BY DON WILLIAMS

ESPN: All the motivation needed

Safety Darcel McBath offered candid observations Monday about how Texas Tech’s 5-0 start and No. 7 national ranking has been played.

McBath said he and his teammates have been “turning off the radio and not watching too much TV’’ to limit potential distraction.

“We watch ESPN, because they don’t give us any credit,’’ McBath said with a smile. “That’s the only thing we like watching — ESPN — because they keep us motivated. We don’t watch local channels. Lot of pats on the back, we don’t want that.’’

McBath was asked later about whether the high ranking heaped added pressure on the team. Evidently not.

“Last time I checked, we didn’t win any national championships or anything like that,’’ he said. “We’re not number one. Nobody’s putting a lot of pressure on us. We don’t feel any pressure. We’re just playing football.’’

Potato chips? Poker chips?

Former Tech basketball coach Bob Knight once mocked a questioner who inquired about his team’s “game face,’’ suggesting it was a silly concept and then launching into a series of facial contortions.

Tech coach Mike Leach didn’t do any visual tricks, but Leach didn’t warm to the subject when asked whether quarterback Graham Harrell and the Red Raiders are playing with a chip on their shoulder.

“I haven’t fully figured out what that is,’’ Leach said. “If that means some level of determination, I think that’s all good. Swaggers and chips, I haven’t fully grasped. I think most motivation comes from preparation and practice, but if that helps also, all the better.’’

Tech-A&M set for television

Texas Tech’s Oct. 18 road game at Texas A&M has been selected for television and set for an 11 a.m. kickoff. FSN (Suddenlink Cable channel 20) will carry the game.

Harrell wins Big 12 honor

Quarterback Graham Harrell was named the Big 12 Conference offensive player of the week for his play in a 58-28 victory at Kansas State.

The senior from Ennis completed 38 of 51 passes for 454 yards. He threw for six touchdowns, tying a career high, and ran for another.

Debuting a formation

Tech ran a couple of plays Saturday out of its newly installed “Elf’’ formation, though not with the “Elf’’ himself, inside receiver Eric Morris.

Flanker Mike Crabtree lined up in the backfield and took the direct snap, though the Raiders didn’t make any meaningful yardage out of the set.

Since preseason practice, the Raiders have worked on a zone-read play in which Morris or Crabtree, both high school quarterbacks, line up in the backfield along with a running back and the quarterback. Morris and Crabtree have the option to hand off, run or pass.

Morris has taken more of the snaps in practice, and quarterback Graham Harrell figures he might have been the choice Saturday had he not spent the recent open week resting an injury.

“He’s probably mad he didn’t get to run it (in the game) last week,’’ Harrell said. “He didn’t get a lot of practice in the week off, so Crab got all the reps in that little package, so Crab got the reps this week in the game. Eric wants it. Eric wants to be back there.’’

Recognize, then attack

Texas Tech attacked the perimeter of the Kansas State defense several times Saturday with quick pitch plays. Offensive guard Brandon Carter took a little credit for the idea.

“That was kind of a sideline decision,’’ Carter said, “because I had actually gone to the sideline and told coach, ‘These guys are slanting inside. The outside’s open all day.’ Then we threw the pitch a couple of times and threw the sweep a couple of times. We took advantage of it.’’