Watched the game last night pretty closely. Lotta rewinds. Kinda scattered
- first- this game is a blowout if we don't Tech it up and do some dumb things. Penalties, dropping easiest TD in history, pick before the half that was tipped, etc. Tech had every moment to handle that game. We need to finally put it together or we will face some tough times in conference.
- This defense has greatly improved and finally competing. Gibbs dropping his "tackle the ball" mentality and finally adopting the "tackle the ball player" mentality has gone a long, long way. They made Kyle Allen look like a scrub. Great job rattling him and throwing him off his game. He went from having an 82% completion to being benched. Wow.
- front 4 has greatly improved as well and Mych/Broderick are playing very consistently. I'm still waiting for the Mych to gas out and he just doesn't. He's playing like a motivated man who wants to get paid on Sundays. Our DE's FINALLY can hold the end LOS and that's such a refreshing site.
- Ed Oliver did he what he did but Kliff really took him out of his game. How you ask? He just ran away from him. Ed was really disruptive first half but he played every snap and was gassed out by end of game. Their lack of depth showed through and he couldn't hold up. Starwarz should ease up......on a few plays he pushed those guys back straight into the QB. Make no mistake- that's a 19 year old kid that would have been a top pick this year. Oliver is a BEAST and the OL played them as well as they could. Second half, I felt each of our guys could handle him 1 on 1. Gameplan was executed perfectly though to neutralize their best player.
- This hands down the best LB group I've ever seen at Tech. Find me 2 better LB's right now better than 1 and 40. You can't do it, They are playing lights out as a pair. Brooks is a phenomenal tackler and gets through trash pretty well. Dakota is better in space and covered to run free. That said, as a pair, they are perfect for this nickle base defense. Riko Jeffers...........that's Lavar Arrington by his senior year. I see him as a 6'3" 250lb thumper by the time his Sr season rolls around. He's the first "freak" i've seen us recruit in over 15 years as a freshman.
- this is also, hands down, the most athletic DB group I've seen in over 15 years. All of them compete and run to the ball and tackle well in space. They have short comings as every team has, but top to bottom this isn't a group that you can put a weakness on. FINALLY we have some guys that can run. Justice Nelson for as great as a kid he is, should have never been on a D1 scholly. That says how bad the DB's have been in past years...........
- Need Dorsey back asap. If the LB's are the powder keg, he's the spark. Significant drop off behind him.
- Tony Jones needs to be on field more. Remember when Sticks would come in and for some reason good things happened? Same thing for him. When he's in the game, good things happen for the defense. He's my NFL sleeper if he can put on 10-15 more lbs. He's a solid pass rusher and is always around the ball. He's our "Bruce Irvin-Eric Striker". He's successful because he's full tilt each snap. If you're not paying attention, he's going to beat you
- my other sneaky player is Willie Sykes from Arkansas. Plays within his game well and isn't a liability when he's in. Really lucked out on him.
- Running game is still a very big concern. We should have had the upper hand in 2nd half, and never really happened. Take out the 84 yarder by Stockton and the 73 yarder by King and Tech rushed for 43 yds on 32 carries. That's horrid. Yes they busted the big ones but you've got to get more out of that if we expect to compete in the Big 12.
- Derek Willies..............he didn't get off the bus and shouldn't have played 2nd half to be honest. He had his worst game to date. Dropped TD, gave up on route, INT was tipped off his hands (yes a little high but hit him square in the hands) and didn't block nearly as well as I've seen him. Something was off. Maybe just the 11am and humidity but Saturday was a game he should delete the film from and forget about.
- Keke Coutee IMO he's Dede Westbrook but not a degenerate dirtbag. This kid is sick.
- Baston is consistent but I'm still waiting for bigger plays out of him. For being the fastest kid on team, I just don't see it on field. Trust me, this isn't a knock on him, just expected more "wow" plays so far. He broke that kid down vs ASU and had one vs UH too. Just thought he'd break some longer catch and runs.
- Nic had a good day, and took what the defense gave him. Was boring for the most part but he didn't put Tech in bad positions and didn't turn it over (that wasn't his fault).
- Weird that Kliff finally started to become a "complete" coach, and not just the OC and in return we have the most balanced team I've seen in years...........odd huh?
- Hats off to Rusty Whitt. He has this squad in playing shape without a tun of depth rotation.
- This isn't a soft team anymore. I like that. I expected a 4-5 win team this season, I've been wrong so far. That said............I've seen us win 5 straight and rattle off 7 losses in a row. We shall see. But, there isn't quit in this squad as I've seen in the past. I've seen them (and coaches) mail it in. This team doesn't do that and I agree with the sentiment that we wouldn't have beat ASU or UH with previous Kliff coached teams.
- Tech almost "tech'd it up" when we should've saftied ourself on that punt. Thank god for the penalty.
- WTF is up with the kickers?
- I'm fearful Nic is gonna get his nose broken with how close his facemask is. Can we fix that equipment guys? Don't need him knocked out of game for something dumb.
- i don't know what to expect this next week vs OSU. When they are ready to play, they are salty. Think TCU caught em off guard and they aren't as bad as we thought. Tech better be ready to go and I bet the Jones is nuts Saturday night. The Big 12 is WIDE open and all teams have flaws. Even the Oklahoma schools. We will fire on all cylinders and beat the piss out of someone. Who? Don't know yet. But we will also come out flat and get the tar kicked out of us as well. I absolutely see this team going to a bowl but I don't know which one or how many wins. Still a lot to learn from these guys. But, I like what I've seen so far. This isn't your father's Texas Tech team. That's for sure.
- first- this game is a blowout if we don't Tech it up and do some dumb things. Penalties, dropping easiest TD in history, pick before the half that was tipped, etc. Tech had every moment to handle that game. We need to finally put it together or we will face some tough times in conference.
- This defense has greatly improved and finally competing. Gibbs dropping his "tackle the ball" mentality and finally adopting the "tackle the ball player" mentality has gone a long, long way. They made Kyle Allen look like a scrub. Great job rattling him and throwing him off his game. He went from having an 82% completion to being benched. Wow.
- front 4 has greatly improved as well and Mych/Broderick are playing very consistently. I'm still waiting for the Mych to gas out and he just doesn't. He's playing like a motivated man who wants to get paid on Sundays. Our DE's FINALLY can hold the end LOS and that's such a refreshing site.
- Ed Oliver did he what he did but Kliff really took him out of his game. How you ask? He just ran away from him. Ed was really disruptive first half but he played every snap and was gassed out by end of game. Their lack of depth showed through and he couldn't hold up. Starwarz should ease up......on a few plays he pushed those guys back straight into the QB. Make no mistake- that's a 19 year old kid that would have been a top pick this year. Oliver is a BEAST and the OL played them as well as they could. Second half, I felt each of our guys could handle him 1 on 1. Gameplan was executed perfectly though to neutralize their best player.
- This hands down the best LB group I've ever seen at Tech. Find me 2 better LB's right now better than 1 and 40. You can't do it, They are playing lights out as a pair. Brooks is a phenomenal tackler and gets through trash pretty well. Dakota is better in space and covered to run free. That said, as a pair, they are perfect for this nickle base defense. Riko Jeffers...........that's Lavar Arrington by his senior year. I see him as a 6'3" 250lb thumper by the time his Sr season rolls around. He's the first "freak" i've seen us recruit in over 15 years as a freshman.
- this is also, hands down, the most athletic DB group I've seen in over 15 years. All of them compete and run to the ball and tackle well in space. They have short comings as every team has, but top to bottom this isn't a group that you can put a weakness on. FINALLY we have some guys that can run. Justice Nelson for as great as a kid he is, should have never been on a D1 scholly. That says how bad the DB's have been in past years...........
- Need Dorsey back asap. If the LB's are the powder keg, he's the spark. Significant drop off behind him.
- Tony Jones needs to be on field more. Remember when Sticks would come in and for some reason good things happened? Same thing for him. When he's in the game, good things happen for the defense. He's my NFL sleeper if he can put on 10-15 more lbs. He's a solid pass rusher and is always around the ball. He's our "Bruce Irvin-Eric Striker". He's successful because he's full tilt each snap. If you're not paying attention, he's going to beat you
- my other sneaky player is Willie Sykes from Arkansas. Plays within his game well and isn't a liability when he's in. Really lucked out on him.
- Running game is still a very big concern. We should have had the upper hand in 2nd half, and never really happened. Take out the 84 yarder by Stockton and the 73 yarder by King and Tech rushed for 43 yds on 32 carries. That's horrid. Yes they busted the big ones but you've got to get more out of that if we expect to compete in the Big 12.
- Derek Willies..............he didn't get off the bus and shouldn't have played 2nd half to be honest. He had his worst game to date. Dropped TD, gave up on route, INT was tipped off his hands (yes a little high but hit him square in the hands) and didn't block nearly as well as I've seen him. Something was off. Maybe just the 11am and humidity but Saturday was a game he should delete the film from and forget about.
- Keke Coutee IMO he's Dede Westbrook but not a degenerate dirtbag. This kid is sick.
- Baston is consistent but I'm still waiting for bigger plays out of him. For being the fastest kid on team, I just don't see it on field. Trust me, this isn't a knock on him, just expected more "wow" plays so far. He broke that kid down vs ASU and had one vs UH too. Just thought he'd break some longer catch and runs.
- Nic had a good day, and took what the defense gave him. Was boring for the most part but he didn't put Tech in bad positions and didn't turn it over (that wasn't his fault).
- Weird that Kliff finally started to become a "complete" coach, and not just the OC and in return we have the most balanced team I've seen in years...........odd huh?
- Hats off to Rusty Whitt. He has this squad in playing shape without a tun of depth rotation.
- This isn't a soft team anymore. I like that. I expected a 4-5 win team this season, I've been wrong so far. That said............I've seen us win 5 straight and rattle off 7 losses in a row. We shall see. But, there isn't quit in this squad as I've seen in the past. I've seen them (and coaches) mail it in. This team doesn't do that and I agree with the sentiment that we wouldn't have beat ASU or UH with previous Kliff coached teams.
- Tech almost "tech'd it up" when we should've saftied ourself on that punt. Thank god for the penalty.
- WTF is up with the kickers?
- I'm fearful Nic is gonna get his nose broken with how close his facemask is. Can we fix that equipment guys? Don't need him knocked out of game for something dumb.
- i don't know what to expect this next week vs OSU. When they are ready to play, they are salty. Think TCU caught em off guard and they aren't as bad as we thought. Tech better be ready to go and I bet the Jones is nuts Saturday night. The Big 12 is WIDE open and all teams have flaws. Even the Oklahoma schools. We will fire on all cylinders and beat the piss out of someone. Who? Don't know yet. But we will also come out flat and get the tar kicked out of us as well. I absolutely see this team going to a bowl but I don't know which one or how many wins. Still a lot to learn from these guys. But, I like what I've seen so far. This isn't your father's Texas Tech team. That's for sure.
