SB Nation User Blog: mccauley24

Neb vs Tech - Help Me Understand these THREE PLAYS!

mccauley24 — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:15:19 -0000

I agree with everyone this morning and all weekend, Tech played very poorly, especially on defense. I was in attendance at the game and may never have been so frustrated, we could not stop the Huskers and they continued to get 4-5 yard plays each and every time leading to 7-8 minute drives. SO FRUSTRATING. So the defense let us down, but hey, that is a totally different subject. I need your help evalutating these THREE plays that changed I feel changed the game.

PLAY #1 - This was the play (or penalty to be more specific) that I felt changed it all. It was 2nd down and McKinner Dixon sacked Ganz. This sack would have lead to a 3rd down and VERY LONG, instead the referee called roughing the passer on a sack????? Can anyone further explain this call? Did McKinner do something extra besides bring Ganz down? I felt STRONGLY that this penalty changed the game. Nebraska went on to score and then ultimately ended up tieing the game. I also need to comment that I feel McKinner Dixon was unbelievable in pressuring the QB. He was everywhere and had his best game of the year!

PLAY #2 - THE FAKE FIELD GOAL. What are we thinking? What are we doing? Shoot me! This made me very upset as a fan in the seats. Here I am thinking in my head, "Good, Nebraska is kicking the field goal! It will still be a 2-score game! Just as long as we are prepared for the fake, LET THEM HAVE THE THREE POINTS!" And then, like a KICK IN THE TEETH, THEY RUN A SUCCESSFUL FAKE? HOW CAN THIS BE? HOW CAN WE NOT BE PREPARED FOR THIS PLAY? Please help me understand.

Play #3 - Don't get me wrong, I am probably the biggest Tech fan you will ever find. So much, that when Tech does lose, my wife pretty much leaves me alone for the weekend. Maybe I should grow up, but for this next play it was 4th and 4 late in the game. The game was tied and Tech lines up to go for it. Then Graham does the hard count. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE SEEN THIS OVER THE YEARS? A Tech QB lines up, does a hard count and when no one jumps, Tech calls time out and punts. Well, here was a bazaar play. I saw Nebraska jump, BUT it wasn't enough to get the offsides penalty, however the ball was snapped. I remember seeing everyone in SLOW MOTION thinking we are screwed..... Even the RB (I think it was Batch) looked like he wasn't even sure what route to run to get open. Then, Harrell finds Crabtree wide open in blown covereage. Unbelievable! Truly, unbelievable! Here is my question, was I seeing this correctly? Was this going to be the typical hard count then time out call or was this play designed? I think we GOT VERY LUCKY here.

I would love to see some feedback here. Am I on the right page? Of all the above plays, I am most disappointed in Tech NOT BEING PREPARED for the fake field goal. Let me know your thoughts...

Go Red Raiders!

Brian

Shannon Woods - Starting RB

mccauley24 — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:32:53 -0000

I can't help but pull for Shannon Woods with all of my heart. Obviously he has not been on Leach's good side and that is between him and Leach. I commend Leach for setting the bar for discipline within this OUTSTANDING program. I remember seeing Shannon Woods when he was backing up Taurean Henderson knowing he would be a Raider Great. Let's not forget the most under-rated play arguably in Red Raider history where Woods made a key block at the end of the game giving Graham Harrell the extra SPLIT SECOND to find Robert Johnson in the end zone for the HUGE VICTORY over A&M in 2006. The play was unbelievable, but not too many commmented on the block by Woods....

Harrell also looks much more confident when he has Woods on the flat if in danger.

Shannon, I am pulling for you this year! MAKE IT HAPPEN! We need you on the field.

PS: I realize the experts have us 3rd in the South and a dark horse in the overall Big 12, but is it too early to start talking BCS? C'mon, it is a DEFINITE possibility!

Coach Knight Disappointed in Lubbock's Support?

mccauley24 — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:47:13 -0000

As a HUGE Texas Tech fan, I had to tivo the game last night since I was not going to make tip off. Getting that MBA sometimes gets in the way of my beloved Red Raiders. However, thanks to tivo, I caught a very disappointing detail that I was able to rewind over and over and confirm...

Did anyone notice Coach Knight's reaction just before he walked off the court and into the tunnel? He looked up into the stands and scanned from left to right and then the most disgusted look fell over him while he yelled an expletive that begins with F. While I had a huge smile on my face at the time thanks to a great win, I could not help but feel so sorry for Coach Knight. This almost made me sick, as hard as our team played last night in the win, it was in front of a measley turn-out which is unacceptable, especially for Big 12 play!

Seth hit on this after the A&M game where he noticed the upper decks of the stadium were totally empty. If we cannot sell a game out with the #9 team in the nation coming to town, then there is a problem. I live in Dallas, but believe me, if I lived in Lubbock I guarantee I would truly appreciate being able to see these Red Raiders up close and in person.

Looking at Coach Knight on the sidelines, you have to love him. He gets so involved in the game! I love his dedication and constant coaching. Why can't Lubbock embrace Coach Knight? Brian M

Take the Defense to the Next Level!

mccauley24 — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 20:33:31 -0000

Like a lot of you, I am tired of seeing our defense get absolutley killed. I am also a little irratated that Leach continues to pay no attention to the defensive unit at all. If he is the HEAD COACH, why does he not bother "coaching" the defense. Well, it's not like these questions have not been asked before, this is the same Tech scenario year after year.
I like Ruffin McNeil and I like the motivation he brings, but we need a coordinator with pedrigree. Someone who can come in, make the appropriate changes and build teams DESIGNED TO STOP OU AND TEXAS. If we can stop OU and Texas, then we should be able to stop any other team in the country! I am tired of seeing us finish 2nd and 3rd or even worse (this year) in the Big 12 South.
I would love to take credibility for this idea, but what about proactively going after Mr. Stoops? Not the OU coach, but his brother at Arizona as defensive coordinator? Yes, the position is a step down from where he is now, but he could become a head coach anywhere in the country if he makes the Tech defense a bunch of winners.
Like most of you, I am extremely disappointed in the year we had this year. The Colorado loss and the dissapointing defensive performance against Texas just make me want to cry. But I am changing gears and already thinking about how good we could be next year! Harrell as a senior, Crabtree with collegiate experience, mostly our whole offense back, I AM JUST WANTING TO SEE IMPROVEMENT FROM THE DEFENSIVE SIDE.