Texas Tech Football: 10 Things You Need to Know About Texas Tech Vs. Texas
Next Wednesday September 22nd 2010 just so happens to be the 76th anniversary of the first football game played between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Texas Longhorns. The initial contest was played in Lubbock with the Longhorns winning 12-6.
After this historic matchup in 1934 the two would square off sporadically through the 30s, 40s, and early 50s before the seventh meeting in 1955 when Tech would finally beat Texas for the first time by a mark of 20-14 in Austin. Ironically, this game was played exactly 55 years ago this Friday (September 17th).
The Red Raiders' first win against the Longhorns in Lubbock was again in September (the 28th) in 1968 when they handed Texas its only loss on the year by a 31-22 margin.
Though many fans (especially nationally) may recall the tremendous 2008 meeting when they think of Texas Tech vs. Texas this is a rivalry that has flourished and festered over 76 years and 57 meetings.
The following slideshow will attempt to arm the conscientious fan with a wide variety of data, factual information and not so trivial trivia in order to prepare him/her for the 58th meeting of the glorious Scarlett and Black clad Red Raiders of the great Texas Tech University vs. the mighty Longhorns of the University of Texas (at Austin).
“There is no sight that stirs both heart and soul like the lights of the Jones lit at night under a starry West Texas sky as the glorious boys of fall, armed with strength, fortitude and girded with determination and sportsmanship battle for a victory that shall make the bells across campus toll signaling yet another Tech triumph.”
-Author Unknown (but thought to be attractive)
Statistically Speaking
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Strictly by the numbers the first two games of the season for Texas Tech and Texas have resulted in the following statistical evidence:
Texas Tech (over two games)
Passing 669 yards
Rushing 224 yards
SMU/New Mexico (combined vs. Texas Tech)
Passing 554 yards
Rushing 206 yards
SMU went 8-5 last season and scored a win in the Hawaii Bowl over Nevada. They were ranked 51st overall in total offense and 84th in total defense.
New Mexico went 1-11 last season and were ranked 103rd in total offense and 100th in total defense.
Texas (over two games)
Passing 394 yards
Rushing 364 yards
Rice/Wyoming (combined vs. Texas)
Passing 330 yards
Rushing 146 yards
Rice went 2-10 last season and were ranked 111th in total offense and 117th in total defense.
Wyoming went 7-6 last season and scored a double-overtime victory over Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl. They were 107th in total offense and 81st in total defense.
Penalties
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Mike Leach averaged 103 penalties for 894.6 yards during his tenure at Texas Tech. That equals approximately eight penalties for 69 yards per game (over a 13-game season—which rightly includes a bowl appearance).
Tommy Tuberville’s Red Raiders have a total of 11 penalties for 108 yards over their first two games (which due to it being the early part of the season could arguably be among the highest penalized games). This equals an average of 5.5 infractions per game for 54 yards.
As expected, Tuberville’s teams should be less penalized and make less mistakes; this will do nothing but help vs. Texas (and the rest of the teams Tech will face on their schedule).
Balance
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Tommy Tuberville promised “more balance” on offense in 2010 and fans have waited eagerly to see just how much Tech will run the ball vs. the Leach era.
Tech averaged 84 yards per game rushing in 2009 (12th in the Big 12 and 115 nationally). Thus far in 2010, the Red Raiders have averaged 112 yards rushing earning them a current rank of 93rd in the country.
Though this is obviously a slight improvement over last season it is nowhere near a total dramatic transformation to a grind it out ground game. This might be therapeutic to Tech fans accustomed to the ball being thrown and thrown often.
Mack Brown, on the other hand, has also promised a return to the run after losing Colt McCoy and company, presumably to take the pressure off of sophomore QB Garrett Gilbert.
Texas averaged 147.6 yards per game rushing in 2009 (fifth in the Big 12 and 61 nationally). Thus far in 2010 the Longhorns have rushed for 182 yards per game garnering them a number 44 ranking overall.
Texas may have been forced to be more committed to the “new plan” due to personnel and have almost equal passing and rushing yards over the first two games of the season. Tech will have to stop both the air attack (with a secondary that has struggled at times) and the ground attack (which has been more successful).
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Tuberville against the Top 25
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Texas rides into Lubbock with a lofty No. 6 national ranking (and quite curiously only four-point favorites over the Red Raiders).
Luckily, Tommy Tuberville has been successful at facing teams in the Top 25, in fact since 2004 Tuberville has earned a 52 percent winning rate vs. ranked teams.
Of additional interest, Tuberville (again since 2004) is 9-6 vs. top 10 ranked opponents.
All of this clearly bodes well for Tuberville and Tech on Saturday.
Defense
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“Defense” has not been a word that has carried real significance on the South Plains in about a decade. The Leach era was all about dominating on offense and surviving on defense.
Among Tommy Tuberville’s bold promises to the Red Raider Nation is that of improved defense. The burden of fulfilling this pledge to the Tech faithful has at least partially been placed upon the broad shoulders of Tech’s new offensive coordinator James Willis.
There are plenty of defensive connections across the sidelines in the upcoming Texas Tech vs. Texas meeting, which lead you to believe that for the first time in many encounters the talk of defense will be pronounced and considered critical to both squads.
Texas’ defensive coordinator Will Muschamp served as Tommy Tuberville’s defensive coordinator at Auburn for two years and during this time employed as his linebacker coach an up and comer named James Willis.
All three are known for smothering, stifling and very physical defensive units that pound the opponent into submission.
Provocative.
The revival of defense as a concept worthy of commemoration in Lubbock has shown at least some signs of early promise.
Tech held its first two opponents to right around 100 yards of rushing, but frankly did not fare quite so well in its defense against the pass.
Tech held SMU to 218 yards of passing which seems glorious given the Mustangs were 15th in the nation in passing in 2009. But these good feelings are a bit deflated by the fact that QB Kyle Padron threw three interceptions during the game.
New Mexico was 63rd overall in passing and managed 336 yards on Tech’s defense. That would seem to be a reason for concern vs. Texas (with or without a rookie QB).
Of note, Texas Tech’s defense already has nine sacks on the season. Texas on the other hand has not allowed one sack thus far.
But there are questions on Texas’ O-Line especially since Luke Poehlmann went out last week with a torn ACL. He is likely out for the season and definitely out for Saturday’s clash with the Red Raiders.
Let’s just hope the answer to “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” is “James Willis’ big bad Defense.”
Blow out the Candles. Blow out the Horns?
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Tommy Tuberville will celebrate more than just his first Big 12 game on Saturday he will also commemorate his 56th birthday.
Tuberville is undefeated on his birthday (4-0) including a September 18th 2004 10-9 victory over LSU.
The Red Raiders could wrap up a mighty nice gift for Coach Tuberville with a win vs. No. 6 Texas in his first Big 12 Conference game.
The Series
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No one should be surprised that Texas leads the overall series 43-15, and are 16-10 in Lubbock. Additionally, the Longhorns are 8-2 in the last 10 meetings between the two teams.
Interestingly, Texas is 9-9 in Lubbock since 1974 and Mack Brown is similarly 3-3 in during his visits to Lubbock.
67 percent of Texas Tech’s all-time wins vs. Texas have occurred at home in Lubbock.
Scoring by Quarter
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The Longhorns have been a team that seems to start slowly in the past several years. According to at least the very beginning of 2010, this trend seems to continue as the Longhorns have managed only three first-quarter points in its first two contests of the season.
Alternatively, Tech has 28 points in the first quarter over its first two games.
The highest scoring quarter for the Longhorns thus far has been the second where they have managed 41 points, while Tech’s high-water mark is the first quarter with 28 points.
As far as points allowed, Tech has given up the most in the second quarter with 21 points (which does not bode well when playing a team that likes to score before the half) while the Longhorns have also been more generous in the second quarter with 14 points allowed.
Total margin of victory for Texas in 2010 = 68-24 or +44 points
Total margin of victory for Texas Tech in 2010 = 87-34 or +53 points
This is Not 2008
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The 2008 meeting between Texas and Texas Tech in Lubbock seems destined to be considered one of the great games of all time.
Though (for Red Raider fans especially) it may evoke great memories of past glory, the 2010 Texas Tech vs. Texas game will more than likely bare little if any resemblance to the 2008 edition.
Gone are Colt McCoy, Jordan Shipley, Graham Harrell, and shockingly in retrospect Mike Leach.
Here are Tommy Tuberville, Gilbert Garrett, Taylor Potts, and James Willis.
Very interestingly, two Longhorns that were key in the 2008 match-up will return for this weekends’ game.
First, Blake Gideon who dropped the seemingly caught interception in the final drive of the game by Texas Tech and secondly Curtis Brown who along with Earl Thomas was burned during the Michael Crabtree catch, spin, and touchdown run that will go down as one of the greatest moments in Texas Tech football history.
Though the magic of 2008 game will not be likely matched in 2010, you can bet that Gideon and Brown will be prepared to avenge the shocking loss suffered by the ‘Horns two years ago in Jones Stadium.
Play till the Whistle Boys
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In the end we have two teams that are basically unproven in 2010. Though Tech played a tough and talented SMU team in the opener they came within mere moments of dropping the game to them late in the fourth quarter.
Texas, though ranked No. 6, has yet to dazzle and everyone wonders how they will fare in Lubbock. We all know their defense is championship caliber but it’s the young offense that causes one to wonder.
Tommy Tuberville marched triumphantly into Lubbock in January of this year with proclamations of a renewed commitment to defense, balance on offense, championships, and conditioning.
A big part of his guarantees to a skeptical Red Raider nation was that Texas Tech would play hard all the way to the bell.
Defensively Tech wouldn’t give up the obligatory slew of late touchdowns requiring the offense to march down the field with little time on the clock and rescue the game. Overall, the Red Raiders would be better conditioned; no more gasping for air in humid Houston as the game slipped away...
If Texas Tech manages to score a win on Texas on Saturday night the promises of a team who can finish the fourth quarter with as much energy as it had in the first (especially defensively and on special teams) will have to come true.
Not next week, not in several weeks, but...now.
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