1. Making Progress
The most positive development to come out of Texas Tech's first two games is that the team is making clear progress in the areas emphasized all offseason by the program's coaching staff.
Turnover margin? The Red Raiders lead the Big 12 in turnovers forced (6) and are tied for third nationally in overall turnover margin (plus-5). Pat Mahomes has turned the ball over just once and through two games the offensive skill players have only put the ball on the turf twice in 160 plays.
Penalties? Texas Tech was flagged a total of 25 times (seven personal fouls) for 204 yards against Central Arkansas and UTEP last season. Through two games in 2015, the team has been penalized just 14 times (two personal fouls) for 107 yards.
Finishing? The Red Raiders struggled with this against Sam Houston State, but showed marked improvement in Week 2 against UTEP. The team scored 14 points in the fourth quarter on Saturday, compared to zero the week before.
Converting in the red zone? Texas Tech's offense has scored all 10 times it's been in the red zone and scored touchdowns on seven of those trips.
Ultimately, the measuring stick will be wins and losses, but I think it's a great sign for the program's future that Kliff Kingsbury and his staff have (so far) been able to turn words into on-field results this season.
2. Fun with Comparisons
The table below contains the major stats through the first two games of every season for Texas Tech's starting quarterbacks in the Air Raid era. Green highlights a high mark in a particular category, red highlights a low mark
3. Opportunities
Oh, there's a lot of opportunities
If you know when to take them, you know?
There's a lot of opportunities
If there aren't, you can make them
Make or break them
The 2015 Texas Tech football team is on a collision course with a gigantic opportunity. The next three games -- Arkansas, No. 3 TCU and No. 5 Baylor -- will show just how much progress the Red Raiders have made since last season.
Kliff Kingsbury can silence some of the doubters if his team plays well and wins a game or two.
Pat Mahomes has a three-week window to introduce himself to a national audience. You know what they say about first impressions...
The Red Raider defense has a chance to prove that it isn't the same tired, old punchline that it has been for the better part of five seasons.
The Texas Tech program as a whole has an opportunity to begin to pull itself out of the foul-smelling, quicksand-like funk that has engulfed it since the end of the 2009 season. It takes more than three weeks for perception to be changed, but a solid showing over the next three games would be a great start.
Kingsbury and his team talked the talk over the offseason. They're going to get it fixed. Last season was unacceptable. They're a different team.
Now it's time to prove it.
4. Mighty Morphin Power Rankings
1. TCU -- The Horned Frogs did what they were supposed to and obliterated Stephen F. Austin. It could be an interesting week in Fort Worth.
2. Oklahoma -- Moxie. Gamer. Gritty. The power of the SEC is best measured by how much credit the Sooners are going to be given for beating the league's sixth-best team.
3. West Virginia -- The 'Eers are second in the Big 12 in scoring defense (8.5), have yet to turn the ball over and boast one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the Big 12.
4. Baylor -- The Fighting Lamar Cardinals entered Saturdays game having scored 22 combined points in five games against FBS opponents. They scored 31 on the Bears. BU has turned the ball over five times in its first two games.
5. Oklahoma State -- Quietly, the Cowboys' offense has disappeared. The Pokes are averaging just 21.9 points per game in their last 10 outings -- Kansas, for the sake of comparison, is averaging 21.4 per game over its last 10 -- and have yet to score more than 32 points this year despite playing Central Michigan and a Central Arkansas squad that gave up 45 to Samford in Week 1.
6. Texas Tech -- The defense is still a huge question mark and that won't change until/unless the Red Raiders stop a team with a pulse.
7. Kansas State -- The Wildcats looked pretty pedestrian in the first half against UTSA, but wore out the Runners and coasted to a 30-3 win.
8. Texas -- Of the 123 FBS teams that have played two games this season, Texas ranks No. 122 in plays of 10 or more yards.
9. Iowa State -- The Cyclones have totaled just 140 rushing yards through two games, with starting running back Tyler Brown running just 20 times for 87 yards. That's a concern.
10. Kansas -- Don't look now, but Kansas isn't completely hopeless on offense. The Jayhawks are a complete disaster defensively, but Ke'aun Kinner leads the Big 12 in rushing and KU as a group is fifth in the Big 12 in offensive plays of 10 or more yards.
5. Last Time Out
I like you all too much to put you through a recap of last year's game against Arkansas.
Moving on...
The most positive development to come out of Texas Tech's first two games is that the team is making clear progress in the areas emphasized all offseason by the program's coaching staff.
Turnover margin? The Red Raiders lead the Big 12 in turnovers forced (6) and are tied for third nationally in overall turnover margin (plus-5). Pat Mahomes has turned the ball over just once and through two games the offensive skill players have only put the ball on the turf twice in 160 plays.
Penalties? Texas Tech was flagged a total of 25 times (seven personal fouls) for 204 yards against Central Arkansas and UTEP last season. Through two games in 2015, the team has been penalized just 14 times (two personal fouls) for 107 yards.
Finishing? The Red Raiders struggled with this against Sam Houston State, but showed marked improvement in Week 2 against UTEP. The team scored 14 points in the fourth quarter on Saturday, compared to zero the week before.
Converting in the red zone? Texas Tech's offense has scored all 10 times it's been in the red zone and scored touchdowns on seven of those trips.
Ultimately, the measuring stick will be wins and losses, but I think it's a great sign for the program's future that Kliff Kingsbury and his staff have (so far) been able to turn words into on-field results this season.
2. Fun with Comparisons
The table below contains the major stats through the first two games of every season for Texas Tech's starting quarterbacks in the Air Raid era. Green highlights a high mark in a particular category, red highlights a low mark
3. Opportunities
Oh, there's a lot of opportunities
If you know when to take them, you know?
There's a lot of opportunities
If there aren't, you can make them
Make or break them
The 2015 Texas Tech football team is on a collision course with a gigantic opportunity. The next three games -- Arkansas, No. 3 TCU and No. 5 Baylor -- will show just how much progress the Red Raiders have made since last season.
Kliff Kingsbury can silence some of the doubters if his team plays well and wins a game or two.
Pat Mahomes has a three-week window to introduce himself to a national audience. You know what they say about first impressions...
The Red Raider defense has a chance to prove that it isn't the same tired, old punchline that it has been for the better part of five seasons.
The Texas Tech program as a whole has an opportunity to begin to pull itself out of the foul-smelling, quicksand-like funk that has engulfed it since the end of the 2009 season. It takes more than three weeks for perception to be changed, but a solid showing over the next three games would be a great start.
Kingsbury and his team talked the talk over the offseason. They're going to get it fixed. Last season was unacceptable. They're a different team.
Now it's time to prove it.
4. Mighty Morphin Power Rankings
1. TCU -- The Horned Frogs did what they were supposed to and obliterated Stephen F. Austin. It could be an interesting week in Fort Worth.
2. Oklahoma -- Moxie. Gamer. Gritty. The power of the SEC is best measured by how much credit the Sooners are going to be given for beating the league's sixth-best team.
3. West Virginia -- The 'Eers are second in the Big 12 in scoring defense (8.5), have yet to turn the ball over and boast one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the Big 12.
4. Baylor -- The Fighting Lamar Cardinals entered Saturdays game having scored 22 combined points in five games against FBS opponents. They scored 31 on the Bears. BU has turned the ball over five times in its first two games.
5. Oklahoma State -- Quietly, the Cowboys' offense has disappeared. The Pokes are averaging just 21.9 points per game in their last 10 outings -- Kansas, for the sake of comparison, is averaging 21.4 per game over its last 10 -- and have yet to score more than 32 points this year despite playing Central Michigan and a Central Arkansas squad that gave up 45 to Samford in Week 1.
6. Texas Tech -- The defense is still a huge question mark and that won't change until/unless the Red Raiders stop a team with a pulse.
7. Kansas State -- The Wildcats looked pretty pedestrian in the first half against UTSA, but wore out the Runners and coasted to a 30-3 win.
8. Texas -- Of the 123 FBS teams that have played two games this season, Texas ranks No. 122 in plays of 10 or more yards.
9. Iowa State -- The Cyclones have totaled just 140 rushing yards through two games, with starting running back Tyler Brown running just 20 times for 87 yards. That's a concern.
10. Kansas -- Don't look now, but Kansas isn't completely hopeless on offense. The Jayhawks are a complete disaster defensively, but Ke'aun Kinner leads the Big 12 in rushing and KU as a group is fifth in the Big 12 in offensive plays of 10 or more yards.
5. Last Time Out
I like you all too much to put you through a recap of last year's game against Arkansas.
Moving on...
