Bleacher Report - Articles by Bryan Ford

Cecil Cooper, Thanks for Your Time in Houston!

Bryan Ford — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:01:57 -0400

I was pretty happy when Cecil Cooper was given the job as Houston Astros manager. I'm not totally sure why. He seemed to have done a good job as the Astros bench coach. He had waited his time and was a baseball lifer.

I also had some pretty cool baseball cards of him as a kid.

Mostly, I believed he would bring some hard-nosed toughness to the team and the ability to relate to players.

He also was highly recommended by Bud Selig. If you are an Astros fan, you know how inspired Drayton McLane Jr. is by the MLB commish.

Maybe that should have been the red flag.

2009 is Cooper's second full season with the Astros. He started managing the team at the end of 2008. His record coming into this season with the team was 101-91. Add in this season so far, and he now stands at 157-150.

Hey, it's above .500—that ain't so bad, right?

The truth is, Cooper has been adequate. But adequate just isn't good enough. It is hard to figure out what he is really good at as a manager.

He likes to have his players steal bases. And he loves to hit and run. Of course, there are a lot of questions as to how productive and helpful those two aspects of the game are in this era of power hitting.

He wants his pitchers to throw strikes and not mess around with nibbling on the corners. Sound strategy indeed.

Here are areas where Cooper has been criticized:

Handling his relief pitchers.

Handling his starting pitchers.

Stealing at the wrong time. Using the hit and run at the wrong time.

Talking about players in the press.

Getting along with his veteran players.

Arguing with and being short tempered with the press.

Handing in a correct lineup card.

If the Astros were winning big and often, it would be easier to look over this many problems. But they are not.

Now its true Cooper hasn't been given a team of superstars. The Astros aren't as talented as the Cardinals or Cubs, their two biggest rivals.

Does anyone think the Cubs or Cardinals would be better with Cooper in charge? Okay, don't even think about comparing him to Tony La Russa or Lou Piniella. No way either team would come close to making that switch.

I think the biggest problem for Astros fans is the feeling of hopelessness. The team is just spinning in mediocrity. Fault certainly falls on ownership, management, the manager and the players.

The owner isn't going anywhere. The GM and his staff have done a much better job with the last two drafts and are finally replenishing a minor league system which had become devoid of high caliber prospects. You can't change all of your players at once, so most of them will be back.

The quickest way to bring hope back to the fans is by firing Cooper after the season and bringing in a new manager.

Sure, signing a big free agent or two would be nice, but this is Houston, and Drayton seems to want to keep the payroll where it is.

We will see the team get younger next year. Look for Tommy Manzella to be your starting shortstop. Hopefully, Chris Johnson will get a shot at being the starting third baseman. Jason Castro will also get a long look at catcher in spring training. Bud Norris has shown he will be at least the Astros third best starting pitcher next season.

But it is doubtful those players will push the team over the top. They will finally show that the Astros are looking to rebuild their aging roster.

And if Drayton wants to bring real hope for the future, he'll let Cecil Cooper go at the end of the season.

Michael Crabtree: Please Sign on the Dotted Line

Bryan Ford — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:06:51 -0400

Michael.

It's time to stop listening to the crazy cousin. Call your agent and say, "It is your job to get me signed. Get over to San Francisco and don't call me until a deal is done."

It probably won't be that easy. You'll probably have to come to the conclusion that you aren't going to be paid top five first round money.

Hey, I know, I know. Your talent is top five. But the fact is, you weren't drafted there.

Yes, the Raiders were crazy to pass you up at number seven. But that is your blessing and surely it is worth a million or two less dollars.

Think about it. You were almost a Raider. Where that crazy old guy works. The one with a penchant for too much gold jewelry and track suits. Every time I see him, I think someone has made the unwise choice to make Weekend at Bernie's III. Shudder.

The 49ers aren't at the top anymore, but I'm more inclined to believe they could be in a season or two. Especially with you on the field.

I'm not a stalker, Mr. Crabtree, but I have seen you play many times. I've even seen you at a Texas Tech practice up close. You didn't look like the other receivers. You were bigger, faster, stronger and just better. That translated to the field on Saturdays. You played like a man among boys.

Remember your true freshman season when you redshirted? That is when I started hearing about you. How on the scout team and Thursday night freshman scrimmages, you were killing everyone. Still, no one believed you would make the instant impact you did.

You became a Biletnikoff Award winner as a redshirt freshman! Never happened before.

And then you went and won it again as a sophomore.

Along the way, there was the play of the year against Texas. Everyone knew Tech would try to get you the ball. You beat double coverage, snatched the ball cleanly in your hands. You could have stepped out of bounds, but no, you used your athletic ability and strength to quickly cut up field and stepped into the end zone.

It's a play almost every football fan in the United States has seen. It was shown over and over again on ESPN and other sports stations.

I'm sure 49er fans think about it. But what they really want is to see you make great plays for them. There are receptions and touchdowns to be made in the NFL. But not until you sign.

The NFL is a violent place to work. You want to make all the money you can as fast as you can. Understandable. But is it worth killing your image?

At Tech, you were viewed as a great teammate. Someone who cared about the team and players around him. You were even the team barber to many. You never took plays off. You blocked downfield on running plays. And of course you helped your team win.

You are a very marketable player. You made the cover of EA Sports NCAA Football for the Xbox. You signed a deal with Subway.

But now, many view you as the greedy receiver who might have suggested that he would sit out all of this season if you don't get your way. Sure that was only said by your crazy cousin, but most people don't have time to find out who said what.

Your agent is now stating you won't sign until at least September. That is still over two weeks away. Sure, your head coach held out as a rookie, but he only missed a week. If that was the case for you, well, we wouldn't be having this conversation now.

Michael, I can't pretend to know what it is like to be in a contract negotiation of this type.

I can say I'm a fan of yours and I want to see you succeed. To do that, you need to get signed and get into camp. You have the type of talent to be rookie of the year. But you are putting yourself farther and farther behind every day of camp you miss.

Find your way to 49er land and sign your name. When you do, you will be a rich young man. And you will officially be on your way in your NFL career.

Baron Batch Injured at Texas Tech Practice

Bryan Ford — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:47:03 -0400

The bad news slowly filtering out of Lubbock today is that starting tailback Baron Batch went down from an injury at practice.

The extent of the injury isn't known at this time. It appeared to be an injury to an arm or shoulder. Batch was carted off the field. Texas Tech isn't commenting on the injury.

Batch is poised to have a huge season. He is the man expected to get the most carries and snaps in the backfield. He is an extremely talented back with good speed, power, and most importantly to Tech, the ability to pick up defenders rushing the quarterback.

If the injury is bad and he is unavailable for part or all of the season, it is a major blow to the Tech offense.

There is talent behind him, led by redshirt freshman Harrison Jeffers, a four-star recruit from Oklahoma. Jeffers is a speed blazer with very shifty feet and the ability to make players miss, then outrun the rest. He is expected to get plenty of touches no matter what Batch's status is.

Aaron Crawford, who was the star of the Oklahoma game from two years ago, can also step in if healthy. He has struggled with injuries. He is a bruising back who hits the hole quickly and doesn't shy from contact.

The next most likely candidate to earn more carries is true freshman running back Eric Stephens. Eric was a four-star recruit out of Mansfield, Texas. He has looked very good in opening practices. Still, I imagine the staff might try and redshirt Stephens if possible. If Batch's injury is serious, the possibility of a redshirt becomes less likely.

Last season Batch gained 758 yards on the ground, averaging 6.7 a carry. He caught 45 passes for 449 yards. He had eight touchdowns total.

That Was Not My Houston Dynamo Team

Bryan Ford — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:47:55 -0400

Blech.

Double Blech.

I've seen disappointing losses from the Houston Dynamo before. Thursday's loss to Dallas was way beyond that.

You see, even when coming out on the wrong end of a match, these men in orange have always played with passion and heart.

There just wasn't any of that on display against FC Dallas in Frisco. That is what hurts the most.

Sure, FCD deserves credit for the victory. They played adequately. Cunningham made a very nice individual move on the lone goal scored in the game.

But the way Dallas played against the Dynamo normally ends up in a loss 98 percent of the time. If fans of Houston had seen their normal team, filled with skill, fire and passion out there it most likely would have led to a victory or at least a draw.

Hopefully, this was just one night for a team that is tired. Stuart Holden, Brian Ching and Ricardo Clark have spent a very busy summer playing for the USMNT. All three have been called up for next weeks World Cup Qualifier against Mexico at Azteca stadium.

But before that game there is another. The Dynamo play at home Sunday against the Chicago Fire. We the fans need to see our real team out there. I believe we will. Dominic Kinnear isn't the type of manager to let his team just get by.

It won't be easy. They just played Thursday night. Brad Davis picked up a terrible red card after being subbed and on the sideline. The side judge really looks like an idiot over that one, but I digress.

So come on Dynamo. I know you are a bit embarrassed about the match against Dallas. Let's take it out on Chicago. Be the Orange Machine that we all know you truly are.

How will Texas Tech Replace Harrell and Crabtree?

Bryan Ford — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:40:26 -0400

For Texas Tech, the numbers five and six equaled many things last season. Five and six = 11 wins overall. Five and six = seven wins in the Big 12. Five and six = 442 completions, 5,111 yards passing with 45 touchdowns and only nine interceptions.

Five and six = 97 receptions for 1,165 yards and 19 touchdowns. Five and six = an amazing win over the University of Texas and the best record ever under head coach Mike Leach. Five and six = Michael Crabtree and Graham Harrell. For Tech however, five and six also equal 2008.

The Red Raiders open their fall practices tomorrow August 8, 2009. Seventeen and 15 = 2009, and how the players wearing those numbers perform will go a long way to adding up the numbers and record for this years team.

Detron Lewis wears the No. 17. The good news is he wore it last year as a sophomore starter. He has good size, measuring six feet tall and weighing 205 pounds. He has good speed, but excels at making people miss. His 2008 numbers included 76 receptions and 913 yards.

Pretty salty for a No. receiver. Plus when you compare them to Crabtree's they don't look that far off.

There was one area where 17 was much less than five.

Crabtree excelled at getting the ball into the end zone. He finished 2008 with 19 trips across the goal line. Lewis had three. This is where he really needs to step up his production.

No. 5 seemed to will himself to the ball whenever he was near the goal line. Of course Crabtrees ability there certainly took TD chances away from all of Tech's other receivers. Still a player with the talent of Lewis would be expected to catch more than three of Graham Harrell's 45 touchdown passes.

The really good news is Detron has loads of talent. The young man from College Station, Texas looked strong and confident at spring practice. He has above average hands and is experienced in Techs spread offense. Once he catches the ball his quickness makes him hard to tackle.

When you add his talent, experience and Techs always potent passing attack together, you get a receiver that is going to have a very big season. Surpassing Crabtree's numbers in catches and yards could happen.

If he comes close to the TD numbers or even meets or exceeds them, then you will be watching a Tech team that will have caused as much trouble as usual for defensive coordinators.

Graham Harrell's replacement goes by the name Taylor Potts. Taylor is a strapping young flamethrower from west Texas. Abilene to be exact. At this position Texas Tech replaces one 4 star recruit with another. In fact Leach has said Potts is his best backup quarterback ever. Pretty strong support from a coach that knows a thing or two about quarterbacks.

Just by looking at Taylor Potts you can see why he was also recruited by Michigan. He stands 6'5" tall. He weighs around 220 pounds. He has the big arm that NFL scouts love to see. In fact, add his size and arm strength together and you have the Red Raiders most NFL ready quarterback to date. At least according to intangibles.

But intangibles don't mean everything. Many experts will point to experience and what lies between the ears. Graham Harrell had loads of the last two, being the starter at Tech for three years.

Because Taylor will be a first year starter, most experts expect Tech to take a step back in offensive production. It makes sense, but he's not coming into this season blind.

Taylor did get some playing time over the last two seasons. He came into last seasons blowout of Oklahoma State and went 5-5 for 60 yards and a touchdown. Overall in 2008 he was 23-36 for 260 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception.

Potts looked good and bad at times during spring practice. He has been called more of a game-time performer in the past. The type of player who just doesn't feel the same rush in practice, and performs below his ability at times. In the spring he did develop a good relationship with Detron Lewis.

Playing in Techs offense as the starting QB, he is going to put up some big numbers. I look for his yards and td's to come close to Harrell's of 2008. I don't believe he is going to put up fewer or the same amount of interceptions. If he can keep the number around 15, then look for him to have what is considered a great season.

With his arm, he will probably look down field more than his predecessor. If his accuracy is off, this could lead to more interceptions so he'll have to keep from falling in love with throwing the ball in to tight spaces.

Leach's offense is predicated on spreading the ball around to many receivers and finding them open in space. He has said over and over that accuracy and good decision making are the most important attributes for a quarterback leading his team.

If Taylor Potts can meet those requirements and add them to his big arm, then Tech fans will not forget the name Harrell, but will speak the name Potts alongside it in reverence.

The truth is Potts and Lewis have huge shoes to fill. Luckily there is a lot of talent attempting to step into them.

When Life Interferes with Texas Tech vs Oklahoma

Bryan Ford — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:27:20 -0500

Being a sports fan it is important to schedule your life AROUND the important various sporting events occurring throughout the year. I've been pretty successful at this for the most part. My wedding was on August 21. A date before the MLB playoffs and before football gets fully started.

Of course nowadays if you are forced to be gone for an important game, you can usually DVR it and watch it later. You just have to be careful to stay away from the results before you get to watch it. That in itself can be difficult in our high tech non stop world.

Being a Texas Tech fan, I've done a good job making sure nothing got in the way of me watching the most important games this year. Against Kansas, Texas and then Oklahoma State I was right there in front of my television enjoying the scenery as the Red Raiders took care of business, rocketing themselves up to the number two position in the BCS standings.

Well, now another huge, most important game ever is here. Of course I'll be right in front of my tele getting ready to nervously watch every second! No, something has come up that is going to keep me out of our house. Something big. Still, I'll be able to DVR it and watch it a bit late. Incorrect!

You see, about a year ago the in-laws came up with a great idea. How about the family goes to Walt Disney World in Orlando for the week of Thanksgiving! The kids are out of school, my wife and I are both teachers so we are already off, and the crowds are supposed to be a bit smaller than other times of the year.

And to top it off, Nana and Pop are going to pay for a lot of it! Truthfully that is a great idea. I just failed to think about what might be happening in my sports world at that moment.

Now the truth is, all is not lost. We are leaving Saturday morning around six a.m. to get a big start on the drive from Houston to Orlando. We are going to stop somewhere Saturday night to rest before we make it all the way there early Sunday.

Now I just have to make sure we are stopped and settled by 6 p.m. EST. I have to see the game! There is no way I can stay away from the results for a whole week, and truthfully I wouldn't want to. Win or lose, I need to watch my favorite red and black team battle it out for the Big 12 title.

I'm not complaining about the trip. I have kids age 10 and four and they are going to have a great time. Plus the price is going to be very right. But I have to see this game. Luckily my father-in-law is a huge sports fan. Two of his children went to Texas Tech so he enjoys watching them play knowing that he probably helped fund part of the stadium or uniforms or footballs that are used for practice.

So the plan is to find a hotel room in time. Get checked into the two rooms and get ready for the game. That's the plan. Still I worry. What if we have car trouble. What if we time things wrong and aren't close to a hotel at the start of the game? What if the local ABC affiliate is showing old SEC games instead? There are plenty of things that could go wrong.

That is why I need your help. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I believe in Texas Tech and think they can win this game. If I miss it somehow I'll be devastated. So please football gods and anyone else that can help me. Get me to the Holiday Inn Express on time.

Oh yeah. I could use some help for the game the next weekend against Baylor. But I might be getting ahead of myself there.

Texas Tech 42 - Oklahoma 35

Texas Tech Is Ready For Oklahoma State

Bryan Ford — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:29:15 -0500

I've heard a lot of experts and non-experts alike say that Texas Tech might come into this game unprepared.

Whatever.

There are several reasons Texas Tech will be ready to play against Oklahoma State as they were last week against Texas.

1. Graham Harrell's leadership. He is a focused senior and won't let his team slip. Just as he did on the last drive against Texas, his demeanor and preparation will shine through. His teammates believe in him and he will be prepared and have them prepared.

2. Michael Crabtree remembers. He remembers the tough loss last year at Stillwater. He remembers the pass that hit his fingers in the endzone with eleven seconds left. He remembers dropping it. Michael Crabtree will want to erase that memory with another moment of greatness.

Crabtree will also want to serve notice on his field that he is the best receiver playing. Dez Bryant is a great talent. (One that could have come to Tech. Imagine he and Crabtree on the field at the same time...) He will be considered the best receiver in college football next year, after Crabtree leaves for the NFL and is a top ten pick. But this day will be about Michael and his big game.

3. After last years game the Texas Tech defensive coordinator was fired. He was replaced by Ruffin McNeil. Tech's defense improved immediately. More importantly, the players who are back know it was the worst game they played and they want to make amends. They have been thinking about that game for a year. This time they get to show how much better they are. In Lubbock. At night. Believe me, Tech will have plenty of energy and focus.

4. This team stays confident and loose. There were many reports about Tech's preparation going into the Texas game. Many people marvelled at how loose and calm Tech was going into the game. They had great practices and prepared well.

Tech coaches said that this week has been as good or better. They had their best Tuesday game week practice of the year. They know how much is on the line and have embraced it. They aren't scared, they aren't overconfident. They are simply ready.

I believe Texas Tech is going to win this game. It won't be a blowout but I could see them beating the spread by a touchdown or a bit more. Oklahoma State's numbers on the road are way below how they perform at home. The Jones will be a daunting place to play, especially at night.

They played in front of more people at Texas, but Texas fans aren't as loud or rowdy. And as good as Texas is, this year Texas Tech is better. Both teams will score, both teams will be ready, but the home team will be just a bit better and will come out on top. If they don't, it won't be because they overlooked the Cowboys. It will simply be because Oklahoma State played a great game.

Michael Crabtree Is Amazing

Bryan Ford — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:26 -0400

When Texas Tech played at Texas A&M this year, the Tech coaching staff decided to let Michael Crabtree return kicks. Hey, why not? He is the Red Raiders best play-maker. He is a phenomenal runner in the open field. He has plenty of speed.

On his first kick return he took the ball past midfield! Sweet! Just another way to get the ball into his hands. On his second return he was tackled after a short run. No big deal.

Oops. He limped very gingerly off the field.

He hasn't been one-hundred percent since. He's had to take plays off and have his ankles re-taped against A&M, then Kansas and tonight against the University of Texas.

So bad ankle, everyone knowing he is the man Tech wants to get the ball, and what does he do? He makes the play of his short but amazingly great college career and one of the greatest plays in Texas Tech football history.

With eight seconds left Tech could have made the easy play, and tried for a five or ten yard gain to set up a chance for the winning field goal. But then Graham Harrell looked up and saw single coverage on No. 5. So he throws the fade to Crabtree.

Crabtree could have caught it and fallen out of bounds for the chip shot field goal from the three yard line. But, Michael Crabtree is better than that. He is stronger than that.

He uses his great strength and incredible balance to break a tackle, stay in bounds and run into the endzone with one second left.

There are other great receivers in College football right now. I'm not sure if any other would have made that play. I shouldn't be surprised that Michael Crabtree did. I won't be surprised by anything he does from here on out.

When you see him play you learn that he is a complete football player and receiver. He makes big plays. He has speed. He has great hands. He runs good routes. His quickness in and out of cuts is fantastic. His size and strength is ideal. He blocks like a demon. He makes big plays.

Red Raiders coach Mike Leach will tell you that football players play in games. Michael Crabtree is a football player. Good ankle, bad ankle, he will play in games. And he will be amazing.

What Texas Tech Needs on Saturday Night Vs. Texas

Bryan Ford — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:23:03 -0400

You may have heard about a football game being played in Lubbock this Saturday night: sixteen wins and zero losses between the two schools. No, Jones Stadium isn't being flown back in time to a 1980s high school playoff game between Odessa Permian and Amarillo High School.

The number one-ranked University of Texas Longhorns are pulling into Lubbock to face the undefeated Red Raiders of Texas Tech. I think I might turn the telly on for this one.

Here are some things I hope to see.

- AT&T Jones Stadium filled with people wearing red. I know there is talk of a "black out," but red looks much better on TV, and it is the RED Raiders.

- Baron Batch running with no signs of the turf toe injury he has. I know it will be bothering him, but this guy is the real deal in the backfield. He runs hard, has good speed, and isn't afraid of contact. He is a difference maker.

- Graham Harrell staying clean. Texas has a great front seven. Tech has a great O-line, and Shannon Woods is a great back for picking up the blitz. If Tech keeps him up with time, then Tech scores plenty of points.

- Michael Crabtree showing the nation what a fantastic, superior athlete looks like at wide receiver at Texas Tech. He is a cut above even the best out there right now. No one has his combination of size, speed, quickness, toughness, and hands. He also throws a nasty block when needed. I truly believe he will be the most talented player on the field on Saturday.

- The Texas Tech D-line putting pressure on Colt McCoy and maintaining their rushing lanes. If you can find a way to slow down McCoy, then Texas has no other answer on offense. He is that good and that important to this team. The season he is having is Heisman worthy so far. His numbers are simply out of this world.

Tech has to bring pressure from the corners and keep the middle jammed up. Give Colt a yard or two of room to roam, and he is off on a long run.

- Texas Tech mixing up their pass coverage. Sit back in a soft zone against Texas, and it will be just like the Nebraska game. They love their short passing game and should. Colt is extremely accurate and needs to be challenged by seeing different coverages.

- Matt Williams continuing to knock through the extra points. The guy is off to a storybook start. Here's to another big game for the contest winner.

- A good game by the refereeing crew. Good calls both ways. Hopefully we will hardly notice they are there.

I'm taking Texas Tech 48-38. Touchdowns are going to be scored. Here's to hoping the red and black have the most points at the end.

Texas Tech-Kansas: Red Raiders Won't Look Past Jayhawks

Bryan Ford — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:05:35 -0400

Texas Tech opened up as a two-point underdog on the road against the Kansas Jayhawks—and that is very good news for the Red Raiders.

If you have followed Tech in the past, you might know they have been accused by coach Mike Leach of reading into their positive press clippings at times. Being a top 10 team and picked to lose on the road should keep them grounded, along with redshirt freshman Baron Batch.

Now, I'm not going to argue that they should be favored to win the game. Kansas is riding a 13-game home winning streak. Sure, none of the teams they played are very impressive, but they have won when they were supposed to—much like Tech's team this year.

Tech has done the same this year. They have beaten the teams they were supposed to. In the past, Tech would have slipped up against Nevada, Nebraska, or Texas A&M. This year, every time they have needed a play, they have come up with it. They are going to need to make several good plays on both sides of the ball to go into the Texas game at 8-0.

Under Mark Mangino, Kansas football matters. He has a very good quarterback in Todd Reesing. They have skill at the wide receiver position. The defense isn't perfect, but there is enough talent to make plays.

All Tech really has to do is see how Kansas hung in with Oklahoma on the road last weekend. Reesing was under a lot of pressure, but he moves well and was able to keep drives alive with his feet. He has two very good receivers in Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe.

The difference in the game will occur with the defenses. Tech has shown much improvement, although there is still far to go to be a dominating defense. Still, they have greatly improved the defensive line in talent and depth. This is where the biggest difference between the two teams lies.

The Kansas D-line doesn't do a good job of putting pressure on the QB. If they have to rely on the blitz to get to Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell, it will be bad news. Harrell has only been sacked once this season. Yes, the Red Raiders know how to protect a quarterback.

Tech's front four has been getting to the quarterback on their own. With Kansas giving up an average of three sacks a game in conference, look for McKinner Dixon and company to have a fun day in the Kansas backfield.

Neither team has a fantastic secondary. The difference is Tech is able to get a pass rush, so they tend to have to cover for less time. Kansas has done a good job of picking off errant passes, but Harrell doesn't throw very many of those.

This game will be close. I look for Texas Tech to do a better job of making defensive stops. This will be the difference in the game.

Tech can't turn the ball over like they did against Texas A&M. If they hold onto the ball, they will score often. Kansas will keep it close, but I believe Tech pulls out a tough road win, 40-30.

If I'm wrong and Tech is looking past Kansas, well, the game won't be pretty for Red Raider fans.

Texas Tech Beat Aggies Again And the Uncontroversial Controversy

Bryan Ford — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 05:29:05 -0400

Texas Tech defeated Texas A&M yesterday in their annual conference match. There is nothing surprising there. It has become routine for the Red Raiders to lay waste to the abyss that has become fightin' Texas Aggie football. There was some drama along the way so let's have a looksee.

This game was very different from first half to second half. It's hard to tell if A&M played great in the first half or if Texas Tech's defensive scheme allowed them to have success. A&M did do a good job of taking advantage of the two Tech first half turnovers.

The first was an awful pass by Graham Harrell off of his back foot and throwing deep over the middle. The pass was a bit high and easily picked off. Harrell is a senior so you hate to see these types of mistakes. He does make things look so easy sometimes that we just don't expect this type of play. He'll have to avoid these types of decisions over the next four weeks.

The second turnover was a fumble after a nice completion from Harrell to Tremain Swindall. Swindall didn't do a good job of securing the football and was stripped of it just before he hit the ground. The play was ruled a completion on the field but was overruled after it was challenged by A&M coach Mike Sherman.

Both teams had big offensive numbers in the first half. Texas A&M racked up 274 yards of offense. Most of it from the big right arm of sophomore QB Jerrod Johnson. Tech helped A&M tremendously by staying in a super soft zone which left A&M receivers wide open all over the field.

Texas Tech had 254 yards of offense in the first half. Tech only stopped itself with turnovers. The biggest play was a twenty five yard touchdown pass from Harrell to all-world receiver Michael Crabtree.

Texas Tech also continued to struggle in the kicking game when they had the extra point blocked after their second touchdown. Mike Leach and staff really need to get the kicking game figured out soon. It easily could have cost them the Nebraska game and with Kansas, Texas, OSU and Oklahoma coming up, they will need every point they can earn.

The first half ended with the Ags up 23-20. I still wasn't very worried at this point. It seemed A&M had played as well as they could and were only up by 3.

The second half was dominated by Texas Tech. They scored on their opening drive and never looked back. Once again Harrell found Crabtree in the end-zone to get things started. A simple three yard out route left him wide open.

Yes, I am surprised at how easily he gets open. Everyone knows he is the first choice around the end-zone. His incredible strength and quickness simply allow him to beat over matched defensive backs again and again.

Tech added a field goal later in the third to finish the quarter up 30-23.

Graham Harrell added two one-yard touchdown runs in the 4th quarter. The second has brought about some mild controversy, but mainly just for uneducated radio talk show hosts to have something to scream about. More on this later.

A&m's only points of the second half came off a blocked extra point. What a surprise there! After the unsurprising block it was returned by A&M to complete their final point tally.

In the second half Texas A&M accrued only 32 yards of offense. Fifteen yards of that came on the last play of the game. Tech put continuous pressure with their front four on Johnson in the half and it made a huge difference. They also seemed to man up more which put a stop to the problem of wide open receivers they suffered in the first half.

Tech put up 307 yards of offense in the second half to finish the game with 561 yards. Harrell was 44-56 passing for 450 yards.

Tech rushed for 111 yards. Most of that came from red-shirt freshman Baron Batch. He continues to prove he is an up and coming back. Shannon Woods did his usual job of fine pass and run blocking and gaining 20 yards of his own on the ground.

Leading receivers for Texas Tech were Detron Lewis, 9 catches for 92 yards and Michael Crabtree with 8 receptions for 71 yards and 2 scores. Crabtree was hampered in the game by an injured ankle he nicked in the first half returning a kickoff. Swindall was the leading yardage man with 111.

The minor controversy.

Texas Tech scored their last touchdown on a one-yard run by Graham Harrell with twenty seconds left. What? Surely Tech was just trying to rub it in over their hated conference opponent. No. Mike Leach would have run this play against any team, anywhere. He has said it continually. You play the game all the way out until the final whistle blows.

Over the last few years Texas Tech has had some amazing comeback wins. One of the reasons is because of this philosophy. His teams play every play, full out, trying to execute the offense or defense the way the coaches expect it. Recent bowl victories over Minnesota and Virginia show how Tech never stops playing.

Also, Tech is ranked in the top ten and it would be foolish to allow any points to remain on the field in this BCS world we live in. Most voters never see when or how points are scored. They just look at totals. Bob Stoops knows it and so do most other coaches. You can't be nice because voters and computers don't care. They simply look at results.

Finally, A&M could have simply stopped the play. The A&M coaches knew they would have to. They just didn't get it done. Believe me, if A&M was the one scoring the late touchdown, Mike Leach wouldn't whine or complain one bit. He'd be mad at his team for allowing it. Maybe he's just not as whiny as a lot of people.

The funniest comment I heard about the play after the game came from a radio host on an ESPN channel I believe. I don't remember the exact quote, but the nonsense flying out of his pie hole basically was this.....

There is a mutual respect between the University of Texas and Texas A&M. (what a joke, there is no respect between these two teams) The players of Texas will remember this and will cheap shot Graham Harrell if needed to repay him for this disrespect. (whatever)

Idiots like the above guy make life almost not worth living. Except that it is so funny. So it pains me that he is that stupid, but it also entertains me. So I am thankful for his small brain and blatant nonsensical analysis.

Texas Tech has scored late when ahead in many games of Mike Leach's career there. NEVER has one of his quarterbacks been retaliated against or hurt by the opposition because of it. But this year, with so much on the line, Texas is going to risk a penalty in a big game, so they can restore the honor to Texas A&M.

It is not like the game was already 77-0. Tech was only up 35-25. Truthfully does 35 points or 42 points in a loss really matter. No. The team was beat and only the already sad and angry fans were really upset about it. The players and coaches didn't act like it was a big deal. They knew they could have stopped it from happening. They just have to do their jobs.

So remember, next time you are at work and doing something great, stop at the end so you don't make someone else at work look bad. Just let up. Don't try and be the best you can, good enough is good enough.. right? Yeah, probably not.

The Good Ol' Nebraska Shows Up But Texas Tech Still Prevails

Bryan Ford — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:21:18 -0400

Joe Ganz and his Nebraska teammates showed up with a good gameplan for Texas Tech. The problem is teams don't always execute those plans fully.

Today, Nebraska did everything right in trying to upset Tech in Lubbock. Amazingly Texas Tech was able to beat them, even though it seemed like they rarely had the ball.

Nebraska wanted to hold the ball on offense and they did. They did a good job of being balanced between running and passing plays. When they threw it, Joe Ganz was the difference. I'm not sure if he can have a better game than he did today.

Ganz was 37-45 for 357 yards and two passing TD's. He also ran for a score. His only blemish was the interception in overtime that sealed the Red Raider win.

Texas Tech did a good job on offense when they had the ball. They scored on six of eight possessions. They just didn't have the ball as much as they usually do.

The usual suspects of Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree had good games. Crabtree was held under 100 yards receiving, but the passes he did catch were big. The Crabman scored on a jailbreak screen in the first quarter and later on a four-yard out in the endzone.

Michael was also the recipient of the amazing fourth down play Tech pulled off late in the game.

From inside their own forty yard line, Tech coach Mike Leach asked Harrell to try and draw off the defense to get a first down. When a Nebraska lineman jumped, Tech snapped the ball hoping to get the flag.

The defensive tackle was back though and no flag was thrown. Now Graham had to find someone open to keep Tech's undefeated season alive. Surprisingly, Nebraska forgot to cover college football's best wide receiver Michael Crabtree who sprinted past the cornerback and hauled in a 47-yard completion for the first down.

After the game Harrell revealed that he wasn't supposed to snap the ball. If they didn't get someone to jump offside they were going to punt. Once the ball was snapped though, no one panicked and the big play was made.

Another bright spot for Tech continues to be Baron Batch. The redshirt freshman running back had ten carries for ninety seven yards. Batch looks better than Tech's other tailback Shannon Woods.

Woods is the veteran, but it is becoming more and more apparent that Batch is a stronger runner. Batch also had a good game catching passes out of the backfield. His future is very bright with the Red Raiders.

In the past this is a game that Texas Tech might not have been able to win. Tech has usually had one game each season which they lose to a team that is a big underdog. Both teams played well on offense and struggled on defense.

Nebraska surprised many people with their play. Nebraska fans should be happy with the performance of their team in a hostile environment. Even though it is the dreaded "moral" victory, it is a step in the right direction for the Cornhuskers. If Ganz can continue this level of play, he'll find himself mentioned with the other great Big 12 quarterbacks.

Next week Texas Tech heads to College Station for a game with the struggling Aggies. I believe Tech will have some extra motivation to come out and show they are worthy of their ranking after the close game with Nebraska.

Texas Tech QB Recruit Jacob Karam Vs Santa Fe High School

Bryan Ford — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 07:11:12 -0400

Texas Tech only has one quarterback as part of their 2009 recruiting class and his name is Jacob Karam. Karam is from Friendswood, Texas. He is a three-year starter for the Friendswood Mustangs, who reside just south of Houston.

Rivals.com has Karam listed at 6' 1" and 197 pounds. He has been timed running the forty-yard dash in 4.55 seconds. Rivals ranks him nationally as the 18th best dual threat quarterback.

I was able to catch last nights game against district 24-4A rival Santa Fe. Here is what stood out to me at the game.

Unofficially in the game against Santa Fe, I had Karam going 22 for 31 for 346 yards and 5 touchdown passes. He led his team to touchdown drives on their first four possessions in the first half. He did not play in the final quarter as Friendswood had built up a large lead.

On their first possession, Karam made an on-target swing pass to his tailback just before he was hit. He hit his back in stride which allowed for a 35 yard gain. If the ball had been thrown behind him or any later, the defense would have been able to stop him for a short gain.

During the second possession, Karam hit his favorite receiver Andre Gautreaux with a beautiful slant that went for a 34-yard touchdown. The pass was perfect and he hit the wide open receiver in stride.

In the second half Karam once again hit Gautreaux, this time on a deep post pattern that went for a 67 yard touchdown.

Karam was very calm in the pocket. Even though he has very good speed, he never took off just to run. He simply waited for his receivers to get open and then hit them. This is expected in Mike Leach's offense.

He's not afraid to throw the ball away. Twice he threw the ball out of bounds to avoid a possible sack, saving his team yardage and not forcing a throw into coverage.

He has a strong arm. He threw one pass in the second half that was in the air for 55 yards. The receiver went up high and caught it for a gain of 57 with the defender right on him.

His mechanics look very solid. He holds the ball high when he is in his drop and keeps it there until he releases the ball. His release is quick.

He was very accurate. I counted two easy drops, along with the two other throw-aways. He also threw a long hail-mary pass at the end of the first half that was batted down by the defense. The majority of his passes were on target and arrived in a nice spiral.

Friendswood won the game 45-19.

One special halftime note: The FHS band played a jazz version of the song, All Along the Watchtower. The musicianship was fine and they performed very well, but I must admit it was a bit bizarre. It would have been fantastic with a Ron Burgandy jazz flute solo.

One final note: Andre Gautreaux is a Division 1 level recruit. He looked very fast and has very nice hands. He also looked good on kick returns. He has interest from SMU, Houston, Rice, Tulane, Southern Miss, TCU and Vanderbilt. With his vertical, speed and hands I could see him having a very nice college career.

If you live in the Houston area and are a Texas Tech alum or fan, then get out and see Jacob Karam play. I believe you will be very impressed.

Not Your Same Old Nebraska Heading to Texas Tech

Bryan Ford — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:27:22 -0400

There was a time when fans would fear the Nebraska Cornhuskers when they were coming to town. That hasn't been the case over the last few years. In the 1990's Texas Tech would have probably been a double digit underdog at home to Nebraska. Going into Saturday's game, Tech is a 21-point favorite.

Yes, things have changed.

Nebraska brings in the nations 82nd ranked defense to face the No. 2 overall offense of the Red Raiders. Please read the previous sentence again.

Is 21 points enough?

To make things even worse, Nebraska is 97th against the pass. Tech's offense? Oh, we all know how it has been the last few years under Mike Leach. Yeah, they're numero uno in throwing the ball in the air and having one of their own players catch it and run.

Graham Harrell is now the number one passer in Texas Tech history. Surprisingly, he didn't play the last time the two teams met in Lubbock in 2004. That game was won by Tech 70-10.

I still can't believe that score is real.

Nebraska has given up five touchdowns through the air this year. Graham has thrown 18 himself. In fact, he threw six TD's last week. On the road. (When I say on the road I mean at Kansas State. I bet he could throw even more on the road, because no one really plays defense in street games!)

I wouldn't be surprised if Harrell was having trouble sleeping this week because he is so excited to play this game. Yes, his stats might be hard to replicate in a video game. On the easiest level. Against Syracuse.

Tech is averaging 583 total yards a game on offense. Of course, the majority of that is through the air, equaling 439 yards a game. That does leave 144 yards on the ground. Yep, Tech is running better than ever this year for Leach.

Shannon Woods and Baron Batch have looked impressive in the Air Raid offense. Batch looks especially explosive, even though Woods usually gets the start and their carries are generally evenly distributed.

Tech's leading receiver coming into the game is the fabulously talented Michael Crabtree. He has 38 receptions for 564 yards and 8 touchdown receptions. He's done this with teams paying a lot of attention to him. He is so strong and quick that double teams even have trouble staying with him.

Put single coverage against him, and you're just asking for a big gain to be had.

Nebraska really wants to run the ball this year, but they haven't been very good at it. Texas Tech's defense has continued to improve. Running the ball well would be the Cornhuskers best chance to stay close.

Tech struggled against Nevada who is a very good running team. Of course Nevada might be the best running team in the nation with that crazy "pistol" spread offense they use. It is very good and I would bet much tougher to stop than Nebraska's O.

The intriguing matchup in this game isn't Nebraska on offense and Texas Tech on defense, though. This game will be decided on how well Nebraska's D competes with and slows down Tech's offense.

Texas Tech-Kansas State: Graham Harrell Sets Record with Six TD Passes

Bryan Ford — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:20:41 -0400

The Texas Tech offense hasn't been running at full speed in 2008, according to Coach Mike Leach. It seems the team might be heading towards full speed after putting a beatdown on Kansas State, 58-28.

Graham Harrell threw for over 400 yards and six touchdown passes in a game that was over halfway through the second quarter. Three of those TDs went to Lyle Leong, who had his best game in his young Red Raider career.

Two more touchdown passes were placed in the hands of Michael Crabtree. Crabtree now has more touchdown receptions than any other receiver in Tech history. He also makes me love him more everyday. Kind of like a Buddy Holly song.

Harrell became the all-time leader in passing yards for Tech, speeding past Mike Leach's first QB star in Lubbock, Kliff Kingsbury. He should be up by quite a bit when it is over, as he still has over half of the season to go, along with a bowl game.

Crabtree had over 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Ho-hum. Just another day for in Crabland.

Tech's defense played very well. K-State has a good offense, and Tech's first team defense held them to 14 points. Leach put them in a bad spot early on when he went for it on fourth down from his own 30 in the first quarter.

Tech fans know this can happen. I'm sure it drives DC Ruff up the wall at times, but Leach has a hard time thinking his offense can't get the first down. Another Wildcat touchdown came off a blocked punt.

Tech next plays Nebraska at the friendly Lubbock confines of Jones Stadium. Tech has opened up as a 17-point favorite over Nebraska. I don't see Nebraska coming anywhere near that line.

Of course I don't think Tech will put up 70 against them like they did a few years ago. This time, it stays in the 50s somewhere.

Sage Rosenfels Taketh From Colts Then Giveth to Them

Bryan Ford — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:21:01 -0400

Many Houston fans have been crying for Sage to get his chance. And today he did thanks to a flu-like sickness developed by Matt Schaub overnight. The start was his and the most popular player on the team when things are going poorly, the backup quarterback was going to lead his team to victory and turn around the season. And for a large part of the game this fairy tale story seemed like a reality show.

For most of the game he looked like a Pro Bowler, but in the end he did what he always does. He made HUGE mistakes. Sage is an aggressive player which can be great at times.

But in the NFL when you make mistakes they come back to haunt you and that is what happened today. Sage had three costly turnovers in the last five minutes of the game.

With the Texans up by ten and with the chance to run out the game or at least get it very close to the end, Sage Rosenfels became Michael Vick. No, not the dog-fighting, convicted felon. The high energy-running quarterback. Except Sage forgot he doesn't have Vick's speed or athletic ability.

Instead of sliding feet first to avoid contact, he decided to go airborne. For the first tenth of a second it looked like a pretty move. Then three Colts arrived and Sage turned into a human helicopter...one that lost the ball before he crunched to the ground. It was quickly picked up by a Colts linebacker and returned for a touchdown.

Ok, it was his first mistake of the game. Plus the Texans still had a three point lead. He could redeem himself by getting a few first downs and running out the clock. What we didn't know is this would turn out to be mission impossible.

About a minute later Sage once again took off running to his left looking for a receiver and not taking care of the ball. This time he was hit from behind and once again it was recovered by Indy. At least this time they didn't take it in for a ttouchdown. No, that would be handled by Mr. Manning who would see to it that his team regained the lead for the first time since the first quarter.

Still, Sage would have one more chance. Down by four the Texans would need a touchdown, but they had two timeouts left and over a minute to get down the field. He had made it look rather easy in the first three quarters. A couple of quick completions and things were looking pretty nice! Sage may be redeemed!

Oh, wait.... this is Sage Rosenfels of Iowa State. Good solid NFL backup quarterback, but not a guy who is going to lead a late rally after making two huge gaffes. No, he quickly found a Colt to throw the ball to and the game was over. Texan fans were riding a huge high of victory and then dowsed with the reality that they had been Rosenfelsed.

This is why Matt Schaub is liked more by Gary Kubiak. He at least seems like he is going to take better care of the ball. Of course this season he was off to a terrible start. But last week at Jacksonville he looked like the QB Texan fans have been waiting for. That is why falling ill just before this game was such a terrible blow to the Texans momentum. It kept him from proving the job was his and that he was the right guy. Then Sage made it look like the job should be his, until one of the worst end of game performances I can ever remember began.

Today in the NFL you need to have two quarterbacks that can play. The Texans have that. For them to have any chance at turning around this season though, they need Matt Schaub to be the QB he can be. Sage has proved over and over again he can't be a successful everyday starter in the NFL. If Matt can't either, then the Texans are in more trouble than any of us thought.

Five Reasons to Love Michael Crabtree

Bryan Ford — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:34:44 -0400

There have been lots of five articles lately, so I thought I would join the party. So here are five reasons I love the NCAA's best wide receiver Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech University.

5. The number five

Great for lists. Jeff Bagwell's number. A super rating for a Bleacher Report article. Five Alarm Chili. Five o'clock shadow, half of a perfect ten, five star hotels, Hi-fives, and Michael Crabtree. A great number for a great player indeed!

4. He loves fashion!

I'm guessing that as you read this you are wearing pants (if you are not, please don't read any further because you are giving my article the koodies. Gross!). And since you are a fashionable person they are probably super cool pants. Well Michael would like to design your pants someday. Because he is so fantastic at everything, they will probably be great pants and you will want to wear them. Eventually we will all be wearing our Crabtrees!

3. One word: Crab

First off a crab is a delicious dweller of the sea. They come in many different shapes and sizes. When you eat them you get to use a hammer and a small forklike crab torture device. I like the ones from Alaska that they made a show about. It taught me that even when being captured crabs are dangerous! Don't forget they also have powerful pinchers (This helps explain Michael's strong pass catching hands!). One final statement on Crabs...the Krusty Krab and Mr. Krabs! Take that Plankton.

2. One more word: Tree

While not being delicious like crabs, trees have a lot to offer. If you didn't have a computer to spend your time on, you might be doing something productive, like writing a letter to your parents. Probably one that talks about how great last weeks fox hunt went and how you can't wait to spend some time on your yacht with your new gal Hayden Pantierre.

Well hotshot, that letter would be written on paper that came from some type of tree! Trees also offer shade and produce oxygen. They are also used to make baseball bats, guitars and super forts. Sweet, trees are totally awesome.

1. Amazing athletic ability!

We know he is a great wide receiver. Heck, he's the only freshman to ever win the Biletnikoff Award. It goes to the best wide receiver in college football. He earned it by scoring 22 TDs, and having almost 2,000 yards receiving from 134 receptions.

So he must have been a huge WR recruit coming out of Dallas Carter High School...right?

Nope, he played quarterback in high school. But most colleges wanted to make him into a safety. Like that silly school Texas A&M. He laughed at their offer and the talent on their roster and said "I'm going to Tech!" It should also be known that he was considered a top 50 basketball recruit coming out of the state of Texas.

So let's go down the checklist...great speed...Check. Good size...Check. Nice vertical...Check. Great intelligence to turn down Texas A&M and sign with Texas Tech...Check.

So thank you Michael Crabtree for being so amazingly loveable. Also thanks for giving us Texas Tech fans and college football fans the chance to see you perform amazing feats on the field as a wide receiver.

Your name conjures up thoughts of two tremendous living creatures on this Earth. Without either man would surely have died off long ago. Thanks for finally bringing them together. I love you Crabtree!