GameDay site selected

Texas Tech officials announced Monday that the set for ESPN’s popular College GameDay show will be constructed on the Tech engineering key just north of Memorial Circle beginning Thursday morning.

Live tapings from the set are scheduled to begin Friday afternoon. The first will take place at 3:45 p.m. for the Friday evening ESPN SportsCenter. The College GameDay show is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday. Fans are asked to arrive between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. Saturday for another SportsCenter segment just prior to the show.

Tech officials said the area around the set will be controlled by security and fans will not be allowed behind the stage for the tapings until 3:30 p.m. Friday and then again at 7 a.m. Saturday.

Harrell named award semifinalist

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell was on the list of 13 Davey O’Brien Award semifinalists released Monday. The award, named for the Heisman Trophy winner from TCU, goes to the top QB in college football.

The list will be shortened to three finalists on Nov. 24. The winner will be announced Dec. 11 during ESPN’s annual college football awards show..

Fans are permitted to vote for the semifinalists once a day at www.VoteOBrien.org. The voting will continue throughout the semifinalist and finalist rounds with the fan vote counting 5 percent in the final decision.

Big 12 honors two Tech players

Kicker Matt Williams was named the Big 12 Conference special teams player of the week after making all nine of his extra points Saturday in his college debut.

Tech quarterback Graham Harrell was named the Big 12 offensive player of the week. In the 63-21 victory at Kansas, Harrell had 386 yards and five TDs on 34-of-42 passing and also ran for a touchdown.

Harrell and Williams also are among four finalists for the AT&T all-America player of the week award. They’re joined by Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Michigan State running back Javon Ringer.

Leach views on Muschamp

Saturday will be Tech coach Mike Leach’s first game to match wits against Texas’ Will Muschamp, one of the most talked-about defensive coordinators in college football. Since 2001, Muschamp has made coaching stops at LSU (defensive coordinator), the Miami Dolphins (assistant head coach/defense) and Auburn (defensive coordinator), where he coached the last two years before UT hired him.

“He’s like what I think a lot of good defensive coordinators are,” Leach said. “He’s basic, stays within himself, runs his stuff, doesn’t reinvent defense around an opponent. Features things, but has a relatively basic scheme and coaches good technique and intensity.”

Compiled by Don Williams