SB Nation - Jared Flannel

Taking a Breath :: Looking Ahead to the Texas Tech Defense of 2010

Seth C — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:29 -0000

by Dave Weaver - AP

Nebraska's Chris Brooks (1), is brought down by Texas Tech's Cody Davis, in the second half of their NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. Texas Tech beat Nebraska 31-10.(AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

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THE DEFENSE

With the football bye week, DTN is taking this opportunity to look at Texas Tech's offense and defense in 2010. Up today is a look at the 2-deep, the talented players who are on the roster, but have not contributed much this year, the 2010 defensive recruiting class and a look back at the past 5 years recruits and the washout rate of players who were recruited by Texas Tech.

Who Returns (2010 Projected 2-Deep)

POSITION	PLAYER	STATS	YEAR
DE	Ryan Haliburton	6-4/245	SO
	Aundrey Barr	6-3/238	RS FR
	Christopher Knighton	6-3/240	RS FR
	Kerry Hyder	6-3/255	RS FR
DT	Colby Whitlock	6-2/287	SR
	Chris Perry	6-4/300	JR
	Pearlie Graves	6-1/278	RS FR
	Myles Wade	6-2/340	JR
LB	Bront Bird	6-3/240	SR
	Brian Duncan	6-1/240
	Tyrone Sonier	6-2/225	JR
	Sam Fehoko	5-11/220	JR
	Brandon Mahoney	6-2/203	RS FR
	Dion Chidozie	6-1/194	RS FR
CB	LaRon Moore	5-9/200	SR
	Taylor Charbonnet	5-10/175	JR
	D.J. Johnson	6-0/170	SO
	Yashua Williams	6-3/181	RS FR
S	Franklin Mitchem	6-2/198	SR
	Cody Davis	6-2/200	SO
	Brett Dewhurst	6-0/193	JR
	Will Ford	6-1/186	SO

If it's not incredibly clear, the weakness of this team will be at defensive end. I've mentioned this a couple of times and for 2 years straight, Texas Tech is losing quite a bit of production from the defensive end position. The key to all of this is that no one has seen any of these guys play on the collegiate level, other than Haliburton, who has done reasonably well in some spot duty early in the season and filling in for Howard, Sharpe and Henley during the early part of the season when there were so many injuries.

The strength of the defense will be up front with the return of Whitlock and Perry, who should form a formidable front and I think there's plenty of talent behind them in Graves and Wade. Much like Jacob Karam, Graves travels with the team and that's an indication that his personality in infectious and reading the tea leaves, he is going to be a player next year. I'd also mention that I do not see any of these tackles moving to defensive end. Perhaps that changes during the spring, but for the time being, I think this is your 2-deep.

Linebacker also returns 2 of the 3 starters from this year. Marlon Williams has been servicable, but he's been virtually non-existent for the better part of conference play, this past weekend's game excluded. You can expect Sonier to fill Williams spot at WLB. I'm also intrigued by Mahoney and Chidozie, who perhaps represent a change in the type of linebacker that Ruffin McNeill wants, which are projectable athletes who can run. If you see a change in philosophy, I think it starts at linebacker and continues to the secondary.

Jamar Wall will be the only player that needs replacement in the secondary next year and Johnson will have to step up his game during the offseason. I think the staff is enamored with his athletic ability, but you saw against TAMU how athletic ability can only carry you so far, he's got to be better from a technique standpoint as well. Ford should also take a step in the right direction this offseason and I may be in the minority, but I'd like to see more Charbonnet and expect Y. Williams to get some time next year as well. All in all, a pretty experienced group returning next year.

Lots more after the jump.

Don't Sleep On

DT: Britton Barbee (6-2/296; SR) and David Neill (6-5/280; JR)
DE: Jonathan Brydon (6-3/220; SR)
LB: None
CB: Jarvis Phillips (6-0/189; RS FR)
S: Jared Flannel (5-11/167; JR); Aaron Charbonnet (5-11/201; RS FR); Andre McCorkle (6-2/204; JR); Daniel Cobb (6-1/211; RS FR) and Terrance Bullitt (6-3/182; RS FR)

I think the only guys that I'm comfortable stating could make an impact from this group is Cobb and Bullitt, although I like Barbee and Neill from a depth perspective

Recruiting

POSITION	PLAYER	STATS	RR	STARS
DE	Kedrick Dial	6-5/215	5.6	3
DE	Jackson Richards	6-4/245	5.8	4
DT	Coby Coleman	6-3/290	5.7	3
DT	Lawrence Rumph	6-4/270	5.7	3
LB	Zac Winbush	6-2/200	5.5	3
DB	Urell Johnson	6-1/185	5.6	3
DB	Desmond Martin	6-0/173	5.6	3
DB	Russell Polk	5-11/200	5.6	3
DB	Tre'Vante Porter	6-0/185	5.7	3
DB	Brandon Smith	6-1/175	5.6	3
AVERAGE			5.63	3.09

If additional recruits are added, I think it's on the defensive side of the ball, namely at defensive end or linebacker. The one guy that I think could get some burn next year is Rumph, especially with the lack of defensive end. Keep in mind that Rumph was luke-warm when he committed to Texas Tech, so I would not count on his commitment until he's actually signed. I think you could also see Richards make an impact next year and Dial is another player who might make a difference next year. Richards is one of the more higher rated players of the class, he's a mature player and already has the size to play defensive end on the collegiate level. At this point, I'd imagine that it's about technique more than anything else. The sleeper of this group might be Martin, who was highly impressive in his film and possibly Porter.

Recruit Trending

YEAR	AVG. RR	AVG. STARS	WASHOUT RATE
2010	5.63	3.09	-
2009	5.57	3.00	2/15 = 13.33%
2008	5.63	3.13	5/8 = 62.50%
2007	5.47	2.70	2/10 = 20.00%
2006	5.53	2.89	7/19 = 36.84%

Disclaimer: I'm using the Rivals recruiting rankings and each player is assigned an RR number and a star.

To explain again, the Washout Rate are players who either never made it on campus or played only 1 year. As you'll note, the 2008 class was small, only 16 recruits total (keep in mind that there will be some classes that are smaller than others and a staff is typically limited to a certain number of scholarships in relation to the number of players on scholarship) but you had guys like Joey Fowler, McKinner Dixon, Broderick Marshall, Brandon Sesay and Brandon Reid (who could return to Texas Tech after a stint at JUCO) that all never made it at Texas Tech. This was Ruffin's first class officially, but this was also the same year that he replaced Setencich. If you wanted to take a look at the year that McNeill was in place early as the defensive coordinator then it's really the 2009 class that's his first class from start of the recruiting season to signing day. In that 2009 class you only had Romario Cathey who never made it on campus and James Scott, another guy who has gone the JUCO route but has a good chance of returning to Lubbock.

Drive Chart :: North Dakota 13, Texas Tech 38

Seth C — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:08:19 -0000

Participation

Offense

Starters: LT Chris Olson, LG Brandon Carter, C Shawn Byrnes, RG Mickey Okafor, RT Marlon Winn, QB Taylor Potts, RB Baron Batch, IR Adam James, IR Detron Lewis, WR Edward Britton, WR Alexander Torres. Reserves: IR Cornelius Douglas, IR Austin Zouzalik, WR Jacoby Franks, RB Harrison Jeffers, WR Lyle Leong, RB Eric Stephens, RB Aaron Crawford, RT Joe King, RG Devric Gallington, LT Terry McDaniel, LG Lonnie Edwards.

Defense

Starters: DE Rajon Henley, DT Richard Jones, NT Colby Whitlock, DE Brandon Sharpe, SLB Bront Bird, MLB Brian Duncan, WLB Marlon Williams, CB Jamar Wall, FS Cody Davis, SS Franklin Mitchem, CB LaRon Moore. Reserves: S Will Ford, S Julius Howard, S Jared Flannel, CB Taylor Charbonnet, S Brett Dewhurst, WLB Blake Collier, CB Nathan Stone, MLB Sam Fehoko, S Daniel Cobb, SLB Tyrone Sonier, DE Sandy Riley, DE Ryan Haliburton, NT Victor Hunter, DE Daniel Howard, DT David Neil, DT Chris Perry.

Drive Chart Texas Tech Offense

Texas Tech Drive 1

What Went Right: 10 of Texas Tech's 40 rushing yards came from this drive, while Taylor Potts completed passes to Detron Lewis, Lyel leong, Austin Zouzalik and Adam James. Batch finished up the drive with a 3 yard touchdown

What Went Wrong: Not much. Only one incomplete pass to Britton

Texas Tech Drive 2

What Went Right: This drive was about to fall flat but was kept alive with a UND facemask. Potts then had a 14 yard completion to Alexander Torres and Potts rushed 1 yard for the touchdown.

What Went Wrong: Looks like some end-arounds and fancy running plays rather than straight ahead rushing. Potts also missed on 3 pass attempts.

Texas Tech Drive 3

What Went Right: Started nicely with a 15 yard completion to Harrison Jeffers and another pass completion to Lewis for 21 yards.

What Went Wrong: Potts first interception of the day while inside the UND 20 yard line. That's either 6 or 3 points that get taken off the board because of Potts mistake.

Texas Tech Drive 4

What Went Right: Potts gets back on track with a nice 6 play 74 yard drive. Completes passes to Torres, Britton, Cornelius Douglas, and Lewis gets the touchdown.

What Went Wrong: Nothing, other than an incomplete pass to Jacoby Franks.

Texas Tech Drive 5

What Went Right: Started great with completions to Torres for 9 and Lewis for 14 yards. Then things fall apart

What Went Wrong: After those 2 completions Potts gets sacked, fumbles the ball and Marlon Winn recovers. Perhaps Potts is a little gun-shy or is wanting to do too much. Remember that Texas Tech is again on the UND 26, within field goal distance, and Potts throws his 2nd INT of the day on 3rd down and 15. It's the end of the half, but there's 3 or 6 more points not on the board although Texas Tech was primed to score.

Texas Tech Drive 6

What Went Right: Nothing.

What Went Wrong: A Matt Goetz false start and this is a whopping 3 play drive for 1 yard. Carona punts and Nathan Stone recovers a fumble giving Texas Tech the ball back.

Texas Tech Drive 7

What Went Right: Potts completes passes to Britton (15), Leong (11) and Britton (6) again.

What Went Wrong: Terry McDaniel holds on first down and this is the last you see of McDaniel for the game. Potts pulls Texas Tech out of the whole and gets Texas Tech to the North Dakota 3 yard line on 4th down, but a jump-ball pass to Detron Lewis falls flat. Again, this is the 3rd drive for Texas Tech inside the UND 20 yard line and no points are on the board.

Texas Tech Drive 8

What Went Right: This is the infamous 4 down on the North Dakota 1 yard line with Potts scoring on the 4th down play. In between then, Potts completes passes to Franks (4), two to Jeffers (24 and 5) and Lyle Leong (8).

What Went Wrong: It takes Texas Tech 4 times to score from UND's 1 yard line.

Texas Tech Drive 9

What Went Right: A nice 19 yard completion to Detron Lewis.

What Went Wrong: Potts' 3rd and final interception of the day.

Texas Tech Drive 10

What Went Right: The return of RB Baron Batch. Batch touches the ball 4 times in this 10 play drive that ended in a Matthew Williams field goal. Also included was a pass to Leong for 28 yards and a 13 yard run from Batch.

What Went Wrong: Texas Tech was driving down the field nicely, but a false start penalty stalled the drive and this is the 4th drive of the day that ended in the UND 20 yard line, although Mike Leach did finally go for the field goal.

Texas Tech Drive 11

What Went Right: Potts completions to Torres for 12 yards and an 18 yard touchdown pass to Adam James.

What Went Wrong: Nothing.

Drive Chart Texas Tech Defense

North Dakota Drive 1

What Went Right: A three and out is always a good outcome. Tackles by Brian Duncan, Jamar Wall and Rajon Henley with blocked punt by Edward Britton.

What Went Wrong: Nothing.

North Dakota Drive 2

What Went Right: Not much, other than the defense finally holding from their own 22 yard line and allowing a 39 yard field goal. Lots of little gains for UND including a big 13 yard 3rd down completion from Jake Landry.

What Went Wrong: How about two personal foul penalties, the 1st one on Marlon Williams and the 2nd one to some unknown player. That's 30 gifted yards to UND

North Dakota Drive 3

What Went Right: 3 plays and 4 yards, thanks to a UND illegal formation penalty.

What Went Wrong: Nothing.

North Dakota Drive 4

What Went Right: Too much yardage given up here including 1 pass for 18 yards and 2 for 10 yards. UND's kicker made a 52 yard field goal, so this wasn't a situation where the defense just gave up a ton of yards. Only 45 to be exact.

What Went Wrong: A 9 yard pass interference penalty by Julius Howard kept the drive alive.

North Dakota Drive 5

What Went Right: End of half.

What Went Wrong: End of half.

North Dakota Drive 6

What Went Right: Another 3 and out, 3 plays 8 yards.

What Went Wrong: Nothing.

North Dakota Drive 7

What Went Right: And another 3 and out, 3 plays 9 yards.

What Went Wrong: Nothing.

North Dakota Drive 8

What Went Right: Not much.

What Went Wrong: 13 plays and 80 yards, with a 9 yard rushing touchdown from UND and a roughing the passer penaltty that gave the ball to UND on the Texas Tech 9 yard line. Too many small completions in the soft underbellly of the Texas Tech defense.

North Dakota Drive 9

What Went Right: Not quite a 3 and out, but a 5 play, 13 yard drive led to another UND punt.

What Went Wrong: Not much, other than a 13 yard pass given up by Cody Davis.

North Dakota Drive 10

What Went Right: A 3 and out, but a Daniel Howard sack led to a 3 play, -7 yard drive.

What Went Wrong: Nothing.

North Dakota Drive 11

What Went Right: This was the end of the game and Sam Fehoko made two tackles. The clock ended this drive.

What Went Wrong: Nothing really and it was nice to see Fehoko make two stops for little yardage.

Depth Charting // The Secondary

Seth C — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:00:10 -0000

Secondary

Left Cornerback	Strong Safety	Free Safety	Right Cornerback
Jamar Wall (3) SR; 5-10/203	Franklin Mitchem (26) JR; 6-2/198	Cody Davis (16) RS FR; 6-2/200	LaRon Moore (28) JR; 5-9/200
Nathan Stone (40) JR; 5-8/181	Brett Dewhurst (30) JR; 6-0/193	Jared Flannel (22) RS SO; 5-11/167	Taylor Charbonnet (29) RS SO; 5-10/175
DeShon Sanders (21) SR/ 6-1/206	Will Ford (7) FR; 6-1/186	Julius Howard (13) JR; 6-1/208	Brent Nickerson (33) SR; 6-0/188

Cornerback:Jamar Wall is another better than average player. Not perfect by any means, but pretty good. I know that the right cornerback spot is still up for grabs and I find is somewhat problematic that no one has stepped up enough to force the coaches to make a decision, but I'm going to go with LaRon Moore for the time being. In party, I think that the coaches may like Taylor Charbonnet's ability to come off the bench and Charbonnet's slight stature may be somewhat of a detriment. During the spring game, I thought that quite a few of the cornerbacks made plays, but I don't think that I could tell you who they were. In any event, there is depth at this positin, enough depth for last year's part-time starter, Brent Nickerson, to potentially be relegated to the third team. Nathan Stone is another guy that I'm not sure that I could tell anything outstanding about Stone, other than he's a former walk-on who impressed immediately. At the end of the day, next year, this year's freshman class of D.J. Johnson and Yashua Williams should press the current crop of cornerbacks starting this year. I'd really like to see almost all of the freshmen play only as a last resort.

Safety: This is where we're crossing our fingers and rubbing on our collective rabbit's foot. After seeing Cody Davis and Franklin Mitchem perform in the spring game, I'm very comfortable with what these two bring to the table. Obviously, each lacks experience, but both appear to be heady players who have more than an understanding of how to play the position. Both have enough athleticism to be productive players in the Big 12. The backups behind Davis and Mitchem is a bit sketchy at this point, but I think it's safe to say that guys like Will Ford, Daniel Cobb and Terrance Bullitt are pushing the incumbents like Brett Dewhurst, Jared Flannel and Julius Howard. Competition inherently forces players to step up their games and I think that for the time being, it's going to be Dewhurst and a combination of Flannel and Howard, but those three had better not rest, otherwise you could see any combination of Ford, Cobb or Bullitt.

Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe // 08.25.09

Seth C — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:03:06 -0000

Odds and Ends

Another Quiet Day: It's another day and it's relatively quiet from a news perspective. Thank goodness you're going to get four, that's right four, posts out of me today. Spaced out over the morning, check back early and often for a preview of Oklahoma St., depth charting the receivers and my adventures in fly-fishing.

Texas Tech Football

Howard Adjusting to the Change: LAJ's Don Williams writes that linebacker turned safety Julius Howard is continuing to adjust to playing safety. Defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill on Howard:

"The last couple of days, and really the last week, he’s done a good job for us back there," McNeill said. "He’s a smart player, understands the game, has been around. But he’s also run around real well and is showing some athleticism back there."

And Howard just wants repetitions to be ready:

"It’s going real good," Howard said of the move. "I’ve got it down. I just need to keep playing and get more reps and more reps, over and over. I’m good as far as playing safety."

Here's the bit from Williams' article that interested me the most, especially as we try to piece together a depth chart:

The player who will join them in six-DB packages hasn’t been settled. Cornerback Taylor Charbonnet, being short and quick, fits the profile of an underneath cover man for slot receivers. He’s worked there in practice.

Mainord said he’s still looking at Howard, Dewhurst and Jared Flannel for that job, too. Freshman Terrance Bullitt also is likely to play this season, according to coaches, although Bullitt’s tall, rangy build suggests he’s more likely to be an over-the-top deep safety than an underneath coverage man.

This news, coupled with yesterday's quote from Ruffin McNeill where he stated that CB D.J. Johnson, S Will Ford and S Terrance Bullitt would not redshirt means that those veterans who think they might have a safety position might not. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the course of the season.

Neglected Audio and Video: For those of you who wonder what the players think about the Red Raiders not being in any of the preseason polls, Fox34 did just that with a somewhat lengthy report below. Make sure and stick around for all of it as you'll hear DE Rajon Henley talk about the team working their balls off and DT Colby Whitlock with a post-practice dip:

Scouting the Enemy: TB from Bring On The Cats gets back from his honeymoon last week (congratulations!) and is already back at work with his Kansas St. Wildcats preview . . . Burnt Orange Nation with a long look at the Texas Longhorns with the help of some friends . . .

Big 12 Links: The St. Louis Dispatch previews the Big 12 . . . ESPN's Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit preview the Big 12 . . .

Alumni: The official San Diego Chargers website on Louis Vasquez on his NFL debut . . .

SB Nation 2009 Big 12 Preview // Double-T Nation's Preview of the Texas Tech Red Raiders

Seth C — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:15:10 -0000

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SB Nation 2009 Big 12 Preview: In partnership with CBS Sports, the SB Nation Big 12 blogs are previewing each of their respective teams in the Big 12. This is Double-T Nation's entry and for all of those who are getting this way through the Texas Tech page on CBS Sports, we welcome you and hope you enjoy the content. Thanks to the Ralphie Report for compiling all of the previews and make sure and visit the Ralphie Report for a more extensive Big 12 conference breakdown.

TOP PLAYERS

Offense:
QB Taylor Potts
RB Baron Batch
OL Brandon Carter
OL Marlon Winn
WR Detron Lewis
WR Edward Britton
WR Tramain Swindall
Defense:
NT Colby Whitlock
DE Rajon Henley
LB Brian Duncan
LB Marlon Williams
CB Jamar Wall
S Cody Davis

OFFENSE: As is the case with each Texas Tech team, there is no question that the offense is led by its quarterback, and after three years of Graham Harrell, the Red Raiders usher in a new signal caller in junior Taylor Potts. It's easy of course to think that Potts will have a difficult time replacing Harrell's production, but Texas Tech has finished with the top passing offense in the Big 12 from 2008 through 2004. Something tells me that head coach Mike Leach understands a thing or two about running an offense. At receiver, the Red Raiders will lean heavily on inside receiver Detron Lewis to lead the way and although there are usually at least four receivers who receive a significant amount of passes, right now this may be a receiver by committee situation. Of course, the big question is who will replace Michael Crabtree at the flanker position and currently it's a three man race, with redshirt freshman Alexander Torres leading the group, followed closely by Lyle Leong and Jacoby Franks. Split end Edward Britton is the lone senior of the receiver corp and it would not surprise those who follow the program closely that inside receiver Tramain Swindall will contribute significantly in 2009. Most think that the offensive line lost three starters, but the truth of the matter is that center Shawn Byrnes started in 2007, lost his job to last year's starter, Stephen Hamby, but is expected to start in 2009. At left tackle, the starting job is between redshirt freshman Terry McDaniel, who showed that he is more than capable of protecting that left side, and all-purpose lineman, Chris Olson. At left guard the Red Raiders return an All-American candidate Brandon Carter and is moving from playing right guard last year. Sophomore Mickey Okafor will take over for Carter at right guard and incumbent Marlon Winn will get the nod at right tackle.

TOP GAMES

1. @ Texas Longhorns :: 09.19.09
2. Oklahoma Sooners :: 11.21.09
3. @ Nebraska Cornhuskers :: 10.17.2009
4. @ Oklahoma St. Cowboys :: 11.14.09
5. Kansas Jayhawks :: 10.31.09

DEFENSE: Texas Tech lost quite a bit of production defensively and previous years, there would have been quite a bit of worrying about replacing both defensive ends and both safeties, but with the increase in talent at Texas Tech, the less of a worry it is replacing quality players. Both defensive ends have moved onward, Brandon Williams has moved to the NFL, and McKinner Dixon declared for the NFL supplemental draft this summer, but went undrafted. Replacing Williams and Dixon will be no small task, but former defensive tackle Rajon Henley has lost weight during the off season and will solidify one end position, while the other end position will be left to Daniel Howard, a JUCO transfer, who was close on a number of sacks last year, has a motor that just doesn't quit. Look for fellow seniors Brandon Sharpe and Sandy Riley to see plenty of time alongside Howard and Henley. Inside, nose tackle Colby Whitlock returns for his junior year and senior Richard Jones will start at defensive tackle. The second and third team could consist of some of the newcomers listed below, but should certainly include in the rotation Victor Hunter, Chris Perry, Britton Barbee and David Neill. All three linebackers return from 2008, including the highly underrated junior middle linebacker Brian Duncan, who could be an all-conference performer, this year. Backing up Duncan is Sam Fehoko, who many think will be could be an impact player right now. At the weakside linebacker spot is senior Marlon Williams, although look for Blake Collier to edge his way into the lineup as he has superior speed which is obviously useful in the wide-open Big 12. At the strongside linebacker spot is junior Bront Bird, who will be fighting off Tyrone Sonier. Left cornerback Jamar Wall returns for his senior season and opposite Wall there is a three man race with LaRon Moore, Brent Nickerson and Taylor Charbonnet all hoping to nab that right starting cornerback position. The Red Raiders lose both safeties from 2008, but redshirt freshman Cody Davis should surprise many in 2009 at free safety and Franklin Mitchem looks to be the starter at strong safety. Brett Dewhurst, Julius Howard and Jared Flannel round out the veterans amongst this safety group.

STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES

Strengths: Quarterback position
typically performs at a high level,
quality receiver depth despite loss
of Crabtree, all starting linebackers
return and depth at defensive tackle.
Weaknesses: Lack of defensive end
depth as three ends graduated or
left the program, must replace or
improve right cornerback and
no experience at safety.

SPECIAL TEAMS: For the first time in the Mike Leach era, he's hired a full-time special teams coach, Eric Russell, and the talk during the spring and fall practices is that there's a noticeable difference in the attitude of special teams this year. Quite possibly the feel-good story of 2008 returns in plackicker Matt Williams, who was plucked from the stands to kick a field goal to win free rent, will return as the guy to kick short-yardage field goals and extra points. Donnie Carona returns to take care of the long field goals and should see competition from Brad Hicks. Punter Jonathan LaCour is suspended for the first six games and freshman Brian Exlerben and Carona will compete for the punter position. Returning punts, there are at least five or six option, but leading the charge is cornerback Jamar Wall, receiver Detron Lewis, running back Eric Stephens, while Stephens, receiver Jacoby Franks, receiver Edward Britton and Wall could each return kickoffs.

KEY LOSSES: LG Louis Vaszuez, LT Rylan Reed, C Stephen Hamby, IR Eric Morris, FL Michael Crabtree, RB Shannon Woods, QB Graham Harrell, DE McKinner Dixon, DE Brandon Williams, S Daniel Charbonnet and S Darcel McBath.

NEWCOMERS: The defensive side of the ball presents the most opportunity for newcomers to make a difference for this team as I think it takes at least a year to acclimate to the Texas Tech offense. With that being said, sophomore defensive tackle Myles Wade has the physical gifts to make an impact immediately, as does fellow defensive tackle Pearlie Graves. The Red Raiders signed six defensive backs in 2008 and although they are all talented defensive backs Will Ford, Daniel Cobb and Terrance Bullitt could all see time at safety in 2009. Receiver Eric Ward, a freshman who landed in Lubbock in the spring semester and has a leg up on the competition, has the talent to break into the receiver rotation quickly. Although technically not newcomers in the truest sense of the word, the aforementioned left tackle Terry McDaniel has the potential to start and running back Harrison Jeffers will surprise many opponents in 2009 as he should be the combination running back with Baron Batch. Also watch out for former quarterbacks turned receivers in Austin Zouzalik and Cornelius Douglas. Both are explosive athletes, Zouzalik may be one of the fastest players on the team, and Douglas is could be utilized in a Wildcat-type of formation.

Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe // 08.11.09

Seth C — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:24:16 -0000

Odds and Ends

New Front Page Author: LondonRaider has been an integral part of this website for quite some time, and to be honest he may be the most recommended member in this community. In any event, I thought it was high time to promote LondonRaider to the front page, just in time for football season. I appreciate LondonRaider joining the DTN staff and I'm definitely looking forward to having him write for DTN.

More on AAU and Basketball: This really has nothing to do with Texas Tech basketball, but wanted to mention this whole mess about AAU teams charging coaches huge "admission fees" for a roster or entrance into the event. The NY Times Stephen Danley also writes that these fees can be detrimental to the players who are hoping to get noticed. Someone is selling their information and I have to wonder who's making the money? The bottom line with all of this is that I'm tired of AAU basketball and would love to see it end on a permanent basis.

Texas Tech Football

Svelte Henley: LAJ's Don Williams features a more slender DE Rajon Henley, who has lost 15 pounds or so in order to make the transition from defensive tackle to defensive end. Henley is looking forward to his last year with Texas Tech:

"I think I’m a little bit more excited about this season, it being my senior season and my last go-round," he said. "I feel I’m going to have a strong senior season. A lot of people feel the same way. I was impressed that I was able to work the way I did this summer, better than any other summer I’ve had before."

And his position coach, Charlie Sadler, had this to say about Henley:

"I think he’s going to be a very good defensive end for us," defensive line coach Charlie Sadler said. "The thing is, we went into spring ball and he basically worked there every other practice with the thought of seeing what he could do, to see if he could be an end. If he gets all the reps there in fall camp, then I think he’s going to make some real big strides as far as what the position entails."

Red Raiders Football Notebook: LAJ's Don Williams has the scoop on a bunch of items: some of the freshmen defensive backs are working in with the veterans and in looking at a starter opposite Jamar Wall, right now it's LaRon Moore, Taylor Charbonnet, Brent Nickerson and Nathan Stone . . . freshman safety Daniel Cobb is making an impression by picking off a pass in two consecutive practices along with a brief depth chart of Cody Davis with Franklin Mitchem, Brett Dewhurst with Julius Howard, Daniel Cobb with Will Ford, and Jared Flannel with Terrance Bullitt . . . inside receivers coach Lincoln Riley is expecting big things from WR Tramain Swindall:

"I just expect more out of Tramain," Riley said. "I expect him to make more plays. It’s not like he’s done a lot of bad things. It’s more, we expect him to be a guy who steps up and makes big plays, and he hasn’t done that as much as even he did last season."

. . . RB's Eric Stephens and Harrison Jeffers made some plays yesterday . . . the following players got a look at punt returner: CB Jamar Wall, FL Eric Ward, IR Cornelius Douglas, IR Detron Lewis, RB Eric Stephens and SE Derrick Mays . . .

Chiozie Q & A: RRS.com's Brian Lane talks with freshman LB Dion Chidozie. Good stuff, quick-hit style.

Leach Set to Take Stage: The Broadcast Booth's Brian Jensen has a photo of next months Texas Monthly, featuring your humble Captain, Mike Leach. I'll let you decide if you like it:

via 1.bp.blogspot.com

Dropping off the Polls: Notre Dame blog The Blue-Gray Sky with a look at the teams that gained the most and lost the most from last year to this year's preseason poll. Naturally, Texas Tech is one of the biggest "losers" because they went from being in the top 15 to being just outside the preseason coaches poll.

The Offense Will Fall off the Face of the Earth: I still don't understand how writers can continue to write that it's going to be incredibly tough for Texas Tech to replace Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree. Texas Tech has consistently been one of the top offenses in the Big 12 under Leach so its puzzling to think that the Red Raiders will some how not be able to move the ball or put it in the endzone this year. In any event, AthlonSports.com ranked the top 200 fantasy quarterbacks and your bearded QB, Taylor Potts came in at #6, right behind OU's Sam Bradford and just in front of UT's Colt McCoy.

Big 12 Items: ESPN's Tim Griffin has his first power poll of the year and the Red Raiders check in at #6 . . .

Scouting the Enemy: Barking Carnival's Henry James takes a close look at the OU offensive line (hint: they're the best in the history of ever) . . . Corn Nation's Husker Mike previews the Kansas St. Wildcats . . .

Crabtree Nugget: So we all know that WR Michael Crabtree is still holding out, and there's been a ton of buzz about Mr. Crabtree's infamous family member who told someone that Crabtree would sit out the entire year if he didn't get the contract he wanted. Enter DallasBasketball.com's Mike Fisher, and I'm going to blockquote the entire bit, but go give Fisher a click or two:

I have what you might call "second-hand knowledge’’ of the Michael Crabtree matter. Second-hand in the sense that I was sitting right there as my man Nate Newton was engaged in phone conversations with David Wells, the Dallas-based bodyguard/bail bondsman who happens to be the cousin and advisor of Crabtree, the spectacular Texas Tech receiver engaged in a rookie-contract dispute with the 49ers.

And here’s what I know: It’s not really Crabtree who is telling the 49ers he might sit out the entire year and re-enter the NFL Draft next season if San Francisco doesn’t meet his demands. Nor is it veteran agent Eugene Parker who is telling the 49ers such an incendiary thing.

No, it’s David Wells. And David isn’t even saying it to the 49ers! He’s just saying it to reporters.

That’s creating the impression that Crabtree is some sort of a "diva’’ when in fact, all we’ve got here is a cousin who thinks Michael is "the best player in the whole draft’’ – the sort of thing an agent wouldn’t say but the sort of thing a relative would say.

On Friday, David Wells popped off one more time, to ESPN’s Joe Schad. And then after that, I’m told, Team Crabtree convened and – led by Eugene Parker, as it should be – ordered David Wells to quit talking to reporters.

There’s a reason lawyers don’t represent themselves in court. And there’s a reason smart lawyers don’t let their cousins who are bodyguard/bail bondsmen represent them in court, either.

Maybe we can just let Crabtree and Parker work things out by themselves.

Recruiting on the High Seas // RB Delans Griffin

Seth C — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 01:03:27 -0000

I'm not sure which is a bigger commitment recently, and to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if you could be in for a few more surprises relatively soon. The Texas Tech Red Raiders received a verbal commitment from Clinton, OK running back, Delans Griffin. This is a huge commitment and just from looking at the rankings below as well as the film after the jump, you'll see why.

The Measurables:

via vmedia.rivals.com

Delans Griffin
Position: RB
Rivals Profile
Scout Profile
ESPN Profile 78 Grade
Ht: 5'10"
Wt: 180 lbs
Forty: 4.49
High School: Clinton (Clinton, OK)

Jump as fast as you can.

The Film:

Heck yes.

Granted, the blocks and the holes Griffin's offensive line is opening up are pretty spectacular, but you can tell that he's got vision and speed to burn. Watch for yourself, and you may want to turn down your speakers.

'10 OK HB Delans Griffin (via RedshirtScouting)

The Scouting Report:

First, my general perception and then the very reliable ESPN for additional thoughts. As mentioned above, Griffin seems to have tremendous vision and and cut-back ability. The guy looks really smooth finding the hole, and it doesn't have to be much for him to find a spot, and then turn on the jets. The guy looks to be pretty special. The Red Raiders have come up with some impressive runners recently, and you can certainly add Griffin to that list.

Now to Griffin's ESPN profile:

SGriffin is smooth, natural running back prospect with the potential to develop into a productive featured runner at the next level. Has just adequate size at this time but is well-defined, wiry and has the body to play at 190-pounds to assist his inline power and durability. Shows very good pick and dart zone running skills; has great hips, foot-quickness, vision and body control. Sees the creases open up quickly between the tackles and makes sharp, decisive cuts. Very sudden in-line runner who is difficult to get a clean shot on. Reaches top-speed quickly allowing him to hit the seams just as they open and generate enough momentum to break first contact on occasion. Flashes good burst and foot-speed bouncing outside; loses very little in transition cutting laterally and can turn the corner and separate.

Make sure and click on through for the entire evaluation.

Two Running Backs?

It's been since 2007 since the Captain signed two running backs, Jared Flannel (now turned safety) and Aaron Crawford. But with the addition of Griffin, Leach & Co. have secured both Griffin's verbal commitment and fellow runner Aaron Spikes, who also looks to be a pretty talented runner. The difference between the two is that Spikes appears to be more of a Harrison Jeffers type of running back, smaller in stature but has the ability to add some weight. Griffin on the other hand looks lanky out on the field. Perhaps Griffin's commitment signals a type of player that is a little more versatile, could be split wide, perhaps be moved around a bit in motion, etc. If anything, I think it gives Leach some ability to be creative, maybe a look ahead as he tries to tweak his offense a bit.

The Player Speaks

RaiderPower's Mark Sparrow talked with Griffin and how he thinks he fits in the offense:

"I think that I’ll fit in really well with Texas Tech’s offense. I like playing in the spread offense, and I can catch the ball as well as run it. I think that’s an advantage I have to playing tail back; I can either run the ball out of the backfield or I can catch passes.

The 2010 Class:

Position	Commitment
QB	Scotty Young (6-3/185)
RB	Aaron Spikes (5-9/185) Delans Griffin (5-10/180)
WR	Shawn Corker (6-1/189)
OL	Beau Carpenter (6-7/260) James Polk (6-7/290) Denton Simek (6-4/260)
DL	Jaqwaylin Arps (6-3/230) Kedrick Dial (6-5/215) Jackson Richards (6-4/240)
LB	Zac Winbush (6-2/200)
DB	Desmond Martin (6-0/173) Russell Polk (5-11/200) Brandon Smith (6-1/175)

Delans, welcome to Texas Tech, and Git Your Guns Up!

Five Things // The Freshmen Defensive Backs

Seth C — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:00:19 -0000

Five Things is a handful (i.e., five) of thoughts about a single topic. Hopefully, discussion ensues.

The Freshmen Defensive Backs

It would be an understatement to say that I'm excited about the 2009 crop of defensive backs signed to play at Texas Tech. Let's look at these newcomers in a little more detail and project just a bit.

1: The Players

Leach, McNeill & Co. signed four defensive backs, Terrance Bullit, Daniel Cobb, Will Ford and Yahshua Williams, and two athletes who are projected to play defensive back, D.J. Johnson and Jarvis Phillips. Here's the run down on those players:

Player	Ht/Wt	Position	40	ESPN	Rivals
Terrance Bullit	6-2/178	Safety	4.58	78	3-star
Daniel Cobb	6-1/195	Safety	4.60	77	3-star
Will Ford	6-1/190	Safety	4.40	77	3-star
D.J. Johnson	6-0/171	Athlete	4.40	76	3-star
Jarvis Phillips	6-0/185	Athlete	-	67	3-star
Yahshua Williams	6-3/185	Safety	4.50	80	3-star

What I love about this class is that McNeill has previously stated is that if given enough spots, he wants to recruit a team each and every recruiting class. If if this is indicative of what we can expect in the future, then I'm very happy.

2: Forget Position

I included the projected positions of each of these players in the table above, but the truth of the matter is that you can throw out what you perceive to be positions for these DB's. Yes, some of the players may be a little slow to play cornerback, but the truth of the matter is that most, if not all of them could play cornerback in a pinch and other than Johnson's 171 pounds, he may not have the size to play safety right now. That could all change given a year in the system, either redshirting or actually playing.

In other words, I don't want to have any real preconceived ideas about where they should play, but rather, I'm thinking that you want the best four or five on the field at any given time. That's the thing that I think I love about this class of DB's is that they are all somewhat similar in that they are all projectable athletes, who probably have the possibility of playing a number of positions.

In fact, I think offensive line coach Matt Moore has taken this stance with his offensive linemen. I don't really get the idea that he sees a recruit and he automatically believes that a guy is a tackle or a guard. I get the feeling that he sees a guy with good feet, great size or strength and then finds a place for the best five players, regardless of position. Granted, it's a little more difficult at defensive back, but I still like the concept.

3: Who is Ready

If I had to pick some guys that are more ready than others, I think I'd start with Will Ford. Ford is very physical and plays like a guy that wants to hit you. Being one of the fastest of the DB recruits, I don't think it's a stretch to say that he could potentially have an immediate effect on the field . . . next year. I have no idea how the other safety options are going to pan out, other than Cody Davis, who I'm pretty sure is going to be just fine at free safety , but I honestly have no idea about what Franklin Mitchem is going to do and whether or not he's going to provide the type of play that McNeill wants. Granted, during the spring game, I didn't think any of the safety positions played poorly, but Davis was the only player that stood out.

The same could be said for Daniel Cobb, another guy who has a similar size and body-type to Ford, played free safety in high school, but has the ability to play the run. I know that this is getting a little bit repetitive, but similar rangy athletes that have the ability to play multiple positions means that any one of these guys could see some time.

I think Terrance Bullitt knows the game, maybe because his brother is Melvin Bullitt, and coming from a football family, especially one where his brother is playing at a high level professionally, means that I think he should have the football background to play next year. Aside from his NFL ties, I think Bullitt is one of those guys that has the size and speed to cover multiple offensive positions.

Last but not least, I like Yahshua Williams (I'm going to go ahead and admit that I'll probably mis-spell Williams' name at some point in the next four years) for a number of reasons, but mainly in that he might project as more of a corner, but has really nice height for a cornerback and that could be invaluable as more offense employ bigger receivers. The two-deep at cornerback has guys who 6-0 or under (Jamar Wall: 5-9; Nathan Stone: 5-8; LaRon Moore: 5-9; Brent Nickerson: 6-0; and Taylor Charbonnet: 5-10). That's not to say that these guys can't play, but Williams have particular benefit against taller slot receivers or tight ends.

4: Who May Wait

I hate to count guys out of the rotation before a game even starts, but if I had t choose two guys who I think project incredibly well, but may not be ready for the 2009 season, they are Jarvis Phillips and D.J. Johnson. That's not to say that Phillips and Johnson don't look to be great athletes and of similar physical stature as the remainder of their class, but Johnson is coming from a small school where I believe he played all over the field and he may take some time to adjust to just playing in the secondary. Along with Ford, the fastest recruit, and his measurables just screams cornerback with excellent size. Phillips is another guy that mainly played quarterback for Carter last year, which may be a reason why he wasn't as highly rated coming out of high school. Phillips was an adequate quarterback, but may be an even better prospect as a cornerback or safety. The thought being that if you don't have many options at quarterback, you put your best athlete there and let him make plays. Something tells me that if he had played in the secondary last year, he would have received quite a bit more looks from some bigger schools.

5: Moving Forward

I think most Red Raider fans are expecting a bit of a drop-off at the safety position, especially after the entire two-deep graduated in 2008, leaving the cupboard somewhat bare for 2009. The key here is that there weren't guys who were ready to step into the position in 2009, that at the very least had some experience. This recruiting practice has left the starting job to the aforementioned Davis and Mitchem, as well as former walk-on Brett Dewhurst and converted safeties Julius Howard and Jared Flannel competing for spots. I like all of those guys, but Texas Tech should never be in the position (a similar position in 2010 at defensive end) where the back-ups are either untested or incoming freshmen expected to make a difference. If the current commits are any indication that McNeill does not want this to happen again, then I'm happy. Russell Polk (5-11/200) and Brandon Smith (6-1/175) are similar athletes to the 2009 class. I think the 2010 class is going to be at least 25 deep so I think you'll see similar numbers to last year in terms of recruits. That's the way to build a successful program.

Red-Black Spring Game Roundup // Red Defense

Seth C — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:00:12 -0000

Red Defense

Defensive Line

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the size and consistency of DT Britton Barbee I know he's listed at 282 pounds, but he's added some weight and I was pretty impressed with his motor. I can see why the staff liked Barbee for his play during the Thursday night scrimmage. He didn't show up in the boxscore, but he's morphed himself into one of those plugging defensive linemen. Barbee may not get much time this year (he's a sophomore and will be a junior), but he's going to be a nice surprise to some of the graduating defensive talent after 2009. Colby Whitlock is as solid as he was last year. No worries about his play. Rajon Henley looked comfortable at both tackle and defensive end. Much like Whitlock, he's going to be solid, I just wonder how if he's got that playmaking ability that Dixon and Williams had (i.e. does he have the speed to get around the edge or the strength to get a push). Brandon Sesay was the surprise and made big plays, finishing with 3 tackles, two of which were sacks. He was going up against Joe King and so his competition wasn't the greatest. Take his performance with a grain of salt. If Sesay can be consistant with his play, then I like his chances, but he's got to do it in the classroom and on the field for more than just one or two plays. Brandon Sharpe also finished the day with 2 sacks and as good as Daniel Howard looked for the White Defense, Sharpe did for the Red Defense. I still think Howard is a bit more solid, but Sharpe is going to see quite a bit of time at defensive end.

Linebacker

Loved the play of Tyrone Sonier and I'm thinking that if he can take some time from Bront Bird, he adds a different dimension. I think he's got more speed than Bird and he's more likely to make plays whereas I tend to think that Bird will disappear during games. Sonier led the team with 6 tackles and one sack. Brian Duncan manned the middle admirably and I found myself watching more of Sonier and Blake Collier. I didn't notice anything glaring about Duncan's play. But to Collier, I like his speed at weakside linebacker and his interception reminded me that he's a former safety who should be pretty good in coverage. I'd love to see Ruffin McNeill take advantage of that. Sandy Riley made two tackles, but I didn't notice him too much. Again, watching Sonier and Collier.

Secondary

As much as people are talking about Steven Sheffield's play against the Red Defense, I just didn't see it. I saw a Red Defense that didn't give up too many huge play, registered 5 sacks and 8 tackles for a loss. Yes, Sheffield looked okay, but I was honestly impressed with the play of the secondary and I thought that when I wrote about the White Offense, there were times that I thought Seth Doege had no options to throw the ball, all because the secondary had everyone covered up. I really liked the play of the safeties. I loved Franklin Mitchem and now I understand why the staff thinks he's going to start. Very rangy and a good hitter. He's going to be fine starting alongside Cody Davis. Brent Nickerson looked good at cornerback, although I'm not sure that he or Jarrell Routt breaks into the two-deep. With that being said, I thought that these guys played well. I wish I had noticed the play of Jared Flannel and Julius Howard, but in trying to watch so many other positions, I didn't pay as much attention to them as I probably should have. Booo, me.

Poll

Who was the MVP of the Red Defense in the Red-Black Scrimmage?

Britton Barbee

8 votes

Brandon Sesay

24 votes

Tyrone Sonier

10 votes

Blake Collier

6 votes

Franklin Mitchem

3 votes

51 votes | Poll has closed

Texas Tech Thursday Morning Football Notes - More Intensity Edition

Seth C — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:10:12 -0000

Lots of News

There's a ton of news out there today, and I couldn't sleep so I'm up at 4:15 a.m. this morning trying to read everything before I post. I also though it would be a good idea to separate the baseball and football notes. Consider this to be your open thread to discuss all things Texas Tech football, and any news that I missed.

Texas Tech vs. Baylor Moving to Dallas

It's finally official, the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Baylor Bears will move the 2009 and 2010 games to Dallas (also thanks to xwvr for the FanPost). The 2009 game will be played at the Dallas Cowboys new stadium and the 2010 game will be played at the Cotton Bowl. The official press release is linked above, so there's plenty to read about the details there. The LAJ's Josh Hull writes that Lubbock businesses stand to lose millions because of the move:

Randy Jordan, chairman of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, declined to be interviewed but issued a statement on the decision to move the game.
"We won’t second-guess the decision made by Tech’s athletic director in regards to the Baylor game being moved to Arlington and the importance for the football program," Jordan said in the statement. "However, I’m sure Chamber members and other business community members will regret the monetary loss to their businesses for that weekend."

It's great for me because now I can see a game that I might not have seen because of the drive to Lubbock, yes I am one of the DFW alumni, but I like games in Lubbock. I think the fanbase is very divided on this particular issue and I see both sides of the argument.

Brandon Carter Now at Left Tackle

LAJ's officially reports that Brandon Carter will be at left tackle. We've known about the move for quite a while, but I think this is the first published report. Offensive line coach Matt Moore says that this move isn't absolute:

"It’s something that’s going to be interesting,’’ Moore said. "He knows it’s not set in stone. I can move him back to right guard. He started there for two years, so he’s got no problem going back to right guard, but left tackle will be something a little different to go through spring with. Hopefully, he’ll catch on to it.’’

Brandon Carter is excited about the move:

"This go-round, it’ll be smaller, quicker guys,’’ said the senior from Longview Spring Hill. "They’ll be tall, long-armed guys, but they’ll definitely be a lot quicker and have different moves that I’m not totally used to. I’ve played tackle, but I’ve never played left tackle. But yeah, I’m excited to play against some of the D-ends in the Big 12.’’

Notes and Stuff

LAJ's Don Williams' Red Raiders Notebook has quite a bit of information:

Confirms that sophomore cornerback Jared Flannel will move to safety and a Texas State transfer, running Andre McCorkle, is moving to defense, perhaps defensive back or linebacker. McCorkle is 6-2/190 so I'd imagine that he has the size to play linebacker (I think 190 is his freshman weight).
Senior Edward Britton has been demoted and sophomore Rashad Hawk has stepped into his starting role.
Taylor Potts sounds ready to take charge:
"It’s been a lot more intensity," Potts said. "You know you can’t take a break. When you’re the backup, you think, ‘Aw, if I don’t watch film, it’ll be fine. What’s the worst that could happen?’ It’s a lot different being in this position, having to take responsibility for yourself and pretty much everything."
Freshman Eric Ward is working behind Jacoby Franks at Michael Crabtree's old X-receiver position.

Reloading

DT's Alex Ybarra looks at the first day of practice and head coach Mike Leach said that the practice was good:

"It was good," Leach said. "I thought we had a pretty good practice, we're excited to put pads on, but I thought it was a good first day."

This is a good overview, so make sure and click on over, with lots of quotes from lots of folks.

Neglected Video

And how about this, the only media outlet with embeddable (I'm not sure if this is a word) video is the Daily Toreador (nice work guys and gals):

Also, KAMC has some video of the first day.

Tech Talk Has Bevy of Coaches Talk Texas Tech

Running backs coach Clay McGuire, secondary coach Brian Mitchell and receivers coach Lincoln Riley were all on Tech Talk on Wednesday. Make sure and give both hours a listen (Hour 1 and Hour 2). I would try and summarize, but there's just a ton of information there, so just give it a listen.

Overview of the Red Raiders

Rivals.com's Olin Buchanan has a nice overview of the Red Raiders, although I think that those of you who frequent DTN, none of this is new information, but it's a good read for the football hungry.