Now that I've had time to sleep on it and some discussion with some buddies, I wanted to share some of my thoughts on yesterday's game against Houston.
Disliked:
1. The Offensive Line
The offensive line, but especially Caleb Rogers have a lot to learn from this matchup. Both tackles were getting ran out of the building on Saturday by Houston's strong edge rushers and it hurt Donovan Smith's pocket presence and with multiple penalties, the offensive line stagnated some drives for the Red Raiders. Something will have to improve against NC State on the road this week, five sacks allowed for 39 yards just can't happen. The loss of Weston Wright is also massive and we should find out more tomorrow.
2. Donovan Smith's arm talent
Smith struggled to throw the deep ball against the Cougars and it really hurt the Red Raiders. A somewhat underthrown drop from Jerand Bradley and a way underthrown ball to Mason Tharp for an interception really hurt the Red Raiders. However, I think Smith has a better arm than he showed on Saturday and most of the struggles were due to the offensive line's struggles. I feel like Kittley doesn't trust Smith as much as he did Shough, which may limit the offense.
3. Donovan Smith checking into a QB draw on 3rd & Long multiple times
I like the fact that the players have the freedom to check in and out of a play that they don't like, but Smith needs to make a better call than a QB draw that goes nowhere if there isn't a look that he likes.
4. Behren Morton playing his only snap at TE
I really hate everything about this play, the timing, the circumstance and the risk that it places on Morton. On a key 4th & 6 in the fourth quarter, Behren Morton lined up at wide receiver and motioned to tight end to LEAD BLOCK on a designed QB run for Smith. I think this was reckless, you have two healthy scholarship quarterbacks and I don't think playing the second one in run block is a good idea.
5. Special Teams & Kicking
Damn near everything went wrong with the team's units yesterday, two missed field goals and maybe the worst day on punt return in a while. Adrian Frye wasn't catching punts and the Red Raiders lost a ton of yards in consequence. Houston's Nathaniel Dell also made the Red Raiders' punt team look silly, taking one to the house that was called back and another return for 50 yards that gave the Cougars the football in the red zone.
HM. 2nd & 21 Nathaniel Dell 19 yard reception in OT
This might've been the worst defensive play of the game to me. After a holding call gave the Red Raiders a second & long, Dell motioned into the slot and the Texas Tech linebacking core lost the All-American in coverage and he cut it to 3rd & 2. Overall this didn't matter, but a maddening mistake that just can't happen.
Liked:
1. The defense as a whole, but especially the secondary
Boy, the defense kept the Red Raiders in this one. Two turnovers, completely contained Clayton Tune on the ground, and held Dell scoreless with 120 yards receiving. When Reggie Pearson intercepted that pass from Tune in the second quarter, I thought the Red Raiders won the game.
2. Kosi Eldridge making a crazy impact
I touched on this last night, but Eldridge was excellent all night long especially after the apparent injury and made a great play in the backfield for a 15 yard loss. Eldridge said that he was fine post game despite the early exit near the half.
3. Jerand Bradley's resiliency
Bradley had the drop in the endzone that would've sealed the game for the Red Raiders in the 4th quarter but on 4th & 20 in the first overtime, he came through with the game saving 21 yard reception to redeem himself of the nightmarish drop earlier in the game.
4. Tahj Brooks & Sarodorick Thompson
The running backs struggled to get a rhythm going behind a struggling o-line, but overall the backfield showed out. Thompson had an opportunity to run on a play where he made five guys miss at the line but was brought down at the ankles before he could get into the green grass. Tahj got into the box score on the game tying score in the first overtime after Bradley's excellent play.
5. Jacoby Jackson
Jackson has been praised all camp and season long by Joey McGuire and it appears he will have his chance to take over for Weston Wright in the short term. Jackson played very well yesterday and was crucial in making the hole on Donovan Smith's game ending rushing touchdown.
Disliked:
1. The Offensive Line
The offensive line, but especially Caleb Rogers have a lot to learn from this matchup. Both tackles were getting ran out of the building on Saturday by Houston's strong edge rushers and it hurt Donovan Smith's pocket presence and with multiple penalties, the offensive line stagnated some drives for the Red Raiders. Something will have to improve against NC State on the road this week, five sacks allowed for 39 yards just can't happen. The loss of Weston Wright is also massive and we should find out more tomorrow.
2. Donovan Smith's arm talent
Smith struggled to throw the deep ball against the Cougars and it really hurt the Red Raiders. A somewhat underthrown drop from Jerand Bradley and a way underthrown ball to Mason Tharp for an interception really hurt the Red Raiders. However, I think Smith has a better arm than he showed on Saturday and most of the struggles were due to the offensive line's struggles. I feel like Kittley doesn't trust Smith as much as he did Shough, which may limit the offense.
3. Donovan Smith checking into a QB draw on 3rd & Long multiple times
I like the fact that the players have the freedom to check in and out of a play that they don't like, but Smith needs to make a better call than a QB draw that goes nowhere if there isn't a look that he likes.
4. Behren Morton playing his only snap at TE
I really hate everything about this play, the timing, the circumstance and the risk that it places on Morton. On a key 4th & 6 in the fourth quarter, Behren Morton lined up at wide receiver and motioned to tight end to LEAD BLOCK on a designed QB run for Smith. I think this was reckless, you have two healthy scholarship quarterbacks and I don't think playing the second one in run block is a good idea.
5. Special Teams & Kicking
Damn near everything went wrong with the team's units yesterday, two missed field goals and maybe the worst day on punt return in a while. Adrian Frye wasn't catching punts and the Red Raiders lost a ton of yards in consequence. Houston's Nathaniel Dell also made the Red Raiders' punt team look silly, taking one to the house that was called back and another return for 50 yards that gave the Cougars the football in the red zone.
HM. 2nd & 21 Nathaniel Dell 19 yard reception in OT
This might've been the worst defensive play of the game to me. After a holding call gave the Red Raiders a second & long, Dell motioned into the slot and the Texas Tech linebacking core lost the All-American in coverage and he cut it to 3rd & 2. Overall this didn't matter, but a maddening mistake that just can't happen.
Liked:
1. The defense as a whole, but especially the secondary
Boy, the defense kept the Red Raiders in this one. Two turnovers, completely contained Clayton Tune on the ground, and held Dell scoreless with 120 yards receiving. When Reggie Pearson intercepted that pass from Tune in the second quarter, I thought the Red Raiders won the game.
2. Kosi Eldridge making a crazy impact
I touched on this last night, but Eldridge was excellent all night long especially after the apparent injury and made a great play in the backfield for a 15 yard loss. Eldridge said that he was fine post game despite the early exit near the half.
3. Jerand Bradley's resiliency
Bradley had the drop in the endzone that would've sealed the game for the Red Raiders in the 4th quarter but on 4th & 20 in the first overtime, he came through with the game saving 21 yard reception to redeem himself of the nightmarish drop earlier in the game.
4. Tahj Brooks & Sarodorick Thompson
The running backs struggled to get a rhythm going behind a struggling o-line, but overall the backfield showed out. Thompson had an opportunity to run on a play where he made five guys miss at the line but was brought down at the ankles before he could get into the green grass. Tahj got into the box score on the game tying score in the first overtime after Bradley's excellent play.
5. Jacoby Jackson
Jackson has been praised all camp and season long by Joey McGuire and it appears he will have his chance to take over for Weston Wright in the short term. Jackson played very well yesterday and was crucial in making the hole on Donovan Smith's game ending rushing touchdown.
