Mike Leach has had no luck in Austin, and odds are against him

By Don Williams on September 19th, 2009 View Comments Printer-Friendly

Sometime this season, Mike Leach has a chance to break the Texas Tech record for career coaching victories in football.

Texas Tech North Dakota Football

Mike Leach has been beside himself with frustration when his Texas Tech teams have visited Texas. On Leach's four trips to Royal-Memorial Stadium, his teams have lost 42-7, 43-40, 52-17 and 59-43, and he was fined two years ago for beefing about the officials. (Geoffrey Mcallister / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

He’s owned Texas A&M, won his last two home games against ranked Oklahoma teams, changed Tech’s reputation for bowl performance and shared a Big 12 Conference South Division title.

Something he’s never done is beat the University of Texas in Austin. It’s not getting any easier. With the latest expansion, capacity of Royal-Memorial Stadium is up to 100,119, meaning as far as the eye can see people wearing burnt orange will be rooting for No. 2 Texas to keep Leach oh-for-the decade in Austin.

“Maybe it’ll be the loudest place now,” Leach said this week. “I’ve felt since I’ve been here that the loudest place is A&M.”

Tech and Texas kick off at 7 p.m. today in the Big 12 opener for both teams. It’s been almost 11 months since their all-important last meeting, which Tech won 39-33 with the oft-replayed touchdown pass to Mike Crabtree with one second left, followed by a sea of Tech fans swarming the field and being in no hurry to leave after the final gun.

“I was out there forever,” Tech linebacker Marlon Williams said recently. “I was high-fiving fans, taking pictures, signing stuff, giving away gloves. It was one of those moments that you know it’s something you’re going to remember forever.”

One of the few remaining similarities, other than the logos on the helmets, is that both teams will go in undefeated, just like last time. But Tech – a 171/2-point underdog – has a new quarterback, new linemen protecting him, no Crabtree and a defense that’s been riddled by injuries and other attrition.

The latest blow came Friday when senior defensive end Brandon Sharpe was ruled out for this weekend because of what Tech spokesman Blayne Beal termed “an internal issue.” That leaves Tech with one scholarship defensive end – not counting true freshmen – available for the rematch.

It’s also the Red Raiders’ first excursion out of Lubbock since the Cotton Bowl in January. At all sorts of positions, Tech will have players seeing a hostile Big 12 crowd, if not for the first time, in their first time as starters.

“I think they’ll do fine,” Leach said. “But no matter what, you’ve got to be ready for it and get ready, because everywhere in this conference is loud.”

Though Tech has come close to keeping up a couple of times, the Raiders haven’t solved the Longhorns’ offense when in Austin. Counting Spike Dykes’ last trip to UT, Texas has a five-game home winning streak against Tech, during which it’s averaged almost 51 points.

Then in the past week, Tech lost three defensive starters – senior ends Ra’Jon Henley and Sharpe and junior safety Franklin Mitchem – plus backup end Ryan Haliburton. All except Sharpe were because of injuries.

Minus Sharpe, Tech is down three defensive ends since last week and seven defensive ends who had eligibility remaining at the end of last season. Henley suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter of last week’s win against Rice, and Haliburton got hurt on Wednesday.

Tech does not discuss injuries or how they impact the team, so how the Raiders might make up for the losses against Texas is uncertain.

The only other defensive end who has played in a game this season is junior squadman Jonathan Brydon, who got in for a few snaps against Rice and made a solo tackle.

There are eight defensive tackles on this week’s travel roster, though none have any college game time at end.

Sophomore Brett Dewhurst and freshman Will Ford will try to take up the slack for Mitchem at safety.

Texas Tech at Texas

COVERAGE

Radio: 6 p.m. on 950 AM and 104.3 FM

TV: ABC (channel 28; Suddenlink Cable channel 8)

RECORDS

Tech 2-0, 0-0 in Big 12 Conference; Texas 2-0, 0-0

TICKETS

The game is Texas’ 55th consecutive home sellout.

FAST FACTS

Tech is 9-4 in Big 12 openers. This is the 10th in 13 seasons that Tech’s first Big 12 game has been on the road. … Tech’s only wins over Texas in Austin came in 1955, 1967, 1989, 1993 and 1997. … UT opened the season against Louisiana-Monroe, playing in front of the largest crowd ever to watch a football game in the state. The attendance of 101,096 was a UT record. According to UT research, 56 Longhorns players come from hometowns smaller than the attendance for that game. … Under Mack Brown, Texas is 60-6 at home, averaging 43 points and 469 yards in home games. Texas is 36-3 in Big 12 home games since Brown took over. … Former Texas great Earl Campbell will be the featured guest at the Sports Illustrated Heisman Trophy Tour, which will have a tent on site for pre-game activities beginning at noon.

FORECAST

Partly cloudy. 86 degrees at kickoff, dropping to 80 by game’s end. North northwest winds to 5 mph. No precipitation.

NEXT FOR TECH

The Red Raiders play their second consecutive road game, playing the University of Houston at 8:15 p.m. next Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPN2 (Suddenlink Cable channel 30).

TECH/Mike Leach has had no luck in Austin, and odds are against him again

  • http://redraiders.com Darnce

    Why no discussion as to whether Jon Bible and his Hail to the Burnt Orange band is scheduled to officiate the game? This is important stuff, because if Bible works the game Tech has no chance.

    Report this comment

  • FortyAcresRules

    Already making excuses, this is going to be ugly. Only one scholarship DE available-what that really means is that there 1/2 scholarship player. A 3star player at TTwho is not even recruited at UT!!!

    For you all to whine about the officials is typical TTwho strategy. Your lame excuse of a BasketBall coach lives that line too.
    Final words of wisdom: What do the texas rangers and red rodents have in common?
    They are both sinking ships and pretenders!!!

    My prediction: UT 59 Texas Technique Community College 17


    Hook ‘em Horns

    Report this comment

  • K

    that was one of the lamest trash talking blogs I’ve read in a long time 40. Get a life.

    Report this comment

  • TechAddict

    We’re used to having no defense, so I don’t see much difference here…to win, you just need to score more than the other team. If we can score on our possessions and break serve just once, we can win. Best defense is a good offense…how good is texas’s? They didn’t look too hot against wyoming last week…

    Report this comment

  • Country Mart

    Forty Acres is trying to make a very lame attempt at trash talking……. I would be willing to challange forty acres to a 40 mile training run for an ultramarathon! I am sure he would shut his mouth after 2 miles and thumb for a ride back to Austin. ARRRg Wreck em Tech!!! The Heartland 50 ultramarathon is coming for me in 3 weeks!

    Report this comment

  • TT

    I love the pathetic whorns who have nothing better to than talk s**t while masturbat**g do to having a false idea that UT is the greatest thing ever even though they were probably to stupid to actually attend the school or any college for that matter and just go for a school with alot of recognition.

    Its ridiculous of you wanna talk s**t say it to someones face instead of hiding behind a computer….oh wait you wont do that because you dont want to get the one tooth you have knocked out .

    go back to your double wide numbnuts

    Wreck’em

    Report this comment

  • noel

    austin, where women are women and so are the men….y’all keep austin queer now!!!
    WRECK’EM!!! take out hank too while your at it!!!
    GUNZ UP!!!

    Report this comment

  • Herman Snerd

    WRECK ‘EM, TECH!!!

    Report this comment

  • steven

    It’s a dog eat dog world and the dead ray duhs are wearing Milkbone underwear today! Get your Horns Up! Texas 63, tceh 10. HOOK “EM HORNS!

    Report this comment

  • mike

    Maybe the fans should play the game. They sound pretty tough to me.

    Report this comment

  • unknown

    Lol @ FortyAcresRules. What a tool.

    Report this comment

  • Realfan

    TTU will get them this year. Tech is not as bad as ESPN would have u belive and UT is not as good as Herbstreet claims. Somewhere in-between is where these teams lie. Remember Stanford-USC, Ole Miss-Florida, Colorado-OU. Of course if Tech wins, it would not be that big of an upset.

    Report this comment

  • j-steed

    Fear fuels the tongue of a coward. That is why we see queerhorn fans on our blog.

    Report this comment

  • sm22

    Already making excuses, this is going to be ugly. Only one scholarship DE available-what that really means is that there 1/2 scholarship player. A 3star player at TTwho is not even recruited at UT!!!

    For you all to whine about the officials is typical TTwho strategy. Your lame excuse of a BasketBall coach lives that line too.
    Final words of wisdom: What do the texas rangers and red rodents have in common?
    They are both sinking ships and pretenders!!!

    Is this guy for real? Im not even a Tech, or UT fan but this is just pathetic trash talking.

    Report this comment

  • Viva UT!

    I am an illegal immigrant, never graduated high school much less went to college, im poor as hell and work a blue collar job which University should i root for? …….. oh yeah the one in austin just like all the other lowlife dirty beaners.

    Report this comment

  • the Football Prophet

    Hear ye what the oracle saith this day… The ones from the plain shall fall at the hands of the mighty horned warriors. Blood shall rise to the horses bridal. The birds of the air shall feast on the carnage. Pain and misery shall visit the village known as Lubbock. Despair, despair, despair shall reign upon the plain ones. The horned ones shall be victorious in that great arena in the central hills. The Football Prophet hath spoken!!!!

    Report this comment

  • Texas fan 2

    Yeah, that’s right baby, the football prophet has spoken and he has never been wrong. Go Longhorns crush the rejects from the plains.

    Report this comment

  • Texas fan 2

    The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
    All the live long day.
    The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
    You can not get away.
    Do not think you can escape them
    At night or early in the morn-
    The Eyes of Texas are upon you
    ‘Till Gabriel blows his horn.

    Report this comment

  • Country Mart

    So what if Tech loses? The score doesn’t matter, just who has more heart. And, the refs always cheat against no matter where we play. And UT has home field advantage. That’s not fair.

    Report this comment

  • Mark Jones

    That’s just pathetic. You’re already giving up on your team even before the play. Tech deserves better fans. Go Houston Cougars!!! We’re waitin for ya…

    Report this comment

  • M. Leach

    Sorry tech fans, but not gonna happen this year and probably next.

    Report this comment

  • Burnt and Orange tan

    Hey leach, you will never be as good as Coach Mack Brown.

    Report this comment

  • Governor’s office

    Go Longhorns, the state of Texas is cheering for you.

    Report this comment

  • crabtree

    man, tech, really sucks this year

    Report this comment

  • Texas Longhorns

    We must destroy you. Hook’em Horns!!!

    Report this comment

  • Realfan

    This loss will devastate UT. Mack Brown will publicly apologize to the Univeristy and its fans. It will ruin their year and ut will go on to loose 3 more games. Write it down. Think about it today and cry about it tomorrow. Outscored and out-coached will be Texas downfall.

    Report this comment

  • Realfan

    So whats up with McCoys weak attempt at a mustache? He should ask Taylor Potts for advice on how to grow hair on his face! Oh yah and on how to throw the ball more than 10 yrds.

    Report this comment

  • Texas Longhorns

    Hey realfan, that’s real funny and stupid. Now, bend over.

    Report this comment

  • Colt McCoy

    I’m scared. Taylor Potts stole my girlfriend!

    Report this comment

  • Mack Brown

    Do I have something in my teeth? Butter….what I have butter in my teeth?

    Report this comment

  • Colt McCoy

    I’m scared. Taylor Potts is my girlfriend!

    Report this comment

  • realist

    wanna know how to keep a tech fan from masturbating? you paint his junk orange and white i guarantee he will only beat it once every 4-6 yrs!!! lmao

    Report this comment

  • FortyAcresRules

    hey realist that is cool-

    Report this comment

  • Chris N

    RAIDER!!!!! POWER!!!!!! It is comical to me that a small school such as the wonderful Texas Tech can cause such an uproar when playing a team and school as large as the University of Texas. They sure talk a lot of trash. It is almost like they are hiding behind their trash talk because they are truly scared. No matter the outcome we are sure to see an AWESOME match up tonight. It will be no upset if UT wins, it will be if TT does. I think I like coming into the game as the dangerous underdog. WRECK EM TECH!!!!!!!!

    Report this comment

  • John

    Wreck em baby

    We will hit em we will wreck em we will f#@

    you know the rest ;)

    Report this comment

  • Lee

    What a good game….. the defense really came to play. Potts had a good game too… can’t blame the fumble on him when he got hit helmet to helmet. Now if the receivers will hold onto the ball and the line will quit jumping off sides we will be ok this year. Probably 9-3

    Now all you wierdos from Austin can go to another web site and whine about how Colt lost his chances for the Heisman tonight. The best thing he did was to thank God for allowing him to play this game in his post interview.

    Report this comment

  • David

    ah, the ut predictions. how wrong you were. 40acres said ut, 59-17. not even close. steven said ut, 63-10. even worse. not too good with numbers are ya? perhaps the aggies will welcome you to their pasture.

    Report this comment

  • noel

    boy, they’re sure quiet now. mccoy looks like $hit! he’d have made a great backup at tech…
    WRECK’EM!!!

    Report this comment

  • noel

    can’t wait ’til our sr. team next yr. kills these jokers at the jones!!!!
    GUNZ UP!!!

    Report this comment

  • raider tiger…

    texas fan #2…so you can memorize..good for you. You probably have never attended college and are one of the many that follow a college team inwhich they never attended…typical!!!

    Report this comment

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