I’m tired of talking and thinking about last weekend, so as Bill Belichick would say, “on to Kansas State.”
Besides the actual play on the field, I am very interested in how both coaches handle the mentality of their teams coming off very different, but equally emotional, games last weekend. Both are equally primed for a letdown as they are using last week as a jumpstart to the rest of their respective seasons.
I tend to think Texas Tech is in a better position here, mostly due to the old cliche “it’s hard to eat when you’re full.” Texas Tech should be hungry to come out and get the taste of last week out of their mouths, they cannot let that loss snowball and derail an entire season. Matt Wells cannot afford his team showing up flat in Manhattan.
Kansas State is riding high after that incredible comeback win in Norman, and Chris Klieman has his work cut out for him to not allow a “mission accomplished” feeling to linger in his locker room. The Wildcats were also short handed in the secondary, and don’t look to be getting many, if any, of those players back this week. It’s often easier to make up for those losses on the fly, with sheer adrenaline and mystery, but will be much tougher to replicate a second time. It will also help if Alan Bowman decides not to throw the ball to them.
It is never an enjoyable experience, playing Kansas State, even in the few wins recently, it’s like going to the dentist. Yeah, it was for the best, probably, but none of it was enjoyable. I expect more of the same this time.
Centex48 asked…
Will Texas Tech rip my heart out and light it on fire again on Saturday?
Probably.
bbardwell asked…
Which do we have more of in this game (# of downs):
Secondary giving up explosive plays
Coaches giving up on what was working
After Saturday, I’m cautiously optimistic that both numbers will be low, but I’ll say explosive plays.
david.lawson67 asked…
How do you feel about Tech's chance to control the line of scrimmage against the Wildcats (on both sides)? Seems like that may be the biggest factor in this game to me.
I am not confident in Tech’s ability to control either line of scrimmage, but that is mostly because I think both units from each team are pretty even. I think you’ll see Tech win as many battles as they lose, but it will be about 50/50. The losses just can’t be catastrophic.
Scarbro asked…
Who are their playmakers on offense? How do their lines look so far? What/who should we try to exploit on defense?
Chabastin Taylor and Deuce Vaughn, but Skylar Thompson makes that team go.
Both are average to above average, their scheme helps the offensive line, but both are comparable to Tech,
The middle of the field will be there all day, and Vasher/Eazy E should have a field day against their corners.
sleepraider asked…
Does our defense look better vs KSU than UT?
How will our offense look against their defense?
Yes, in general, although there may be more maddening sequences based on what KSU does offensively.
Barring mistakes and/or turnovers, the Tech offense should dominate.
I know this might seem like a stretch... but is there any chance that the way Yost has Bowman implementing the offense (passing reads) leads to his INTs?
As I type this it seems impossible, and less likely because the same thing happened under Kliff...but I still need to ask.
How does a QB coach teach a QB to avoid this (pure ignorance on my part)?
I think that the reads under Yost are slightly more diverse under Yost, but I don’t think it’s anything coaching specific.
You have to drill into the quarterback’s head that, 95% of the time, as long as our team still has the ball after the snap, you did alright. Then again, you want your qb to take some risks, just needs to understand the situation.
RedRaiders27196 asked…
What's the main culprit in our running game being average at best? Did we overrate our interior OL? Take out the 75 yard SaRodorick run where Texas basically quit (only on defense unfortunately) and you have 23 carries for 41 yards. Against HBU we only ran for 194 yards on 43 carries (4.5 y/a.) That number is fine in Big XII play and very not fine against HBU.
It’s a little bit of quite a few things. I don’t think that interior group has been as consistent, they all have their awesome moments, but it never seems to be together. Carde has struggled at tackle, I thought Rogers was better in the run game against Texas. They are also trying to run new schemes, last year they were nearly all zone, this year they have tried to run several gap-scheme concepts. That could be an awesome changeup, but it needs to improve fast.
tStockton asked…
What does a "next step" for Bowman look like past staying healthy?
What are your 3 Keys to Winning in Manhattan Saturday?
Putting the offense in the best position to succeed, whether pre-snap or decision making, and leadership.
Seriously though,
jackmb22 asked…
I’m interested in your assessment of Bowman’s performance and abilities. Below is my layperson’s observations but am just curious how much of it you agree with or if you see things differently.
He seems to do well with quick passes out wide, either quick WR screens or out routes. I remember him having a lot of success with Wesley a couple years ago on out routes that he would break a tackle and turn into big gains. He struggles with accuracy on the deep ball (obviously) and seam routes. He seems reluctant to attempt to test the middle of the field much, which is probably why the TE catches have been non-existent, but maybe the defense is dictating that? Or maybe he’s tentative because a couple picks have come from those plays.
I think he is really good at quick one read RPOs or route combos, he seems to struggle with multi-level reads. These reads take longer, and the pocket gets messier during that time, with his injury history, I think he loses some technique in these situations and it causes most of the bad throws. I agree with you on the middle of the field, he’s got the arm talent to make those throws, but he does seem reluctant to look there. I wish/hope Yost is preaching that to him, especially this week.
FordBronco44 asked…
1) How worried are you about us being able to stop #22 on offense- Seems like a Sproles jr?
2) Do we win this game if we don't turn the ball over?
3) Bowman or Thompson the better QB?
I watched the game last week and know they got lucky on some turnovers and we have to protect the ball to win. Coaches should be harping on that all week- especially to Bowman.
Yessir1986 asked…
Who will be the best QB on the field?
Thompson, but it would not shock me if it’s Bowman on Saturday. It’s close.
TTUGuy33 asked…
I think this has probably been asked already but why doesn't Bowman ever keep the ball and run on the RPO? He often pretends to run after handing it off and many times it looks like he could have gotten 5-10 yards out of it if he kept the ball every now and then. Wouldn't that also make the handoffs and passes more effective as well considering the defense would at least have to account for him for a second or two during the exchange?
I'm not saying make him Lamar Jackson but come on man!
I don’t want to get into the debate of earlier this week, but these plays aren’t really RPOs, more zone read plays. I only want the ball out of SaRodorick’s hands if Bowman is guaranteed ten yards, and it really only matters if the man the line isn’t blocking is read wrong. All the ones I’ve seen, Bowman has frozen the end man on the line, but he absolutely should pull it if that’s the read.
409to806Nback asked…
With K-state still having guys out from COVID, seemingly most in their secondary.... how worried should they be about being able to tackle our skill guys in space?
Bob Stoops' grandson is probably a pretty nice little player, and Rambo/Mims have some serious top-end speed, but Ez E / Vasher probably have bowel movements bigger than those three. KeSean Carter no slouch either.
SaRodorick may also be a little tougher to bring down than TJ Pledger.
Very worried. Not just about tackling in space, which they struggled in both the Arkansas State and OU games, but also the size of Tech’s outside receivers vs their corners.The Arkansas State X and Z had huge games just going up and out jumping their corners.
Chuck_TT asked…
Short of injury what would Bowman have to do to get benched?
Keep turning the ball over
redstormrising asked…
Last week, for the UT game, I asked you to provide one improvement for each position group. How did you make out with those recommendations? Obviously KSU isn't quite the same team as UT and after last week's performance many of us feel that Tech should have a good chance at the "W" on Saturday. With that in mind, what improvements do you want to see this week for the KSU game to give Tech that chance? Outside of the obvious of eliminating interceptions, what else can Bowman do to help himself play better?
Last week, my improvements nearly all were seen, for at least a large part of the game, except for the TE getting more involved and special teams being an advantage.
This week, don’t turn the ball over, don’t let a special teams play beat you, and limit KSU to 5 or less explosive plays.
Bowman needs to trust the reads, trust the pocket, and don’t be afraid to take a sack or throw the ball away. Other than the interceptions, Bowman made huge strides compared to where he was against HBU.
jopritch asked…
How much alcohol will I need to get through this game?
I mean, it’s a Tech football game, prepare to be disappointed.
DoubleTMatador asked…
On paper, we should ALWAYS beat K-State. Our roster is filled with 3 star players year in an year out, compared to The wildcats with mostly 2 star and jucos, and a few 3 stars mixed in. The difference is coaching, and scheme, which for the past 10 years has heavily favored K-State. No reason to think this year will be any different. Tell me why I’m wrong.
Tech may have signed better players over the past decade, but K State does a better job at developing those players. That’s why their lines are usually superior to Techs, and they control the game that way.
This year could be different because K State has shown they are vulnerable, they lost to Arkansas State, and I think Tech has a front seven that can compete with the K State rushing attack. As much as I like Skylar Thompson, make them one-dimensional, and Tech should win.
Besides the actual play on the field, I am very interested in how both coaches handle the mentality of their teams coming off very different, but equally emotional, games last weekend. Both are equally primed for a letdown as they are using last week as a jumpstart to the rest of their respective seasons.
I tend to think Texas Tech is in a better position here, mostly due to the old cliche “it’s hard to eat when you’re full.” Texas Tech should be hungry to come out and get the taste of last week out of their mouths, they cannot let that loss snowball and derail an entire season. Matt Wells cannot afford his team showing up flat in Manhattan.
Kansas State is riding high after that incredible comeback win in Norman, and Chris Klieman has his work cut out for him to not allow a “mission accomplished” feeling to linger in his locker room. The Wildcats were also short handed in the secondary, and don’t look to be getting many, if any, of those players back this week. It’s often easier to make up for those losses on the fly, with sheer adrenaline and mystery, but will be much tougher to replicate a second time. It will also help if Alan Bowman decides not to throw the ball to them.
It is never an enjoyable experience, playing Kansas State, even in the few wins recently, it’s like going to the dentist. Yeah, it was for the best, probably, but none of it was enjoyable. I expect more of the same this time.
When Kansas State has the ball…
Matchup to Watch
Texas Tech D Line v. Kansas State O Line
It feels wrong not putting the Texas Tech secondary here, but I was encouraged by the growth I saw against Texas, and I’m expecting another step forward. The defensive line also showed some flashes in the second and third quarters, and they are going to need to duplicate and improve on that performance to beat the Wildcats. If Texas Tech can win this battle, everything KState does on offense will be thrown off, and they will be forced into obvious passing situations which do not suit their personnel. KState needs to play ahead of the chains to be successful, winning on the line of scrimmage will keep them from that. Plus, putting pressure on Thompson, and forcing him into a few mistakes would go a long way in securing a Texas Tech win. If KState controls the line, it will be the typical painful watch we are used to against this team.
When Texas Tech has The ball…
Matchup to Watch
Texas Tech Receivers v. Kansas State Secondary
This is a matchup that Texas Tech should win, and HAS to win in order for the Red Raiders to be successful on Saturday. Last week was the best this passing game has looked since Yost arrived, and it must take another step saturday. Kansas State will be tough and physical, but they don’t have anyone on their roster that can consistently cover the skill that Tech will run out on the field every down. If Tech wins this game it is because Vasher, Eazy and Carter dominate the depleted Wildcat secondary.
My Pick
Texas Tech 45 Kansas State 31
I do not think Kansas State can stop the Red Raider offense that showed up last week against Texas. Even if the run game struggles, like it has, I just don’t see KState having the dudes on the back end to contain Tech’s talented receiving unit. Watch that Oklahoma/KState game last week, there were receivers running wide open on every play, Rattler was just beyond out of sorts. He was leaving clean pockets, not seeing open guys, and throwing interceptions. I know Bowman is far from perfect, but if he can just manage this game, get the ball to playmakers in space and not throw interceptions, Tech wins. Now, this is KState, so a blocked punt (which they’ve done in both games this year), return touchdown(s), and/or giving them turnovers can easily make my pick look foolish, but for some reason I think Tech will avoid most of that on Saturday. My heart says “don’t do this,” but I can’t blind myself from what I’ve seen out of these two teams. Tech should win.
Mailbag
Matchup to Watch
Texas Tech D Line v. Kansas State O Line
It feels wrong not putting the Texas Tech secondary here, but I was encouraged by the growth I saw against Texas, and I’m expecting another step forward. The defensive line also showed some flashes in the second and third quarters, and they are going to need to duplicate and improve on that performance to beat the Wildcats. If Texas Tech can win this battle, everything KState does on offense will be thrown off, and they will be forced into obvious passing situations which do not suit their personnel. KState needs to play ahead of the chains to be successful, winning on the line of scrimmage will keep them from that. Plus, putting pressure on Thompson, and forcing him into a few mistakes would go a long way in securing a Texas Tech win. If KState controls the line, it will be the typical painful watch we are used to against this team.
When Texas Tech has The ball…
Matchup to Watch
Texas Tech Receivers v. Kansas State Secondary
This is a matchup that Texas Tech should win, and HAS to win in order for the Red Raiders to be successful on Saturday. Last week was the best this passing game has looked since Yost arrived, and it must take another step saturday. Kansas State will be tough and physical, but they don’t have anyone on their roster that can consistently cover the skill that Tech will run out on the field every down. If Tech wins this game it is because Vasher, Eazy and Carter dominate the depleted Wildcat secondary.
My Pick
Texas Tech 45 Kansas State 31
I do not think Kansas State can stop the Red Raider offense that showed up last week against Texas. Even if the run game struggles, like it has, I just don’t see KState having the dudes on the back end to contain Tech’s talented receiving unit. Watch that Oklahoma/KState game last week, there were receivers running wide open on every play, Rattler was just beyond out of sorts. He was leaving clean pockets, not seeing open guys, and throwing interceptions. I know Bowman is far from perfect, but if he can just manage this game, get the ball to playmakers in space and not throw interceptions, Tech wins. Now, this is KState, so a blocked punt (which they’ve done in both games this year), return touchdown(s), and/or giving them turnovers can easily make my pick look foolish, but for some reason I think Tech will avoid most of that on Saturday. My heart says “don’t do this,” but I can’t blind myself from what I’ve seen out of these two teams. Tech should win.
Mailbag
Centex48 asked…
Will Texas Tech rip my heart out and light it on fire again on Saturday?
Probably.
bbardwell asked…
Which do we have more of in this game (# of downs):
Secondary giving up explosive plays
Coaches giving up on what was working
After Saturday, I’m cautiously optimistic that both numbers will be low, but I’ll say explosive plays.
david.lawson67 asked…
How do you feel about Tech's chance to control the line of scrimmage against the Wildcats (on both sides)? Seems like that may be the biggest factor in this game to me.
I am not confident in Tech’s ability to control either line of scrimmage, but that is mostly because I think both units from each team are pretty even. I think you’ll see Tech win as many battles as they lose, but it will be about 50/50. The losses just can’t be catastrophic.
Scarbro asked…
Who are their playmakers on offense? How do their lines look so far? What/who should we try to exploit on defense?
Chabastin Taylor and Deuce Vaughn, but Skylar Thompson makes that team go.
Both are average to above average, their scheme helps the offensive line, but both are comparable to Tech,
The middle of the field will be there all day, and Vasher/Eazy E should have a field day against their corners.
sleepraider asked…
Does our defense look better vs KSU than UT?
How will our offense look against their defense?
Yes, in general, although there may be more maddening sequences based on what KSU does offensively.
Barring mistakes and/or turnovers, the Tech offense should dominate.
I know this might seem like a stretch... but is there any chance that the way Yost has Bowman implementing the offense (passing reads) leads to his INTs?
As I type this it seems impossible, and less likely because the same thing happened under Kliff...but I still need to ask.
How does a QB coach teach a QB to avoid this (pure ignorance on my part)?
I think that the reads under Yost are slightly more diverse under Yost, but I don’t think it’s anything coaching specific.
You have to drill into the quarterback’s head that, 95% of the time, as long as our team still has the ball after the snap, you did alright. Then again, you want your qb to take some risks, just needs to understand the situation.
RedRaiders27196 asked…
What's the main culprit in our running game being average at best? Did we overrate our interior OL? Take out the 75 yard SaRodorick run where Texas basically quit (only on defense unfortunately) and you have 23 carries for 41 yards. Against HBU we only ran for 194 yards on 43 carries (4.5 y/a.) That number is fine in Big XII play and very not fine against HBU.
It’s a little bit of quite a few things. I don’t think that interior group has been as consistent, they all have their awesome moments, but it never seems to be together. Carde has struggled at tackle, I thought Rogers was better in the run game against Texas. They are also trying to run new schemes, last year they were nearly all zone, this year they have tried to run several gap-scheme concepts. That could be an awesome changeup, but it needs to improve fast.
tStockton asked…
What does a "next step" for Bowman look like past staying healthy?
What are your 3 Keys to Winning in Manhattan Saturday?
Putting the offense in the best position to succeed, whether pre-snap or decision making, and leadership.
- Turnovers
- Turnovers
- Turnovers
Seriously though,
- Turnovers
- No Special Teams gaffes
- Get Pressure on Thompson
jackmb22 asked…
I’m interested in your assessment of Bowman’s performance and abilities. Below is my layperson’s observations but am just curious how much of it you agree with or if you see things differently.
He seems to do well with quick passes out wide, either quick WR screens or out routes. I remember him having a lot of success with Wesley a couple years ago on out routes that he would break a tackle and turn into big gains. He struggles with accuracy on the deep ball (obviously) and seam routes. He seems reluctant to attempt to test the middle of the field much, which is probably why the TE catches have been non-existent, but maybe the defense is dictating that? Or maybe he’s tentative because a couple picks have come from those plays.
I think he is really good at quick one read RPOs or route combos, he seems to struggle with multi-level reads. These reads take longer, and the pocket gets messier during that time, with his injury history, I think he loses some technique in these situations and it causes most of the bad throws. I agree with you on the middle of the field, he’s got the arm talent to make those throws, but he does seem reluctant to look there. I wish/hope Yost is preaching that to him, especially this week.
FordBronco44 asked…
1) How worried are you about us being able to stop #22 on offense- Seems like a Sproles jr?
2) Do we win this game if we don't turn the ball over?
3) Bowman or Thompson the better QB?
I watched the game last week and know they got lucky on some turnovers and we have to protect the ball to win. Coaches should be harping on that all week- especially to Bowman.
- I do not think he is in the same conversation as Sproles yet, but I am worried about him. Tech needs to tackle him the moment he touches the ball.
- Yes
- I would take Thompson, but it’s close.
Yessir1986 asked…
Who will be the best QB on the field?
Thompson, but it would not shock me if it’s Bowman on Saturday. It’s close.
TTUGuy33 asked…
I think this has probably been asked already but why doesn't Bowman ever keep the ball and run on the RPO? He often pretends to run after handing it off and many times it looks like he could have gotten 5-10 yards out of it if he kept the ball every now and then. Wouldn't that also make the handoffs and passes more effective as well considering the defense would at least have to account for him for a second or two during the exchange?
I'm not saying make him Lamar Jackson but come on man!
I don’t want to get into the debate of earlier this week, but these plays aren’t really RPOs, more zone read plays. I only want the ball out of SaRodorick’s hands if Bowman is guaranteed ten yards, and it really only matters if the man the line isn’t blocking is read wrong. All the ones I’ve seen, Bowman has frozen the end man on the line, but he absolutely should pull it if that’s the read.
409to806Nback asked…
With K-state still having guys out from COVID, seemingly most in their secondary.... how worried should they be about being able to tackle our skill guys in space?
Bob Stoops' grandson is probably a pretty nice little player, and Rambo/Mims have some serious top-end speed, but Ez E / Vasher probably have bowel movements bigger than those three. KeSean Carter no slouch either.
SaRodorick may also be a little tougher to bring down than TJ Pledger.
Very worried. Not just about tackling in space, which they struggled in both the Arkansas State and OU games, but also the size of Tech’s outside receivers vs their corners.The Arkansas State X and Z had huge games just going up and out jumping their corners.
Chuck_TT asked…
Short of injury what would Bowman have to do to get benched?
Keep turning the ball over
redstormrising asked…
Last week, for the UT game, I asked you to provide one improvement for each position group. How did you make out with those recommendations? Obviously KSU isn't quite the same team as UT and after last week's performance many of us feel that Tech should have a good chance at the "W" on Saturday. With that in mind, what improvements do you want to see this week for the KSU game to give Tech that chance? Outside of the obvious of eliminating interceptions, what else can Bowman do to help himself play better?
Last week, my improvements nearly all were seen, for at least a large part of the game, except for the TE getting more involved and special teams being an advantage.
This week, don’t turn the ball over, don’t let a special teams play beat you, and limit KSU to 5 or less explosive plays.
Bowman needs to trust the reads, trust the pocket, and don’t be afraid to take a sack or throw the ball away. Other than the interceptions, Bowman made huge strides compared to where he was against HBU.
jopritch asked…
How much alcohol will I need to get through this game?
I mean, it’s a Tech football game, prepare to be disappointed.
DoubleTMatador asked…
On paper, we should ALWAYS beat K-State. Our roster is filled with 3 star players year in an year out, compared to The wildcats with mostly 2 star and jucos, and a few 3 stars mixed in. The difference is coaching, and scheme, which for the past 10 years has heavily favored K-State. No reason to think this year will be any different. Tell me why I’m wrong.
Tech may have signed better players over the past decade, but K State does a better job at developing those players. That’s why their lines are usually superior to Techs, and they control the game that way.
This year could be different because K State has shown they are vulnerable, they lost to Arkansas State, and I think Tech has a front seven that can compete with the K State rushing attack. As much as I like Skylar Thompson, make them one-dimensional, and Tech should win.
