These are my running thoughts while watching Episode 1 of The Brand, which is a behind-the-scenes look at the Texas Tech football program.

• The open. Joey McGuire talks about the bowl game and how great the team played. Talking about preparing. No reason not to play fast. Want to play so friggin’ hard by the way Texas Tech plays. Get ready to play.
• When talking about the toughest and hardest working team in the country, that’s who this community is and will be really proud. Practice is everything. Putting guys in situations that they will be on Saturdays they will be prepared. Relationship culture and shared success and shared commitment and shared adversity bring people together. Have to create adversity, try to help each other out with tough times.
• The brand is unconditional. Have to be the brand 24/7. This is like church to me because this is my family. Don’t bring stuff that isn’t the brand. you get 2 hours with your brother to get better. Leave everything behind and be the brand.
• The Brand: The toughest, hardest working, most competitive team in the country.
• DeRuyter, Kittley, and strength and conditioning coach. Adrian Frye says you have to be that guy every play of every practice of every scrimmage. If you do the things you will be the #1 in your field, day in and day out.
• Myles Price, when we say it, we mean it. We are taking steps to do that.
• DeRuyter talks about developing relationships.
• S&C coach talks about how you have to be able to perform at your best when you feel the worst. He’s got the goatee and looks like a S&C coach. Have to be tight with the guys and cannot communicate then you are missing the mark and the most important part of the process.
• Dimitri Moore talks about trust.
• Myles Price said it didn’t feel like a family the 1st year, 2nd year started to feel more like a family, but nothing compared to this year, this is one team, not individuals, but one whole unit.
• Kenny Perry said the only soft thing in West Texas is cotton.
• McGuire says he wants to be really physical and really fast. Have to learn each other to play physical and fast. Make the complicated simple so the guys can play fast. The guys have taken to hard coaching. Have to play your best football is because of the way you are being coached.
• Loved McGuire talking about how to speed rush (stop, rip, reach) and the technique and how players can’t just run off the edge and not get at the quarterback. More of this.
• Made a point to single out Ram and J-Rod, #54 (outside linebacker Bryce Ramirez) and #13 (linebacker Jacob Rodriguez) for how they are going 100% and tells the offense they need to go that hard every practice and that’s the standard.