Raiders rushing their way up the national charts
Brandon Sharpe had so many sacks Saturday that they ran together and grew fuzzy in his mind. He had clear a recollection of the first two, but didn’t remember details beyond that of his four-sack afternoon.
Who would have thought?
Texas Tech’s pass rush, a question mark when the year started, continues to develop into a strong suit. The Red Raiders rank eighth in the nation with 3.29 sacks per game, and Sharpe, who has blossomed as a fifth-year senior, ranks fourth individually with eight.
Tech’s 23 sacks actually is fourth most in the country, though the NCAA charts by per-game average.
“I think that speaks, one, to our players and their will to do well,’’ defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill said after his players racked up five in Saturday’s 31-10 win at Nebraska. “It also speaks to recruiting. I think we’ve been able to get some guys who come from winning programs in here. That helps with the mentality part.’’
Last year, McNeill’s well-crafted defensive line rotation ran nine players deep and enabled him to match skills sets to roles and choose personnel to fit down-and-distance situations.
With five of the nine no longer in the mix, the Red Raiders have been forced to get the job done in a different way. Players such as defensive tackle Richard Jones and linebacker Bront Bird have helped out at defensive line positions they don’t normally play, and players such as Howard and Sharpe have taken off.
Tech and Oklahoma were tied for the Big 12 Conference lead in sacks going into Saturday, and the Raiders rank second now.
“That’s just us working hard at what we’ve been taught to do,’’ said Howard, who has five sacks. “I think that’s motivation for each individual. We go out there;
we’re tired. We’re not real deep on the defensive line. But that’s a sense of pride for us, you know? Getting to the quarterback. That’s the goal.’’
The Raiders had another incentive to do well at Nebraska since Cornhuskers defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is commonly regarded as the most dynamic defensive player in the nation this season. Howard sarcastically asked “Who’s that?’’ as the Raiders celebrated the win.
Suh had two tackles for loss and four quarterback pressures, but no sacks and no batted passes, a skill at which he excels. Sharpe said he wanted to seize the spotlight.
“Everybody comes to see him,’’ Sharpe said, “so it’s a good chance for me to get my name out and get seen and work hard and show everybody my speed and how I play. Our defense, too, because we all work as a unit.’’
Tech’s defensive line rotation was so competitive last year that Sharpe was a seldom-used fringe player, the 10th or 11th option in a regular rotation of nine.
“Everybody moves along and progresses differently,’’ McNeill said. “That’s the thing about coaching. You have to be patient. If the kids stay, they’ll play. You just have to keep coaching them up.
“Brandon’s one of those kids that stayed. He may have got frustrated at times, but he understands why now.’’
Tech coach Mike Leach said recently he thought Sharpe was capable of more dominating performances, and McNeill said Sharpe can have more games like Saturday if he has the proper frame of mind.
Lately, that’s all been true. Seven of Sharpe’s sacks have come in the last three games.
“I was just out there having fun and running hard, trying to get noticed and enjoying it,’’ he said Saturday. “This is my last year. I’m trying to play it to my fullest.’’
Howard, who sparked Saturday’s win with an 82-yard fumble return touchdown in the first quarter, said there’s another reason the pass rush is picking up where last year’s group left off. The current bunch has much more of a no-name quality.
“I’ve been the underdog my whole life,’’ he said. “I got recruited by the rest of the schools around here to play linebacker. Tech was the one who came in and told me, ‘You’re going to play defensive end.’ I said OK, because everyone else told me I was too small. I wasn’t fast enough. I wasn’t strong enough. I think as a defense, we’re making a statement because we’re all those (kind of) guys.’’
More from this category
- Tech moves football opener to a Sunday
- Leach attorneys confident after this week’s testimony
- Leach testifying under oath about December events
- High standards precede Brewer in Hub
- Lake Travis QB commits to Tech
- Tuberville talks about winning championships at Tech
- Killeen Ellison standout pledges to Tech
- Tuberville says defensive line key to championships
More from this author
- Tech moves football opener to a Sunday
- Osaghae takes third in hurdles at NCAA indoor championships
- Tech women’s relay, Lamb earn all-America honors at NCAA indoor
- Top five is Tech men’s goal at NCAA indoor meet
- High standards precede Brewer in Hub
Subscribe to this author
Tech is turning out to be a better team than predicted. After what we saw of the so called “Red River Shootout” neither Texas nor OU were impressive. While UT is a good team, #3 not a chance! As for us. We could win out with a quality QB & receivers and and Ruffin’s quality defense the cards in our hand get better every day.
Report this comment
I would love to see us play texas and houston again i bet the outcome would be diffrent.
Report this comment
Don, we need more on the offensive line also. The reason Suh didn’t standout was Carter and company playing an outstanding game.
Report this comment
Coach McNeill…. outstanding group you have there. Now, let’s see you lose a few more pounds. We need you around here for a good long time.
Congrats.
Report this comment
Pejay66 I agree that the Tech squad this year is much better than anyone predicted and I’m not sad about that at all!
But I offer another view on your analysis of UT and OU. Do you think the game between those two programs looked “poor” because there were two exceptional teams battling it out on the field and each team kept each other in check? I expected a low-scoring game (38 total points, a 24-14 win by UT) and it was exactly that. Did the UF/LSU game two weeks ago seem “poor?” It was probably because there were two great teams battling it out and it was another low-scoring game (13-3).
I’m hoping TTU will eventually get those levels and TTU certainly is on track to do so. Evidence to offer includes the performaces against UT and NU and the other three wins TTU has. TTU should be 6-2 but that stupid 4th-quarter implosion against UH really dampened the spirits of the TTU club and fans. And what’s crazy is that the UH fans here in Houston thought that UH could beat UT after the TTU/UH game. It’s a crazy world these days…crazy world.
And I would love to pit TTU against UT and UH again. I am in agreement with Mark that the outcome would be MUCH different this time around. But don’t worry: TTU hosts both programs next year..and I wouldn’t want to be either of those programs when they step on the field in Jones ATT Stadium next year.
WRECK ‘EM TECH!!!
Report this comment
Defense, two turnovers and a score.
Offense, No turnovers.
4 penalties.
Repeat please.
Report this comment
My original prediction for this game was 80-10. Then my co-worker, who is an A&M alum, asked, “do you really believe it will be that close?”
I laughed and then said 100-9.
Hey after what KSU did to A&M last weekend, coupled with what TTU did to KSU the week before, it’s highly likely that would be the case.
Report this comment
Great job D, that Houston game makes me sick thinking about it. We would have won with Sheffield, hands down.
Report this comment
Rumor is Sheffield might not be playing against A&M. Anyone else heard this?
Report this comment
If Potts starts over Sheffield, that would be a pretty lousy decision by Leach. Nothing against Potts, I just think Sheffield has proven himself much more.
Report this comment
I agree Tech08, Sheffield needs to be the starter for the rest of the season. I heard that Sheffield might be injured, my source is Double T 104.3. I don’t how much credibility of the radio station has.
Report this comment
Just learned about Sheffield’s injury. You know that’s the good thing about a “system” quarterback situation. If Potts is ok to play….great…..and it’s not as if we don’t have the ability to utilize the 3rd string QB. This team has really jelled both offensively and defensively. We will rise to the occasion and show the nation the heart and soul of this great team. We have confidence in you…..Go Raiders! Crush the Aggies !!
Report this comment
Potts will start if he’s cleared to play, Sheffield is out 2-3 weeks with an ankle injury.
Report this comment