Raiders hope Erxleben can bring stability to punter position
Donnie Carona had the Texas Tech punting job until he messed up. Now it looks as if Ryan Erxleben will have the same opportunity.
Texas Tech's Ryan Erxleben punts against Texas during their game on Saturday in Austin. Erxleben, son of former Texas All-American Russell Erxleben, punted well after Donnie Carona was pulled after one of his punts was returned for a touchdown. Zach Long
“You don’t ever want to not have competition at a position,’’ Tech special teams coach Eric Russell said this week. “But right now, it’s his (job) to hopefully build on and become better.’’
Texas’ speedy wide receiver Jordan Shipley returned a punt for a touchdown against Tech for the second year in a row in last week’s 34-24 Longhorns win in Austin. Shipley ran back Carona’s low line drive at the end of Tech’s second series, and then Erxleben went in to his first college game and gave Shipley no more chances.
Shipley made two fair catches, was swarmed under on a return of minus-2 yards and didn’t field another punt that landed inside the Texas 10-yard line.
Erxleben’s punts were effective, even if they averaged only 38.5 yards.
“That’s what we’re going to get from him as a young guy,’’ Russell said. “As he gets stronger and things like that, obviously the distance will come. The thing he’s pretty consistent with is an adequate hang time, and his operation time is pretty good at getting the ball off.’’
Carona, a sophomore, and Erxleben, a true freshman from Austin Lake Travis, haven’t been made available to the media since preseason practice began. They battled through August camp, and Carona punted in the first two games — though, with the success of Tech’s offense, only once in each game.
Russell mentioned that Carona’s punt the week before against Rice, a 36-yarder, wasn’t very good either.
“No one’s more disappointed than Donnie was, obviously,’’ Russell said. “His previous punt, even though it wasn’t as big a punt as that one (against Texas), wasn’t really what we were looking for. It was too big a game to let it happen again.
“So take a little pressure off him, let him handle kickoffs. I knew Ryan mentality wise, it wasn’t going to bother him being in Texas (stadium). He’s kicked in that stadium before, and I’ve been telling him to stay ready every week.’’
College football
• Who: Texas Tech at No. 17 Houston
• When: 8:15 p.m. Saturday
• Where: Robertson Stadium, Houston
• Records: Tech 2-1, Houston 2-0
• Last game: Texas 34, Tech 24; Houston 45, No. 5 Oklahoma State 35
• Last meeting: Tech 38, Houston 26 in 1995 at the Astrodome
• TV: ESPN (Suddenlink Cable channel 30)
• Line: Houston by 1
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I noticed that the punts vs. UT got much better after the first low line-drive.
I hadn’t realized that there was a change in punters.
Add this athlete’s name to the list of names that Musberger will have trouble with.
Great job, Ryan!
Keep it up.
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I doubt Musberger will have trouble with Erxleben’s name. He most certainly remembers Ryan’s dad when he played for UT in the 1970″s……………there’s nooooooo doubt it.
Good job Ryan!
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Why are we giving a kid a full scholarship to kick off? Unfortunately, Carona is one of the poorest uses of a scholarship in the past few years. Hopefully he is an asset to the team in other areas, but it’s hard to stomach the dollar amount of his five years at TTU for his performance on the field.
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Carona’s short punt to Shipley was worse than bad. I feel for him,but if Erxleben had been in there, it might have been a much closer game!
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Musberger should have to write Zuzalick one thousand times on a chalk board.
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Had the job till he messed up?? really does Potts have the job tillhe throws an interception? Does the Offensive lineman have a job till the QB gets sacked? Do the defensive players have the job till the other team scores??? I guess Corona was the ONLY one who has ever “messed up” on the Tech team. Terrible Headline.
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tigermom, I don’t recall anything about Corona “messing up” being in the headline. Read it again before you get to flustered.
The fact still remains Corona made the biggest mistake, a mistake that arguably turned the tide of the game.
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I guess the on-sdie kick had nothing to do with the outcome. Great gamble if it had paid off but the short drive really helped the horns when they needed to stay the course. And no I’m not saying leach should be moved down the depth chart, I’m saying too many players and coaches contributed to the outcome to contirbute the loss to Corona’s poor punt. Heck where the other 10 raiders during the run back…..on the field taking the wrong angel, unable to release from their blockers, etc.
It was a great game and no one should be singled out as the reason for the loss,
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Read the first line, which is also known as a headline in the newspaper world. It says he messed up!
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BR
when you are playing the fans, the team, and the refs at DRMS you simply have to take some chances. we got away w/ 3 out 4 on 4th down and almost recovered the onside kick. what’s your point/?
let’s move on and concentrate on the red team that expects to beat tech this saturday. they are in for a rude awakening!!!
WRECK’EM!!!
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btw TM, he screwed up royally on that one. kick it high, far, or out of bounds. no line drivers need apply!!! the coach was absolutely justified in changing punters. that and the no call helmet to helmet SK action, were the difference in the game!
GUNZ UP!!!
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I’m going to the houston game! Wreck’em tech!
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I guess we disagree. I call this the headline “Raiders hope Erxleben can bring stability to punter position”
Per dictionary.com
“a heading in a newspaper for any written material, sometimes for an illustration, to indicate subject matter, set in larger type than that of the copy and containing one or more words and lines and often several banks.”
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If only we could change the outcome. We can’t Let’s move on take care of Houston and get ready for the rest of the south.
As for Corona lossing his job, I’m not saying that was wrong.
NOEL: My Point is we did not lose because of that one return. Would it have been closer without those seven? Yes! The defense held up during the first half 3-10 are you kidding me? )
As for taking chances, like I said gambles are GREAT when they pan out. Unfortunately this one didn’t and it did help them regain the two touchdown lead we’d just narrowed to one. Remember our last victory there? Out of nowhere Spike calls an onside kick way too early, but it worked and it changed the game. Didn’t happen this time. That’s what Gambling is all about winning some and losing some.
People are looking to place blame, there is no blame, both teams played the game, both had ups and downs and in the end they won by two scores.
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Williams can do field goals. Make them all Erxleben can do punts. High or coffin corner so no returns. Corona can do kick offs. Out of the back of the end zone so no returns. If they all concentrate on being the best at those positions then TECH will benefit. Enough said!!!
Wreck ‘em Tech. Beat Houston
***** We’ve gone 10 years of constant improvement for our Red Raider Football team. Our time in NOW. And continue it with beating all the lesser teams and beat the ranked teams also.
So fans, stop acting like your a petty 5 win team like it was before. Get you act on and behave like the winners we are!!!
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Right on Sonny! Let’s build on what we have and run the table if we dare.
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sonny please report to UMC for a psych evaluation; your post is congruent with a person experiecing delusions.
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