Tech notes: Pluses, minuses to kick coverage
Kansas State’s average starting field position in its first five games of the season was its own 34-yard line. Against Texas Tech, the Wildcats averaged starting at their 23.
That was largely a function of Tech’s kickoff coverage. K-State’s Brandon Banks, who had been averaging 35.5 yards on kickoff returns, had eight chances in the 66-14 loss to Tech, but a 25-yarder was the best he could do.
“I was pleased he didn’t get out and do what he’s been doing to everybody,’’ Tech special teams coach Eric Russell said Sunday, “but it wasn’t as clean as it probably needed to be. Our kicker made too many tackles. Our kick placement wasn’t conducive to what we were trying to do coverage-wise. When we kicked it where we wanted to, they didn’t get out of it. When we kicked it more in the middle of the field, they got a little more yards than we wanted.’’
Tech kicker Donnie Carona had no touchbacks in 11 kickoffs. Russell said the cool, windy conditions weren’t ideal, but he also thought Carona might have undercut some kickoffs too much or tried to overkick on others.
“I think Donnie might have been pressing a little bit,’’ he said.
The flip side is that Carona tied for the team lead with five tackles — and they weren’t touchdown-saving tackles. He stopped Banks three times at the KSU 23- , 26- and 15-yard lines.
Being 6-foot and 215 pounds, Carona’s willingness to mix it up on kick coverage gives the Raiders a better option than some other teams’ kickers.
“There’s no doubt, yeah,’’ Russell said. “Not by design, but we needed it last night. He did a great job in that area, and he’s not afraid. That’s certainly an extra weapon, because teams don’t usually account for 11 (in kickoff coverage) on there. They account for 10. It’s good to have that guy in case something does break down.’’
Punting game
Tech expects to have two-year starting punter Jonathan LaCour reinstated this week after a six-game suspension, but a punting controversy doesn’t appear to be in the cards.
Freshman Ryan Erxleben has been too effective to replace.
“There’s nothing right now to say, ‘Hey, I need to open it up,’ or anything like that,’’ special teams coach Eric Russell said.
Erxleben has put nine of his 14 punts inside opponents’ 20-yard lines. And other teams’ return men have a total of 8 return yards off him.
“We’ve got to figure out what we’re going to do with Jonathan,’’ Russell said, “but right now it’s still Ryan and we’ll see how we go from there.’’
Running game
Tech’s 185 rushing yards against Kansas State was the most for the Red Raiders since Nov. 5, 2005, when they had 194 in a 56-17 home victory over Texas A&M.
“I thought they did a pretty good variety of things,’’ Tech coach Mike Leach said Sunday. “First of all, we got three (running backs) involved. I thought they all caught the ball well, I thought they all rushed the ball well, and I thought they all blocked well. They complemented each others play pretty good.’’
In brief
QB Taylor Potts, C Shawn Byrnes, DE Daniel Howard, S Cody Davis and CB LaRon Moore all were at the team’s Sunday night practice and in jerseys. Tech’s Sunday workouts are light, non-contact affairs, however, so it’s not known how much, if anything, Potts will be able to do this week in his recovery from a concussion that caused him to miss the last game and a half.
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That’s buttocks, Gump. And Tech’s in that Husker head. Guns way up!
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A kicker who likes to mix it up !! Me likey.
I would like to see all the walking injured be in position to play, except perhaps Potts.
First I really want to see him not have any possibility of coming back too soon due to the nature of the injury and how much we do not understand about concussions.
Second, I would rather force Sheffield to start due to Potts’ health rather than have to make a decision at this point. The point being that if the fans are split on who they want to see at qb, I bet the players are as well. I would like to see them together mentally and objective at Nebraska.
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NU is a great team and will contend for big 12 championships and maybe even national championships in the future. but so will texas tech. this year both are still kinda mediocre and will not threaten texas this year. next year; watch out!! that said i think that tech will go to nebraska and beat the huskers but only if sticks starts. suh is a beast and they need to watch out for him. sheffield had better be on guard for him. against mu he dropped back into coverage several times and nearly got 2 picks. sheffield better not make the same mistake he did against ksu that resulted in a wildcat td. i think the team that beats this game will go on to have a great season; the team that losses will probly be heading for the alamo bowl.
wreck em tech!!!
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Go Huskers beat the raiders again.
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You don’t stand a chance against us.
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Big Red, beat the raiders again? when was the last time that happened?
#15, if you’re a NU fan then check your statement. That same statement was said in regards to UT and UH–while TTU lost both games we had multiple shots at taking the lead and potential win at UT and TTU lead the game for 99.9% of the time at UH. If it wasn’t for the 4th-quarter implosion TTU would have walked away victorious–and everyone in the USA knows that.
TTU stands just as much a chance to win as NU does in Lincoln. Both programs are improved and revamped with extreme talent on all three sides of the ball. And while Lincoln is a tough place to win, TTU did it three years ago.
WRECK ‘EM TECH!!
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Husker Fans:
I am sorry but I really don’t see your team beating the Red Raiders this weekend. Not with the play of Sheffield, and the offensive line, and our running backs last Saturday. I also think that our Defense has been sorely underrated this season as well. I think that our Defense is playing just as well if not better than last years defense played.
As far as coming on TTU website talking trash……. I would reserve your comments until you beat us….. Since that has not happened in quite a while. Not since before the 70-17 thumping you received in Lubbock. Might be ranked 15th in the nation, but that won’t mean much when we replace you on the list of Top 25 after another Red Raider victory. Look for your team to drop completely out of the Top 25 after Saturday.
Wreck ‘Em Tech!!!!
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Well, let’s see. The game’s AT Nebraska.
Tech travels extremely poorly.
I don’t see us winning any road games anytime soon, even if God were quarterbacking.
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Who says we travel poorly? Hell even with Spike we make others sweat…
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Not a chance in HELL! The N is in, baby…
Nebraska 28
Texas Tech 14
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PootyPie:
Are you serious?? We travel poorly….. Our only 2- Losses on the year are yes, on the road, but were also to 2-VERY HOSTILE enviroments, and 1- Top 2 team, and the other was inside the Top 20. We lost those games but I thought that we played as well in those loses as we did on Saturday against K-State.
Get ready Husker fans to be disappointed. TECH WINS THIS ONE!!!!
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Hey Anti-Tech Prophet-
Did you speakith last week and pickith the Wildcats prior to the Red Raider butt kicking ?
If not, were you sickith with the swine flu, or that constant diarrhea of the mouth that you constantly suffer from ?
Just curious, o self-proclaimed great one.
Wreck ‘em Tech !!!
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Your an idiot get off of here. Nobody cares to read your stupid Oracles. Go watch Keenu Reeves some more and live in your fantasy world
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Very well… I shall no longer post my oracles here. But, I leave you all with this dire prediction. You shall lose 4 more games this season. And for those who have spoken falsely against me, a curse will soon come upon each of you. You will reap what you sow, foolish ones…
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yadah yadah, bla, bla…
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