Texas Tech Practice Review from this Wknd

[ponydawg]

Once again, was seeing what Tech fans have to say....here is a practice report from one of there posters. Guess it has good news and bad news for us pony fans, let me know what you think:


"This is gonna be short guys so I can make it to poker night at Bash's . . . still too broke to drink any, but at least it's free entry.

1. I refuse to sugar coat it . . . our QBs sucked it up HARD today. Cumbie and Hodges split the rotation for the 1st half, but Rojo got snaps the 2nd half, and some wondered if that was because Cumbie looked so horrible the 1st half of practice.

2. The WRs weren't any better. Dropped passes and lack-luster effort made the QBs look even worse.

3. On a good note, our Defense looked better than OU's defense. I've never seen our DL get penetration like they did today. Our OL literally got CAVED IN today, especially when Bake, Duckett, Havili, and Big Fred were in. They just bull-dozed over our OL play-after-play.

4. All 3 of our safeties are playing like All-Americans. Meeks is picking off passes . . . CJ is just dominating everything . . . and Slay is also laying the hits and picking off passes. They also are letting the offense know about it - those 3 talked more sh*t today than I heard from even Carlos last season.

5. The Defense simply got into the Offense's head today. The smack talk, big hits, and domination made our offense look like deer stuck in headlights. Only Glover, Amendola, Henderson, Hawkins, and Fuller showed any signs of life out there. Even the 2nd and 3rd string defensive players were making plays today. It really looked like we had a top 10 defense and bottom 10 offense - NO JOKE!

6. Glover was the one most pissed - his smack has always been "fun-loving" smack, but today it was anger. The entire defense was yelling, "#6 is all you got" all day long . . . and they were RIGHT! The offense couldn't get JACK done unless it was Glover shouldering the effort.

7. I kept waiting for the BIG FIGHT to occur, but no luck. The offense simply got punched in the mouth and had no answer - ALL practice long. I don't know WHAT has turned the light on for this defense (Jucos, experience, scheme, etc), but something has this defense playing with pride and a set of brass balls. This defense is laying HUGE hits and just making plays, especially the DL and DBs.

8. Let me re-emphasize in case some of you didn't hear me the 1st time - the QBs (both Cumbie and Rojo) looked AWFUL today. Both looked like they could LOSE a game to anybody. Only Cody Hodges looked any bit good out there, but as soon as I said that along with Roady and Scat, even he immediately throws an Int almost like he was cued to do so. I don't know WHAT is happening with the QB situation, but who ever is named, they're gonna have to have our full support because neither look confident and both tend to spaz out with any pressure.

9. Finally, I think Bake is my favorite new-comer. He is playing like a psycho out there. One time he and Duckett were lined up right next to each other (Bake at DT), and they caved in the left side of the OL immediately . . .

10. Best new-comers - Bake, Marquis, Amendola, and Slay. Veterans looking 10 times better - Jabari Smith, Mike Smith, Chad Johnson, Keith Toogood, Henderson (scary, he's getting better ), Rawls, Meeks, basically the entire defense, and Cody Hodges.

Not sure what to think after today's practice . . . either our defense is gonna be the most improved unit in the nation, or our offense is going to be the most self-destrcutive in the nation.

Summary:

1. Defense looked like All-Americans - even the backups.
2. QBs looked like spazzes . . . somebody joked the other day about going to the local 7-11 . . . it ain't funny after today's practice."

[Higher Authority]

Interesting stuff - I wish the QBs waited until they came to Ford Stadium to have their trainwreck day. Ah well - here's hoping for another.

Interesting about their DL dominating their OL. Their OL is huge and supposed to be pretty good. I wonder if there are injuries or conditioning issues there? Maybe Adami and Jones and Mouton and the rest can create some real push inside, too.

Taurean Henderson is so versatile it's scary. There isn't a lot that guy can't do.

So based on this report, we should go to a bunch of underneath routes to avoid their secondary and try to force a collapse of their pocket with inside pressure, huh?

Thanks for the update

[ponydawg]

After reading the review again, i think we need to blitz and blitz! If we can get in there and hit there qb a few times sounds like we can rattle him.
There DLine sounds pretty nasty though.......hope Phillips legs are ready!

Lets go ponies!

P.S. The guy who posted on there board would not be considered a sunshiner either. He usually states it how it is.

[Pony Up]

How mobile/elusive are their QBs? I know the JUCO kid is supposed to be able to move pretty well, but what about Cumbie? Hopefully he's hittable.

I agree - let's turn loose some blitz packages. We hear that we now have the DBs to cover, so let's go get 'em!




Go PONIES!

[RGV Pony]

Okay Mr. Bennett: time to pretend you're in Manhattan again. Blitz Blitz Blitz Blitz.

And just hope that our D has good tackling skills to take 'em down when opportunity arises.

Sounds like our O-line needs to grow up fast.

[Eddie P]

You know, if the Tech defense is half as good as that fan thinks and their offense is that bad, then tech might not win more than 5 games this year. I have a hard time believing that this team went from being the St. Louis Rams to the Baltimore Ravens in one offseason. It would be nice if their offense is awful, but I imagine this team will look strikingly similar to last year's team...beating people 58-47.

[SWC2010]

I agree, Eddie P. When Tech starts playing real defense, Leach will have retired...

[Techsan-81]

I think this tells you more about Tech's defense than it does the offense. It's a cliche that defenses are ahead of offenses at this time of the season, but there's a reason for that, particularly in Tech's case. The QB (Cumbie will be named the starter this week) has little experience, and they are looking at a LOT of different receiver combinations, so the execution is just not there yet. But the offensive line is big, talented, well-conditioned, and deep. That will go a long way toward curing whatever ails the offense. Trust me, the yards and points will come.


On the defensive side, look for Tech to be dramatically improved. I'm not saying we'll rival the OU defense, but there is talent and quality depth at every position this year, and they've had a full year in the scheme that was implemented last fall. This year, players are able to focus on making plays rather than worry about assigments or alignments. I suspect you're seeing the same sort of transition issues with the new offense SMU is installing.

[SWC2010]

Here's hoping the Red Raiders score LOTS of points & yards--- starting Sept 5th!

[DallasDiehard]

I think this tells you more about Tech's defense than it does the offense. It's a cliche that defenses are ahead of offenses at this time of the season, but there's a reason for that, particularly in Tech's case. The QB (Cumbie will be named the starter this week) has little experience, and they are looking at a LOT of different receiver combinations, so the execution is just not there yet. But the offensive line is big, talented, well-conditioned, and deep. That will go a long way toward curing whatever ails the offense. Trust me, the yards and points will come.


On the defensive side, look for Tech to be dramatically improved. I'm not saying we'll rival the OU defense, but there is talent and quality depth at every position this year, and they've had a full year in the scheme that was implemented last fall. This year, players are able to focus on making plays rather than worry about assigments or alignments. I suspect you're seeing the same sort of transition issues with the new offense SMU is installing.

Good points, T81. As much as I'd like to see the Red Raiders come stumbling into Ford and leave wondering how they lost, I think it's VERY premature to assume they won't be ready. There's a hell of a lot of talent out there in Lubbock.

[83RedRaider]

You are making assumptions based on one practice? It was just one bad practice for the O. Don't get too high on our O falling apart.

Don't expect a bad O all season or in games other than OU or KSU. Don't expect 5 wins either. We haven't had a losing season since 1990.

[BleedingRed+Blue]

If I read the original post correctly, it was posted by a Tech fan on a Tech board. I guess he'd been out to practice and didn't like what he saw. I haven't read a comment from one PonyFan about Tech's offense crumbling.