Volleyball
Pt. 5 of 5: Get to know #TexasTech Volleyball Newcomers Eighmy Dobbins & Taylor Martinez. #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/BPaYrk0MVV
— TexasTech Volleyball (@TTUVball) September 7, 2016
Football
LAJ’s Don Williams writes about offensive line coach Chris Thomsen, who spent some years here with Tommy Tuberville as an offensive assistant. There were some really good guys that Tuberville hired, Thomsen is one of them, and he led Texas Tech to a bowl victory after Tuberville bolted for Cincinnati. Here’s Thomsen on the new offensive coordinator, Chip Lindsey:
“He was really familiar with a lot of the stuff we were already doing here, because of his background,” Thomsen said. “There hasn’t been a great deal of change in some aspects. Some things are different, but there’s enough carryover for our players that it wasn’t a drastic adjustment.
“He’s done a great job with our players and our coaches and the offensive staff and made the adjustment really easy. It’s been a great deal.”
The State Press’ Stefan Modrich (I think this is the student paper) talked with both ASU coordinators about Texas Tech:
“They probably run and execute screens as well as anybody in the country,” Patterson said. “That’s going back as far as our days against Houston with (current West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen) and (Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury).”
On the other side of the ball, offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey knows that the same benefits the ASU defense reaps from playing against his uptempo offense apply to Kingsbury at Texas Tech.
“They’re used to going against tempo,” Lindsey said. “(Defensive coordinator David Gibbs) does a great job. I know him from growing up in the South, and when I was at Auburn. I’ve got a lot of respect for them, even at the highest level, we’re going to have to execute and play well and score some points.”
This quote from the Arizona State defensive coordinator made the rounds and Jack Anderson had a pretty good answer.
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever read. Last time I checked ASU offered me… 😂😂😂 https://t.co/JbTxWZZuFz
— Jack Anderson (@JackAnderson_53) September 7, 2016
CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodds writes that the Big 12 will have to explain itself (themselves?) if BYU and Houston are not added and says that the entire expansion office has been bizarre:
One source inside the conference said those high academic schools were included on the finalists list to appease some Big 12 presidents.
Another source from a school trying to make the cut said the process is “bizarre in every way.”
A source close to the situation said it was impossible to handicap expansion at the moment. The league standing pat remains a distinct possibility.
Meanwhile . . .
Sources in college athletics told FOX 26 Sports @UHouston is making its presentation to @Big12Conference officials today in Dallas.
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) September 7, 2016
ESPN’s Max Olson has what to watch in week 2 of the Big 12 and thinks that Texas Tech may be in for a shoot-out in Tempe:
You know exactly what to expect when Texas Tech takes on Arizona State late Saturday night in Tempe, Arizona: lots of plays and lots of points. The Red Raiders’ 37-23 win over Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl back in 2013 remains one of Kliff Kingsbury’s more impressive victories as head coach. Winning this one wouldn’t be such an upset. The Sun Devils started slow against FCS Northern Arizona last week before eventually turning a 10-6 game into a 44-13 win. Still, it’s a nice stage for this Texas Tech defense to make some big strides. Texas Tech defensive coordinator David Gibbs will have some chaos cooked up for Sun Devils quarterback Manny Wilkins’ second career start.
ESPN has a short video that says that Patrick Mahomes is pretty good at football. I’m trying to embed that video here, but if it doesn’t show up, here’s the link.
I don’t know whether or not to be cynical or glad that he’s finally admitting “mistakes were made”, but former coach Art Briles had this to say to ESPN yesterday:
“I made mistakes. I did wrong, but I’m not doing this trying to make myself feel better for apologizing,” Briles told ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi. “I understand I made some mistakes. There was some bad things that went on under my watch. I was the captain of this ship. The captain of the ship goes down with it.
“So, I understand that I made some mistakes, and for that I’m sorry. But I’m not trying to plead for people’s sympathy. I’m just stating that, ‘Hey, I made some mistakes. I was wrong. I’m sorry. I’m gonna learn. I’m gonna do better.”
This is better than being utterly defiant that he did nothing wrong and the cynical part of me thinks that this is being done so that Briles can get a job coaching.
Miscellaneous . . . Sports Spotlight’s David Ubben picks this week’s Big 12 games and we might be headed to upset city . . . LAJ’s Krista Pirtle has a Q&A with ASU kicker Zane Gonzalez . . .