Ready for Texas Tech?

[Hoofprint]

We'll do better against Texas Tech than we did against Navy. Here's why:

Tech likes to throw the ball, and we have the best secondary in the WAC, especially at the corners.

Coach Bennett knows the Tech offense inside and out. He'll scheme the defense perfectly.

Navy's offense, even with two weeks to prepare, is unique and unusual. The lopsided offensive line, all the option elements ... those are things we won't see again (we'll see the option from Rice, but Navy's is really weird.) Tech runs a much more conventional formation, and we can match up much better.

Ohio State killed Tech. I'm not saying we have Ohio State's talent, but the Buckeyes exposed some weaknesses. Kliff Kinsbury gets rattled when he's hit too often. He's sensational, but his receivers are average. His offensive line is very average (although big, which could present problems.) Their running game is almost an afterthought.

Tech doesn't defend the run well. Our offensive line isn't as good as Ohio State's, and we don't have a running back like Maurive Clarett, but we can run on those guys. Kincade will have his second 100-yard game in as many weeks.

[MustangFan]

Other reasons we'll compete better against Tech:

Coach Bennett has his first game under his belt. Coaches always say the players learn more after their first game than they do in all of preseason. Well, Coach B. will learn from his first time out, too.

Also, the Red Raiders are not worried about us. After reading the Navy score, they'll look ahead to the following two weeks, when Kingsbury gets in a high-profile QB shootout with Eli Manning when Ole Miss goes to Lubbock, and then they have to play an improved N.C. State team the next week.

[hpfan]

The defense better be ready to put serious pressure on tech. The best pass rushers on the squad are Williams,Adami,Croy and Karrington. With those guys on the field in a go mode the D will have some fun. The offense better accelerate the vertical game or they will see 8 and 9 man fronts all night and season. There is no fun in breaking rushing records if you wont win games..

[ole jim]

Let's not hit the PANIC BUTTON.

The coaches and players learned alot
Saturday night. They know what needs work, etc.

They may have made Texas Tech just a little over-confident!

[Lefty]

hpfan, I realize your bias .... but Karrington is one of the team's best pass rushers? I'm sure he kicked tail at Highland Park, but did he even get on the field last night? Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Don't get me wrong, I hope he becomes the best pass rusher on the team, or in team history. But he ain't there yet.

[Pony Up]

Just read the PonyFans.com preview of Texas Tech. I didn't realize the Raiders beat Kansas State last year. Coach Bennett and his staff have a big week in front of them.

BEAT TECH!

[PerunaPunch]

Correction Hoofprint,

We HAD the best secondary in the WAC LAST season. Our secondary didn't look too sharp on Saturday. Lot's of missed tackles, and I'm not sure if it was the scheme or the coverage, but we made that Roberts kid look pretty good.

[Hoofprint]

I still think we have the best secondary talent. Anyone could catch long passes when there's not a soul within 20 yards. That falls on either a badly missed assignment or the coaches calling the wrong defenses, which is a little discouraging, considering we had two weeks to prepare for this game. Bennett took the blame after the game, which I think makes him a pretty stand-up guy, compared to Cavan who always pointed to the players' mistakes, rather than admitting to pathetic game-planning on his part.

We had a rough start, but this staff will sort things out. Keep the faith.

[bmorelikeme]

Get the ball to Jay Taylor if you want to win. He's a player.

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Post Post Post.

[PonyTales]

He had what, 1 catch Saturday? And he dropped at least 1, maybe 2.
I'm not saying he doesn't have talent - he does. But doesn't look like a go-to guy just yet.

[babyarm]

Tech 45

SMU 3


Things have to change on every part of the ball. We got beat, destroyed by the worst team in football last weekend. I believe we are going to need to prepare for another prison wedding. We got a week to get ready for Tech and correct all the breakdowns, we need a month. If we're not there mentally, which has always been the case, then we are history.

[BleedingRed+Blue]

Do you even claim to root for SMU?

[PerunaPunch]

Give a little credit to Navy too. Those guys put together a good game. They may have gone 0-20 before Saturday's contest, but their new offense was pretty effective – and I think this season will prove that it's not only effective against us. Check out their coach's stats... He's a winner. When he was last with Navy as OC, they went to a bowl.

Unfortunately, I have to concede the point about some poor tackling and either bad cover schemes or blown coverages.

[babyarm]

Listen BleedingRed+Blue, I root for SMU all the time but all I'm doing is facing the facts. Do I not speak the truth? You saw the same thing I did. It would be different if we had lost to somebody good but we lost to NAVY!!!!!!!!!!!! They did not win a game last year. I'm not saying we can't turn this thing around and win a few games before the end of the season but alot must happen for that to occur. Expect another route this weekend and then hopefully we can stop the bleeding in the following weeks. Lets have this same conversation next week and you will see that I'm right. I'm telling you, I'm a Bennett supporter, but now that we have a new coach we need to go and get a winning attitude. This element comes from the players and nobody else because they are the ones on the field.

[freddy kruger]

I am hoping that SMU is ready for Tech and plays them a good game. Look for more running plays than TT would normally run, as this is an area TT needs to improve on. I think the TT defense is going to be intense.
Generaly speaking TT should have an athletic edge over SMU but smart play can help counter that. For SMU to win they will have to play a mistake free game, and have a lot of other things go their way. Good Luck.
GO RED RAIDERS!!