Absolutely Obknoxious

Sorry to all my reader(s) for not updating. I’ve been very busy with school and other things. Fortunately, I am done for the summer and will hope to do some more updates. I’ve also been doing some writing (mostly weekend previews) for Brian Foley over at TheCollegeBaseballBlog.com. This summer, I’ll be the Media Relations intern for the Coppell Copperheads in the Texas Collegiate League.

I’m hoping to do some updates on Texas Tech players in the summer leagues, as well as the Copperheads and Texas Tech football.

Keep reading and visiting.

8 games in California over 11 days seemed like a good idea to test the young Texas Tech baseball team, unfortunately, the Red Raiders scored a 12.5 on the test. With only 1 win on the road trip, Tech dropped their season record to 6-8, 0-7 away from Dan Law Field.

The story of the week was the Raiders inability to hold a late-inning lead, and a folly of fielding errors that allowed 22 unearned runs to score. In 6 of the 7 losses, the Red Raiders held a lead at 1 point, but gave up the lead with multiple-run innings, and were unable to match their opponents scores. Four games were lost after 5 innings, including a 9th inning loss to Cal-State Northridge.

The bullpen struggled behind the fielding woes, allowing 33 runs, but only 14 earned runs and collecting 4 losses with no wins. As a team, the Raiders fielding percentage was only .945, well below their season average at the start of the road trip. 3B Justin Berry’s hot start faded quickly after 4 errors in 25 chances. The return of preseason starter Garrett Totten was marred by 3 errors in 4 games, including 2 in his first appearance. CF Kengray Fleming dropped a fly ball that allowed a run to eventually score, and misplayed another ball against UC Riverside. The errors were not limited to the freshmen, as Joey Kenworthy, Chris Richburg and Jeremy Mayo each collected 2 errors a piece.

The hitting faced its own challenges in California. After striking out only 28 times and amassing 34 walks in the first 6 games, the Raider offense drew 29 walks, but struck out a staggering 80 times, including 5 straight games of 10+ strikeouts.

With all the bad came 2 very bright spots. SS Joey Kenworthy exploded in the final 5 games after being benched for the 3rd game against Cal-State Northridge. The small-statured Jr. responded with 4 3-hit games in 7 games, hitting .591 and scoring 7 runs. Senior pitcher A.J. Ramos continued his hot start, throwing 6 shutout innings with 9 strikeouts against Gonzaga on Saturday. Ramos, still limited by a pitch count, has not given up a run in 13 innings so far this season. His 18 strikeouts are 2nd on the team behind Miles Morgan’s 19.

NOTES:

Fr. Justin Berry extended his hitting streak to 11 games, and has hit safely in 13 of 14 games this season.

Fr. Garrett Totten returned from his preseason injury in time for the Palm Springs Invitational. Totten started all 4 games at 2B.

Fr. RHP Brennen Stewart was sent home from California after injuring his elbow on March 1st.

Fr. Brandon Foster and Colton Farrar each made their Red Raider debut in California. Foster pitched a scoreless 1.1 innings against UC Riverside  on March 3rd while Farrar appeared for an inning in both Riverside contests.

So. Chad Bettis made his first career relief appearance, walking 1 batter in 2/3 of an inning against San Francisco. He followed that with his first career save in 3 innings against Gonzaga.

With 2 weekends under the belt, the Big 12 race is beginning to take shape. As is usual, the Texas Longhorns are sitting atop the Big 12 standings at a perfect 9-0, followed by 6-1 Oklahoma State, 7-2 Texas A&M, 6-2 Baylor, 5-2 Kansas State, 7-3 Oklahoma, 5-3 Nebraska, 5-4 Texas Tech, 2-3 Kansas and 2-7 Missouri.

#7 Texas has won their first 9 games thanks to an incredible pitching staff. The Longhorn staff has posted an astounding 1.15 ERA with 3 shutouts. The most impressive game came on Sunday vs. Penn State where Big 12 Pitcher of the Week Brandon Workman threw the school’s 21st no-hitter. On the weekend, Texas gave up a pair of runs in the first 2 games, followed by back-to-back shutouts of the Nittany Lions. Texas-Arlington is the only team to score more than 2 runs in Austin, plating 3 on February 23rd in a 3-4 loss in 10 innings. Offensively, Texas is led by SS David Hernandez, DH Preston Clark and LF Tant Shepherd, all hitting above .400. The Longhorns share a .322 batting average through 9 games.

Oklahoma State has used a different tactic to win 7 games. With a staff ERA of 7.40, Oklahoma State has simply outscored their opponents. With a 3-0 record in 1 run games, Oklahoma State does just enough with their bats to keep their staff out of trouble. Neil Medchill’s 13 RBIs is good for 2nd among Big 12 players, while his .440 average ranks 8th. Doug Kroll leads the Big 12 with 5 home runs in only 7 games.

#4 Texas A&M, the preseason favorite in the Big 12, has losses to Centenary College and #9 Rice sandwiched around an impressive win against #5 UC-Irvine in Houston. A&M has one of the Big 12’s deepest pitching staffs. The Aggies boast a 2.78 ERA with 9.33 strikeouts per 9 innings. Alex Wilson, a transfer from Winthrop and former National Freshman Pitcher of the Year, leads the starters with a 1.42 ERA and 21 strikeouts in only 12.2 innings of work. Kyle Thebeau and Travis Starling have combined for 3 saves so far in 2009. Offensively, Caleb Shofner has cooled down from his .900 start and settled in with a .542 average and .676 OBP, the latter leading the Big 12. Dylan Petrich, the teams DH, is 2nd on the team with a .500 BA while P/LF Brooks Raley is batting at .406.

Baylor is lead by Logan Verrett, an early candidate for Big 12 Freshman Pitcher of the Year. Verrett’s 3 wins is the most of any Big 12 pitchers, while his 0.00 ERA is tied for first with Texas’ Brandon Workman and A.J. Morris of KSU. Freshman Joey Hainsfurther leads all Big 12 hitters with a .565 BA and 0 strikeouts in 23 at bats. Baylor’s start was rough, winning 2 of 3 at home against Pacific in a series where all 3 games were decided by 1 run. LF Adam Hornung leads the Bears with 3 home runs, and is 1 of 5 players hitting better than .300.

Both of Kansas State’s losses have come by only 1 run, while their 5 wins have been by an average of 6.6 runs. Kansas State has been one of the most well-rounded teams so far, with a 3rd best .313 BA and a 2nd best 1.97 ERA. Jason King and Justin Bloxom pace the Wildcats with .479 and .379 BAs, respectively, while all 4 starting pitchers have ERAs ranging from A.J. Morris’s 0.00 to Lance Hoge’s 2.45. On the base path, Kansas State has a Big 12 high 20 stolen bases on 29 attempts.

The Oklahoma Sooners average 10 runs and 13 hits per game, with a Big 12 best .362 BA. With 3 players hitting better then .440, the Sooners have yet to meet a pitcher than cannot hit. Through 2 weekends, the Sooners lead the Big 12 in almost every offensive category. Jamie Johnson, hitting .500, is in the top 5 in BA, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBIs, runs, total bases, OBP and walks. A Sooner sits atop the Big 12 leaders in an impressive 7 of 11 categories. The pitching staff does not have the accolade that the hitters do, unfortunately, sitting ahead of Oklahoma State, only, in ERA. Andrew Doyle leads the staff with a 3.46 ERA.

Nebraska’s 5-3 start is below the norm for teams from Lincoln. The Huskers hitters are only at a .286 BA, while the pitching staff ’s ERA is a hair over 4 at 4.03. Tyler Farst is the top hitter with a .435 BA, while Big 12 Player of the Week, Adam Bailey, is 2nd in the Big 12 with 4 home runs. P Mike Nesseth’s 0.75 ERA leads the team along with his 19 strikeouts in 12 innings. Casey Hauptman has surrendered only 1 run in 10.2 innings of relief work for the Huskers.

Texas Tech’s hot 5-1 start fizzled over the weekend after a series sweep by Cal-State Northridge. The Raiders are without veteran Willie Rueda, and are forced to use a bevy of freshmen in an attempt to bridge the gap. Transfer Kellen Monreal is the new team leader in BA at .364 after Chris Richburg finished the weekend 0-11. Scott LeJeune, the starting DH, has hit safely in 7 consecutive games after failing to record a hit in his first career game. On the mound, A.J. Ramos has yet to surrender a run in his first 2 starts, both limited by pitch count after returning from Tommy John Surgery. Fr. Ben Flora has been a pleasant surprise out of the bullpen, striking out 6 batters in 4.2 innings of work.

Kansas had the best start of any Big 12 team, beating Air Force on opening day behind Schaefer Hall’s no-hitter, before dropping 2 games to Memphis. Kansas then rebounded with a series split against #21 Arkansas, running their record to 2-3 on the year. Kansas is the only Big 12 team without a home run hit, so far. The team is batting .263, 9th of 10 schools in the Big 12 with baseball teams. The pitching staff, behind Hall’s no-hitter, has a combined ERA of 3.60, 5th in the Big 12.

Missouri’s 2009 campaign has been a complete disappointment for a team with veterans on all sides. A tough schedule has knocked the Tigers to 2-7 after 7 consecutive losses to Gonzaga, Nevada, Arizona State and Oregon State. With 4 veteran hitters under .300 and a staff ERA above 5.00, Missouri has yet to put anything together that will help them out of their slump. Kyle Gibson, the teams top pitcher, has been stellar, with a 1.38 ERA in 2 starts, but the rest of the starters have not seen the same success that Gibson has on the mound.

The season is still young, but the Big 12 teams have already started showing what their seasons will be like. Texas and Texas A&M have the talent to stay afloat while other teams suffer from a lack of veterans and experience. With 11 weeks until the Big 12 tournament, there is still room for improvement.

Murphy’s Law states, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” No truer statement can be used to describe the first weekend of Texas Tech’s 11 day road trip through California.

The Red Raiders began their exploration of California’s collegiate baseball squads with a 3-game series against 1-3 Cal-State Northridge. Most pundits expected the Red Raiders to emerge from Northridge with an 8-1 record, or 7-2 if something went wrong. Nobody outside of Northridge’s clubhouse expected the Red Raiders to leave at 5-4.

Game 1 began with each team matching scores until the 6th inning, when Texas Tech secured the lead at 4-3. The Red Raider bullpen then came to life as Cory Large retired 5 consecutive Matador hitters before everything came to a crashing halt. A solo home run by CSN catcher John Parham sent Large to the dugout in favor of Jordan Stern. 2 batters into Stern’s appearance, 1B Dominic D’Anna lifted a 2-run home run to right field, giving the Matadors their first lead of the game at 6-4.

Northridge would add a pair of runs in the 8th inning while Texas Tech failed to score either of the runners they put aboard in the final 2 at bats. It was the beginning of a long weekend full of base running errors and fielding blunders that would cost Tech all 3 games.

Saturday started off well for Texas Tech. Before recording an out, Tech managed to load the bases with leading hitter Chris Richburg at the plate. Unfortunately, Murphy’s Law stepped up in place of Richburg. With Michael Reed at 3rd, Taylor Ashby at 2nd and Joey Kenworthy on 1st, Richburg hit a hard grounder to 2nd base. Westley Wright flipped the ball to Jason Dabbs for the first out at 2nd base, then Dabbs threw to Dominic D’Anna at 2nd to complete the double play, but they weren’t done there. With Reed safely across the plate, Taylor Ashby got too far off 3rd base. D’Anna quickly threw the ball to 3rd baseman Ryan Pineda, who caught Ashby in a rundown. A quick flip to D’Anna, who applied the tag, and the Matadors had completed the triple play.

Northridge wasted absolutely no time with their momentum shift, stealing 3 bases and scoring 5 runs in the bottom of the first. With that, the Matadors cruised to a 7-3 win, and a clinch of the series. Michael Reed was the lone bright spot for the Raiders, going 3-5 with a run and 2 RBIs in the losing effort. Starting pitcher Miles Morgan suffered the loss in his 4.1 innings. Unlike his 11-strikeout season debut, Morgan managed only 1 strikeout against 5 walks and an HBP. Louis Head struck out 4 and surrendered only 1 hit in his 3.2 innings of relief.

The most unnerving statistic was Tech’s inability at the plate with runners on base. On the day, Tech scored 3 runs out of 16 runners to reach base; 3 were erased with double or triple plays while one was picked off 3rd base with 1 out. The Red Raiders managed to go 1-10 with runners in scoring position. The 2 fielding errors each led to a CSN run.

Sunday was a new day, until the 9th inning. Texas Tech came out with a shuffled lineup, leaving Joey Kenworthy on the bench for the first time all year. With a new breath about them, Tech continued to commit base running errors that cost them runs.

The first inning saw Justin Berry being picked off 1st base with a runner on 3rd for the final out. Scott LeJeune was thrown at attempting to score from 2nd on a ground ball to RF, and Kellen Monreal was caught stealing at the front end of a possible high-scoring inning for the Raiders. Fortunately, both Raider runs were scored on throwing errors from catcher John Parham.

A.J. Ramos, still hampered by a pitch count, threw a masterful 4 innings. Although 6 hits were collected by CSN, Ramos collected 6 strikeouts of his own. After Ramos, Texas Tech display a revolving door policy, sending Lorenzo Douglas, Austin Quick, Brennan Stewart and Ben Flora to the mound in a span of 1.1 innings. After Flora, Coach Gustafson called on veteran Brian Cloud to finish off the Matadors. Cloud did just as he was asked, but the defense cost him a sure save.

Trailing by 1 with only 3 outs left, CSN put their lead off hitter aboard. A quick FC put the Raiders 2 outs from victory. Following this weekend’s them, the Raiders executed to perfection…for the home team. A sharp grounder by C John Parham got the best of sure-gloved 3B Justin Berry. Richard Cates followed with a double, and was nice enough to allow Pineda to collect the game-winning single, scoring Parham who reached on the Berry error.

If you wear scarlet and black and you didn’t come away from this weekend with any frustration, then you must wear some other team’s scarlet and black. My expectations for this season are currently falling, fast. It appears that not even Amdahl’s Law can predict how long it will take for Dan Spencer to bring Texas Tech back to the glory days.

Dan Spencer is a far different coach than Larry Hays. Hays’ squads were typically filled with junior college players who were stellar with the bat. Spencer has taken a different approach, finding talent in the high school ranks.

So far in 2009, Spencer has played 8 true freshman. Of those 8 freshmen, 3 have found starting roles in the field. Leading the young crop is 3B Justin Berry, a freshman from Austin, Texas who has been perfect on the field and solid with his bat. DH Scott LeJeune, also from Austin, Texas, has been the top hitter of all the freshmen. LeJeune’s .400 average is tied for 3rd, while his 6 RBIs is good for 4th on the team leaderboards.

Kevin Whitehead, a catcher from Tacoma, Washington, has found a starting role at catcher in Jeremy Mayo’s absence, and excelled. Whitehead’s defense has been his biggest asset. On the year, Whitehead has thrown out 2 runners on 8 attempts and has yet to allow a passed ball.

On the mound, Ben Flora, the 2008 Texas Class 5A Co-Player of the Year, has a very bright future. The 5-10 lefty has made 2 relief appearances, striking out 5 in 4.1 innings. Flora’s most recent appearance against New Mexico included 4 strikeouts in only 2.1 innings of work, with only 1 run allowed. Fellow freshman Louis Head, a hard throwing righty from Katy, Texas, has the makings of a very good closer. Head has started strong in both of his appearances, but also struggled at the end. Continued work with pitching coach Ed Gustafson and head coach Dan Spencer should prove to be a positive for Head.

Taking a page from Coach Hays, Spencer found 2 solid starters in the junior college ranks. OF/2B Michael Reed hasn’t collected a lot of hits, but has found a knack for reaching base. Through 6 games, Reed has collected 9 walks and been hit by 4 pitches, giving him a .567 OBP. Fellow junior college transfer Kellen Monreal’s .412 batting average only trails Chris Richburg’s .450. Monreal hit .444 last year at New Mexico Junior College, leading the team with 55 RBIs.

So far in 2009, Texas Tech has played 9 newcomers out of 14. Two of those players, freshmen Garrett Totten and Nick Hanslik, are expected to see action once they return from injuries, adding depth to an already deep Red Raider club. The future is bright in Lubbock for Texas Tech baseball.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders suffered their first loss of the season on Tuesday, falling 13-10 to the New Mexico Lobos. The Lobos came on strong in the first two innings, scoring 5 runs on Tech starter Nathan Karns. The Red Raiders answered back with 7 runs of their own in the first few innings before tacking on 3 more to take a 10-5 advantage. Everything seemed like smooth sailing until the 7th inning. New Mexico’s 6-run 7th and 2-run 9th were too much for the Raiders to overcome, giving Dan Spencer his first loss at the helm.

Texas Tech’s stellar pitching and defense from opening weekend disappeared on Tuesday, as the Raiders committed 3 errors and surrendered a season-high 13 runs. New Mexico outfielder Max Willett was a thorn in the side of the Raiders, reaching base on all 6 plate appearances. Willett started his day off with a solo home run before adding a double, 2 singles, and 2 walks, coming up a triple shy of the cycle.

Freshman Ben Flora was the only Tech pitcher who had any success on Tuesday, striking out 4 and allowing 1 hit in his 2.1 innings. Karns, Louis Head and Brian Cloud allowed a combined 13 runs and 12 hits in their 6.2 innings on the hill.

Senior 1B Chris Richburg had a great game at the plate. Richburg finished 3-4 with 3 runs and 4 RBIs, including a 3-run home run in the 2nd inning. Freshman Scott LeJeune finished 3-5 while junior Joey Kenworthy and freshmen Kevin Whitehead and Justin Berry each added 2 hits apiece. While the defense and pitching were the sour spots on Tuesday, the offense had its share of struggles as well. Freshmen Berry and Kengray Fleming each fouled off a bunt with 2 strikes, while Kellen Monreal was thrown out at the plate attempting to score from first on an over throw by New Mexico catcher Rafael Neda.

Wednesday proved more successful for all aspects of the Red Raiders. Sophomore starter Robbie Kilcrease gave up only 2 runs in his 6 innings, picking up his first win of the year. Freshman Brennan Stewart allowed 1 run in his only relief inning, while senior Cory Large picked up his 2nd save of the year with 2 shutout innings.

Chris Richburg hit his 3rd home run of the year, finishing 2-4 with 3 RBIs to increase his season total to 10. Scott LeJeune connected on his first career home run leading off the 3rd inning. All 9 of the Red Raider hitters reached base safely in the 6-3 win, with 8 collecting at least 1 hit.

Justin Berry was once again a shining star of defense. The Lobos hit 10 ground balls to Berry, who fielded each one with ease and made each throw to 1B look effortless.

The Red Raiders (5-1) will play their next 8 games in California. The roadtrip will begin with a 3-game series at Cal State-Northridge, followed by a Tuesday game against Cal-Riverside. The Raiders will then travel to Palm Springs for the Palm Springs Invitational. Tech will play Cal-Riverside on Thursday, San Francisco on Friday, Gonzaga on Saturday and Oregon State on Sunday. The Oregon State game will be Dan Spencer’s first game against his former boss, Pat Casey. Spencer was Casey’s pitching coach for both Beaver National Championship teams in 2006 and 2007.

Tech returns to Lubbock on March 11th against Dallas Baptist.

For the first time since 2005, Texas Tech started the season with 4 straight victories. Pitchers A.J. Ramos and Miles Morgan returned from injury with incredible results, but 2B Willie Rueda and C Jeremy Mayo were struck by injuries that could limit them for the next couple of weeks.

Saturday saw the triumphant return of former Big 12 Freshman of the Year Miles Morgan, who has only pitched 4 innings since his stellar freshman campaign in 2006. Morgan was back to the form that garnered him national attention, striking out 11 batters in 6 innings and picking up the win. A.J. Ramos seemed to have healed nicely after facing Tommy John Surgery in the middle of last season. Ramos, limited to only 47 pitches, threw 3 shutout innings against Texas-Pan American on Sunday before being relieved by Lorenzo Douglas in the 4th.

Rueda pulled lame in Saturday’s game after attempting to beat out a slow ground ball to first base against Southern Utah. The initial diagnosis is a pulled hamstring, which will keep the senior speedster out indefinitely. If the injury is minor, Rueda could return as early as Friday when the Raiders begin an 8 game road trip in California against Cal-State Northridge, but a severe pull could cost him a few weeks on the bench.

Mayo dislocated his thumb in the 4th inning of Saturday’s game on a Miles Morgan pitch. Mayo will not miss as much time as Rueda, possibly being fully healthy for the first game in Northridge on Friday.

With Rueda out of the lineup, Jr. Joey Kenworthy will slide over to 2B. Justin Berry will play his natural position of SS while Kellen Monreal plugs the hole at 3B. Kevin Whitehead will fill in full time for Mayo at C with Logan Leslie being the main hitter at the DH spot.

The injury to Rueda is not good, but it does have its upside. With Rueda out, Monreal will be a full time starter, allowing Dan Spencer to insert Logan Brown or one of the freshmen into the outfield. The freshman, Whitehead, will also gain valuable time behind the plate in Mayo’s absence.

The Red Raiders return to Dan Law Field on Tuesday against the New Mexico Lobos. Jr. Nate Karns will start for Tech on Tuesday, while So. Robert Kilcrease will take the mound on Wednesday. Expect to see 4 freshmen in the field on Tuesday, with Berry and Whitehead at 2B and C, Mason Macnoll in RF, and Scott LeJeune at DH (subject to change).

The Lobos head to Lubbock with a 3-1 record, taking 3 of 4 games against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi over the weekend.

Friday, February 20th was the dawn of a new era in Texas Tech baseball. The changing of the guard was officially ushered in with a double header sweep of Southern Utah University and Texas-Pan American, moving Texas Tech to 2-0 for the first time since the 2006 season.

Game 1 got off to a quick start after back-to-back doubles gave the Thunderbirds a 1-0 lead over the Red Raiders. Tech answered quickly with a bases loaded 2-run double from freshman DH Kevin Whitehead and an RBI single from junior LF Taylor Ashby. From there, sophomore RHP Chad Bettis and the rest of the Raiders entered cruise control, finishing off the visitors with a 14-3 victory.

Bettis threw 6 2/3 innings, giving up 2 runs on 8 hits and striking out 5, in picking up his first win of the season. In relief, Jordan Stern allowed only one run in a career high 2 1/3 innings pitched. Sophomore SS Joey Kenworthy and senior 1B Chris Richburg led the offensive onslaught, combining for 4 hits, 4 runs and 7 RBIs. Senior 2B and Preseason All-Big 12 member Willie Rueda swiped 3 of the 6 stolen bases for the Red Raiders. Newcomer Michael Reed collected 4 walks, falling 1 shy of the Texas Tech single game record shared by 3 players.

Unfortunately, Texas Tech’s hot bats did not carry over to the 2nd game against Texas-Pan American. The Bronco’s stifled the Texas Tech offense with a solid defensive performance, but came up 1-run shy of handing Dan Spencer his first career loss.

Starting pitcher Robert Kilcrease had no trouble finding the strike zone for the Raiders. The sophomore righty struck out 5 UTPA batters in his 5 innings of work, allowing 3 runs in the process. Fr. RHP Louis Head started his career off well, throwing a perfect 6th inning before struggling in the 7th. In 1 2/3rds innings, Head allowed 2 runs on 2 hits, striking out 1 and walking 2. Senior RHP Brian Cloud relieved Head with 2 outs in the 7th and runners on 1st and 2nd with an inning-ending strikeout. Cloud proceeded to set down the remaining 6 batters in order, picking up his first win of the young season.

Offensively, Texas Tech relied on clutch hitting to eek out the victory. With the bases loaded in the 4th inning, sophomore DH Jeremy Mayo hit an opposite-field double, plating all 3 runners, and giving Tech a 4-2 lead. The hit of the game for the Raiders wouldn’t come until the 7th inning. With 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, junior RF Kellen Monreal hit a sharp grounder past 3rd, driving in sophomore Logan Brown with the go-ahead run. With a 6-5 lead, Texas Tech shut down the Broncos with pitching and solid defense.

Even though they scored 20 runs combined, the story of the day came from the improved defensive play. Freshman Justin Berry started both games at 3B and nobody questioned the decision. Opponents hit maybe 10 balls in Berry’s direction on Friday. 1 hit went over his head, another was just out of his diving reach. The other 8 were fielded perfectly, with 8 seemingly effortless throws behind them. Berry’s glove work and fluid throws were the most impressive of all the defenders. It is very obvious that Dan Spencer and his staff have worked hard to improve a defense that needed very little improvement after fielding at a .971 clip in 2008.

One thing that stood out today was the play calling on the base paths. Dan Spencer recognizes the speed that his team has, and utilized it with stolen bases and a few hit-and-runs. Willie Rueda ended with 5 stolen bases on 6 attempts (tagged out at home plate on a passed ball), while Michael Reed added 2 and Joey Kenworthy had 1. Another change today was the frequency that Tech attempted to move runners over with sacrifice hits. Although there is work needed on getting contact with bunts, it will be a strategy that Tech will employ more often than not when the situation is right.

Another note is the control displayed by the pitching staff. Texas Tech’s pitching staff average almost 5 walks per game in 2008, but issued only 5 total on Friday. There were also no wild pitches or hit batters, another problem that plagued the staff in 2008.

Dan Spencer and company got off to a great start today, and seem to have a bright future in Lubbock.

Tech plays again at 3 pm today against Southern Utah at Dan Law Field.

The deadline has passed. The contract remains unsigned. Bring in the Board of Regents.

Friday seems to be the new date for the next event in the drama that has occured following the best season in Texas Tech Football history. Next season could see a disgruntled coach, or even a new coach. Maybe it needs to see a new Athletic Director most of all.

Myers took over in Lubbock in 1996 after a tumultuos year that saw NCAA sanctions hitting Texas Tech hard due to academic fraud in the athletic department. In the years since, Tech has become a staple atop the leader boards in athletic academic progress. Tech has also seen the increasing renovations to the various athletic facilities, including building of the United Spirit Arena and upgrades to Jones AT&T Stadium and Dan Law Field.

The football program has gone from a perennial middle road to an 11 game winner in 2008. Myers took a chance on Leach, and it paid off greatly. Unfortunately, the baseball program and both basketball programs are at the bottom of the Big 12. Soccer, Volleyball and Softball also occupy the lower rungs in the conference.

The Women’s Basketball team claimed a National Title in 1993, prior to Myers’ arrival. As of today, they 14-11 and 4-7 in conference play. It wasn’t long ago that Marsha Sharp’s teams were constantly contenders for the Conference Championship. Now, Tech is lucky to finish above .500 under Kristy Curry.  The Men’s Basketball team fell to 12-15 last night under head coach Pat Knight. Knight took over for his father, Bobby, a Myers hire, after being named Head Coach Designate. 1996 saw the Red Raiders at 30-2 with a SWC Championship. A far drop in his tenure.

The baseball program suffered too many year through Larry Hays and his quest for 1,500 wins. I feel that Myers kept a dwindling Hays on board for the recognition of the win plateau, causing the Red Raiders to fall down to the Big 12 dungeon. Dan Spencer was a great hire, given his resume, but he must build a team from basically nothing.

Soccer, Softball and Volleyball are abysmal, and usually don’t make headlines. Track and Field is thriving currently under Wes Kittley, while the golf teams are competing in the NCAA Championships.

Myers got lucky with Leach, but struck out completely in basketball. 0-3. Dickey needed to go, but Bobby Knight was not an avenue for success, but rather a headline maker. Headlines don’t win championships and usually fade away. 880 wins are neat, but not when they are against non-conference teams. 8 years have been wasted with the Knights, and I’ve seen better attendance in POLS 1301.

So with only 1 successful program of the 4 money sports (football, baseball, men’s basketball and women’s basketball), Gerald Myers has a less than stellar run at the top of the athletic program. DeLoss Dodds has built Texas into an all-everything program, winning championships in almost every sport. Gerald Myers has shifted his losses at Texas Tech and brought negative attention to Lubbock this week.

Mike Leach. The Strange One. The Captain. 9 years to reach 11 wins. It was a long road, but it was worth it. Leach needs to realize that he is not Urban Meyer. Urban Meyer is a coach that everyone wants because his teams have always been winners. Mike Leach has only sniffed a conference championship twice, and never been in contention for the BCS title past December.

The good is that Leach wins more than he loses. Tech fans are garaunteed a winning season and a bowl appearance. Leach is an offensive genius. He has collected 6 passing titles in 7 years and has Tech 2 years away from breaking even against Texas A&M all-time.

The bad is that Leach struggles on the road and against Oklahoma and Texas. You won’t win a championship if you can’t climb to the top of the conference. Mike Leach has 4 wins against the top programs in the Big 12, and all of them are in Lubbock. Tech only gets 1 game against the two teams in Lubbock a year. So while Leach wins, he doesn’t win the games he needs to win.

The ugly is that Mike Leach’s agents think he is a highly-sought after coach. Truth is that he isn’t. He has flirted with Auburn, Miami, UCLA and Washington, but there has never been anything serious. His agents have frustrated Gerald Myers with their annual winter shopping of Coach Leach, and that has escalated into the current situation that Texas Tech is faced with.

My take is that Texas Tech needs to sit down and look at the big picture. Football is succeeding, but the athletic program as a whole is not. Football brings in the most money, nearly $14 million in 2008. Coaches cost more than ADs. I think its obvious what Tech should do. Sign Leach to a deal that is more friendly and ask Gerald Myers to vacate his position. He has done nothing in 12 years that is worth this headache.

Friday marks opening day for NCAA Baseball, thanks to the late start that was implemented last season. While most fans are gearing up for March Madness, there is that one small group that is waiting for those gates to open on the newest edition of collegiate baseball.

The Big 12 will officially start play when Texas Tech squares up against Southern Utah at 1 pm on Friday from Dan Law Field. Texas Tech begins their season with a home double-header, finishing up play against Texas-Pan American at 4 pm, or 30 minutes after the first game. The Red Raiders will be displaying the beginning of a new era in Lubbock.

The Red Raiders will be skippered by someone other than Larry Hays for the first time since 1986 when Head Coach Dan Spencer leads the Raiders against the Thunderbirds from Southern Utah. Spencer spent last year as Tech’s pitching coach after spending the previous 11 at Oregon State. While with the Beavers, Spencer served as an associate coach and pitching coach under Pat Casey. In his final 2 seasons, Spencer’s pitching staffs lead OSU to back-to-back National Championships.

The Red Raiders were picked to finish 8th in the Big 12 by the league’s coaches, but might surprise many by the end of the season. While Texas and Texas A&M are far out of Tech’s league in terms of talent and chemistry, there are still a few teams above Tech who are within striking distance.

Tech returns only 4 of their top 10 position players from 2008. With 1B Jason Seefeld and OF Doug Thennis graduating, OF Roger Kieschnick being drafted and OF Tanner Rindels, C Monk Kreder and SS Chris Hall deciding to continue their playing days elsewhere, Tech is thin on experience. 2B Willie Rueda, 3B/SS Joey Kenworthy, OF Chris Richburg and OF Taylor Ashby are the only Red Raiders returning with significant experience under their belts.

Friday will see many newcomers taking the field for the first time. Among them are JUCO transfers Kellen Monreal and Michael Reed, as well as freshmen Kevin Whitehead, Justin Berry and Mason Macnoll. The opening day lineup hasn’t been announced yet, and it will behard to predict since there are many players who could see time at different positions. The most likely should consist of Jeremy Mayo at C, Logan Leslie at 1B, Rueda at 2B, Kenworthy at SS, Monreal at 3B, Reed, Ashby and Richburg in the OF with Whitehead at DH.

On the mound, Tech could see an incredible improvement over last year’s squad. Returning are starters Chad Bettis, Nathan Karns, AJ Ramos and Miles Morgan. Bettis and Karns are ready to go, and Morgan seems ready as well, but Ramos is still coming back from last year’s season-ending surgery. A healthy Ramos would be great for Tech and give them 4 solid starters. Morgan is still regaining his form from 2006 when he was named Big 12 Freshman Pitcher of the Year and Freshman All-American. His last 2 seasons were spent on the bench, recovering from 2007 rotator cuff surgery. Bettis finished 2008 with a team-high 4 wins. Karns finished with 3 after struggling with his control through most of the season.

Cory Large and Brian Cloud lead the Red Raider bullpen. While Cloud is lined up to be the closer, Large’s role could be as a reliever or a starter, after appearing in 12 games with6  starts in 2008. Returning in 2009 to the bullpen are Lorenzo Douglas, Robbie Kilcrease, Jordan Stern and Austin Quick. Douglas and Kilcrease are possible midweek starters, while Stern and Quick will return to their situational roles they saw as freshmen in 2008. Freshmen Ben Flora and Colton Farrar will likely appear out of the bullpen in 2009. Flora was the 2008 Class 5A Co-Player of the Year at Plano West High School.

The Raiders return more pitching than hitting, and with a reputation like Spencer’s, this could prove positive for Tech. Spencer has said that he will focus on small ball and defense for the upcoming season. It should be an interesting year, and hopefully the beginning of something good for Texas Tech Baseball.

Two days after NSD. There is only one thing to report, and that is the news that LB James Scott may be the first grade casualty of the 2009 class.

LB Brandon Mahoney and DT Myles Wade are still working on getting everything in order. Wade will need to finish 8 hours this summer before joining the Red Raiders, and Mahoney needs to improve his overall GPA by about a tenth of a point.

I read somewhere about Pearlie Graves waiting on his ACT scores, but I cannot find that information right now.

That’s all for now.

National Signing Day has come and gone yet again. The only difference between this year and past years was the overall calibur of Tech’s class. Tech signed 25 players to Letters of Intent this morning, including a surprise switch in Oklahoma DT Pearlie Graves, a 4-star who was initially committed to Michigan.

Here’s a breakdown of Tech’s class:

QB:

Jacob Karam 6-1 197 Friendswood, TX (Friendswood)

Karam is a 4-star on Scout.com and a 3-star on Rivals.com. Rivals rates him as the 18th best Dual Threat QB and #85 overall in Texas. Scout lists him as the 24th best QB in the nation. #40 on the Austin American-Statesman Fab 55.

RB:

Eric Stephens 5-8 177 Mansfield, TX (Timberview)

Stephens is a 2-star on Scout.com and a 4-star on Rivals.com. #6 All-Purpose Back on Rivals.com, #21 overall in Texas, #191 on the Rival250 list, and the 3rd “best in space” RB. #128 RB in the nation per Scout.com and #36 on the AA-S Fab 55. Originally committed to Minnesota.

WR:

Eric Ward 5-11 190 Wichita Falls, TX (Rider)

Ward is a 4-star on both Scout.com and Rivals.com. #41 WR on Rivals and 31 overall in Texas. #16 WR per Scout and #53 on the Fab 55. Originally committed to Oklahoma

Aaron Fisher 6-3 175 Keller, TX (Fossil Ridge)

Fisher is a 3-star on Scout.com and Rivals.com. #53 WR on Rivals and #58 overall in Texas. #72 WR on Scout.com and 49th on the Fab 55.

E.J. Celestie 5-11 173 Lake Charles, LA (Barbe)

Celestie is a 3-star on Rivals.com and a 2-star on Scout.com. #86 WR per Rivals and the 19th overall player in Louisiana. #175 WR on Scout and not eligible for the Fab 55 (Texas only)

Derrick Mays 6-0 170 Killeen, TX (Shoemaker)

2-stars on both sites. Originally committed to UTEP. Runs 4.4 40.

OL:

Joel Gray 6-6 288 Lewisville, TX (Hebron)

Gray is a 4-star per Scout and a 3-star on Rivals. Rivals lists him as the 29th best OT and #52 overall in Texas. Scout lists him as the #17 OT in the nation.

Kyle Clark 6-4 270 Denton, TX (Guyer)

Clark is a 4-star on Rivals and a 3-star on Scout. #21 OT and #46 overall in Texas on Rivals. #48 OT on Scout. #32 on the Fab 55.

LaAdrian Waddle 6-6 315 Columbus, TX (Columbus)

Waddle is a 3-star on Rivals and a 2-star on Scout. #74 OG on Rivals and #114 OG on Scout.

Matt Goetz 6-4 270 Cibolo, TX (Steele)

Goetz is a 3-star on Scout and 2-star on Rivals. #55 OG on Scout.

DT:

Myles Wade 6-3 310 Portland, OR (Arizona Western CC)

Wade is a 4-star on Rivals and 3-star on Scout. #18 JUCO player per Rivals. Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2007. Listed as a 4-star on both Rivals and Scout in 2007. #74 overall on Rivals, #8 DT and #1 in Oregon in 2007. #11 DT in 2007 per Scout. Committed to Oregon out of HS.

Pearlie Graves 6-3 260 Tulsa, OK (East Central)

Graves is a 4-star on Rivals and 3-star on Scout. #32 DT and #6 in Oklahoma per Rivals. #58 DT on Scout.com. Originally committed to Michigan.

Romario Cathey 6-3 275 Nashville, TN (Maplewood)

3-star on Rivals and 2-star on Scout. #21 in Tennessee per Rivals.

DE:

Christopher Knighton 6-3 240 Longview, TX (Longview)

2-stars on both sites. #127 DE on Scout. Played OL in 2008 and 2007. First Team All-State.

Aundrey Barr 6-3 275 Carrollton, TX (Newman Smith)

2-stars on both sites. Played 1 season on varsity.

Trevor Reilly 6-6 220 San Diego, CA (Valley Center)

2-star on Scouts and 3-star on Rivals. Committed to Tech in 2006, but spent 2 years on Mormon Mission trip. Originally a LB, now listed as a DE. Rivals lists him as not having signed his LOI yet.

DE/LB:

Kerry Hyder 6-3 230 Austin, TX (LBJ)

3-star DE on Rivals and 3-star OLB on Scout. #52 DE per Rivals and #40 SLB on Scout. Hyder could play either positions or both.

LB:

Brandon Mahoney 6-2 210 Keller, TX (Fossil Ridge)

4-star per Scout and 3-star per Rivals. #19 OLB and #59 overall in Texas on Rivals. #13 MLB per Scout and 25th on the Fab 55. Originally committed to Oklahoma.

Dion Chidozie 6-1 190 Dallas, TX (Bishop Lynch)

3-stars on both sites. #53 OLB on Rivals and #42 SLB on Scout. Runs a 4.4 40.

James Scott 6-3 220 Coldspring, TX (Coldspring-Oakhurst)

3-star on Scout and 2-star on Rivals. #43 WLB on Scout. 3rd player to commit to Tech for 2009.

DB:

Will Ford 6-1 190 Abilene, TX (Abilene)

3-stars on both sites. #33 S and #73 in Texas per Rivals. #25 S on Scout.com. Originally committed to Oklahoma. Projects as a S.

Terrance Bullitt 6-2 178 Garland, TX (Naaman Forest)

3-stars on both sites. #43 S and #88 in Texas on Rivals. #51 S on Scout. Brother Melvin Bullitt was a S at Texas A&M.

Yahshua Williams 6-3 185 Denton, TX (Ryan)

3-stars on both sites. #66 S on Rivals and #80 CB on Scout. Projects as a S at Tech.

D.J. Johnson 6-1 185 Austin, TX (St. Stephens)

3-stars on both sites. #69 CB on Scout. Played QB and DB in HS.

Daniel Cobb 6-1 195 Killeen, TX (Ellison)

3-stars on both sites. #35 S and 82nd in Texas per Rivals. #79 S on Scouts. Played RB and S at Ellison.

ATH:

Jarvis Phillips 6-0 185 Dallas, TX (Carter)

3-stars on Rivals and 2 on Scout. #98 athlete per Rivals and listed as a CB on Scout.com. Played QB and started at point guard for Dallas Carter. Last player to do that was Tech’s own Michael Crabtree.

As you can see, there is a lot of disparity in some of the star ratings, which seems to be common when it comes to something like recruiting

Tech seemingly ended their recruiting season with yet another former Oklahoma commit. On Sunday, the Red Raiders picked up not only their 3rd commit of the day, but also their 3rd commit to be a previous OU commit. MLB Brandon Mahoney, a 3-star player on Rivals.com and 59th player in the state of Texas. The 6-2 210 lbs. MLB is a high school teammate of fellow TTU commit Aaron Fisher at Fossil Ridge HS in Keller, Texas.

Tech picked up 2 new recruits in a much needed position this weekend.

DE Chris Knighton from Longview, Texas, pulled the trigger after visiting Lubbock with 3 other recruits this weekend. Knighton, a former OL, was named to the TSWA 4A All-State 1st Team after collecting 90 tackles, 9 sacks and 1 INT for Longview HS in 2008. At 6-3 235 lbs., Knighton should help add depth to Tech’s Senior-laden DE position. Knighton is a 2-star prospect on Rivals.com

The next player to commit was Aundrey Barr, 6-3 234lbs. DE from Carrollton, Texas and Newman Smith HS. Barr only played 1 season of varsity football, collecting 31 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 4 sacks.

Visiting along with Barr and Knighton were former OU LB commit Brandon Mahoney of Fossil Ridge HS in Keller, Texas and K Brad Hicks of Blinn College.

Let me start off with this…while I am a current Texas Tech student, I grew up in Austin watching the Texas Longhorns Baseball team. My first Longhorn game that I can recall was in 1999 when Texas swept defending National Champions USC in Austin. From Dax Leone outpitching Barry Zito to listening to Jeff Ontiveros hit his game winning (and 2nd ever) home run to sweep the series, I fell in love with College Baseball. I can still see the Quebec flags being waved for Ben Emond and watching Jason Moore rocket throws from SS to 1B. Nothing feels more right than sitting on the 3rd base line watching the game while listening to Craig Way and Keith Moreland describe the uniforms for both teams. Chris Carmichael’s home run in the CWS brought a tear to my eye. With that said, here is my first update on the 2009 Longhorns…

After a 1 year hiatus, the Alumni Game for Texas Baseball has returned. Sunday, February 8th at 1 PM is the slated date and time, and admission is free. I encourage everyone to attend, as the Alumni team is already jampacked with former greats from recent years. The players already announced include: Taylor Teagarden (Rangers), Carson Kainer, Drew Stubbs, Seth Johnston, Curtis Thigpen, Dustin Majewski, Chance Wheeless, Robby Hudson, Brandon Fahey, Nick Peoples, Kyle Russell, Huston Street (Rockies), Kyle Yates, J. Brent Cox, Kyle McCulloch, Joseph Krebs, Randy Boone and James Russell. Thats 15 total NCAA rings from 2002 and 2005.

As for the current Longhorns, Texas returns 20 of last years players including 8 All-Big 12 performers, headlined by Big 12 Freshman Player of the Year Chance Ruffin, a preseason All-American on some lists. 14 newcomers join this years squad, including 3 freshman who opted to play for Texas after being selected in June’s MLB First=Year player draft.

Taylor Jungmann, a 6-6 RHP from Georgetown HS highlights the freshman class. Jungmann was selected in the 24th round by the Dodgers, but joined fellow Georgetown alums Andrew McKirahan and Morgan Mickan at Texas. SS Brandon Loy of Rowlett, Texas was a 32nd round selection by Baltimore while LHP Sam Stafford was picked by Boston in the 40th round.

C Preston Clark, 1B/LHP Brandon Belt, LHP Riley Boening, RHP Cole Green, INF David Hernandez, OF Kevin Keyes, OF Kyle Lusson, DH Russell Moldenhauer, C Cameron Rupp, 3B Tant Shepherd, INF Michael Torres, INF Travis Tucker, LHP Austin Wood and RHP Brandon Workman also return from 2008’s squad, giving the Longhorns plenty of experience at every position.

Boening, Clark, Torres, Tucker and Wood join LHP Keith Shinaberry as the only seniors for the Longhorns.

Texas begins the year ranked 4th by Baseball America, 8th by the NCBWA, 9th in the Coaches/ESPN Poll and 10th by Collegiate Baseball. Texas A&M is the only Big 12 team to recieve higher rankings, outranking the Longhorns in all 4 polls.

OFs Jordan Danks and Kyle Russell are the only significant losses for Texas in the field. Danks signed with the Chicago White Sox after posting a .321 batting average with 14 stolen bases in 2008. Russell, now with the St. Louis Cardinals organization, finished his 3-year career as the All-Time leader in home runs for the Longhorns. In his career, Russell hit 57 home runs, 2 more than former record-holder Jeff Ontiveros.

On the mound, Texas will be without LHP Kenn Kasparek, now with the Seattle Mariners organization, Kyle Walker, an 11th round selection by the Colorado Rockies, and Casey Whitmer, who signed with the Washington Nationals. Kasparek went 17-5 in his 3 years. Walker spent his career mostly as a relief pitcher, often having trouble with control, but contributing when Texas needed him. Whitmer spent one season with the Longhorns after transferring from Florida State.

Texas begins their season on February 20th against Illinois-Chicago. Head Coach Augie Garrido will not be with the team until their 5th game of the season, after being arrested for a DWI earlier this month. The new volunteer assistant coach for 2009 is none other than former Longhorn MVP Tommy Nicholson, a personal favorite of mine.

While not yet confirmed by any major sources, word on the internet is that Tech picked up a pledge from 2-star (Rivals) OG Matt Goetz from Steele HS in Cibolo, Texas. Goetz measures up at 6-4 270, and is expected to play center under OL Coach Matt Moore’s tutelage. Geotz’s commitment increases the number of 2009 recruits to 22, and gives the Red Raiders 4 OL in their newest class.

Tech also picked up a commit from 2-sport star Bryce Lamb out of Chandler, Arizona. Lamb, listed as a 3-star DB on Rivals.com, will not see the field for Mike Leach, but will instead join Wes Kittley’s track squad. Under NCAA rules, a player on a track scholarship is not eligible to play football for 2 years, so if Lamb were to ever play for Tech, it wouldn’t be until 2011. Kittley has given Lamb his blessing to play football in the future, if he desires to do so. Lamb is the 2nd high profile athlete to join the track squad, after former New Mexico State WR Lavorick Williams transferred to Tech to run track.

Tech released their 2009 roster this weekend, showing the vast changes taking place in the Dan Spencer Era. I counted 13 departures and 16 new arrivals on this years roster, including a whole lot of pitchers.

Some of the spotlight players that left include OF Roger Kieschnick, P Zach Stewart, INF Jason Seefeld, LHP James Leverton and OF Doug Thennis. Headlining the additions are JUCO transfer OFs Kellen Monreal and Michael Reed. Tech added 12 true freshman and 4 JUCO transfers for 2009.

Additions : (*= JUCO)

4 Mehdi Alavi C*

10 Justin Berry INF

21 Scott Erzinger LHP

41 Colton Farrar RHP

31 Kengray Fleming OF

28 Ben Flora LHP

12 Brandon Foster RHP

11 Nick Hanslik INF

25 Louis Head RHP

30 Scott LeJeune INF

19 Mason Macnoll OF

15 Kenny Matthews LHP*

9 Kellen Monreal OF*

2 Michael Reed OF*

3 Garrett Totten INF

7 Kevin Whitehead C

Subtractions:

Chris Hall INF (Transfer)

Jason Seefeld INF (Graduated)

A.J. Schugel C (unknown)

James Leverton LHP (Drafted)

Doug Thennis OF (Graduated)

Monk Kreder C (Transfer)

Juan Rodriguez C (Transfer)

John Schnettgoecke C (unknown)

Tanner Rindels OF (Transfer)

Zach Stewart RHP (Drafted)

Russ Fornea RHP (unknown)

Roger Kieschnick OF (Drafted)

Sam Janca RHP (unknown)

Tech’s 2009 season begins Friday February, 20 at 1 PM.

DT Myles Wade of Portland, Oregon, gave his committment to Texas Tech on Sunday, helping out the Red Raiders at a need position. Wade, a 4-star prospect on Rivals.com, is also listed as the #18 JUCO Prospect for 2009 by the same website.

As a senior at Central Catholic HS in Portland in 2006, Wade collected 62 tackles with 5 sacks, earning him a spot on the U.S. Army All-American West Roster. Wade was originally committed to Oregon out of high school, but found himself at Arizona Western Community College in 2008. Texas Tech coach Mike Leach pursued Wade hard, and was able to convince him that his services were needed in Scarlet and Black.

Wade is the 21st player to commit to the Red Raiders for the 2009 season, and the 4th Red Raider to have played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl (Adam James – 2006, Todd Walker – 2005, and Marquis Johnson – 2002).

Texas Tech 2009 Recruits:

QB: Jacob Karam  6-1   197  Friendswood, TX (Friendswood)

RB: Eric Stephens  5-8  177  Mansfield, TX (Timberview)

WR: E.J. Celestie  5-11  173  Lake Charles, LA (Barbe)

Aaron Fisher  6-3  175  Keller, TX (Fossil Ridge)

Derrick Mays  6-0  170  Killeen, TX (Shoemaker)

Eric Ward  5-11  190  Wichita Falls, TX (Rider)

OL: Kyle Clark  6-5  267  Denton, TX (Guyer)

Joel Gray  6-6  288  Lewisville, TX (Hebron)

LaAdrian Waddle  6-6  315  Columbus, TX (Columbus)

DT: Ramario Cathey  6-3  275  Nashville, TX (Maplewood Comp)

Myles Wade  6-2  311  Portland, OR (Northern Arizona CC)

DE: Kerry Hyder  6-2  246  Austin, TX (LBJ)

Trevor Reilly  6-6  220  San Diego, CA (San Diego Mesa)

LB: Dion Chidozie  6-1  190  Dallas, TX (Bishop Lynch)

James Scott  6-3  220  Coldspring, TX (Coldspring-Oakhurst)

DB: Terrance Bullitt  6-2  178  Garland, TX (Naaman Forrest)

Daniel Cobb  6-1  195  Killeen, TX (Ellison)

Will Ford  6-1  190  Abilene, TX (Cooper)

D.J. Johnson  6-0  171  Austin, TX (St. Stephens)

Yahshua Williams  6-3  185  Denton, TX (Ryan)

ATH:Jarvis Phillips  6-0  185  Dallas, TX (Carter)

So the season is over. 11-2. Best season in Texas Tech history up until the OU game, but incredible none the less. Now that we are on to 2009, lets look at how much will change with the Red Raiders…

Losses: QB Graham Harrell, RB Shannon Woods, WR Michael Crabtree (NFL Early Entrant), WR Eric Morris, WR Todd Walker (Medical School), OL Louis Vasquez, OL Rylan Reed, OL Jake Johnson, DE Brandon Williams (NFL Early Entrant), DE Jake Ratliff, S Darcel McBath, S Daniel Charbonnet, S Anthony Hines, S Jordy Rowland, S Lance Fuller, CB L.A. Reed, CB Pete Richardson (Dismissed)

This most glaring losses are Harrell and Crabtree. There is no replacing the best QB-WR duo in Texas Tech history. Instead, there is only hope that their production can be shifted to other areas. Reed and Vasquez spent the last 2 seasons protecting Graham’s left-side, both picking up at least 1 All-American tag along the way. Williams led the Big 12 in sacks in 2009 with 13, and finished his career with 29 total. McBath spent 3 years as a starter for the defense, while Charbonnet was a pleasant surprise and a turnover machine in 2009. The most troublesome loss is the 5 senior safeties that finished their eligibility.

2009:

QB:

STARTER: Taylor Potts, Jr., Abilene, Texas – Potts is most likely to be the heir to Graham Harrell’s offense. His 6-5 218 lbs. frame is the closest thing to an NFL prototype that Mike Leach has ever recruited to Lubbock. He has a much stronger arm than Harrell, but lacks the experience.

THE REST: Stefan Loucks, So., Little Rock, Arkansas and Seth Doege, RS FR., Wolfforth, Texas -  should battle for the back-up spot behind Potts. Loucks played in a pass-heavy offense at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, but has yet to take a snap in Lubbock. Doege has not played an organized game of football since his sophomore year in high school, suffering preseason knee injuries as both a junior and senior at Frenship High School. Doege has the edge because of his athleticism and potential.

RECRUIT: Jacob Karam, Friendswood TX – Karam is the fastest of the quarterbacks that Leach will have next year, but don’t expect him to see the field. Like all Tech quarterbacks, Karam will probably spend 2009 redshirting and learning to run the offense. Karam threw for 3,291 yards and 38 TDs with only 10 INTs in 2008 at Friendswood HS.

RB:

STARTER: Baron Batch, Jr., Midland, Texas – Batch came back from an injury that sidelined him in 2007 to lead the Red Raiders with 758 rushing yards, and added 7 TDs. Batch combines his speed with a surprising power that allows him to run between the tackles instead of around the outside. He is also a recieving threat, with 45 catches for 449 yards in ‘08. Batch will take the bulk of the carries in 2009.

THE REST: Aaron Crawford, So., Memphis, Tennessee and Harrison Jeffers, RS Fr., Lawton, Oklahoma – Crawford spent most of 2008 on the sideline after picking up a leg injury in week 2 against Nevada. Crawford started the final 3 games of 2007 as a true freshman, but showed little production in Tech’s Air Raid Offense. Crawford was named Mr. Football in Tennessee in 2006 for class 5A. Jeffers was Rivals 11th ranked RB in 2007 as a senior at Eisenhower HS. At 5-9, Jeffers is the shortest of the RB trio, but weighs in at 210 lbs., the heaviest of the group. Like Batch, he combines power with speed, but did not see the field as a true freshman.

RECRUIT: Eric Stephens, Mansfield, Texas – Mike Leach successfully stole Stephens away from Minnesota in November. Stephens is listed as a 4-star prospect on Rivals, and the 6th ranked all-purpose back. His 5-7, 177 lbs frame allows him his 4.4 speed. He fits will with the Leach philosophy, having the skills to run the ball and be a threat in the passing game.

OTHER: Ryan Hale, Sr., Baytown, Texas – Hale returns to Tech as the “fullback” in the Air Raid Offense. A converted linebacker, Hale sees time as a blocker and occasional target for the QB.

WR:

STARTERS: Detron Lewis, Jr., College Station, Texas, Tramain Swindall, So., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Eddie Britton, Sr., El Paso, Texas, and Lyle Leong, Jr., Abilene, Texas – Lewis will be the go-to receiver in 2009 after finishing 2nd on the team in receptions (76) and yards (913) in 2008. 40.8% of Lewis’s receptions in 2008 went for first downs or touchdowns, ranking him 2nd among starts behind Biletnikoff winner Michael Crabtree. Lewis’s main strength in 2008 was his ability to make the first defender miss after catching the ball. Swindall has great hands, but had a problem with fumbles in 2008. He isn’t a downfield threat like Lewis or Britton, but often was able to get open on medium passes. Britton is the downfield threat for the Red Raiders. A former running back, Britton was Harrell’s 2nd favorite target downfield, after Crabtree. He had his best game against Kansas, with 2 touchdowns on 3 receptions for 101 yards. The strong arm of Potts should go great with Britton’s speed. Leong, a high school teammate of Potts, has the best jumping ability of all of Tech’s WRs after competing as a high jumper at Abilene High. All 3 of his touchdowns in 2008 came against Kansas State.

THE REST: Rashad Hawk, So., Copperas Cove, Texas, Adam James, So., Celina, Texas, and Jacoby Franks, So., Orange, Texas – James, the son of former Pony Express RB Craig James, is the closest thing to a TE that Tech had in 2008. 7 of his 15 receptions were able to move the chains for the Red Raiders. Hawk did not see much playing time in the later part of the season for Tech. He also doubles as a sprinter on the Texas Tech Track team. Franks has the speed to compete in the Big 12. In 2008, he was most successful on special teams, coming up with 4 total tackles on punt and rickoff returns. Adrian Reese, a redshirt in 2008 will also return in 2009 after serving as the TE in 2007.

RECRUITS: Eric Ward, Wichita Falls, Texas, Aaron Fisher, Keller, Texas, E.J. Celestie, Lake Charles, Louisiana – Ward and Fisher could find themselves playing in 2009. Ward, a former Oklahoma commit, caught 53 passes for 1,063 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior at Rider High School. Fisher’s 36 receptions for 936 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2008 was a dropoff from his junior season, but was still good enough to show his ability as a threat. Celestie’s 5-11 173 lbs. frame gives him good speed and elusiveness similar to former Tech WR Nehemiah Glover. Celestie will most likely redshirt in 2009. Emory Blake of Austin, Texas, son of former NFL QB Jeff Blake, has withdrawn his commitment to Texas Tech, but could possibly stick with Tech.

OL:

STARTERS: Stephen Hamby, Sr., San Antonio, Texas, Brandon Carter, Sr., Longview, Texas, Marlon Winn, Sr., Waxahachie, Texas, Shawn Byrnes, Sr., Phoenix, Arizona and Chris Olson, Jr., Dallas, Texas – Brandon Carter will be the anchor of the OL. An All-American in 2008, Carter has experience as the RG, but may switch position for 2009. Carter is by far Tech’s largest OL at 6-7 375. Hamby started at C for all 13 games, but may shift to guard or tackle to fill in for the departed Reed and Vasquez. Winn played RT and will most likely keep his position. Shawn Byrnes, the starting C in 2007 will replace Hamby if he shifts spots. Olson was Tech’s top backup in 2008.

THE REST: Lonnie Edwards, So., Brownsboro, Texas and Mickey Okafor, So., Houston, Texas – Unlike 2008, Tech’s backups at OL will be somewhat inexperienced. Edwards and Okafor are the only other players that have seen any significant playing time in Lubbock. Four players will be eligible after redshirting in 2008.

RECRUITS: Kyle Clark, Denton, Texas, Joel Gray, Lewisville, Texas, and LaAdrian Waddle, Columbus, Texas – Clark and Waddle will most likely be listed as tackles when Tech suits up in 2009, while Gray will see time at guard. All 3 have the talent to play in the Big 12.

DL:

STARTERS: McKinner Dixon, Sr., Lufkin, Texas, Rajon Henley, Sr., Galveston, Texas, Colby Whitlock, Jr., Noble, Oklahoma and TBD – Dixon returned to Texas Tech in 2008 and promptly recorded 9 sacks and 11 tackles for loss, both 2nd on the team behind departed DE Brandon Williams. Dixon will be the main pass-rush threat in Lubbock. Henley and Whitlock will both start at DT for the 3rd straight year. Both players are stronger against the run than against the pass, but struggle against double teams at times. Whitlock’s play against Texas was a major factor in the 39-33 victory. The 2nd DE spot is up for grabs between Sandy Riley, Brandon Sesay (also a DT) and Daniel Howard.

THE REST: Sandy Riley, Sr., Houston, Texas, Daniel Howard, Sr., Wichita, Kansas, Brandon Sesay, Sr., Atlanta, Georgia, Richard Jones, Sr., LaMarque, Texas, and Chris Perry, So., Keller, Texas – Riley and Howard will be the top contenders for the vacant DE spot. Sesay’s size puts him at DT, but he was a DE while in Junior College. Jones has the most experience at DT behind Henley, and will contribute as the first backup. Perry, a transfer from Miami in 2008, will be a welcome backup when Henley and Whitlock take a breather.

RECRUITS: Kerry Hyder, Austin, Texas, Romario Cathey, Nashville, Tennessee, Trevor Reilly, San Diego, California – Hyder’s small frame will force a year of redshirting to bulk up, but his speed will help him as a pass rusher when he does play. Cathey is Tech’s only DT recruit. Reilly, who has committed to Tech for a second time after serving a Mormon mission is tall enough to play at DE, but has the weight to be a LB.

LB:

STARTERS: Brian Duncan, Jr., Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Marlon Williams, Sr., Pflugerville, Texas, and Bront Bird, Jr., Odessa, Texas – LB is the only position that returns all starters for 2009. All 3 starters were among Tech’s top 5 tacklers last season. Duncan will stay in the middle and be used most against the run after leading the team with 94 tackles. Williams is Tech’s top OLB and has started for 3 years and lead all Tech LBs with 2 sacks in ‘08. Bird returns for his 2nd year starting opposite Williams at OLB. Bird’s 4 tackles for loss were tops amongst Tech LBs.

THE REST: Blake Collier, Sr., Justin, Texas, Victor Hunter, Sr., Irving, Texas, Julius Howard, Jr., Irving, Texas, and Sam Fehoko, So., Honolulu, Hawaii – Collier is the fastest Red Raider LB, but was injured most of 2008. Hunter was the top backup to the 3 starters, and made 23 tackles. Howard will be second string on the outside, and is a force on special teams. Fehoko was a super star in Hawaii, but is sitting 3rd at MLB behind Duncan and Hunter.

RECRUITS: Dion Chidozie, Dallas, Texas and James Scott, Coldspring, Texas – Chidozie has speed to burn and will project on the outside while Scott lacks the speed, but has a larger size. Both will most likely redshirt in 2009.

CB:

STARTERS: Jamar Wall, Sr., Planview, Texas and Brent Nickerson, Sr., Irving, Texas – Wall, a former All-Conference player will start for the 3rd consecutive year at corner. His 7 career interceptions rank 1st among returning players as does his 19 pass break ups (11 in 2008). Nickerson is set to be the starter opposite Wall when Spring Practice starts, but has not locked down the position. Nickerson started most of 2008 after injuries slowed Pete Richardson and L.A. Reed.

THE REST: LaRon Moore, Jr., Midwest City, Oklahoma, DeShon Sanders, Sr., Hobbs, New Mexico, Taylor Charbonnet, So., The Woodlands, Texas and Jared Flannel, So., Brazoria, Texas – Moore is the most experienced backup and will compete for a starting spot in the spring. He broke up 1 pass in 2008. Sanders saw most of his playing time on special teams, but will be questionable to play after his arrest on drug charges before the Cotton Bowl. Charbonnet and Flannel were both special teams stars, combining for 23 tackles. Neither saw much time on defense.

RECRUITS: D.J. Johnson, Austin, Texas, Yahshua Williams, Denton, Texas, and Jarvis Phillips, Dallas, Texas – Williams and Johnson are both 6-1 and played CB in high school. Both could contribute in 2010. Phillips, a QB at Carter HS in Dallas, projects to play as a corner at Tech. Phillips could shift to WR, following in the footsteps of former Carter QB Michael Crabtree.

S:

STARTERS: Franklin Mitchem, Jr., Klein, Texas and Cody Davis, RS Fr., Stephenville, Texas – After losing the top 5 safeties on the roster, Tech will be highly inexperienced in the secondary backfield in 2009. Mitchem, the top special teams tackler in 2008 should share a starting spot opposite RS Fr. Cody Davis, who has shown potential for being a 4 year starter and playmaker.

THE REST: Steven Harris, Jr., Lewisville, Texas – Harris is the only other S with experience outside of Mitchem. Harris missed 2008 after a suspension, and will most likely return for 2009.

RECRUITS: Daniel Cobb, Killeen, Texas, Terrence Bullitt, Garland, Texas, and Will Ford, Abilene, Texas – Bullit, brother of NFL S Melvin Bullitt, is the largest name among the recruits. He is a hard hitter with decent coverage skills. Opponents avoided him in HS. Ford, a former Oklahoma commit, switched to Tech in June and continues Tech’s pipeline in Abilene. Cobb starred as a RB for Ellison HS, but should see time at S for the Raiders.

P:

STARTER: Jonathan LaCour, Jr., Kingswood, Texas – LaCour returns for his 3rd year as the punter for Tech. LaCour only punted 21 times in the regular season for a 36.3 yard average. 10 of his punts were downed inside the 20

K:

STARTER: Matt Williams, Jr., Weatherford, Texas – Perhaps the oddest story of 2008, Williams will return to kick XPs for Tech after starting the 2008 season as a fan. Williams won a kicking contest at halftime against UMass and joined the team before the Kansas game. He was 29-29 on XPs and 2-3 on FGs. His only miss was a block by Texas.

THE REST: Donnie Carona, So., Beaumont, Texas – Corona lost his job as the starter after struggling in all aspects. He was 4-9 on FGs, and 33-37 on XPs. His poor timing and inexperience caused too many blocked kicks. He will still be Tech’s kickoff specialist.

PR:

STARTER: None. CB Jamar Wall is the only returning player to field a punt last season. He dabbled in 2007 and has the most experience on the team.

KR:

STARTERS: Jamar Wall, Detron Lewis and LaRon Moore – Wall was Tech’s main return man in 2008 with 20 for 477 yards. Lewis averaged 25.3 yards on 8 returns while Moore return 7 for 148.

After what I’ve watched so far today, NO DEAL.

Rip up the contract extension and let Mike plead his case next year.