Evaluation after 2 games

[BradHudson]

Dickens and crew put out an article before the season that looked at how they would define success for Texas Tech year that is beyond the W/L column. I've been thinking about what I wanted to see out of this team to see that progress is being made. Here's a few thoughts I have just 2 games in...

• Penalties - This last game was definitely an improvement. With our fast-paced offense, I expect a few false starts every now and then. A holding call? Sure...gonna happen at some point. However, I have noticed a discipline in our players that I haven't seen in a while. The jawing on the side-line, taunting, shoving, just down-right bonehead personal foul penalties haven't been a part of our games. There was one hit out of bounds that I thought clearly could have been avoided, but other than that, it seems the players are relatively focused here. I'm not ready to call this one a success, even after just 2 games, but I see specks of improvement and if we can build off this last game in this area, I'll be assured that all the offseason focus is working.
• WR Ball Security - I hope this is a by-product of practicing against a defense that is constantly trying to take the ball from you, but our receivers haven't fumble a ball. I think we can all remember cases in the past where this was happening with too much frequency.
• Ball Security in general - One INT on tipped (albeit badly thrown) ball. Our business is throwing the ball....interceptions will happen. Limit them...and we are through 2 games. Check.
• Run Defense - After UTEP's stud back left with injury, we certainly looked better. Against SHSU, we looked terrible. As of today, 2 games in, I'm still not happy with our run defense, but hoping we can build off of the 2nd half against UTEP.
• Defense as a whole - We sure got a jolt when Pete Robertson got back into the line-up. I hope that's a sign of things to come. I've seen lots of bad angles and poor open-field tackling. Shore that up and keep getting turnovers and we can have a better-than-expected year.
• Turnovers - +5 turnover margin? Leading the conference? You can call it luck, you can say we were due after all the bad games (even against patsies) and not getting the ball enough. I know this though....we hired a DC who is known for getting turnovers...and though it's only 2 games in...we're +5 in Turnover margin....I'm going to give this one a bolded happy-face check!
• Offense - Won't say much here...we expected to be good....we are...
• Special Teams - coverage units have looked solid. Kickoffs have been great, field goals have been made, KR for a touchdown. I don't have much to say here and that is a GREAT thing...cause usually if you're talking about special teams...it's because your special teams suck!

Overall, except for run defense, I've seen equal or better performance in the other areas that we were focusing on in the off-season. Like the RRS Staff, I just wanted to see evidence of getting better at our weaknesses. Show me that we have the coaches to right the ship. This could all go south tomorrow...I realize that too...this is after 2 games. UTEP was a bowl team last year and SHSU is arguably the best FCS team. We were expected to beat both and we did. I'd have liked to beat SHSU by more and we could have if we didn't give up the garbage touchdowns. Last year we played cupcakes and came away disappointed cause even the wins looked suspect...at least now we're doing what we're supposed to do and doing it while showing we've learned our lessons.

Excited for the rest of the season

 

[stdybrks]

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.

 

[Ama Hwy 13]

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.