Tech notes: LB Collier leaves team
Texas Tech linebacker Blake Collier, who began this season as Marlon Williams’ backup on the weak side, has left the team and isn’t expected back. Collier wasn’t at the Red Raiders’ practices Wednesday and Thursday.
Before Thursday’s workout, defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill referred questions about Collier to head coach Mike Leach.
“I’m not concerned about it,’’ Leach said. “The guys that are here, you coach them.’’
Collier missed most of last season and several games the year before with a torn hamstring. He was a granted a medical hardship waiver after last season that made him a junior again for this season. But he had been credited with only one tackle in limited playing time so far.
Julius Howard will go back to weak-side linebacker, where he spent three years before he moved to safety in the spring. Howard and Bront Bird, the strong-side starter, will provide the depth behind Williams, the team’s leading tackler.
Three ends return
All three Tech defensive ends who missed last week’s game at Texas are back on the travel roster for Saturday’s game at Houston. Brandon Sharpe, who missed the game for what Tech termed an “internal issue,’’ and Ra’Jon Henley and Ryan Haliburton, who were hurt, are scheduled to make the trip for Saturday’s 8:15 p.m. game against the 17th-ranked Cougars.
All three were in practice this week, although it remains to be seen how much, if any, Henley can contribute. The senior from Galveston Ball was suited up for Wednesday’s workout. He suffered an ankle injury on the first defensive series in the Sept. 12 game against Rice.
Two players who will miss this week’s game are safety Franklin Mitchem, who was out last week, and blocking back and special teams player Ryan Hale, who got hurt in the Texas game and spent the second half in street clothes.
Tech does not release information on the nature or severity of injuries.
Inside receiver Cornelius Douglas also didn’t make the cut for the 70-man travel roster this week. Tech coaches prefer to suit up five inside receivers. This week, those spots went to Austin Zouzalik, Detron Lewis, Tramain Swindall, Adam James and Blake Kelley.
Special teams look
Though much attention was given last week to how missing players affected Tech’s defense, the absences also left some significant gaps in the Red Raiders’ special teams.
Injured safety Franklin Mitchem, for example, is one of the Raiders’ best playmakers on kick coverage. Defensive ends Brandon Sharpe and Ra’Jon Henley play on special teams, and fullback Ryan Hale and nose tackle Victor Hunter have been important back-line blockers on the kickoff return for a few years now.
Hale got hurt and missed the second half at Texas, and Hunter was playing a lot of snaps on defense on a night when temperatures were in the mid- to low 80s.
“I thought some guys came in probably not expecting to play (on special teams) but performed well,’’ special teams coach Eric Russell said.
Those included defensive linemen Richard Jones and David Neill.
“David Neill came in and hadn’t repped all week, but did an adequate job there (on kickoff return),’’ Russell said.
Asked who stood out on his units, Russell said, “Certain guys like Alex Torres stand out, because Alex seems to go out there and do his job blocking on the front line on returns. (Austin) Burns has been solid at snapping the football. … I thought the execution of snaps, kicks and the field goal game were much better than in the Rice game.’’
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This is good news!
Wreck ‘em Tech!
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HAVE THESE THREE DEFENSIVE ENDS BEEN TAUGHT TO LEAD WITH THEIR HELMET (SPEAR) THE RUNNERS?
IF NOT, WHY NOT?
UT & OU DO IT ALL THE TIME AND ARE DEFENDED FROM QUESTIONS BY THEIR COACHES.
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How about we quit crying about the spearing and just move on? How many weeks until we can be over that?
I am a huge Tech fan but we are better and bigger than griping about a play on every story that gets posted here.
Good luck Tech against Houston!
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Well said, Brandon. WRECK ‘EM, TECH!!!!!!!
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Houston 42, dead ray duhs 20! HOOK ‘EM COOGS! Beat Rectum tceh! How do ya’ll like being in the conference cellar so far? Get your Horns up for this weekend, go UT and smear UTEP! Anyone care to bet on the Miners this weekend? And as always, HOOK “EM HORNS!
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Steven, I can certainly understand your ribbing us prior to the UT/Tech matchup even though I thought your choice in comments were very poorly chosen. But now you’re still hanging around even after the game…move on, like the rest of your Longhorn brethren have done. Start ribbing UTEP. Or is this a deeper seeded issue?? If so, maybe you need to consult a counselor. Did Tech reject your application? Did your father spank you with a red and black belt? Were you run over by a horse? Or is it simply you just can’t get over the whipping we gave you last year?? Regardless of what it is, grow up and move on.
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Very nice Jim……… If the horns think we are so “beneath” them, I cannot understand why we get under their skin so much?
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Typical bitter, arrogant UT fan. I am sorry but horn fans can NEVER get their “revenge” on Tech for taking out of their hands a big12 championship trophy and in their minds a national championship trophy while at the same claiming our own South Championship Trophy. I have no doubt they would have rolled in the big12 title game and who knows maybe even beat the Gators. Hell, they almost lost in their so called revenge game, wow big revenge, what have they won this year? Nothing, and they act like they have already done something great.
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Why are there so many horn fans in Lubbock? I feel sorry for them, they must be miserable living here when all they want to do is move to Austin.
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Longhorns fans are everywhere . Tech fans are everywhere . It’s A free country . Be respect-ful to everyone and respect their opinion . We can cheer for anyone we want to cheer for . Just because we live in Lubbock does not mean that we are from Lubbock . Cheer for your team and don’t allow anyone to change your mind . Thank you .
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well said culver
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Culver,
I don’t know where your allegiances lie, but while I respect your attempt at peaceful coexistance for all. Your speech might be better directed to the Burnt Orange Nation site or the Austin American-Statesman (GOOD LUCK WITH THAT !!!).
As for this Red Raider alum, it was my understanding that this was “Red Raider .com” and a place for people to comment on the subject matter contained herein, namely TEXAS TECH ATHLETICS !!!
If I want to discuss Oprah’s latest television show, how to track down terrorists, or GOD FORBID Longhorn football (yawn)
then I will go to those sites.
Your right about this being a free country though. That means that I am free to state that I don’t give a crap about the opinions of some childish whorn t-shirt wannabe and his attempts to discuss the Evil Empire’s football team on my beloved Raiders’ site.
What a waste of time !!!
So to Stephen Jerk off, I respectfully suggest that you give your mommy back her computer, do your best to attempt to dress yourself, get out of the trailerpark where you live, and do your best to try and get a job !!!
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Anyone care to bet on the Miners this weekend?
Sure, since uT is still thinking about Tech and your heisman player is so inconsistant (medicated with pedialight) and Mack such a “great” coach (though he does teach bending the rule plays, cheap shots etc.) I’ll take that bet. Someone this year is going to clobber them. Might as well be Utep. At least that’ll make two straight losses when you count the spreads the shorthons have. Enjoy your little ol game, I’ll be watching Tech blow out Uof H.
Wreck’Em Tech!
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Funny thing about these whorn fans showing up and staying (even though I strongly suspect these are of the t-shirt variety – junior sizes, of course). It’s kind of like history repeating itself.
15-20 years ago when we began to consistently give the aggies a run for their money, they started making it a point to always deny we were a rival of theirs. We weren’t worthy of that status. Yet they always went out of their way to trash talk us. Flash forward to today. atm is certainly not a rival, but it’s only because we’ve won 11 out of the last 14 and THEY are not worthy.
Now it’s the whorns who are getting scared and sure enough, here comes the trash talk and denials of a rivalry. Seems they would have learned from the aggies. Denying the truth doesn’t change reality. But look on the bright side, whorns. Now you and the aggies can have a true rivalry again – fighting over the scraps we leave you.
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The South ain’t what it use to be….
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Great having experienced defenders back, but they need to play with the intensity of their backups. Strap on the track shoes and get ready to run. Execution on offense will be critical this week. And for heaven’s sake, protect the ball!
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Whoop & hook em Houston!
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