Texas Tech game next year

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cyfan15

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Oct 23, 2006
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I've seen a lot of people predicting a win over Texas Tech next year, and while nothing is impossible, that looks like a really bad match-up for us. Tech returns all three of their QBs, all three of their RBs that had more than one carry this year, and 13 of their 14 players who caught passes this year (or 12 of 14 if James transfers).

On defense they return nine of their top 15 tacklers, although they do lose their top four sack leaders. All in all they return eight starters on offense and six on defense, plus their punter and kicker.

If Sheffield stays healthy the whole year and they hire a competent coach, Tech is a dark horse Big 12 title contender. In Sheffield's two starts this year he threw for seven TDs against K-State and led Tech's offense to 24 points against Nebraska's defense before getting hurt. He came off the bench in the Alamo Bowl and looked fantastic.

It has to suck for Tech fans that Leach was fired because he might have had his best team ever at Tech next year. I hope we beat them, but it will be REALLY tough.
 

cayin

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I agree. They have an absolute wealth of speed on offense and no one does a better job of getting these guys the ball in space. Just when defenses cheat up to stop the screens and 4 yard patterns, Tech make them pay by throwing middle and deep routes.
 

dustinal

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Nov 14, 2006
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I think they would be smart to keep Ruffin McNeil as head coach. Minimal turnover on the coaching staff and less rebuilding to do. If they do that, and with the players they have returning, I agree that that game will still be tough next year.
 

jdoggivjc

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Sep 27, 2006
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I think it all depends on which coach they bring in/promote and whether they decide to shake things up. If Ruffin gets permanently prompted or if they are able to bring in a guy that keeps status quo, they'll be just as dangerous as ever. If, however, they bring in someone and he decides to completely shake things up, TT will be in a world of hurt for a long time.
 
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Cyforce

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Nov 24, 2009
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I think they would be smart to keep Ruffin McNeil as head coach. Minimal turnover on the coaching staff and less rebuilding to do. If they do that, and with the players they have returning, I agree that that game will still be tough next year.

Promoting McNeil is a slow death to their program.
The QB draw against his D for a TD in a nutshell showed he doesn't have a clue.
While keeping him may help retain players and recruits.
Their leadership will quickly be exposed.

Their best bet is to find a coach that runs an open system that their players
can adapt to quickly.
 

CycloneWarning

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Jan 14, 2008
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Hard to predict, but I just like to judge things in terms of good or bad for ISU.

- KU firing Mangino: Good for ISU. Mangino was a good coach. Plus, we were fortunate that CPR stepped in and improved our program. History shows that coaching changes usually result in a 2 year decline as new systems/players are brought in.

- CU keeping Hawkins: Good for ISU. Then, they can fire him next year and go through a transition.

- Tech firing Leach: Good for ISU. Dude could coach. Like others, I hope they keep Ruffin as I think they will eventually regret the choice to give the job to the sentimental favorite. May not pay off for us next year, and I was not aware of all the players they have returning. But it doesn't hurt.

- MU getting rolled: Good for ISU. The MU fanbase is pretty fickle and already questioning Pinkel again. Gabbert is a solid player, but if they struggle next year, the heat will start to really get turned up.

- KSU and Snyder: I simply do not fear Snyder and don't think he can bring the magic again.

Almost everything about ISU football is headed in the right direction and many other programs have issues/questions.
 

theyork

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Aug 6, 2009
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I've seen a lot of people predicting a win over Texas Tech next year, and while nothing is impossible, that looks like a really bad match-up for us. Tech returns all three of their QBs, all three of their RBs that had more than one carry this year, and 13 of their 14 players who caught passes this year (or 12 of 14 if James transfers).

On defense they return nine of their top 15 tacklers, although they do lose their top four sack leaders. All in all they return eight starters on offense and six on defense, plus their punter and kicker.

If Sheffield stays healthy the whole year and they hire a competent coach, Tech is a dark horse Big 12 title contender. In Sheffield's two starts this year he threw for seven TDs against K-State and led Tech's offense to 24 points against Nebraska's defense before getting hurt. He came off the bench in the Alamo Bowl and looked fantastic.

It has to suck for Tech fans that Leach was fired because he might have had his best team ever at Tech next year. I hope we beat them, but it will be REALLY tough.

depends entirely on what they do with the coaching staff. i think if they keep who they have and don't go looking to change coaches or offensive schemes, they will **** pound us. if they hire a new coach who installs his offensive and defensive schemes we've got a good chance at a win.
 

trajanJ

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Sep 11, 2008
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Tech will find a pretty good coach that runs a simar system. If they don't they would be crazy.
-CU can't get any worse, but they are actually a pretty good team at home. On the road they haven't won in 2 years.
-It will be interesting to see what Gill can do at KU. In 2 weeks he has already put together a staff that would blow Mangino's out of the water.
-Mizzou's the biggest surprise of the bowl season. I expected them to play a lot better. But they do return almost their entire team and have the 17th ranked class coming in. Lucky for the rest of the conference they struggle coaching those athletes.
-ISU returns a bunch and will improve with another year under the system.

I think the conference will be pretty tough and anybody could end up beating anybody. I just hope Nebraska isn't as good as they look like they could be.
 
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ripvdub

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Mar 20, 2006
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Does McNeil = Wayne Morgan?!? And not just because of the obvious similarity in skin color?
 

Melvin

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Jul 29, 2008
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I don't think anyone said the Tech game would be easy. The probability of a win increases with a coaching change and hopefully Tech hires a Bum, stinks for 2 years, the gets hot at the exact same time we get them off the schedule.
 

dualthreat

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Oct 8, 2008
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Truthfully, the Tech game next year (and not just the Tech game but) will really depend, once again, on our own team. If we can't score points next year, we won't beat anyone. So regardless of who Tech has for their coach, etc., we need to worry about our own offense...
 

JUKEBOX

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Oct 27, 2008
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How does TT get nuts like this?
brandon-carter-texas-tech.jpg
 

sweaty7

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Nov 8, 2008
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I'm not sure I'd be so quick to build up T-Tech just yet. Watching the game last night reminded me a lot of West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl a couple of years ago. They destroyed a good Oklahoma team with an interim coach, but fell off a bit (they're still pretty good, but not BCS-bowl good) over the last two years. I know they lost some good players (Slaton & White), but they've had a definite drop off since Rodriguez bailed on them.

Tech does have some good players returning, but did anyone see Potts after he got benched? I can see him getting upset when he first found out about it, but he wasn't celebrating when they went ahead or sealed it. In fact, he looked pretty bitter about it. That's not exactly the type of guy you want leading your team. Also, as far as Sheffield goes, why hasn't he been starting the entire season? Potts is good, but Sheffield's been amazing when he's played. I'm guessing, looking at him, that he's pretty flimsy. I can't imagine he can stand up for an entire season.

So, yes, they have a bunch of talent that could potentially return. However, they have two quarterbacks who are both talented, but one seems pretty selfish and the other could very easily be snapped in half. More importantly, I don't think we've seen the last of the fallout from the Leach situation. There were a lot of people associated with the program being very public about their feelings on both sides of the issue. If they stick with McNeill, it will probably mean very little turnover. That means they'll have a guy who has never been proven as a head coach for an entire season and, potentially, a lot of in-fighting between Leach supporters and opponents. If they bring in a new coach, they'll (probably) have a new staff and a potentially new system.

Either way they go with either choice (starting qb and head coach), there will be a lot of question marks surrounding the program. If everything falls into place, they could be very very good in a division where the top teams are rebuilding. However, the situation could get very ugly and the team might completely fall apart. My bet is that there will be some nastiness, some uncertainty, some transfers/resignations, and a team that ends up being not as good as it should be, but with too much talent to really stink.
 

woodie

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Apr 10, 2006
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IF BABY FACE JAMES IS PLAYING,THEY SLOULD KNOCK HIM OUT OF THE GAME IN THE FIRST 3 OR 4 PLAYS.THEN MAYBE HE CAN GO SIT IN A DARK SHED WITH HIS MANIPULATIVE DADDY BABY FACE JAMES SR.