SB Nation - Rashad Hawk

Depth Charting // The Receivers

Seth C — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:00:14 -0000

Receivers

X-Split End	H-Inside Receiver	Y-Inside Receiver	Z-Flanker
Edward Britton (27) SR; 6-0/167	Tramain Swindall (11) RS SO; 6-3/180	Detron Lewis (17) JR; 6-0/205	Alexander Torres (86) RS FR; 6-2/196
Eric Ward (18) FR; 5-11/202	Cornelius Douglas (2) RS FR; 5-9/193	Austin Zouzalik (6) RS FR; 6-1/181	Jacoby Franks (8) RS SO; (6-1/185)
Rashad Hawk (23) RS SO; 6-4/186	Adam James (82) RS SO; 6-3/216		Lyle Leong (19) JR; 6-1/165

X-Split End: The incumbent, Edward Britton, seems to have this spot locked up, as well he should. Britton is the speed threat on the outside that this offense needs, perhaps now more than ever with a quarterback who can just chunk the ball. I believe that Eric Ward was at another receiver spot, but has moved to this the X position, and I think it suits him well. As much as we're all falling over ourselves with the commitments of Kadron Boone and Shawn Corker (and we should, these are talented players), Eric Ward was the 2009 version of these guys. It's easy to forget about guys like Ward, but Ward has the skill set to be a tremendous playmaker. I'm not real sure about the third spot here and I'm guessing that it's Rashad Hawk, although I could be wrong. I had really high hopes for Hawk coming out of high school, but he's had a problem putting on weight and getting into the rotation. I'm not sure that the X position is what suits his skill set, although the thought of a big tall receiver that has speed to burn is certainly intriguing, but the problem is that he hasn't forced himself on the field yet.

H-Inside Receiver: Recent reports may mean that this position is subject to change and the coaching staff is not a staff that will stick a player with a position and refuse to make a change. Tramain Swindall was one of the players that I thought would have a break-out 2009, but if he's not impressing thus far, then I think the staff will have no problem making a change. Swindall has a ton of talent, but you've got to perform. Cornelius Douglas is the definition of inside receiver. He's shifty, incredibly quick, and from what I can tell, he's going to fit the mold of previous Texas Tech inside receivers. Adam James is the wildcard in that he was in Leach's doghouse during the spring, but has played well thus far. As I mentioned with the backfield, I'm not sure if James is going to be utilized as the second tight end that much this year, but if Leach does go in that direction then James will get plenty of time.

Y-Inside Receiver: This is the position that appears to have an abundance of talent. Deton Lewis is going to make lots of plays this year, I don't think that's much of a question. The real question is if Austin Zouzalik is having such a great training camp, and from all accounts he is, then he may be the guy that replaces Swindall if his play thus far warrants a promotion. If Zouzalik gets the time, then he's going to play well. After that, I'm really not sure. It could really be anyone at this point and it gets really messy if Zouzalik takes Swindall's spot at the other inside receiver position.

Z-Flanker: The battle for Crabtree's old position seems to be something fierce. We've heard that Alexander Torres is the guy who is catching everything thrown his way. He was very solid in the spring game and it wouldn't at all surprise me to see Torres start week 1. The conundrum of Jacoby Franks and Lyle Leong will work itself out as these things tend to do. I'm not sure if either one of these players will switch positions, but Leong is too talented not to be on the field and Franks has too much potential. If there's a logjam here, then I could see Franks getting moved somewhere else in order to get him some playing time.

Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe // 08.10.09

Seth C — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:09:09 -0000

Odds and Ends

Schedule This Week: I've got a preview of the Nebraska Cornhuskers going up this morning and five players that you may have forgotten, but probably shouldn't that's scheduled to be posted tomorrow morning. I'm going to be out of town (fly fishing somewhere in New Mexico and Colorado) starting Wednesday night and I won't be back until late Sunday night. I've never fly fished before, so I'm really looking forward to trip.

Funny Stuff: The continuation of BOTC's Panjandrum's Adventures of the Big 12: Redemption (and a Man Named Texas A&M) and yes, I think you'll enjoy this.

Texas Tech Football

Pearlie Is a Great Name: LAJ's Don Williams features freshman DT Pearlie Graves who feels confident about what he can do for Texas Tech:

"I feel confident,’’ said Graves, who was an all-state player last fall for an Oklahoma Class 5A team at Tulsa East Central. "I know people are going to expect a lot from me. I’m going to give it all I’ve got and give all I can and push myself. I know if I push myself, I’m going to reach my goals.’’

Defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill likes Graves' work ethic, who gained 20 pounds during the offseason:

"I like his attitude,’’ McNeill said Sunday. "I like his work ethic. He’s done real well in his classroom work. I like his athleticism. He’s really a strong player. You can tell that right now, even not in pads. I liked his explosion off the ball in high school. I saw it (on the first day of practice). I like what he’s bringing to the table so far.’’

Red Raider Football Notebook: LAJ's Williams also has a bunch of notes from Sunday's practice: some notes on the receiver battle, including Rashad Hawk falling behind a bit . . . freshman Kerry Hyder will be playing defensive end rather than linebacker and could eventually be the Joker replacement:

"He could grow into one of those left (defensive) ends with that power and strength,’’ McNeill said. "He was an all-state basketball player and all-state in football, so that tells you he’s got some athleticism. That’s what I liked about Kerry.’’

And Captain Mike Leach will be featured in Texas Monthly in September . . .

Replacing Players, It Happens: The Chron's Jordan Godwin with a fairly generic article on Texas Tech having to replace players on offense and defense. If you've been with DTN since the Big 12 Media Days, then you're fine just sticking here.

Need BCS Bowl: Paul Westerdawg of Georgia Sports Blog with his yearly list of coaches without a BCS Bowl and the Captain is tied with Virginia's Al Groh, Missouri's Gary Pinkel and Rutger's Greg Schiano.

Beard? Not so Much: The Doc, Doug and Holly asked on Friday about if everyone had seen the beard on our Red Raiders' newest QB, Taylor Potts, and currently, it's more of a fu-man-chu, but it should be back to beard form by this evening (huge hat-tip RRS.com's Aaron Dickens):

~~Neglected~~ Audio, Video and Photos: It's only neglected if it takes me a couple of days to link to it, and DTN and others appear to be on top of things. First, thanks to DTN's own djollie111 for posting photos from practice 1, practice two and even going so far as to post some video. Huzzah! Also, I had Aaron Dickens at RedRaiderSports.com email me and the guys at RRS.com will also be posting video much more often this season. Thus, we've got practice highlights from Sunday:

Practice Highlights - August 9th @ Rivals Video

And an informal Captain Leach press conference after practice:

Leach likes what he sees @ Rivals Video

Scouting the Enemy: DMN's Mike Heika writes that the rivalry between the Big 12 North and the Big 12 South is a tad lopsided . . . Tilting at Windmills takes a look at the Oklahoma St. defense . . .SAEN's Mike Finger takes a look at the Longhorn defensive line . . . The Chron's Sam Kahn, Jr. writes that the Rice offense is looking to re-load, not rebuild . . .

Alumni: DallasCowboys.com profiles DE/LB Brandon Williams . . . It appears that it may not be long before QB Graham Harrell gets a shot at quarterbacking the Saskatchewan Roughriders . . .

5 Things // Offensive Players Who Must Improve in 2009

Seth C — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:00:16 -0000

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

Offensive Players Who Must Improve in 2009

There are a ton of factors that go into a team improving, but I thought that it might be good to take a look at both offensive and defensive players (later this week) who need to improve their game for Texas Tech to have a successful 2009.

Join me after the jump for a look at who I think are the offensive players who must improve in 2009.

1: WR, Edward Britton

I don't know if there's an offensive player that is more frustrating that Easy Ed. Britton has legitimate 4.4 speed and can pull away from almost any cornerback in the conference. Britton's issues, both on the field and off, started in 2006 and 2007 where he had the reputation, and in my opinion rightfully so, as a guy that dropped too many passes. I've also been somewhat frustrated with Britton's lack of consistency in each game. Granted, part of this is that Britton's first true starting year was 2008, which was the same year that Michael Crabtree burst on the scene and 2009, again, Mr. Crabtree. But I would have thought that with so much attention being given to Crabtree, that Britton would have stepped up his game in 2008 and that just didn't happen. In fact, Britton caught 48 passes for 631 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2007, but in 2008 he only caught 35 passes for 577 yards and 6 touchdowns. I know that other players like Detron Lewis came onto the scene, but I think I'd like to have a Britton that doesn't accept being out-played by someone younger, especially when Britton is gifted enough to be a lead receiver. And this spring, Britton decided that academics wasn't very impotant, leading to the Captain Mike Leach to say this:

"Ed didn’t like showing up and studying at places I felt like he needed to and like the academic people asked him to, so he can go study out there on the 50-yard line," Leach said. "We’ll take baby steps, and if he does good studying out there, we’ll decide if we’re going to actually let him practice."
Asked if Britton was on thin ice, Leach said, "I’d say that’s accurate. All guys that don’t study are on thin ice, as far as I’m concerned."

Leach said Britton was to remain out in the cold, studying for at least an hour and a half after his teammates had gone in for the day.

"If somehow he fails to do that, then that’ll be the last we ever hear of Easy Ed," Leach said.

You could probably say this about every player on this, list, but it's more true with Britton than any other player, this is all about what he wants to do to be the absolute best he can be. The ball is in his court.

2: C, Shawn Byrnes

Shawn Byrnes' story is somewhat well known. Byrnes started his sophomore season, logging 10 starts and playing in 11 games in 2007, which was the first year of offensive line coach Matt Moore. I can't necessarily be privy to all of Moore's offensive line philosphies, but what I can say is that he will play the best guy, almost regardless of position. In the fall of 2008, Stephen Hamby won the center position battle and there was no question in Byrnes' mind who won that job:

"It really hurt,'' Byrnes said. "But Hamby won it outright, and I think I could have handled it better, competed more to maybe play more and get better.''

Quite a bit has been made in that Texas Tech is replacing three starters and in reality, should Byrnes return to his 2007 form, and it sounds as if he is, then the Red Raider offensive line will be better than anticipated:

"Mainly, get my mean streak back,'' he said. "When I was a sophomore, I was a mean player. I was real dominant. Then after I got hurt, I think I lost it. I got scared. I was playing timid. That's the main thing (Moore) told me he noticed, so I want to get my mean streak back and play real physical and use my strength on the field like I used to.''

We need more of this.

3: WR, Adam James

Adam James was an integral part of the offense in 2008. He was a versitle player and he seemed to be involved in almost all of the two tight-end sets that Mike Leach ran. But this spring, things have changed and there hasn't been a peep (at least publicly) as to the cause. In fact, there was this bit about a scrimmage where Adam James, Rashad Hawk and Eric Ward received one rep (James' rep) combined in a 50 play scrimmage. That's unacceptable and for the life of me, I can't figure out why. If there's a player that needs to make improvement, both on and off the field it's James. James weighed in at 217 last spring, but he seems like the sort of player that could add an additional 20 pounds and still be incredibly effective. This is somewhat of a 180 from where James was in the spring of 2008 where he was coming off of a grayshirt year:

"It was hard last year, sitting up in the stands, watching your teammates playing,'' James said. "You want to be out there bad, but you know it's not your turn yet. And now that it's finally my turn, I'm going to do everything I can to help this team be the best it can be.''

I want that guy back.

4: RB, Aaron Crawford

It's strange to include Crawford on this list, especially as he was such an integral part of the 2007 season. Aaron Crawford, a true freshman from Tennessee, should have been redshirted his entire freshman year, but Shannon Woods dalliance with things other than football essentially left Mike Leach without any options. In fact, Crawford started the last four games of that 2007 season and played well, including an incredibly gutty performance against the Oklahoma Sooners where he carried the ball 12 times for 47 yards (some of those very late in the game). Crawford was injured in 2008, which opened the door for a Woods who found his way out of Leach's doghouse and a fully healthy Baron Batch. Now, Crawford faces competition from redshirt freshman Harrison Jeffers, who has been touted by Ruffin McNeill as the offensive player to watch in 2009 in addition to sitting out the second half of the spring with an injury. I still think Crawford has plenty left in the tank to help this team, in a number of different ways. I also hope he hasn't conceded the running back job to Jeffers.

5: WR, Lyle Leong

Am I the only one that had somewhat higher expectations for Leong last year. I know, he was playing behind Mr. Crabtree, but I still thought he could have done a little more. Leong showed promise his grayshirt freshman season as he showed that he's the type of player that can catch anything thrown his way and his statistics in 2008 were better, but his season high of catches, three, he did in three different games. And after the Kansas State game, where Leong caught 3 passes for 23 yards and 3 touchdowns, we learned that Leong had been in Leach's doghouse for much of the season:

"What he did to get in (the doghouse) is highly classified. It's deeply guarded in the bowels of Texas Tech, and it's guarded by the dogs that you saw on Harry Potter. OK?" Leach said after Texas Tech beat Kansas State 58-28 Saturday at Snyder Family Stadium. "As far as what he did to get out, just made plays. He just focused on being a great team guy and made plays."

With Crabtree gone, Leong was entering into the 2009 season as the guy at the X receiver position. But Leong was injured the entire spring. With the X receiver position still up in the air, this is Leong's time to shine, and if Leong shows up to be a different player, then Texas Tech could be a different team.

Five Things // Receiver Options

Seth C — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:00:12 -0000

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

Receiver Options

I think this thought is a tad bit ridiculous, but there just seems to be a ton of options at the receiver position, and I'm hoping that we can hopefully work though the options at receiver and clarify who's going to see significant reps at receiver.

1: X

I think most everyone knows the story of Edward Britton's classroom spring struggles (i.e. sitting at a desk on the field in the snow while everyone else practices) but considering the current options at the X position, I think that Britton is by far the best option available. At the end of the spring, Britton's competition at this position was Adrian Reese, Rashad Hawk and Brik Brinker. Of all of the receiver position, this seems to be the least deep of the four, although I would bet that if push came to shove and Britton was injured, I think you'd see someone else, possibly Jacoby Franks or Alex Torres flip over here (probably Franks). Of Britton's backups, I like Hawk's potential the best, but thus far, he's had a tough time getting on the field. Hawk is as skinny and as tall as he's listed (6-4/188) and has a tremendous amount of potential, but thus far, he hasn't put it together just yet. Reese is another guy that has a ton of potential, but again, just hasn't been able to put it together. I'm sure that this is partly because he's really been a player without a position, and I like that the coaching staff is making attempts at getting him on the field. I too think that he could be a nice option in and around the endzone, especially at 6-7, but in the past, Reese has not shown the ability to consistently get open or make tough catches, which is one of the reasons why I think he red-shirted last year. During the spring game, I thought that Reese struggled a bit to get off the line of scrimmage and separate himself although this wouldn't matter as much along the goal line where he would essentially just post-up in the endzone.

2: H

Is anyone going to call me crazy if I think that Tramain Swindall is my candidate for break-out player of the year. I know, he had 46 catches last year so it's not like he's a complete unknown, but this year he should be the guy at the H receiver position taking over for Eric Morris. Again, he's not the typical H receiver in that he's got some good size (6-2/175) and he's a little different than what Texas Tech has previously had at this position. Cornelius Douglas should see plenty of time as Swindall's backup. Douglas is one of those guys that had a little trouble holding on to passes during the spring game, but he he's got a ton of talent, is incredibly shifty, has really good speed and should be a real asset at this position. Adam James, who didn't get much ink during the spring, returns as the blocking H receiver, although I really like what he could bring from this position on a full-time basis.

3: Y

If there's one receiver that has a strangle-hold on any one position, it's Detron Lewis. Lewis is not the athlete that Michael Crabtree is, but I have no doubt that Lewis has the ability to be a special player, although like most players like Lewis, it's not a matter of talent, it's really a question of consistency. Really though, I have no doubt that Lewis will answer most, if not all of those questions in 2009. I'm really comfortable with Lewis being a leader on this team. Of course with Lewis being "the guy" at Y, it conceivably leaves little room for Austin Zouzalik to be a significant player for the Red Raiders. Zouzalik is a former high school quarterback who redshirted last year is supposedly one of the fastest players on the team and displayed the ability to catch just about everything during the spring. I'm not trying to over-rate Zouzalik, but the truth of the matter is if there's a guy that could play just about any position it's Zouzalik and I get the feeling that had he played receiver in high school, he would have been a 3-star receiver rather than getting signed late with Texas Tech. Yep, I think he's that good. Blake Kelley is the last option here and if he's seeing significant time here, then something has gone horribly wrong. Not a knock against Kelley, but there's a ton receiving talent on this Texas Tech team.

4: Z

Perhaps the most important position is the position most up in the air. With the graduation of Michael Crabtree, there really hasn't been just one guy that's jumped up and grabbed the opportunity. Alexander Torres received quite a bit of spring attention, but I don't know if he's the game-breaker that I'd like to see at this position. Of course other receivers excelled at the Z position without being true game-breakers, but he's really solid. Lyle Leong should be the guy that takes over this fall, but he was injured during the spring and so there was opportunity for guys to surpass Leong. Leong played with Taylor Potts, catches everything thrown his way, however, he's been a little bit injury prone and he's not the best physical specimen. Jacoby Franks is another guy that should get some real opportunity here. Franks is one of those guys who looks the part with legitimate size (6-1/194) and speed (4.5) and personally, along with Swindall, is one of the guys that I'm personally cheering for his year. Eric Ward is actually a 2009 signee that walked onto campus during the spring and there was a lot of expectation that Ward would be a guy that could play immediately because he was a 4-star receiver with a ton of hype. Ward's case should show us that it's not always about talent because I have no doubt that he has what it takes, but repetitions and learning the Air Raid system is not something that should be overlooked when we talk about true freshmen making an impact with this offense. It takes time and I have no doubt that Ward is going to be a special player for Texas Tech.

5: Blockers

These guys don't get a ton of attention and this isn't going to be an essay on the blocking receivers for Texas Tech, but I thought they at least needed a mention as they are the unsung group of guys who get the job done blocking in the AirRaid offense. Ryan Hale is probably the best known blocker, along with receiver Adam James. The difference between the two is that James is a much better and smoother receiving threat, but Hale is the better, more punishing blocker. Omar Castillo was moved to tight end during the spring, after spending time at the offensive line last year. I didn't notice Castillo much during the spring game, but he was on the field after the game and if there is one guy that's an absolute physical specimen on this team it's Castillo. I have no idea why Castillo hasn't been able to find a position and stick thus far, but the guy is a legitimate 6-6/270 with very little body fat. I have no expectations from Castillo this year and anything that he can give you would be gravy, but if he could eventually give you a legitimate receiving threat at the goal line, all the while being a devastating blocker, sign me up.

Five Things // Replacing Michael Crabtree

Seth C — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:00:13 -0000

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

Replacing Crabtree

Much has been made about the possibility of Texas Tech struggling to replace one, Mr. Michael Crabtree, but other than throwing out the general idea, most haven't looked at any statistics to back up any opinions about his departure.

1: Where to Begin

There's quite a bit of talk about how Texas Tech is going to be able to replace Michael Crabtree's production. I know, the thought of replacing a two time Biletnikoff Award winner almost seems impossible, but the reality of the situation is that it's not impossible. Quite simply, it's really business as usual for Mike Leach, and despite the thought that there's the expectation that the Air Raid offense will suffer some sort of offensive meltdown, the reality of the situation is quite different.

This isn't to say that Crabtree didn't have any effect on the offense, but rather, I think Crabtree's production was truly once-in-a-generation and to characterize that 2008 or 2007 are the status quo for the lead receiver for Texas Tech is not realistic or accurate.

2: How Will Texas Tech Survive

Once Michael Crabtree arrived on the football field he immediately made an impact, whereas the offense for the previously 3 years before his arrival, the passing offense jumped almost 1,200 yards from 2006 to 2007 and another 5,000 yard season in 2008. It was a shame too, as the Texas Tech offense was languishing with sub-5,000 yard passing seasons prior to his arrival.

But what's the effect of the top receiver in Texas Tech's offense and the percentage of yards and touchdowns in relation to the offense? I'm glad you asked.

Year	Receiver	Yard%	TD%
2008	Michael Crabtree	21.69%	40.42%
2007	Michael Crabtree	32.09%	43.13%
2006	Joel Filani	27.06%	33.33%
2005	Joel Filani	22.46%	23.52%
2004	Jarrett Hicks	25.54%	38.23%
2003	Wes Welker	17.45%	18.36%
2002	Wes Welker	19.36%	12.00%

Seemingly, year after year, the offense was replaced and there was never a true drop-off in production, no matter who was stepping into the role of the lead receiver.

There's no doubt that Michael Crabtree required double-teams and was a distinct advantage that most other incarnations of the Air-Raid offense has never seen, but the key is that Crabtree was/is the exception, not the rule.

It's been written many different places and many different times, the Air-Raid offense is intended to take advantage of less than stellar athletes. The fact that the athletic quotient is better than it was in 2004 or 2005, especially at the receive position, leads me to believe that this is not going to be much of an issue at all.

And to address those ideas that the offense struggled in 2008 starting with the Baylor game, but keep in mind that Crabtree was hurt and Graham Harrell had a seriously broken hand. Yes, everyone wasn't 100%, it's a part of football, but don't blame it solely on one or the other, it was most likely a combination of the both, but the idea that the offense did rely on this dynamic duo is true, but to say that the offense will struggle because they're both not there, just doesn't hold up historically.

3: The Top Four Make It Happen

Last year I took a look at the offensive production, in terms of percentage, of the top four receivers and the running back in the Texas Tech offense. If Crabtree left after his redshirt freshman year, 2007, I think there would be some legitimate concerns about replacing his production, however, in 2008 the offense was much more balanced than in 2007. But in 2008 the receiver yard production was fairly balanced, but obviously, the touchdown production is the big key here.

Below is the breakdown of the top 4 receivers in 2008:

Player	Yards%	TD%
Michael Crabtree	21.69%	40.42%
Detron Lewis	16.99%	6.38%
Eric Morris	14.35%	19.14%
Edward Britton	10.74%	12.76%
Total	63.77%	78.70%

And the top four from 2007 through 2004:

Year	Yards%	TD%
2007	75%	81%
2006	62%	77%
2005	68%	74%
2004	71%	59%
Average	69%	72%

I know what you're thinking. Pretty much the same thing as previous years and you're right, the top four receivers are the biggest part of production for the Texas Tech offense.

In fact, you could argue that the 2008 version of the Texas Tech offense was more diverse than in previous years, again, excluding touchdowns of course, although it's not so out of whack. The fact that the top four receivers only accounted for 63% of the passing offense tells me that there were plenty of guys that were producing (Tramain Swindall, Baron Batch, Shannon Woods, Lyle Leong, Adam James, Rashad Hawk, Jacoby Franks, etc.) a good number of yards.

4: Effect of the Quarterback

To ignore the quarterback would be a mis-step in looking at any receiving numbers. There are years where the production does tend to suffer a bit, and I think that this is in large part a result of the physical limitations of the quarterback rather than the talent of the receivers. Much of this may be the maturation process of the quarterback, but to say that any quarterback that Leach plugs into his system won't have success simply isn't accurate.

Year	Pass Yds	Yds/Att	TD/INT	Ratio
2008	5,371	8.11	47/10	4.70
2007	6,114	8.01	51/15	3.40
2006	4,803	7.32	39/11	3.54
2005	4,666	7.93	34/12	2.83
2004	4,796	7.36	34/18	1.88
2003	5,682	7.81	49/22	2.22
2002	5,444	7.07	50/15	3.33

There's a definite difference in the quarterback, especially as Graham Harrell became a more mature quarterback, but the key to remember is that from 2008 through 2004 Texas Tech led the Big 12 in offense. So that means with three first-year quarterbacks (Cumbie, Hodges and Harrell) Leach found a way to continue his offensive dominance. And just to clarify, Texas Tech led the nation in passing in 2008, 2007, 2005 and 2004. Yes, passing offenses have become more prolific as the years have progressed and more teams are catching up with Leach, but I'm pretty comfortable with Leach at the helm.

And I don't think I'm going out on much of a limb here, but something tells me that Taylor Potts will be just fine.

5: Effect of the Running Game

One of the things that I think most people forget is that I think the running game is going to be greatly improved over last year. I know that this type of rhetoric is overplayed a bit (i.e., we think this, but it never materializes), but this year is different.

Baron Batch was Texas Tech's top runner, despite being a bit banged up last year. Yes, Shannon Woods has graduated, but RS freshman Harrison Jeffers and RS sophomore Aaron Crawford are expected to carry the rest of the load. Last year, the Texas Tech offense rushed for 1,532 yards, which was the most rushing yards in the past 5 years.

Year	Yd/Att	TD	Att/Gm	Yds/Gm
2008	4.83	28	24.38	117.85
2007	3.13	18	18.92	59.31
2006	4.71	13	16.85	79.31
2005	4.17	25	25.67	107.00
2004	3.77	23	24.42	92.00

What's the trend here? To me it's that Leach realized that he's got a serious weapon in the running game and he completely ignored it for two years, 2006 and 2007. In 2006 Leach had to lean almost completely on Shannon Woods and as good as he can be, I think that Leach has come to the realization that the system works best when he's got two options. In 2007 it was Shannon Woods at the beginning of the season, promptly ran into Leach's doghouse and the Red Raiders were forced to lean on true freshman Aaron Crawford. Again, it was a case of one back trying to carry the load for different parts of the season.

Leach changed his tune last year with two healthy running backs and I think it's the last year that Texas Tech sees below 20 rushing attempts a game. In fact, I'm tempted to say, especially if Leach starts to lean more towards the two-running back offense, which he did last year some, but its conceivable that Leach just might run the ball 30 times a game especially with the weapons he has. Again, this can only improve the offense from the standpoint that Potts doesn't have to do all of the heavy lifting and the receivers are only asked to do what they've traditionally done over the years.

Double-T Nation Tuesday Morning Football Notes - Real Solid Edition

Seth C — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:54:07 -0000

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Odds and Ends

Spring Game Update

The official Texas Tech website released some more details about Saturday's Red-Black Spring Game, which will include an autograph session after the game:

The Red-Black Game kicks off at 1 p.m., preceded by a free kid's clinic from 11-11:30 a.m. and the alumni game from 11:30-noon. Each event will take place on the turf of Jones AT&T Stadium, and the kid's clinic will involve current members of the Red Raider Football team. Admission is free.

I'll see if I can't find out who's going to play in the alumni game.

Texas Tech Football

Adrian Reese Hopes for "Breakout Year"

LAJ's Don Williams feature story is with junior tight end Adrian Reese, who is moving to split end, is looking towards a breakout season:

"That’s what I’m looking forward to doing, having somewhat of a breakout year,’’ Reese said last week. "I’ve been here, this is going on my fourth year. I have yet to score a touchdown. So I’m going into it with a chip on my shoulder, (having) a little bit to prove.’’

Receivers coach Dennis Simmons likes what Reese brings to the outside receiver spot:

"He gives you a bigger, physical body — a more physical player at that position,’’ Simmons said. "Eddie (Britton) is a home-run hitter with his speed. (Reese) gives you a much more physical, durable guy out there on the perimeter. And then his height, that’s always a plus.’’

And Reese is still adjusting to the position:

"I feel like I have somewhat of an advantage,’’ Reese said. "I’m more of a bigger-type receiver. You don’t find too many DBs that can match up with me. I feel like I can bring an advantage when we go goal line — just throw a jump ball and be a little bit more physical at the line.’’
In Tech’s offense, the split end always lines up to the left side of the formation and the "Y’’ inside receiver — what Reese played in the past —is always anchored to the right. One of the adjustments, then, is that Reese is learning to catch passes over the other shoulder.

He said there also seems to be more reading of coverages at split end.

"Now I’ve got to see what the cornerback’s doing, what coverages they’re dropping into,’’ he said. "Just little things like that, that’s probably the biggest adjustment I’ve had.’’

Receivers Adjusting

DT's Alex Ybarra writes about how the receiving group is adjusting to life without Harrell & Crabtree. Ybarra talks with Detron Lewis who said he's frustrated with how he's receiving passes:

"I talked to coach about that (Monday), I told him I was a little frustrated in one-on-ones and (skeleton drills) with how the ball was thrown," said Lewis, who is one of the more experienced receivers in a young, talented stable. "I just talk to him on the regular about it, and he just tells me to control what I can control, and that's all I do."

But goes on to say that he understands it's a progression:

"I know it's a progression, they all need that experience," Lewis said. "I bet Graham, his sophomore year when he first started, I bet he wasn't just like he was his senior year. I just know it's a progression, and (Potts) is gonna get better as each day goes by."

Ybarra mentions the same thing that I was thinking, which is that although Taylor Potts is not lighting the world on fire, the receivers have dropped plenty of passes this spring. Receivers coach Lincoln Riley seems to agree that there's plenty of blame to go around:

"Just guys not doing their job, not trusting what their job is, what their responsibility is," Riley said. "When you go against the defense, the same guys for several practices in a row you almost feel the need to do something different or try something different.
"We just gotta have confidence and faith in what we've been coached to do and go out and do it every time and not try to do anything different than that."

Ybarra also goes into detail about a depth chart if the season were to start today:

X: Edward Britton and Adrian Reese
H: Tramain Swindall, Adam James and Cornelius Douglas
Y: Detron Lewis and Austin Zouzalik
Z: Alex Torres and Jacoby Franks

Red Raiders Football Notebook

LAJ's Don Williams' Red Raiders Football Notebook talks about a number of items, including a good day for Taylor Potts:

Taylor Potts had a good day running the offense and the Captain was pleased:
"I thought Potts was real solid,’’ Tech coach Mike Leach said. "I thought Potts had a very good day. (Steven) Sheffield and (Seth) Doege both did some good things, but then they get impatient and try to make too much happen.’’
Left tackle Brandon Carter returned to practice.
Receiver Rashad Hawk is moving inside and outside to fill in where needed.
Donnie Carona is being worked as a punter to push Jonathan LaCour.

Mr. Crabtree is Just Fine

For those of you worried about Michael Crabtree's draft status (i.e. not you guys), don't be as there appears to be that Mr. Crabtree's stock is just fine. Yahoo! Sports Charles Robinson (hat-tip pcrawttu), ESPN the Magazine's Seth Wickersham and SI's Peter King (page 4) have all talked with NFL talent evaluators and here's the consensus:

He's pretty good.

Neglected Video, Audio and Photos

Tech Talk's last third of the first hour and the entire second hour was Texas Tech football, although there was nothing ground-breaking. A very nice interview in the second hour with running backs coach Clay McGuire.

Fox34 with a practice report from yesterday.

DT's report on receivers:

Receivers still confident despite loss of Crabtree, Morris from Daily Toreador on Vimeo.

Texas Tech Thursday Morning Football Notes - Coached By One of the Best Edition

Seth C — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:48:33 -0000

LaCour Irritated

LAJ's Don Williams sits down with sophomore punter Jonathan LaCour and he's irritated at the wind and according to Williams, the average wind speed since practice started is 17 m.p.h. Welcome to Lubbock. Here's Jonathan LaCour:

"It’s pretty irritating,’’ LaCour said after one of last week’s workouts, "because no matter how I drop the ball, the wind’s going to take it, the nose of the ball’s going to go down, the ball’s going to shift to the side, and then I have to match my foot up with it.’’

New special teams coach Eric Russell says that this LaCour is talented, but inconsistent:

Asked for an early impression of LaCour, Russell said, tongue in cheek: "He probably kicks better the more you yell at him.
"Talented leg. Pretty athletic, just inconsistent,’’ Russell said. "But he’s got the tools to be a good Big 12 punter. It’s just getting through some mental stuff — just letting him trust his ability to turn it loose instead of thinking his way through kicks.’’

LaCour is also disappointed by his performance last year and I thought that this was pretty interesting about LaCour's mental aspect to the game:

LaCour said his spring objective is as much about improving his mental approach as anything mechanical. He wants to work on relaxing and doing what comes naturally.
"It’s just stuff I’m doing on my own,’’ he said. "I considered talking to a sports psychologist, just to keep me relaxed and clearheaded, but I think I’ll be able to keep myself like that.’’

Russell said he thinks LaCour is hungry and likes that he wasn’t happy with how he performed last season. Now they’re trying to work through LaCour’s tendency to overthink and try to be too perfect.

Safety Spots

DT's Alex Ybarra takes a look at the safeties, RS freshman Cody Davis and sophomore Franklin Mitchem. Ybarra re-tells the story about making the hit on Ed Britton, jarring the ball loose and snagging the ball out of the air for the interception:

"That's what I try and do," said Davis, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound redshirt freshman from Stephenville. "I think that's an up-and-coming staple of my game, I guess, just trying to make a loud hit and come downhill."

And Mitchem:

"I feel a little bit of pressure, because it's my first time starting for a Big 12 school," Mitchem said. "We got the best competition out there in the country, next to the SEC, so we gotta bring our game any time."

And defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill completely trusts safeties coach Carlos Mainord:

"(Mainord's) done well everywhere he's been, from college to pros and back to college," McNeill said. "So they're being coached by one of the best. (The safeties) face a top offense in the country every day passing-wise, and total offense-wise, so anything that they'll see in the fall, they will have no doubt have seen in the spring from our offense."

Red Raider Football Notebook

LAJ's Don Williams has a number of notes from yesterday's practice:

Rashad Hawk is in the doghouse, as are some of the regular players and as of right now, this is who saw the most time during the 50 play 11-on-11 scrimmage:
"It’s just a competitive situation," head coach Mike Leach said. "We’re looking at all of them, and we’ve got a variety of (passing drills) going on. But at each position, whoever the two are that we feel like are on top, those are the guys we’re repping."
On Wednesday, that was [Edward] Britton and Adrian Reese at split end, Detron Lewis and Austin Zouzalik at one inside receiver, Tramain Swindall and Cornelius Douglas at the other, and Alex Torres and Jacoby Franks at flanker.
Grad assistant Chris Hudler is moving on to a full-time coaching job in Mesquite, Texas or where his brother coaches in Louisiana. Good luck Chris.
Cameron Ely, a 6-6/230 quarterback from Harvard is looking at walking-on at Texas Tech. Someone with more time than me, look something up on him.
Quarterbacks were much better, although Taylor Potts did throw a couple of interceptions. I'm still not worried about Potts, I think it's natural to struggle in the offense when the quarterback is thrust into the starting role. I think it's a natural progression for the quarterback. I'm not even close to being in panic mode.

Neglected Video, Audio and Photos

Fox34 files a practice report from yesterday and Brandon Carter (not in pads) was back at practice, while the focus of the story is on RS freshman linebacker Tyrone Sonier.

The LAJ has a great set of photos from yesterday's practice.

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.

Red vs. Black, Spring Position Battles: Receiver

Seth C — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:03:09 -0000

A position-by-position look at the Texas Tech Red Raiders heading into spring practice. "Classifications" are based on entering school next fall. "Probable Roles" are merely guesses and welcome comments, thoughts and suggestions.

RECEIVER

X	Edward Britton	Rashad Hawk	Aaron Fisher	Derrick Mays
Height:	6-1	6-4	6-3	6-1
Weight:	174	183	175	170
Classification:	Senior	Sophomore	Freshman	Freshman
Probable Role:	Starter	Second String	Probable Redshirt	Definite Redshirt

I'm a little curious as to exactly how this is going to work, on all four positions. In any event, I think this is Britton's spot without a doubt. Britton does a great job of stretching the field and there were games where he simply disappeared and he cannot afford to do that without a Michael Crabtree complimenting him on the other side. I would really like to see him work on his mid-range game.

I love Hawk's natural ability and this is the perfect position for him, especially with his height and general athletic ability. Hawk needs to make a name for himself this year, he needs to assert himself.

Maybe it's just me, but I see Fisher as being a guy that has the game of an inside receiver, but the body of an outside receiver. I know that I have him outside for now, but I could envision where he moves inside at some point in his career and Ward moves outside (more on him later). I know that suggesting Fisher goes inside and Ward moves outside goes against conventional thinking, thus far, but Leach & Co. generally put the guys on the field where they feel like will perform best and I just see Fisher being a great inside receiver target.

Mays is a burner in the mold of Edward Britton. I have no doubt that Mays will sit this year out, but he has the potential to step into this role in due time.

H	Eric Ward	Cornelius Douglas	Adam James	Adrian Reese
Height:	5-11	5-9	6-3	6-7
Weight:	190	190	217	207
Classification:	Freshman	RS Freshman	Sophomore	Senior
Probable Role:	Battling to Start	Battling to Start	First Tight End	Second Tight End

Part of me thinks that there's no way that Ward starts, especially as a true freshman, but Ward is talented enough to do so. So, right now, I have Ward as a slot receiver, but traditionally, Texas Tech's most talented receiver plays the "X" position, and I think that Ward grows into that role in due time. When we learned that Crabtree was a little over 6-0, I started thinking that Ward's dimensions are similar and although I can't verify that Ward's 40-time is actually 4.4, that is a bit better than Crabtree's listed 40-time of 4.5. We're all expecting that Ward stays inside, but is it possible that to truly utilize his speed, he needs to be on the outside? In any event, Ward is an incredible talent and it would not surprise me to see him on the field immediately.

Douglas is an interesting guy. He played quarterback, cornerback and returned punts for his high school squad. No one really knows that Douglas can do, other than those who have watched Thursday night practices. The biggest question mark is if Douglas is ready to produce as a starter after only one year at the position (sound familiar?). If there is one thing that we know, it's that he's a football player, and he makes plays. Guys like that get on the field.

I've lumped James and Reese here together. Initially I had James starting and was talked out of it, although I think that part of Leach would like to see what happens if he had a blocking tight end starting at the slot receiver. Would this open up some running lanes, create some mis-matches on the field with James probably going up against a smaller defensive back? I may be alone on this, but I think it's a possibility. It's been a long time since Reese caught a pass and I wonder if he's physically big enough to play the tight end position. Hopefully, he's gained some weight, and if he's at all competent catching the ball, he could be a tremendous red-zone target.

Y	Detron Lewis	Jacoby Franks	Austin Zouzalik	Landon Hoefer
Height:	6-0	6-1	6-1	6-1
Weight:	209	194	181	200
Classification:	Junior	Sophomore	RS Freshman	Senior
Probable Role:	Starter	Battling for Second String	Battling for Second String	Fourth String

This is another position, where I think I'm going against conventional wisdom after Lewis. There's no doubt that Lewis starts and he's projected to be the star of the receiving corp. He has the most returning catches and yards of the returning receivers, but only managed 3 touchdowns this past year. Lewis has to focus on figuring out how to get in the endzone because 3 touchdowns just isn't going to do the trick. There's no reason why Lewis can't improve those numbers and a big reason why they were so low was because Crabtree was simply gifted at getting in the endzone.

I think most folks have Franks as an outside guy, but he's got similar size to Lewis, and is actually a bit faster than Lewis. I could see Franks moving inside just to take advantage of a relative lack of experienced depth at both inside receiver spots, especially if it takes Ward a little longer to adjust to the college game. Franks is someone to watch this spring, without a doubt.

Zouzalik is another former quarterback turned slot receiver. Supposedly, Zouzalik may be the fastest guy on the team (electronically timed at 4.38) and if Leach was looking to really run the wildcat formation with a legitimate passing threat (2,908 yards passing his senior year) and running threat (971 yards rushing his senior year), then Zouzalik is your guy. Much like Douglas, Zouzalik is a playmaker and it would not surprise me to see him on the field in some capacity this year, whether it be in punt or kickoff coverage, returning punts or kickoffs, or catching passes.

Honestly, I don't know much about Hoefer and if he played it would be generally in mop-up duty.

Z	Lyle Leong	Tramain Swindall	Rashad Hawk	Eric Ward
Height:	6-1	6-3	6-4	5-11
Weight:	165	175	183	190
Classification:	Junior	Sophomore	Sophomore	Freshman
Probable Role:	Probable Starter	Battling for Second String	Battling for Second String	A Possibility

Keep in mind that Leong and Potts were high school teammates and Leong's best attribute is that he catches everything, a trait that I'm sure Potts and every other quarterback is well aware. Also a tremendous high-jumper, Leong has the ability to go get passes and this is another attribute that will come in handy for a first-year quarterback. Leong doesn't have break-away speed and I believe that there was a time during 2008 that Leach pushed him back to the scout team, so putting Leong first isn't an absolute, although he may have the most talent of the candidates.

Swindall is similar to Leong in that he doesn't have the speed of Crabtree, but at 6-3, he should be a guy that excels at the outside receiver position. Coming out of high school, Swindall needed to add quite a bit of weight, but he's a guy that should excel out the outside simply because he should normally have a distinct size advantage over his opponent.

I've got Hawk backing up on both outside positions and think that the staff will decide on one position or another, but for now, I could see where he might play both at first.

This is a contingency plan, although I realize that there's quite a few players who are capable of playing outside and putting Ward here may be a bit redundant. My general thought is that if Ward is your best playmaker, and by all accounts, he is the highest rated player at receiver, and the X receiver is traditionally your best playmaker, then perhaps this is the position that he should play.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There's probably quite a few arguments about where a player should be slotted and we'll more than likely have quite a few answers after spring practice is completed. There's a ton of athleticism at the receiver position, perhaps more than any other time that I can remember at Texas Tech.

Thanks to kayakyakr for helping out.

Previous Battles: Quarterback :: Running Back ::

5 Reasons Texas Tech Will Win: The Big 12 South Edition

Seth C — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:05:57 -0000

5 Reasons Why Texas Tech Will Win and 5 Reasons Why Texas Tech Will Lose will be a weekly post focusing on the upcoming opponent, but this week, because of the bye, we focus on why DTN thinks Texas Tech will win and lose the Big 12 South. Comments, criticisms and thoughts appreciated.

Reason #1: Improved Rushing Game

Right now, the Red Raiders set at #8 in the conference with 146.50 yards per game. Granted, it's not Oklahoma State's 334.33 yards per game, but in comparison to years' past this is a huge improvement. In 2007 Texas Tech rushed for a league low 59.31 yards per game, in 2006 a second to last 79.31 yards per game, and in 2005 another second to last 107.00. With the emergence of Baron Batch, Shannon Woods and to an extent Aaron Crawford, this adds a completely different dimension to the Texas Tech offense and makes it that much harder to defend. A more versatile offense means that opposing defenses can no longer drop 7 or 8 defenders, especially with Harrell willing to defer plays to allow Batch and Woods succeed, with the end result, hopefully, being a more successful and efficient offense.

Reason #2: Two-Deep On The Defensive Line

I cannot recall a time when the defensive line was two-deep at every position. And not just guys who we're hoping can play, but actually can't. I have no doubt that Richard Jones, Brandon Sesay, McKinner Dixon and Daniel Howard could hold their own against some Big 12 offenses. Maybe not for an entire game, but the fact that there are talented players behind Brandon Williams, Jake Ratliff, Colby Whitlock and RaJon Henley means that the defense is better suited than it ever has been to stay on the field for long periods of time with opposing Big 12 offenses. I think it was always McNeill's plan all along to make sure that the second group of defenders saw plenty of playing time in the non-conference schedule and in the long run, despite some bumps in the road, the defense will be better for it. McKinner Dixon has surprised me the most and hope that his play-making trend continues while Daniel Howard may prove to be one of the more vital players in the blitz packages. I'm encouraged that McNeill is willing to move Sesay around and despite the position, just get him on the field.

Reason #3: Stingier Defense

I think we can all admit that we're all a little concerned that the defense is still giving up more yards than we'd like, but there's two things that the defense has done that encourages me that things might be a little different. Texas Tech is at 22.22% in allowing opposing offenses convert 3rd downs, which is tied with Oklahoma State for 1st in the conference. I know it's only non-conference opponents, but in 2007 the Texas Tech defense allowed 42.92% and 40.78% in 2006.

Although the company isn't great, I'm extremely encouraged by the +1.25 in turnover margin, which is behind Iowa State and tied with Baylor for 2nd in the conference. Again, in the previous two seasons Texas Tech wasn't on the positive side of turnover margin, -0.38 in 2007, 0.00 in 2006. I've always thought that the traditional Texas Tech defense lacks playmakers, but this year, things may be different.

Reason #4: Receivers Not Named Mr. Crabtree

It's actually been somewhat of a revelation this year. I really never thought that the core group of receivers that returned from last year would be slightly upstaged by by some equally, and possibly, more talented younger receivers. I think we all had an inkling that Detron Lewis was going to be good, and he has been a more athletic and playmaking version of Danny Amendola. With Amendola there was a level of consistency that we haven't quite seen from Lewis, but he's young. But the guys that have made a jump, probably ahead of guys like Edward Britton and Todd Walker are Tramain Swindall (15 catches, 165 yards receiving and 1 TD) and the recently emerging Rashad Hawk (5 catches, 65 yards receiving). Both guys are tall and athletic receivers who will cause matchup problems for opposing defenders. And I would be remiss without mentioning Adam James (5 catches 47 yards receiving), who has added a different dimension to this offense. Having the ability to play Eric Morris' inside receiver position, plus being a vital part of Texas Tech's two-tight end set has been a welcome addition to the offense is something this offense has lacked in the past.

Reason #5: Mr. Crabtree

Michael Crabtree (29 catches, 457 yards and 6 TD's) is still the unquestioned playmaker on offense and despite not having quite the burst onto the scene as he did last year in no way diminishes what he brings to this team. There is not a player in the Big 12 that has Mr. Crabtree's combination of size, speed and ability to turn a short pass into a game-breaking spectacular play. Defenses will have to game plan around Crabtree, which is part of the reason why the receivers mentioned above are having so much success. His presence allows for other players to step up and make plays. I'm not sure that Mr. Crabtree has the type of season that he had last year, but make no mistake that his presence is helping this offense be that much more efficient. Crabtree will get his in conference play, I'm fairly confident of that. Teams can't cover him and everyone else. He's just too special not to make a difference.

Hat-Tip to the great South Carolina blog, Garnet and Black Attack for the idea.

SB Nation - Rashad Hawk

Depth Charting // The Receivers

Receivers

Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe // 08.10.09

Odds and Ends

Texas Tech Football

5 Things // Offensive Players Who Must Improve in 2009

Offensive Players Who Must Improve in 2009

1: WR, Edward Britton

2: C, Shawn Byrnes

3: WR, Adam James

4: RB, Aaron Crawford

5: WR, Lyle Leong

Five Things // Receiver Options

Receiver Options

1: X

2: H

3: Y

4: Z

5: Blockers

Five Things // Replacing Michael Crabtree

Replacing Crabtree

1: Where to Begin

2: How Will Texas Tech Survive

3: The Top Four Make It Happen

4: Effect of the Quarterback

5: Effect of the Running Game

Double-T Nation Tuesday Morning Football Notes - Real Solid Edition

Odds and Ends

Spring Game Update

Texas Tech Football

Adrian Reese Hopes for "Breakout Year"

Receivers Adjusting

Red Raiders Football Notebook

Mr. Crabtree is Just Fine

Neglected Video, Audio and Photos

Texas Tech Thursday Morning Football Notes - Coached By One of the Best Edition

LaCour Irritated

Safety Spots

Red Raider Football Notebook

Neglected Video, Audio and Photos

Texas Tech Thursday Morning Football Notes - More Intensity Edition

Lots of News

Texas Tech vs. Baylor Moving to Dallas

Brandon Carter Now at Left Tackle

Notes and Stuff

Reloading

Neglected Video

Tech Talk Has Bevy of Coaches Talk Texas Tech

Overview of the Red Raiders

Red vs. Black, Spring Position Battles: Receiver

RECEIVER

X

Edward Britton

Rashad Hawk

Aaron Fisher

Derrick Mays

H

Eric Ward

Cornelius Douglas

Adam James

Adrian Reese

Y

Detron Lewis

Jacoby Franks

Austin Zouzalik

Landon Hoefer

Z

Lyle Leong

Tramain Swindall

Rashad Hawk

Eric Ward

FINAL THOUGHTS

Previous Battles: Quarterback :: Running Back ::

5 Reasons Texas Tech Will Win: The Big 12 South Edition

Reason #1: Improved Rushing Game

Reason #2: Two-Deep On The Defensive Line

Reason #3: Stingier Defense

Reason #4: Receivers Not Named Mr. Crabtree

Reason #5: Mr. Crabtree

Edward
Britton

Rashad
Hawk

Aaron
Fisher

Derrick
Mays

Eric
Ward

Cornelius
Douglas

Adam
James

Adrian
Reese

Detron
Lewis

Jacoby
Franks

Austin
Zouzalik

Landon
Hoefer

Lyle
Leong

Tramain
Swindall

Rashad
Hawk

Eric
Ward