08 Texas Defense worse than 07?

[d-train]

They were #52 last year, they are #64 now. They gave up 25 per game, 22 this year. They were 109 vs pass, they are 116 vs the pass this year. They were very good vs the run, #6 last year, #4 this year. Neither team forced TOs. The difference is that McCoy isn't giving games away with fumbles and INTs and they are patient on offense and eat up more TOP. The stats show that they are no better with Muschamp than they were with McDuff/Akina and a 10-3 record. Muschamp is not living up to the hype!

[patient1019]

I think Muschamp needs to be given more than 9 games. He's working with a very young secondary in a conference notorious for high powered pass offenses. The rush defense for UT has never looked better. Muschamp will earn his keep.

[d-train]

I think Muschamp needs to be given more than 9 games. He's working with a very young secondary in a conference notorious for high powered pass offenses. The rush defense for UT has never looked better. Muschamp will earn his keep.
The defense is the same! They have been stopping the run for the last 3 years and getting toasted by the pass! The last year they played good vs the pass was 2005. Muschamp is gonna get one of these HC jobs, UW, UT, Clemson, Syracuse and maybe Auburn... He is gone! Isn't it kinda foolish to sellout vs the run when the teams you play only pass?

[SLC]

Good lord man... Look at all the underclassmen playing on this defense... I'm shocked you could even compare the 2...

[d-train]

Good lord man... Look at all the underclassmen playing on this defense... I'm shocked you could even compare the 2...
Bobino, Arapko, Miller, Lewis, Melton, Kindle, Norton are underclassmen? When the secondary gets better the pass rush and front 7 will be GONE!

[SLC]

Bobino, Arapko, Miller, Lewis, Melton, Kindle, Norton are underclassmen?


No train... They are all playing where we are most effected... Against the pass...

[patient1019]

Good lord man... Look at all the underclassmen playing on this defense... I'm shocked you could even compare the 2...

This.

[TheDarkSide15]

this TU D looks MUCH better than last years... for some reason I thought the run D was horrible last year too... guess 4 is pretty good though

[d-train]

this TU D looks MUCH better than last years... for some reason I thought the run D was horrible last year too... guess 4 is pretty good though
They gave up 25 point per game last year, and 22 this year, a FG less.

[pied]

I agree w/d-train. No reason for anyone else to hire him. He sucks. Since he's already under contract, I say let him ride it ut acouple of years and evaluate it then.

[d-train]

For all his genius, Muschamp is giving up the same amount of points as McDuff and he has all these high future draft picks like Arapko, Miller, Lewis, Melton, Norton, Kindle, yet the best they can do is #64 in total defense? Texas has the BEST talent and MOST depth of any Big 12 team, yet you folks act like they are playing on a level ground with schools like Tech, that are loaded up with guys UT didn't even offer, including Crabtree, who was a HS QB for a wing-t team at Carter. Leach is over achieving and 1 conference title in nearly 25 years Mack Brown is not producing like he should, especially with his SOFT handpicked non-conference schedules!

[TheDarkSide15]

They gave up 25 point per game last year, and 22 this year, a FG less.


three points can win or lose a game...thats a difference.

It just looked like TU was better on D this year by a ton... but guess not

[SLC]

OK fine... Lets say Muschamp is not here... Then who would have done more with our young defense then he has?... For a defense to be starting such youth, what is acceptable to you?

[d-train]

OK fine... Lets say Muschamp is not here... Then who would have done more with our young defense then he has?... For a defense to be starting such youth, what is acceptable to you?
There are many great DCs in college football! Florida and Bama are both young, but have VERY good defenses!

[pied]

three points can win or lose a game...thats a difference.

It just looked like TU was better on D this year by a ton... but guess not

They suck.

I would ignore the nearly all freshman defensive backfield. I would also gloss over the fact they have played Missouri/Ok State/ou/tech at this point all some of the best offenses in the country.


They suck. Who would want Muschamp.

[SLC]

There are many great DCs in college football! Florida and Bama are both young, but have VERY good defenses!

train.. He is teaching a team to play hard nosed defense...He is an outstanding DC... This defense will be far better off for years to come because of what he is doing right now..

[Firebird]

train.. He is teaching a team to play hard nosed defense...He is an outstanding DC... This defense will be far better off for years to come because of what he is doing right now..

I question how much long-term impact Muschamp will have at UT because he is going to be making millions as a HC at an SEC/Pac-10/ACC school next year. Bank on it.

[pied]

I question how much long-term impact Muschamp will have at UT because he is going to be making millions as a HC at an SEC/Pac-10/ACC school next year. Bank on it.

Smart AD's will see the crappy job he is doing in Austin and not want any part of him.

[SLC]

I question how much long-term impact Muschamp will have at UT because he is going to be making millions as a HC at an SEC/Pac-10/ACC school next year. Bank on it.

The long term impact will be the youth he is playing right now...

[PirateParent2011]

For all his genius, Muschamp is giving up the same amount of points as McDuff and he has all these high future draft picks like Arapko, Miller, Lewis, Melton, Norton, Kindle, yet the best they can do is #64 in total defense? Texas has the BEST talent and MOST depth of any Big 12 team, yet you folks act like they are playing on a level ground with schools like Tech, that are loaded up with guys UT didn't even offer, including Crabtree, who was a HS QB for a wing-t team at Carter. Leach is over achieving and 1 conference title in nearly 25 years Mack Brown is not producing like he should, especially with his SOFT handpicked non-conference schedules!

"Soft handpicked non-conference schedule" compared to who? Tech? Now there is a soft non-conference schedule! Give me a break!

[PirateParent2011]

train.. He is teaching a team to play hard nosed defense...He is an outstanding DC... This defense will be far better off for years to come because of what he is doing right now..

Ditto.

[HUM398]

D-Train...You don't know football.

Texas is playing against a MUCH MUCH tougher Big 12 team then last year. We have played, count them, 4 Top 11 teams in consecutive weeks...In which i believe have the top 10 offenses in the country...We are rushing only 4 freaking Defensive linemen, our LB's are roaming the middle of the field supporting both the front 4 and secondary...To say this defense isn't leap and bounds better then last year only says something about your inept ability to disect defensive scheme. Coach Boom has always said that stats are for losers, its a bend but don't break mentality against offenses like this... The Big 12 has 4 or 5 of the best QB's in the country playing each other week in and week out...something has to give, and guess what...its defense. Defense will never be the same unless someone can come up with something to really handy cap offenses that execute perfectly, and have so many offensive threats. The days of running it up the middle and expecting to win are pretty much said and done.

Texas has a young secondary, but talent group who are improving week in and week out...id take Texas defense over any of the SEC defenses, including Alabama and Florida.

[d-train]

D-Train...You don't know football.

Texas is playing against a MUCH MUCH tougher Big 12 team then last year. We have played, count them, 4 Top 11 teams in consecutive weeks...In which i believe have the top 10 offenses in the country...We are rushing only 4 freaking Defensive linemen, our LB's are roaming the middle of the field supporting both the front 4 and secondary...To say this defense isn't leap and bounds better then last year only says something about your inept ability to disect defensive scheme. Coach Boom has always said that stats are for losers, its a bend but don't break mentality against offenses like this... The Big 12 has 4 or 5 of the best QB's in the country playing each other week in and week out...something has to give, and guess what...its defense. Defense will never be the same unless someone can come up with something to really handy cap offenses that execute perfectly, and have so many offensive threats. The days of running it up the middle and expecting to win are pretty much said and done.

Texas has a young secondary, but talent group who are improving week in and week out...id take Texas defense over any of the SEC defenses, including Alabama and Florida.
Missouri is not a top 11 team! They would be getting beat down by FASTER South teams, they already lost to OSU and Texas. These teams play no defense and only OSU runs the ball. There are many teams I would put up vs the big 12 best because they play DEFENSE! USC, PSU, OSU, Georgia, Florida, Utah, Bama, LSU, GA Tech, UNC, Miami, FSU, Bama have GREAT DEFENSE! The Big 12 is the new WAC! I know Texas plays zone behind 4 man rushes from a 3-4 man front. Guess what, so does USC and the results are drastically different!

[KT2000]

Money is not an issue for Muschamp at Texas. Texas pays its top assistants better than most head coaches. If he goes, it will be because he decides the time is right for the challenge.

I think it is worth noting that Texas plays in the best offensive conference in the country. There are six Big 12 teams averaging better than 35 points per game compared to one SEC team.

Big 12 Scoring Leaders

Oklahoma 49.8
Texas Tech 47.0
Missouri 45.6
Oklahoma State 45.3
Texas 44.2

SEC Scoring Leaders

Florida 42.9
LSU 32.5
Alabama 32.2
Georgia 31.6

The SEC puts up great looking defensive numbers, but look at the offenses they're up against.

In my opinion, the truest measure of effective team defense is what you hold your opponents to relative to what they do normally.

Texas 52 FAU 10 (FAU averages 18, -8)
Texas 42 UTEP 13 (UTEP averages 33, -20)
Texas 52 Rice 10 (Rice averages 41, -31)
Texas 52 Arkansas 10 (Ark averages 20, -10)
Texas 38 Colorado 14 (CU averages 18, -4)
Texas 45 Oklahoma 35 (OU averages 50, -15)
Texas 56 Mizzou 31 (Mizzou averages 46, -15)
Texas 28 Oklahoma State 24 (OSU averages 45, -21)
Texas 33 Tech 39 (Tech averages 47, -8)

Texas holds opponents to an average of 15 points below what they normally score. Those numbers suggest Texas' most inept performance to date came against Colorado and their best performance against Oklahoma State.

Yes, Texas does have secondary problems to sort out but most of that is due to youth. Texas has been a very effective defensive football team so far this year in my opinion, especially considering the firepower they are up against.

What you can't do against a team like Tech on the road is fart around on offense for a half and then decide you want to start executing in the last quarter and a half. You also can't be as lazy in pass coverage as Texas was on the final drive. That was down to a lack of focus on the part of youth and great execution by Tech.

[PirateParent2011]

Money is not an issue for Muschamp at Texas. Texas pays its top assistants better than most head coaches. If he goes, it will be because he decides the time is right for the challenge.

I think it is worth noting that Texas plays in the best offensive conference in the country. There are six Big 12 teams averaging better than 35 points per game compared to one SEC team.

Big 12 Scoring Leaders

Oklahoma 49.8
Texas Tech 47.0
Missouri 45.6
Oklahoma State 45.3
Texas 44.2

SEC Scoring Leaders

Florida 42.9
LSU 32.5
Alabama 32.2
Georgia 31.6

The SEC puts up great looking defensive numbers, but look at the offenses they're up against.

In my opinion, the truest measure of effective team defense is what you hold your opponents to relative to what they do normally.

Texas 52 FAU 10 (FAU averages 18, -8)
Texas 42 UTEP 13 (UTEP averages 33, -20)
Texas 52 Rice 10 (Rice averages 41, -31)
Texas 52 Arkansas 10 (Ark averages 20, -10)
Texas 38 Colorado 14 (CU averages 18, -4)
Texas 45 Oklahoma 35 (OU averages 50, -15)
Texas 56 Mizzou 31 (Mizzou averages 46, -15)
Texas 28 Oklahoma State 24 (OSU averages 45, -21)
Texas 33 Tech 39 (Tech averages 47, -8)

Texas holds opponents to an average of 15 points below what they normally score. Those numbers suggest Texas' most inept performance to date came against Colorado and their best performance against Oklahoma State.

Yes, Texas does have secondary problems to sort out but most of that is due to youth. Texas has been a very effective defensive football team so far this year in my opinion, especially considering the firepower they are up against.

What you can't do against a team like Tech on the road is fart around on offense for a half and then decide you want to start executing in the last quarter and a half. You also can't be as lazy in pass coverage as Texas was on the final drive. That was down to a lack of focus on the part of youth and great execution by Tech.

:notworthy Excellent analysis.

[d-train]

:notworthy Excellent analysis.
The Big 12 teams played no one in non-conference (TCU, Cincinnati?)! They play no defense! If you play great defenses you are gonna score less points, if you play shakey defenses you are gonna score more! Florida played in the best defensive conference, yet they are scoring like Big 12 teams, but they are stopping most teams? Hmmm? USC in BCS games has NEVER been in shootout, save for the game vs UT, when their defense was the worst that Carroll has had since his first year. They were 34th in the nation that year. The other years he has had a very good top 15 or better defense, usually top 10 or even top 5 and they didn't get into any shootouts because his defense stopped the opponents! The Big 12 is the WAC! 1995 Nebraska beat down 4 teams that finished in the final top 10, Kansas, KSU, Colorado and Florida. They averaged 52 points a game, yet had a top 5 defense! They didn't get in shootouts with any of those highly ranked teams, they beat them down! No excuses for shakey defenses! When OU won the MNC in 2000, didn't they start a freshman, Strait, sophmore Roy Williams, other CB was freshman I think, and the FS Daniels was a converted senior QB! Big 12 teams do not play good enough defense to win MNC!

[Ailani]

There are many great DCs in college football! Florida and Bama are both young, but have VERY good defenses!

And they play in a league with absolutely horrible offenses. Florida and Georgia are the only two good offenses there. If those defenses faced Big 12 offenses week in and week out, they'd fare no better than Texas.

But you can make statistics turn any way you want. The thing about this defense is that it is stellar when it counts, at the end of games. I would would take them in the fourth quarter this year over last year's defense. Against OU, shut them down at the end of the game. Against Missouri, shut them down in the first half, so the second half was meaningless. Against OSU, shut them down on their final two drives when we needed a stop. And against Tech the other night, we dropped an interception. And if the clock was managed right, Tech should have gotten the ball back with less than half a minute left. I'd take this defense anyday. Like Muschamp said, stats are for losers.

[gtown04]

Stop feeding the troll.

[steeler 01]

The Big 12 teams played no one in non-conference (TCU, Cincinnati?)! They play no defense! If you play great defenses you are gonna score less points, if you play shakey defenses you are gonna score more! Florida played in the best defensive conference, yet they are scoring like Big 12 teams, but they are stopping most teams? Hmmm? USC in BCS games has NEVER been in shootout, save for the game vs UT, when their defense was the worst that Carroll has had since his first year. They were 34th in the nation that year. The other years he has had a very good top 15 or better defense, usually top 10 or even top 5 and they didn't get into any shootouts because his defense stopped the opponents! The Big 12 is the WAC! 1995 Nebraska beat down 4 teams that finished in the final top 10, Kansas, KSU, Colorado and Florida. They averaged 52 points a game, yet had a top 5 defense! They didn't get in shootouts with any of those highly ranked teams, they beat them down! No excuses for shakey defenses! When OU won the MNC in 2000, didn't they start a freshman, Strait, sophmore Roy Williams, other CB was freshman I think, and the FS Daniels was a converted senior QB! Big 12 teams do not play good enough defense to win MNC!

This is true.

[HUM398]

The Big 12 teams played no one in non-conference (TCU, Cincinnati?)! They play no defense! If you play great defenses you are gonna score less points, if you play shakey defenses you are gonna score more! Florida played in the best defensive conference, yet they are scoring like Big 12 teams, but they are stopping most teams? Hmmm? USC in BCS games has NEVER been in shootout, save for the game vs UT, when their defense was the worst that Carroll has had since his first year. They were 34th in the nation that year. The other years he has had a very good top 15 or better defense, usually top 10 or even top 5 and they didn't get into any shootouts because his defense stopped the opponents! The Big 12 is the WAC! 1995 Nebraska beat down 4 teams that finished in the final top 10, Kansas, KSU, Colorado and Florida. They averaged 52 points a game, yet had a top 5 defense! They didn't get in shootouts with any of those highly ranked teams, they beat them down! No excuses for shakey defenses! When OU won the MNC in 2000, didn't they start a freshman, Strait, sophmore Roy Williams, other CB was freshman I think, and the FS Daniels was a converted senior QB! Big 12 teams do not play good enough defense to win MNC!


you are trying to compare apple and oranges.

Big 12 offenses differ from anyone else in the country schematically. Florida runs a Big 12 like offense, and guess what...they beat down teams running the same tired offenses the SEC has always run, their predictable on offense. Florida has been one of the better offensive SEC teams simply because they moved to a Spread-option like offense. Coach Boom said in an interview the other day that the Big 12 offense are a completely different ball game... He would kill for an SEC team. You can't compare the other confrences because they don't have the same display of offensive prowess.

SEC defenses are unique in the sense that they appear in different variations with different packages and such...The Same with Big 12 offenses, they are difficult to stop because they can hurt you in so many ways. You can't blitz 7, you'll get beat over the middle.... You wanna defend the pass, run up the middle for 5-10 yards. The only way to stop that offense is to disrupt the QB with different looks, but most importantly a 4 man rush sometimes 3... If you can't do that, you can't even get a shot at winning. SEC defensive coordinators see an offense similar to Big 12 types once maybe twice a year...Texas, Tech, OU, Oklahoma, Baylor, A&M, etc...see it 9-10 times a year. ...and who does it better then this conference...no one.

[shslb15]

WOW, I am dumb founded that you can even get close to comparing any team in the Pac 10 ACC or Big 11 to a team in the Big 12. USC looks great on Defense because everyteam in their conference sucks. The Big 11 is a joke and sure you'll look good when you play eachother and look like crap doing so. Some of the teams you used as examples, I just can't believe it... UNC :Censor:ING UNC!?!?! UTAH!?!?! Who does UTAH EVERY PLAY? When has UNC EVER WON A BIG GAME !?!? Those are some real tough teams. Georgia's D looked real good as they got run over by a talented, ATHLETIC Offense from Florida.

The fact is the Big 12 has the greatest grouping of Amazing QB's and athletes in the country on O. Texas has to play a top O every week while every other team in the country has to play some crappy Offense that you can only find in the Big 11 or the ACC, god you were using ACC schools as examples I can't believe it.

I don't even know why I even said anything about it because i won't take anyone serious unless they can spell peoples names right... IT IS "O"RAKPO.

Simply put the best conferences are the Big 12 and the SEC. The SEC has talent from top to bottom but with the exeption of my Gators none of them can play Offense like the Big 12 NONE OF THEM!!! Not Georgia, Not Alabama, NONE OF THEM. I'll admit that the Big 12 north is a joke. Mizzou and Kansas are terrible and can't play D to save their life.

This is more going after using schools like Miami, UNC, OHIO STATE(?) as an example of top Defenses. While I am defending the BIG 12, I am more so stating that this guy is an idiot. If you were saying that the offenses from the Big 12 may have some problems with a very talented offense from Florida which has an amazing Defense and as a Florida fan, after watching last year in which a nearly all freshman secondary looked like crap, I'd say wait a year for UT.

I'm done.

[LeanderLions3033]

This defense is far and away better than last years defense regardless of numbers. The offenses this year in the big 12 are miles ahead of any other conferences offenses so its not really fair to rank them against teams like Penn State who play in the big 10 or TCU (who is number 1 against the run) who play in the mountain west.

Mark my words. If UT played in any other conference outside of the SEC, this team would be regarded as the best defensive team. The guys in the secondary have been making plays, you have to expect one off game. For the most part they did a solid job against Bradford (regardless of his stat line), Daniels, and Robinson. They just happened to have their off game at the end of a tough 4 game stretch against Graham Harrell. Not Willie Tuitama (pac 10), Christian Ponder (ACC), or Mike Teel (Big east). Theres just too many good qbs in the big 12 to compare them to other conferences defenses. Simply put, if you have a good qb odds are your offense is good and IMO the big 12 has 7 absolute stud qbs that would all rank among the top 2 in any other conference other than the SEC.

The qbs i'm talking about are (the list goes in alphabetical order by their last name)
Bradford of OU
Daniels of Mizzou
Griffin of BU
Harrell of Tech
McCoy of UT
Reesing of KU
Robinson of OSU

And thats not even including Aggys Jerod Johnson (who IMO will be a stud down the road. Guy has alot of upside and makes alot of smart decisions), Cody Hawkins of CU, Joe Ganz of Nebraska, and Josh Freeman of KSU who might just project to be the best NFL prospect of all the qbs in the big 12.

[yankee]

there are a few easons to explain the suck that is the tu secondary...

1) they are young. they will grow old and become very good.
2) tu has played a rediculous schedule. faced at least 4 heisman candidate quarterbacks (bradford, daniel, robinson, harrell)
3) tu's front 7 is very good, just another reason to avoid the rush and attack throught the air
4) freshman defensive backs like to drop game-sealing interceptions...

when one must point out the fact that tu has one of the worst secondaries in the nation as far as YPG, one must also look at the above list. but they still suck.

[trojanbacker]

Seems like a lot of defensive backs have "off days" against G. Harrell. Maybe some day he'll get some credit for picking them apart.

[patient1019]

You guys are right. This 8-1 Texas team needs to completely restart on defense. Beating 3 out of 4 Top 11 teams with arguably the four best offenses in the country is a sign that UT isn't doing what it should be doing on defense.

Youth is no excuse. Freshmen should be expected to slow down the most prolific scoring units consistently every game. Otherwise, this UT team that beat No. 1 OU, No. 11 Missouri, No. 6 Okie Lite and narrowly lost a should-have-won game against No. 7 Tech is not even worthy of being considered among national elite.

[d-train]

You guys are right. This 8-1 Texas team needs to completely restart on defense. Beating 3 out of 4 Top 11 teams with arguably the four best offenses in the country is a sign that UT isn't doing what it should be doing on defense.

Youth is no excuse. Freshmen should be expected to slow down the most prolific scoring units consistently every game. Otherwise, this UT team that beat No. 1 OU, No. 11 Missouri, No. 6 Okie Lite and narrowly lost a should-have-won game against No. 7 Tech is not even worthy of being considered among national elite.
UT has top 15 recruiting classes every year, sometimes top 5. Where are Tech and Okie State or Missouri at? UT is supposed to beat all those teams! Missouri had no business being ranked in the top 10 and they would be the 5th best team in the South barely!

[lonny23]

Seems like a lot of defensive backs have "off days" against G. Harrell. Maybe some day he'll get some credit for picking them apart.
That was a bad game for Harrell. Part of it was Muschamp's D and some of it was Graham being too jacked up and overthrowing guys.

[GoOwls]

They were #52 last year, they are #64 now. They gave up 25 per game, 22 this year. They were 109 vs pass, they are 116 vs the pass this year. They were very good vs the run, #6 last year, #4 this year. Neither team forced TOs. The difference is that McCoy isn't giving games away with fumbles and INTs and they are patient on offense and eat up more TOP. The stats show that they are no better with Muschamp than they were with McDuff/Akina and a 10-3 record. Muschamp is not living up to the hype!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Compare the level of talent that UT played in 2007 vs. the level of talent they have played this year.......come on, please, they have given up more yards because they are playing better athletes.

The defense, from the eyes of this life-long Horns fan, is vastly improved this year.....especially when you account for the underclassmen starting, especially in the secondary....two true freshmen.

[JMSFan]

You guys are right. This 8-1 Texas team needs to completely restart on defense. Beating 3 out of 4 Top 11 teams with arguably the four best offenses in the country is a sign that UT isn't doing what it should be doing on defense.

Youth is no excuse. Freshmen should be expected to slow down the most prolific scoring units consistently every game. Otherwise, this UT team that beat No. 1 OU, No. 11 Missouri, No. 6 Okie Lite and narrowly lost a should-have-won game against No. 7 Tech is not even worthy of being considered among national elite.

Thanks for saying it. Right now it looks like everyone on this site has jumped on the Tech bandwagon, and are already trying to put them in the National Championship.

[JMSFan]

UT has top 15 recruiting classes every year, sometimes top 5. Where are Tech and Okie State or Missouri at? UT is supposed to beat all those teams! Missouri had no business being ranked in the top 10 and they would be the 5th best team in the South barely!

They would be ahead of A&M.

[patient1019]

Thanks for saying it. Right now it looks like everyone on this site has jumped on the Tech bandwagon, and are already trying to put them in the National Championship.

Somebody had to.


I LOVE the Tech bandwagoners. And not just the few on this site, but walking around today I saw a lot of Tech t-shirts that you don't see every day.

Tampa Bay Rays
Texas Tech Red Raiders

Can we get a third T-R name team going?

[JMSFan]

Somebody had to.


I LOVE the Tech bandwagoners. And not just the few on this site, but walking around today I saw a lot of Tech t-shirts that you don't see every day.

Tampa Bay Rays
Texas Tech Red Raiders

Can we get a third T-R name team going?

Those bandwagon Tech shirts will be back in the dresser in about 3 weeks, wont see the light of day again.

[lonny23]

Somebody had to.


I LOVE the Tech bandwagoners. And not just the few on this site, but walking around today I saw a lot of Tech t-shirts that you don't see every day.

Tampa Bay Rays
Texas Tech Red Raiders

Can we get a third T-R name team going?Sure, there are new fans and it will only get worse, but that's not the case with any of the people on this site. The Tech fans on this site were Tech fans before Saturday.

[lonny23]

Those bandwagon Tech shirts will be back in the dresser in about 3 weeks, wont see the light of day again.
In my heart of hearts, I think that's 100% wrong. The Big 12 South is in Year 1 of being the dominant spotlight in college football.

1. Texas isn't going anywhere.
2. Oklahoma isn't going anywhere.
3. Boone Pickens will see to it that the Cowboys don't go anywhere.
4. Baylor is getting better.
5. Texas A&M will come back some.
6. Texas Tech gets better and better. They're going to stay close to the top over the next few years.

[JMSFan]

In my heart of hearts, I think that's 100% wrong. The Big 12 South is in Year 1 of being the dominant spotlight in college football.

1. Texas isn't going anywhere.
2. Oklahoma isn't going anywhere.
3. Boone Pickens will see to it that the Cowboys don't go anywhere.
4. Baylor is getting better.
5. Texas A&M will come back some.
6. Texas Tech gets better and better. They're going to stay close to the top over the next few years.

Tonight Phil Fulmer was on ESPN talking about leaving the Vols. One of the names mentioned as a replacement was the pirate himself. Do you think Tech can continue if Leach takes off?

[lonny23]

Thanks for saying it. Right now it looks like everyone on this site has jumped on the Tech bandwagon, and are already trying to put them in the National Championship.
Most of the people on this site don't have Tech in the title game. Most of the college posters are 'horns and are both hoping and predicting Tech will lose to OSU and/or OU.

I think it's both comical and pitiful that so many 'horn fans are in denial.

1. OU fell apart after Reynolds got hurt. I don't know if you would've won with him in there, but you made plays and deserved the win. I do feel like it showed the 'horns were better than we expected going into the year.

2. The Mizzou game showed you were good, but it also might show Mizzou isn't as great as expected.

3. As much as I think OSU is a good team, I also have to say it took turnovers by the 'horns to make it as close as it was.

4. Tech is the best team of the 4 and that's why you got beat. You have a great team and could've won, but I think almost any level-headed fan would have to say that 7 or more times out of 10, you wouldn't have ever had the lead late the way the Tech game played out. Teams don't get outgained by almost 200, lose the turnover battle and still have a shot to win. It just doesn't happen much and it usually takes stuff like the Navy-Air Force game where they blocked 2 punts for TD's.

5. I know it's hard for Texas fans to believe it, but it's true. Tech has taken a group of kids that are considered lesser talent and have an elite team. That's why I've said for years that Leach is a better coach than Mack. He does more with less, but keeps getting more and more. The national guys are just now starting to catch on to what I've been saying for quite a while.

6. Tech fans are pretty level-headed. We know we can get beat because it's happened too many times before. We don't have enough talent to just coast and win. I'm the brashest of the bunch predicting greatness, but that's because I have confidence and trust in the team, but my message has been consistent. We have to watch out for potential letdown games against good teams like Okie Lite and Baylor. I know the difference between, "I think we'll win" and "There's no way we'll lose." You hear a bunch of the former with me and not much of the latter.

[JMSFan]

Most of the people on this site don't have Tech in the title game. Most of the college posters are 'horns and are both hoping and predicting Tech will lose to OSU and/or OU.

I think it's both comical and pitiful that so many 'horn fans are in denial.

1. OU fell apart after Reynolds got hurt. I don't know if you would've won with him in there, but you made plays and deserved the win. I do feel like it showed the 'horns were better than we expected going into the year.

2. The Mizzou game showed you were good, but it also might show Mizzou isn't as great as expected.

3. As much as I think OSU is a good team, I also have to say it took turnovers by the 'horns to make it as close as it was.

4. Tech is the best team of the 4 and that's why you got beat. You have a great team and could've won, but I think almost any level-headed fan would have to say that 7 or more times out of 10, you wouldn't have ever had the lead late the way the Tech game played out. Teams don't get outgained by almost 200, lose the turnover battle and still have a shot to win. It just doesn't happen much and it usually takes stuff like the Navy-Air Force game where they blocked 2 punts for TD's.

5. I know it's hard for Texas fans to believe it, but it's true. Tech has taken a group of kids that are considered lesser talent and have an elite team. That's why I've said for years that Leach is a better coach than Mack. He does more with less, but keeps getting more and more. The national guys are just now starting to catch on to what I've been saying for quite a while.

6. Tech fans are pretty level-headed. We know we can get beat because it's happened too many times before. We don't have enough talent to just coast and win. I'm the brashest of the bunch predicting greatness, but that's because I have confidence and trust in the team, but my message has been consistent. We have to watch out for potential letdown games against good teams like Okie Lite and Baylor. I know the difference between, "I think we'll win" and "There's no way we'll lose." You hear a bunch of the former with me and not much of the latter.

I see your point in some of this, except for #4. So far, Tech has only played one of the three teams, so to say you are the best is still unproven. Beat OSU and OU, then you have the room to say it. But not yet.

[lonny23]

Tonight Phil Fulmer was on ESPN talking about leaving the Vols. One of the names mentioned as a replacement was the pirate himself. Do you think Tech can continue if Leach takes off?
1. Leach leaving would be tough because there aren't that many guys who could win as much as he has at Tech without getting the same level of recruits that the others in the South have been getting.

Tech recruting on Rivals since 2002:

02 48th with average 2.42 stars
03 44/2.60
04 33/2.69
05 37/2.67
06 25/2.88
07 52/2.73
08 45/3.00

09 is currently at 3.18 and Tech was 31st with 15 recruits, but should move up with the 2 4-star players yesterday to make 17.

The numbers and having to play in the Big 12 South show how good he is to keep winning 8 or more games for 7 straight years.

2. I don't think Leach is leaving. I think he wants to stay in Lubbock and win in a location that everybody says is terrible. Jim Carlen (Old-time Tech coach) said on Saturday that he would've won a national title at Tech within 2 years when he left in 1974. The only reason he left was because they went 11-1 in 1973 and Tech didn't give him an extension on a contract that was expring in 2 years. He told his coaches they needed to leave because if that didn't guarantee an extension then nothing might've. Carlen also heard that you can't win in Lubbock, but he felt like he could and he did.

3. Many coaches and players go for the easy out. They coach the teams that get all the talent and have the name and the players flock to the loaded teams. I prefer the people who take the road less traveled and work to overcome the others advantages. Leach is a "Do more with less" type of guy. Tech also keeps their word and they stop recruiting players at positions when other commit. That honor will pay dividends. Okie Lite would never stop recruiting a 5-star kid because they got a commit from a 4-star or less player. They stiffed a 3-star QB last year to get an extra 4-star player.

4. One thing that doesn't get talked about enough is I think Leach really loves our fans. Sure. we'll get plenty of people that come on board now that we win more, but the majority of the Tech fanbase is made up of fighters and people who buck the system.

5. I don't think there are many places that would do the halftime show from the UT game. It was blackout day and I had on my Texas Tech Football Pirate hat on that says "Swing Your Sword" and Leach came on the big screen talking about loving pirates and the halftime show was the band and flag corps dressed as pirates. You just can't do that everywhere, but we're OK with it at Tech. I could care less about how Leach talks to the alumni. I just want wins. I get tired of suit and tie and corporate head coaches who are always PC. I'll take the head coach who answered a question today about running complex plays and said, "They're only as good as the dumbest guy at the point of attack!":D

[lonny23]

I see your point in some of this, except for #4. So far, Tech has only played one of the three teams, so to say you are the best is still unproven. Beat OSU and OU, then you have the room to say it. But not yet.
Sure, we have to beat the Okie teams. I said that based upon what I've seen so far this year. That doesn't mean they can't beat us, but I do feel like we're the better team this year.

If Tech doesn't let down vs. Okie Lite, they should have a double digit win.