Texas Tech Red Raiders 2006 Football Preview:

Movin’ on up to the Same Record

By Big12-Fans Writer Brandon Reese

With the season only four weeks away, I had a hard time deciding who I’d go after this week. I have five teams left, but there’s been some question as to my credibility regarding my preview of the Ags last week. So, in an effort to restore that (though my opinion of that team is truly based on how the defense will operate under the fireballing they’ll take from conference offenses), I’ll take a shot at my own team this week, the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (Actually I don’t feel like doing much research, and there’s too much going on with grades and Rhett Bomar’s tax returns to do anything other than Tech.)

It’s been pointed out to me many times that neither Graham Harrell nor Chris Todd have proved anything on the field. While I agree, they’re both flamethrowers. When you throw Taylor Potts on that depth chart with these two, you can tell a serious difference from the days of West Texas walkons to legit blue chip athletes. I know that every blue chip doesn’t yield a return on that potential, but to misfire on all three would be a travesty. The receiving corps is two deep at all positions and three deep at most. Looking over his shoulder for fade routes will be Jarrett Hicks. Hicks has all the potential in the world, but his sometimes errant hands detract from his prototype NFL body and ability to get over and past defenders. The name everyone remembers from last year is Joel Filani, leading the Big 12 with 87 yards per game. He’s a great catcher of bad balls and looks like an acrobat at times. Danny Amendola and Robert Johnson, a former quarterback who led the team in catches last season, round out the starting rotation. Names like Todd Walker, LA Reed and Michael Crabtree will get some exposure this season and make a lot of noise. The offensive line should be better than last year, as its gained experience and a top JUCO transfer. Glenn January, Manuel Ramirez, Gabe Hall and Louis Vasquez return from last year’s less than stellar line performance, with Ofa Mahetau coming in to shore up any weaknesses. It’s when you turn to running backs that Tech fans get jittery. For the past four years, Taurean Henderson was a go to man with sure hands and a distinct ability to get first downs. He did not turn the ball over—ever. This season there’s a new batch of faces, each with one or two strengths that may be better than Henderson’s, but none with the whole package. Shannon Woods, Kobey Lewis and Baron Batch are all in the mold of the Tech running back—fast, shifty accelerators with hands as good as their feet. But can they block? Can they control the ball? It’s a question that could be the difference between 6-6 and 9-3.

Turning to the defense, there’s almost too much going on for a weekly column to keep up with. It wasn’t enough to lose names like Slay, Nazirrudin, Meeks and Saldi. Now word’s out that starter McKinner Dixon and possible starter Rashad Hunt are out for grades. That leaves a mess of juniors and seniors, most coming off injuries, to fill in the gaps. Seth Nitschmann and Tyler Yenzer will likely start at the ends, and both are question marks. Nitschmann is an average run stopper but would serve better in coverage than as a pass rusher and Yenzer is all potential at this point, but at least he has plenty of it. Ken Scott and Chris Hudler both return to the interior line, and have shown to get a push there when needed, but without the true pressure from the outside, they’ll face double teams. They’re great one on one players for sure, but double teams could collapse each of them. An interesting project will be Keyunta Dawson moving from end to linebacker. Dawson is the only star back from last year’s unit and hopefully his presence and pass rush abilities will put pressure on DC Lyle Setencich to blitz the quarterback. Fletcher Session returns to the weakside linebacker and he’s been productive and capable every time he’s set foot on the field. At middle linebacker, Brock Stratton is again the preseason projection to start, but injuries have prevented him from showcasing his mediocre speed and inability to fight off blocks. He’s not very fast, but at least he’s not very big. The secondary, though thinned out by graduation, is still talented. Antonio Huffman is a returning starter and more than capable of making big plays this season. Chris Parker got some time last year, in relief of Huffman, and appears to be a solid speed corner to pair with him. Strong safety looks to be up for grabs as Anthony Hines, having recently found himself on the business end of an unfriendly blade, should be ready to go full strength by the beginning of the season. He’s bulked up without losing speed but he’ll probably start out behind junior Joe Garcia. Garcia waited patiently behind Meeks and deserves his shot, but look for Hines to push him for it. Darkle Macbeth moves from corner to safety to replace Dwayne Slay. There’s no way to replace a player like Slay, but Macbeth is adequate filler. If he can make the conversion naturally, he’s more than equipped to keep opposing offense leery of what lurks over the middle.

Looking over the roster and the schedule, I think the Red Raiders have assembled the best offense in Leach’s tenure in Lubbock. Obviously that hinges on Harrell’s ability to do what he needs to do, but as a ‘system’ quarterback and two years of learning under his belt, he’s as prepared as anyone else that’s stepped into the position. He’ll be slinging it to experienced, talented receivers from behind an experienced, talented line. the offesne continues to be effective against any defense that doesn't have four or five truly talented defensive backs to relieve the pressure and exhaustion that comes with guarding this attack. But the defense and the schedule have me apprehensive. The road games, where Tech’s never been consistent, offer plenty of opportunities for lapses. When the OU/UT destruction quotient is factored in (over the last five years, Texas Tech gets slaughtered by thirty points by one of them every season), it could be a long season. If you look at last year’s OOC schedule compared to this season’s, that 9-3 the Matadors finished with would be an improvement. With Out’s future up in the air and the Longhorns traveling to Lubbock, Tech will have every opportunity to show they’re improving. But I still look for them to lose that one they should win on the road.