a guard and the center.
• If our secondary would play tighter coverage, they may cause the QB to wait longer for a guy to get open. In doing so, it gives our lineman and blitzers more time to get to the QB. I noticed many times where Porterie has found a wide open receiver before Brandon Sharpe or Howard had time to do anything. So, note to Ruffin…STOP GIVING A 7-10 YARD CUSHION TO THE WRs ON EVERY SINGLE PLAY!!! Let Jamar and LaRon play defense, and force coverage sacks. A perfect example of how well guys like Howard can do with time is the final play of the 1st quarter. Howard, double teamed, takes roughly 4 seconds to reach Porterie and strip the ball. Porterie was making his reads because the DBs had everyone covered.
• Shawn Byrnes lost his job to Stephen Hamby in 2008 for a reason. He looks lost out there sometimes. Maybe Justin Keown will have a chance to impress Coach Moore this week and take over the starting role if Byrnes isn’t back from his injury. Keown, in my opinion, did an excellent job in relief.
• As I’ve said once before, Edward Britton is the best defender on the team. He has an innate ability to knock down perfectly placed balls and deliver big hits on opposing players. He would be more effective as a safety or corner back than as a wide receiver.
• Austin Zouzalik is averaging 9.1 yards on ten punt returns. He likes to go up the middle, but almost ignores the option of taking it to the sideline and trying to advance with defenders attacking from only one side. I’d like to see him try and use his speed rather than emulate what Danny Amendola did for four years.
• Ryan Erxleben might have made Jonathan LaCour obsolete on Saturday. His punts were not angled, or anything fancy like that, but instead high and accurate to the yard lines. Of his four punts, none were returned and three were either downed or fair caught inside the 10 yard line.
• I’m no defensive genius, but Ruffin seems to spread our defense out on the field. Now, this isn’t a problem for a team with great speed, but our team isn’t one with great speed. Our LBs are usually placed about 7 yards off the line, while I cannot tell you how far the safeties are since the camera doesn’t pan that far back. I think McNeill is so scared of a long pass play, that he runs a mini prevent defense on any down and distance, and John Madden always told us that they only thing the prevent defense prevents is winning.
• I’ll go ahead and say it. I do not see great things in our future with many of our current defensive coaches. When Lyle Setencich was asked to leave, we cut off the head of that terrible scheme, but kept the rest of the body. Our DL is coached by a man who coached a high school team to an 0-10 record a few years ago. That team now has a 36-game win streak under a different coach. Carlos Mainord, the safeties coach, is the only one really worth a damn. When Leach was called upon to fix the leaking dam, all he did was get a more popular flavor of gum to fill the holes. Think about it.
• New Mexico likes to hold.
• Cody Davis likes to throw himself at defenders. If he could learn to also judge when to go for a tackle instead of a hit (like when the guy is bigger than you), he might just turn into a solid force for us.
• With young players like Davis, Will Ford, D.J. Johnson and Brett Dewhurst in the secondary, I see that being a strong point for the Red Raiders in the years to come. Dewhurst is almost exactly like Daniel Charbonnet, while Ford and Johnson are the most talented true freshmen DBs I can recall at Texas Tech. Throw in Bullitt, Cobb and the speedsters who have committed, and we won’t have to bitch about the secondary soon.

I stopped at Wal-Mart to pick up the necessary items to cook breakfast for the diehards with enough chutzpah to brave the rain and cold for an early morning tailgate. Kid Rock’s Doppelganger provided entertainment for my trip to the highly diverse super store. I smiled a bit when I walked past the brand new beer aisle, knowing that the times in Lubbock, as Bob Dylan would say, were “a changing”.

Hayes Carll accompanies my trip to our super secret tailgate spot, hidden between the outdated Stadium Inn and the brand new Overton Hotel and Conference Center. I’m the first one from our group to arrive, so I park my cooler and await. I have time to gather my thoughts. I know that my tailgating days are numbered, and I must embrace all that remains before my long journey as a student is over.

B & B soon join me. They have the grill and the shelter to complete our setup. The three-man team makes quick work of the canopy before turning our attention to the 70 lbs. mess of old metal and propane. Being a self-certified grill master, I get everything set before risking unburned skin and hair to light the rig that has been passed down through four generations of Red Raider students. A quick prayer and a flick of the lighter…

The small flame assures me I’ll live to see another day.

A package of Jimmy Dean hot sausage, 10 eggs and a handful of cheese, skillfully blended together and we are in breakfast taco heaven. I don’t know if it was the incredible blend of pigs and chicken parts, or the promise of beer and bourbon, but our crowd began to grow to 5 brave souls. After few games of cornhole and the consumption of beverages, we begin to discuss how bad New Mexico would be manhandled by our beloved Red Raiders. Theories based on the New Mexico vs. A&M game and the practice reports of Taylor Potts’ greatness inflate our egos to proportions that will not be measurable until halftime. I’m feeling confident about snagging a 35-point spread earlier in the week.

Its getting ever closer to game time, and our crowd is growing. B’s great deal on food is ruined by ever-aging grill I supplied. We discuss options on switching back to charcoal for the Kansas State game. The decision passes 2-0 while another piece of uncooked chicken burns. I decide that I’ll continue to drink lunch.

A quick stop by Firehouse Subs to use the facilities without making a purchase and we are headed to the gates. As students, we are privy to the booty of free “Think Pink Go Red” shirts in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. My prediction of a “roughly 20% pink crowd” turns out to be pretty good. Red Raiders, while supporters of causes, just won’t wear pink to a game.

Raider Red is paraded around the field with a security detail of six unimposing Saddle Tramps. S & S lead the panel discussion on “Reasons we don’t like the Saddle Tramps.” Good points are made all around while any opposition stays silent and hidden. Finally the Masked Rider and horse gallop down the field. Game time.

Tech receives the kickoff, Eric Stephens gets to the 20. Taylor Potts drops back, finds Tramain Swindall, down at the New Mexico 1 yard line. Harrison Jeffers walks in for the TD. 7-0 Red Raiders, and the crowd is abuzz. New Mexico is horrible. It takes them three plays to get a 1st down. Another 3rd down converted. They missed the field goal. I compare the kick to something from Missouri’s kicker around 2004.

It takes Taylor Potts six plays to throw for four 1st downs, and two more to throw his first interception. “Receiver ran the wrong route,” I assure the masses. The defense forces a three-and-out. Time for Taylor Potts to do it again. Potts’ accuracy drops from 5-9 to 5-12. Ryan Erxleben’s punt is downed at the 7.

“It’s New Mexico, we’ll be fine,” I assure the masses.

New Mexico gains 51 yards and converts 2 of 3 3rd downs, but can’t hold on to the ball on 4th down. Taylor Potts jogs back on to the field. 5-13 with a pair of interceptions. The boo-birds can be heard among the crowd.

The Lobos only need 3:04 to tie the game in the 2nd quarter. Frustration grows among the students. Referees are insulted. Vulgarity quickly displaces wit. The vulgarity increases after Austin Zouzalik fumbles the kick off return. Jamar Wall saves the day with a fumble recovery of his own in the red zone.

Potts leads the team down the field. A sack frustrates the crowd and incites chants of “Brandon Carter” from the end zone. Edward Britton’s drop of a first down on 3rd and 21 infuriates the crowd. I suggest Britton be moved to defense since he has always shown an innate ability to break up passes and deliver good hits. The laughter fuels my ego while Erxleben’s beautiful punt is downed at the 3 yard line, his 2nd to be downed inside the 10.

New Mexico continues to move the ball against the defense. I swear that I saw Lyle Setencich on the sideline. Tech is once again saved by dropped passes. A penalty by Rashad Hawk places the ball at the 6 yard line. Tramain Swindall is tackled out-of-bounds, giving Tech an extra 15 yards on a 15-yard gain. Then it all goes wrong…

Potts gets pressure, moves backwards, contact made, ball thrown, 17-yard penalty for grounding. Potts hooks up with Alex Torres to get the 17 back, plus an extra yard. 3rd and 9 is nothing for this offense. Byrnes snaps the ball, Potts looks for a receiver, looks, rolls to his right, defenders converging, Potts goes down. I am confident that nobody was saying BOO-urns. Red Raider faithful are not happy. Taylor Potts is injured.

After the punt by Erxleben, New Mexico completes 1 of 6 passes before punting. Then it all goes right…

“Now at quarterback, #1 Steven Sheffield.” The crowd erupts in cheers to mask their lack of confidence in their beloved football team.

“Steven Sheffield’s pass is complete to Edward Britton for a Red Raider FIRST DOWN,” says the announcer. I remark that Sheffield’s passes are so good, Britton can’t even drop them. Sheffield finds Baron Batch for another 1st down. Sheffield rolls out of the pocket before he is sacked, finds Swindall streaking down the sideline for 32 yards. People wonder if Sheffield is related to Jesus. I turn my guns up into a ones up.

The next pass falls incomplete. Sheffield’s newest fans credit the defender for a great play on the “most perfect pass never caught.” The 11th pass of his career finds Torres at the 2 on a post route, 14-7 Red Raiders at the half. S & S join B and I at the tailgate during halftime. I encourage random fans to “get their ONES UP!” I congratulate myself on the cleverness of my new saying.

We stumbled back into the stadium right as LaRon Moore recovered a fumble. I felt priviledge to watch the 34-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by a 13-yard scramble from our newest hero. The raiders from the South Plains were back, led by a skinny kid from north of Austin.

Another New Mexico three-and-out followed by another Sheffield touchdown pass. Everything was going great, the refs called New Mexico for holding. I let them know that Taylor Potts still had a better accuracy percentage than they did. Nobody knew whether to laugh or chastise me for bailing on our once glorious moustached one. They decided to laugh.

Sheffield throws a little pass to Jeffers, who takes it 62 yards for a touchdown. B and I think of clever headlines. “Sheff cooks up the Lobos” was one of the winners. One of the S’s feels an undeserved sense of accomplishment for trash-talking Potts all season long. B calls her a Pink Raider and informs her where the exits are.

I watched our senior right tackle get easily driven into the backfield by a New Mexico defender. Sheffield fumbles the ball. I curse Marlon Winn, informing him that Sergio Kindle isn’t a Lobo.

Sheffield throws an interception on the next drive. New Mexico returns it for a touchdown. I hear someone yell for Seth Doege, then realize it was me. I want to call for Beau Trahan, but fear nobody in the Texas Tech crowd outside of B will get the joke. Everyone talks about the hopeful greatness of Scotty Young.

The defense sacks Porterie on 4th down after UNM recovers an onside kick. The crowd is irate, feeling that the Lobos touched the ball early. Mike Leach is taking heat from the fans. He doesn’t seem to hear it from the other side of the field, so people yell louder.

Tech goes three-and-out. Erxleben gets another punt inside the 10. Nobody wonders what happened to Jonathan LaCour.

The defense gives up a 95-yard touchdown drive, cutting the lead to 14 points. Tech picks up a pair of substitution penalties. Rookie mistakes. The fire of frustration gets bigger.

Tech doesn’t fall for the onside kick again. Another touchdown drive. 21-point lead, no hope for covering the spread. Good coaches win, great coaches cover. Mike Leach isn’t great.

After playing safe to not give up long passes, the defense gives up a long pass, 14-point lead.

Another onside kick. Torres returns it to the 1 yard line. :46 left, Sheffield fakes a QB sneak. The fake is less effective than the ineffective QB sneaks from Potts. Jeffers scores his 4th touchdown of the game with no time left on the clock. The extra point is botched. Tech wins 48-28, but the masses are not impressed.

We head back to the tailgate. The theme turns into a Leach Bashing party. No expense is spared. The transition doesn’t come hard, given that I am also a Dallas Cowboys fan. We decide to grab some food. Our eventual waitress is a comedian, but her audience is not amused. She is tipped poorly by all parties. The day finally comes to an end. I follow along as UTEP demolishes Houston. I get angrier at Coach Leach and decide to go to bed.

2009 Week 5

The same group of students that organized the event in 2008 has rallied again to rebirth the infant tradition for the November 21st matchup against Oklahoma. It has been 6 years since the Sooners have tasted victory at The Jones, and with the help of the fanbase, we’re hoping to keep that streak alive.

An unnamed shop in Lubbock has taken it upon themselves to attempt a blackout for the Texas A&M game, but they seem to do things to embarrass themselves and Texas Tech on a yearly basis (anyone recall their gameday shirts from last year?). Don’t be fooled, the official Blackout is scheduled for Oklahoma, with t-shirts available for purchase closer to the game date.

Along with the t-shirts, they will be distributing black towels for fans to wave, which are free with the purchase of a t-shirt. I’ll keep a rolling update going whenever anything else is announced. Until then, visit their facebook group.

UPDATE: The shirt design is done…

2009 Week 4

Flash back to 2007. Graham Harrell drops back and throws am incomplete pass at the feet of his running back, ALMOST TWO SECONDS LATER, Texas A&M DE/LB Von Miller lays a vicious hit on Harrell as he stands unprotected. Tom Walker, who had the best seat in the house to watch the hit blatantly ignores the fact that Harrell might be injured to point at the ground. He turns on his microphone to inform the crowd of an incomplete pass, and fails to turn it off before asking Harrell, who is still down, if he is alright.

Everyone in the stadium knew it was a dirty play and deserved a flag, but Walker ignored it.

Now, its 2009, Texas Tech is in Austin. Taylor Potts drops back to pass and is hit by Sergio Kindle, fumbling the ball and losing his helmet. Slow motion replay shows the moments before the impact, Kindle lowers his helmet to hit Potts. Kindle’s lowered helmet contacts the ball, then the chest and finally the facemask of Potts, knocking off the helmet and dislodging a contact lense from Potts’ eye. Tom Walker, once again, failed to throw a flag. Unlike the Harrell hit, this play had an impact on the game. The fumble was recovered by Texas and turned into a touchdown for the Longhorns.

Helmet-contact penalties refer to the following three rules for this survey:
1. Spearing is the deliberate use of the helmet (including the face mask) in an attempt to punish an opponent.
2. No player intentionally shall strike a runner with the crown or top of the helmet.
3. No player intentionally shall use his helmet (including the face mask) to butt or ram an opponent.

The above is a verbatim excerpt from the NCAA rule book. Kindle’s hit covered all three points, yet Walker’s ignorance resulted in no action being taken against Kindle, who has a history of being reckless (ask Austin apartments). I won’t blame the game on the officiating, regardless of what I want to do, but I will say that Tom Walker is a danger to Big 12 quarterbacks, and should not have a job in the conference.

The quarterback is supposed to be protected from excess contact. If you merely touch the quarterback’s facemask with your hand, it is supposed to be a penalty, but knocking it off with a lowered helmet results in a game changing play? The Big 12 has the right to review the play, and inforce a punishment on the offender if they deem it necessary. I don’t give a crap about Sergio Kindle since Texas Tech won’t ever see him again, but it is more than guaranteed that Tom Walker will be there. The conference needs to grow a pair and reprimand Walker for failing to do his job. It is a joke that people like him are in charge of the health of student-athletes.

1. Texas Last week: 1 (Even)

Texas beat Texas Tech in Austin, but not the mud hole some Longhorn fans predicted. The 34-24 win kept Texas at the top of the poll, but the margin they held narrowed. Colt McCoy’s overall game play was closer to his sophomore year than his junior season, throwing a pair of interceptions that bounced off the outstretched hands of his receivers. Tre Newton emerged as a player who needs to get the ball as much as possible, while Sergio Kindle finally showed up in a game, with his helmet.

2. Oklahoma Last week: 5 (+3)

The Sooners made the biggest jump this week, and have recovered from the BYU loss. QB Landry Jones tied an Oklahoma record with 6 TD passes, easing the loss of Heisman-winner Sam Bradford. The defense held a good Tulsa offense scoreless, thanks to the stellar play of the linebackers. Ryan Reynolds and Travis Lewis combined for 3 of Oklahoma’s 6 sacks. With the 45-0 victory, Oklahoma has flexed their muscle and is gearing up for their week seven showdown with Texas.

3. Kansas Last week: 2 (-1)

Kansas lost a spot in the poll because of Oklahoma’s great game and their less-than-stellar showing against football punching bag Duke. The Jayhawks scored 44 points, but allowed nearly 400 yards in the process. Freshman RB Toben Opurum has slowly displaced starter Jake Sharp as the main running threat. Opurum carried the ball 17 times for 70 yards and 2 TDs, giving him 211 yards and 5 TDs in 3 games. Expect to see Kansas in the top 4 of the poll until their game against Oklahoma in week eight.

4. Texas Tech Last week: 4 (Even)

Texas Tech maintained their 4th ranked spot despite suffering a loss to top ranked Texas. The Red Raiders should have surprised most people on Saturday night by keeping the game in reach until the final minutes. QB Taylor Potts recorded his 3rd consecutive 400-yard performance, throwing for 420 yards and 3 TDs. WR Lyle Leong has emerged the last two weeks as a force to be reckoned with. The junior has totaled 5 TDs on 15 receptions against Rice and Texas. The Red Raider defense, minus a pair of starters and with only one defensive end, held the potent Longhorn offense to 340 yards, more than 200 below their previous season average.

5. Missouri Last week: 6 (+1)

Blaine Gabbert and company did exactly what they should have done, destroy Furman. The 52-12 victory was not as close as it may seem. Missouri was forced to punt on their 1st two drives of the game before scoring touchdowns on six straight drives to end the half with a 42-0 lead. WR Jared Perry caught 7 passes for 161 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the route, while the team racked up 525 yards of total offense.

6. Nebraska Last week: 3 (-3)

A trip to Blacksburg almost turned out great for the Cornhuskers, but a pair of throws from Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor stole the Nebraska victory in the closing seconds. RB Roy Helu, Jr., jumped to the top of the Big 12 rushing leaderboard with a 169 yard performance, giving him 381 yards in three games this season.

7. Oklahoma State Last week: 7 (Even)

Oklahoma State’s stock falls with every game this season. After beating a ranked Georgia team in week 1, followed by a home loss to Houston, Oklahoma State beat Rice 42-21. WR Dez Bryant caught 9 passes for 161 yards and 2 TDs, which isn’t surprising given that it wasn’t a big game for the Cowboys. Rice used a pair of QBs to throw for 301 yards on the Cowboy defense, and rack up a total of 377 yards, 26 more than Oklahoma State. “This year’s Texas Tech” hopes have faded quickly in Stillwater, and will disappear if Mike Gundy cannot turn his defense into something resembling, well, a defense.

8. Texas A&M Last week: 9 (+1)

Texas A&M is a solid team in a league of better teams. The Aggies from College Station squared off against the Aggies from Utah State, narrowly winning by a 38-30 margin. A&M’s problem on Saturday was not on the offense, but rather on defense, much like Oklahoma State. Utah State racked up a total of 220 yards in the 4th quarter, including a 96-yard TD drive to cut the lead to 15. If the Aggies cannot fix their defensive problems, they will not survive once Big 12 play begins.

9. Baylor Last week: 8 (-1)

After a promising opening week victory at Wake Forest, the Bears suffered a letdown on Saturday, losing at home to Connecticut, 30-22. Baylor couldn’t handle the time-consuming, two-headed rushing attack from the Husky RBs, surrendering 235 yards on the ground. Baylor held the ball for 20:16, compared to 39:44 for the visitors. A pair of fumbles in the 3rd quarter ultimately doomed Baylor. QB Robert Griffin was only able to rack up 139 total yards, while RB Jay Finley needed only 8 carries to gain 121 yards.

10. Iowa State Last week: 10 (Even)

After a drubbing from in-state rival Iowa last week, Iowa State answered back with a victory over an equally bad Kent State squad. The Cyclones were paced by RB Alexander Robinson and QB Austen Arnaud, picking up a 34-14 victory. While the game doesn’t help much because of the opponent, a win is always a win.

11. Colorado Last week: 12 (+1)

Finally, the Buffaloes pick up a victory in 2009. While Colorado State and Toledo proved to be too much for Dan Hawkins’ squad, Wyoming became a Big 12 punching bag for the second week in a row. The 24-0 victory could be just what Colorado needed to overcome a horrid start, or could only prove to be a bright spot in a dreadfully dark season in Boulder. WR Scotty McKnight recovered his teammate’s fumble at the 2-yard line and ran in for a touchdown on the opening drive. RB Rodney Stewart scored 2 touchdowns and gained 127 yards on the ground.

12. Kansas State Last week: 11 (-1)

There isn’t too much to say about Kansas State this season other than to point out how terribly they have played in their three games. After dropping a game to Louisiana-Lafayette last week, KSU traveled to UCLA to pick up their second straight loss. The only positive is that they were able to play in the historic Rose Bowl. Aside from that, Bill Snyder must be regretting his decision to come out of retirement and replace Ron Prince. I don’t see KSU moving out of the cellar this season.

Very quiet crowd.

By and large, the signs I saw at Gameday last year in Lubbock destroy the ones I’m seeing this year in Austin.

Bad news for Tech, though. After last night’s news, the Red Raiders enter today’s game with ONE defensive end on the roster. You heard me right, ONE DEFENSIVE END. After Rajon Henley went down on the first drive against Rice, Ryan Haliburton suffered and injury in practice. Yesterday, Brandon Sharpe did not join the team on the flight to Austin, and was later reported to have been suspended by the University, not the coaching staff, but by Texas Tech. Still trying to figure out what he did, or didn’t do. That leaves Daniel Howard as the sole DE. Pearlie Graves may shift over to the end position if the staff burns his redshirt, or Bront Bird or another linebacker may drop down to the line. Regardless, this puts more pressure on Taylor Potts and the offense to score as many points as possible.

Every person out of Austin, whether a student or a t-shirt fan, has been talking about REVENGE on Texas Tech. They say Mack wants to run up the score if possible, and run the Red Raiders out of town. I understand their anger, but don’t see any justification for the reason.

Sure, Michael Crabtree caught that pass and scored the winning TD with 1 second left. Sure it ruined Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley’s chance to take a fishing trip in the Everglades before the BCS Championship game, but is a 6-point, last second victory a reason to potentially run up the score and ruin this “reputation” the fanbase has worked so little on to keep? Sounds like the Longhorn “fans” have some anger issues. (I can’t say fans straight up, thanks to the t-shirt fans that infest the Longhorn nation)

While growing up in a UT household, I was a “fan” of the football team. Once it came time to pick colleges, I decided on Texas Tech over Texas early in the process. Contrary to popular belief amongst all Longhorns, I didn’t pick Tech because I couldn’t get into Texas. I know its a surprise to them when they hear about someone not wanting to go to Texas, and it must be due to grades. I picked Tech because I fell in love with the place when I visited in 2002 for the UT game. Maybe I was misled, but in those days, the Longhorn fans appeared to act classy.

Those days are apparently gone. Nowadays, it seems the typical Longhorn fan is the same type you find on the internet message boards. The classiness of the fanbase seemed to fade away in the past few years. Mack Brown’s image as a good guy who cares about his morals more than wins is fading as well.

I still believe in a world where opposing fans can sit down and discuss football in a civil way, focusing on each team without being a complete jackass. Apparently, thats like dreaming for a feasible health care plan. I dread this week because it always turns into a bombardment of ignorance. Fans from one team claiming their team is the better than the other based on no factual argument or knowledge of the other team whatsoever.

“Well, Crabtree and Harrell are gone.”

“Yes, they are, but have you seen Taylor Potts play?”

“Graham Harrell is in Canada, Colt McCoy has all his weapons back.”

“But have you ever seen Taylor Potts throw a football?”

“Your offensive lineman never get called for holding.”

“So you haven’t seen Tech play this year, have you?”

That’s the typical conversation with a Longhorn. I have taken the time to watch Tech play, twice, and Texas play, twice. That’s right, I’ve seen both teams play and have made my assessments on tomorrow’s game based on the footage of both teams against fairly similarly skilled opponents! Gold star for me, sad face for everyone else.

I won’t just blame the Longhorn fans. They are just regurgitating the drivel that comes from the fingertips of local media boobs like Kirk Bohls and Cedric Golden. Kirky and Cedy have a long history of ignorance, both for and against UT, and rarely take the time to think before they jump to the other side of the fence. But then again, that’s just how the paid media tends to work, without any sufficient research or insight into the subject, and you can’t blame the Longhorns for relying on others to make their opinions for them.

So here’s to hoping that tomorrow’s game goes off without a hitch. Here’s to hoping there is no blaming the refs (unless Randy Christal is allowed to call the game, in which case I will be writing a letter to Mr. Beebe about favoritism). Here’s to the pipe dream of opposing fans having a civil discussion without hitting the jackass button. Here’s to me honestly believing that none of these will ever come true.

2009 Week 3

Rice game spot…

and the North Dakota game…

I watched last night as Vince Wilfork was called for a “low hit on the QB.” The foul occurred when Wilfork grabbed Trent Edwards around the legs and took him to the ground. Both players were fine, but a flag came flying from the head referee. This specific rule is in place because of Tom Brady, but the situation last night was in no danger of causing an injury. Brady’s leg was planted when the Kansas City safety hit it, causing the NFL’s money bag to go down for the year, while Edwards was falling the same direction as Wilfork. It was a harmless hit, and shouldn’t have been flagged. Add that to the “Horse Collar” which has evolved into giving defenders no chance to tackle a player from behind, even though Roy Williams is the only player who had the strength to break a leg. It seems that 99% of “horse collars” are harmless to the player being tackled, but still called ad nauseam if anyone touches high on the neck of another player. And God forbid a player incidentally touches another player’s helmet, because everyone knows that’s a paddlin’.

Walter Camp wouldn’t recognize the game he revolutionized in its professional form. It has taken such a turn from its rough and tumble days of hard hitting linebackers and named (and no-named defenses) to today’s virtual no-contact sport, that I just cannot take it serious. Players are too afraid to make a tackle without committing a foul or being fined by Goodell & Company.