Tech gets Dave Campbell's Texas Cover: Hype Mounting in LBK

by the1austin on Jun 16, 2008 1:32 PM CDT

Texas Tech's Mike Leach, Graham Harrell, and Michael Crabtree are on the cover of this year's Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine.

via texasfootball.com

Stewart Mandel, in last week's mailbag , argued that this is Tech's best chance to finally get over the hump of mediocrity that has plagued the program since Leach's arrival. Here are some quotes:

But the moment that really caught my attention was when the Red Raiders did finally beat one of those juggernauts, then No. 3 Oklahoma 34-27 in last year's regular-season finale. Oklahoma fans would have you believe this result was solely the product of losing QB Sam Bradford to injury, but the score was 34-13 halfway through the fourth quarter, and it's unclear to me how Bradford would have prevented Crabtree from catching 12 balls for 154 yards.

The biggest concern, obviously, is what Johnny alluded to: That the Red Raiders, in typical fashion, will blow a couple early season games they have no business losing. But have you looked at that schedule? It begins with Eastern Washington, Nevada, SMU and UMass. Tech should absolutely be 7-0 heading into an Oct. 25 game at Kansas, and that contest, as well as Texas the next week and Oklahoma in Norman on Nov. 22, will determine whether they can win the division.

Poll

Are you buying the hype about Tech or are they destined to finish 3rd in the South, like always?

All comments, FanPosts, and FanShots are the views of the reader-authors who create them.

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Comments

That cover smells of PB's Microsoft Paint skills.

It's a Horns' world. Even Aggies play hoops with a burnt orange ball.
Is it football season YET?

by Speedway on Jun 16, 2008 2:12 PM CDT 0 recs

Exactly

arrrrrggggghhhhhh, matey!

by horndude on Jun 16, 2008 2:32 PM CDT up 0 recs

Shouldn't they ...

... have won the Big 12 south at least once to warrant a cover? I mean, we’ve all been waiting for years for tech to get a defense … and yet, they have not.

Watch out, I bite.

by EddieTheAlbinoSquirrel on Jun 16, 2008 2:34 PM CDT 0 recs

Re: the poll

Are you doing this or are they doing that?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Who cares

Well, I’m going to say A, yes. That is, I’m buying the hype or they’ll finish third as always, or both.

by Horn Brain on Jun 16, 2008 2:43 PM CDT 0 recs

Typed it up quick, thought it was easy to decipher...

A. Yes, I buy the hype, and believe that Tech will make a BCS bowl.
B. No, I do not buy the hype and believe Tech will finish third, like always..
C. i don’t care about Tech or the hype

On an unrelated note, I saw that the Aggies are now spelling Tech “Tceh.” I kid you not. Look here…

by the1austin on Jun 16, 2008 3:08 PM CDT up 1 recs

Hilarious @ Tceh. .nt whills

by Horn Brain on Jun 16, 2008 3:38 PM CDT up 0 recs

It doesn't take much

to start an aggie tradishun. The tceh thing started here:

There is not a lot of activity in College Station beyond Texags.

by horndude on Jun 16, 2008 3:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

It's harder than you think to start a tradition at A&M

Here’s three pages of fierce debate as to whether or not their football teams stadium entrance qualifies as a tradition.

by the1austin on Jun 16, 2008 4:18 PM CDT up 0 recs

It just like fuckin' aggies

to make the entrance more important than the game.

We hunger for football and the future.

They hunger for the past and a tank.

I wonder how many hours a day their new pro coach stare at the ceiling in his beautiful bunker and wonder what in the fuck he did to the fickle fates of football to wind up College fuckin’ Station. There’s a tragic novel in there somewhere.

by whills on Jun 16, 2008 8:33 PM CDT up 0 recs

You have violated the terms of our treaty...

... And we will retaliate a-fucking-ccordingly!

The F-Bomb race is on!

by Horn Brain on Jun 16, 2008 8:35 PM CDT up 0 recs

What treaty? nt

by whills on Jun 16, 2008 8:56 PM CDT up 0 recs

they've been doing that for years

ever since the little mishap with the flags.

This isn’t anything new.

by Beergut on Jun 17, 2008 2:35 AM CDT up 0 recs

Tech's at it's best

when they can jump up and bite somebody unexpectedly. I’m not sure Tech can be “the guy”

by the other Andrew on Jun 16, 2008 3:43 PM CDT 0 recs

I agree, the last time they were seen in this light was in 2005.

That year, a favorable schedule and a 6-0 start gave the impression to the national media that Tech had a legit shot at the Fiesta Bowl. They came into Austin ranked #7, College Gameday showed up, and then Vince undressed them to the tune of 52-17. They would also lost at Stillwater and in the Cotton Bowl.

Tough to get a read on a Tech team, but they do seem more tough to play when they have nothing to lose.

by the1austin on Jun 16, 2008 4:42 PM CDT up 0 recs

you forgot about their QB pissing down his pantsleg in the first drive of the game

My father literally walked into the room, watched the first two plays of the game, where Cumbie was quaking in his shoes, and said, “This game is over”.
The score was still 0-0, but he knew one team was ready to play in a high-profile game, and one obviously was not.

by Beergut on Jun 17, 2008 2:40 AM CDT up 0 recs

Yea.

Lots of shame losing to Texas in 2005. Weren’t we the only ones?

Go register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Jun 18, 2008 6:22 PM CDT up 0 recs

Fast Defenses

Especially at the LB position seem to prevent Tech from going the distance.

I dont think Muschamp with the talent we have on D will let them win, assuming Tech hasnt found a formidable defense yet.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Jun 16, 2008 5:07 PM CDT up 0 recs

Tech defense

There has also been some hype about their DC. Think he converted in the middle of the season last year. Anyway I wonder if any team’s defense can withstand the pressure placed on it by being on the field as much as Leach has them on the field. But if they can then Tech worries me.

If their d is as bad this year as it was last year then no worries.

by Longhorny on Jun 16, 2008 5:25 PM CDT 0 recs

harrell looks like he's 14

and still waiting on those balls to drop (which is something his receivers have no problem with)

by BigTexBD on Jun 16, 2008 5:41 PM CDT 0 recs

O V E R R A T E D

by Longhorns84 on Jun 16, 2008 7:18 PM CDT 0 recs

+ 1000

I live in Lubbock and hear this crap every single year. The fans around here buy into and think their hot stuff while trouncing Indiana State or some other school that I had no friggin idea even had a football program. I think they play Eastern Washington (where again if it weren’t for EA Sports) I would have no idea that they had a team., then SMU and UMASS. As always they will dismantle these teams and I’ll get to hear about how that crystal football will soon call Lubbock home. Then they’ll lose a game or two and the fans dissappear. Just like them leaving @ halftime in 2004, when Vince and Cedric were putting on a clinic here in Lubbock. They are the most fickle fans I have ever seen and talk more trash than any other fans I have ever heard. I can’t wait till OK State or Baylor or whoever, knocks them back to earth to spend the rest of their season in “dusty, wind blown” mediocrity.

by LonghorninRaiderland on Jun 17, 2008 1:03 PM CDT up 0 recs

You...

hear every year that Tech is ranked top 15 or you hear every year that Tech is on the cover of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football?

Whether or not the hype about Tech is true, this is the first time we’ve been truly hyped. Regarding all that other bullshit about Tech fans generally, I deny it all.

Go register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Jun 18, 2008 6:24 PM CDT up 0 recs

of course...

What kind of person that actually calls themselves a fan would admit to being fickle. There is video evidence that if the fans see Tech losing the’ll leave. Like I said in 2004 Texas was up like 21 in the 3rd quarter and the camera’s were focused on the student gate that was flooded with student’s who were leaving…the commentators even said, ” I can’t believe that people are actually leaving the stadium, haven’t the ever seen the Tech offense and how quickly they can score? They should have their ID’s taken away and asked not to return…”

I live in Lubbock, have lived hear just about my entire life. I’ve heard the “hype” year in and year out and then listened to the silence once they’ve lost a couple of games. I have good friends that claim to be diehard fans that will talk and talk about what Tech will accomplish, but again, after a loss, they seem to have lost interest. I have season tickets to Tech games mainly because I love football. From what I’ve seen that if it’s not A&M, UT, or OU playing here, the only way that they sell out the stadium is pretty much when they’re guaranteed a win. If it’s “iffy” there will be rows upon rows of empty seats.

by LonghorninRaiderland on Jun 19, 2008 7:53 AM CDT up 0 recs

"video evidence"?

From one game? That you didn’t provide?

Is that really the direction you want to take this argument, chastising Tech fans for allegedly leaving a game early? On a Longhorns website?

Go register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Jun 20, 2008 6:44 AM CDT up 0 recs

Thanks, guys, I think we're done here.

The next reply to this little thread is going to start a pissing contest. Don’t let that happen.

by Horn Brain on Jun 20, 2008 10:02 AM CDT up 0 recs

Just an observation...

Like I said I have lived in Lubbock and within 25 miles of Lubbock my entire life. I get to hear these so called “die hard fans”, talk and talk, and then stop talking when things don’t go the way they want them to.

You may not be one of these fans…I understand that. It just amazes me of how many of this type of fans there are here in Lubbock. Did you honestly think that I was expecting you to agree with me?

by LonghorninRaiderland on Jun 20, 2008 10:27 AM CDT up 0 recs

Well... I guess you sort of tried?

No more, guys, come on.

by Horn Brain on Jun 20, 2008 10:31 AM CDT up 0 recs

When I see the Tceh defense on the cover

I’ll start thinking serious about them. I think Campbell pussied out on Mizzou.

I ask my TT buddies “What’s up with Tech?”

They’re all lesbians, and they just hissed.

I guess that’s a clue to Leach’s deflatable defense.

by whills on Jun 16, 2008 8:23 PM CDT 0 recs

I don't think Campbell slighted the Tigers.

This main focus is on the Texas teams, not the Big 12. While they do cover the South more in depth, they tend to give the North only a page per team. This is like only the 2nd time in 49 years for Tech to have the cover to themselves.

by Bevoboy94 on Jun 17, 2008 11:46 AM CDT up 0 recs

I took a cheap shot at Waco.

They’re never gonna have a non-Texas team on the cover if they want sales to stay high; they may pull in individuals though mixed with Texas team players.

They could do the Big 12 but they don’t; they stay their homerish selves. They stick to their tradition even when there’s opportunity to present much better information about the whole league. They were once the big fish…in the 60s they were a revelation. Today, no so much…

by whills on Jun 17, 2008 12:39 PM CDT up 0 recs

Back in the day

I remember my Dad waiting for Texas Football to come out (used to be the last week in July or so). It seemed to be the sametime as our family vacation. I read it for a while myself but all I ever cared about was Texas, so I quit bothering. I’d rather send my $5 – 10 on something just Texas homerish. As stated, pre-seaon mags are just sun shine for everyones butts and Texas Football is no different now. At least they still cover the High Schools to some degree.

by Bevoboy94 on Jun 17, 2008 1:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

I bought it for the high schools

more than anything else. I did like the conference predictions by the old time sportswriters; those were always interesting and sometimes extremely insightful.

by whills on Jun 17, 2008 9:28 PM CDT up 0 recs

wow, yall are pretty insane in the brain

I had no idea that going 51-26 since 2002, and being the only team in Big 12 history without a losing record is being ‘mediocre’.

What Leech has done in Lubbock – average 8.5 wins per season over the last 6 years, is pretty incredible. They deserve to be on the cover this year – the two prized recruits all grown up, schedule favorable for quick start. Plus, Texas and A&M aren’t really stories this year. Makes perfect sense to me that they’re on the cover.

Anyway, I know it’s nice averaging 10 wins per year under Mack Brown, but 51-26 since 2002 in the Big 12 ain’t mediocre. Not in my book.

by Blitzburgh on Jun 16, 2008 10:07 PM CDT 0 recs

8.5 wins?`

Please show me how a team wins 8.5 games? Either pick 7 or 8…

My adopted son has the hottest wife.

by maverick76904 on Jun 16, 2008 10:29 PM CDT up 0 recs

Sorry

Pick 8 or 9 wins a year

My adopted son has the hottest wife.

by maverick76904 on Jun 16, 2008 10:37 PM CDT up 0 recs

He could have picked 7.

C’mon, give tech a chance.

It all looks so easy right now.

by whills on Jun 16, 2008 11:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

jon kitna believes 10 wins are possible for everyone...nt

by learned hand on Jun 16, 2008 11:22 PM CDT up 0 recs

Sure, with an 80.9 rating, spring is his time to talk.

However, this isn’t a complete loser.

If this modest dream (he could have gone SB on us) should transpire, like if the football gods hit the bar ditch and get thrown into another world for 10 weeks, a lot of those winning TDs will go to Roy.

Can Tech, OU and Texas each win 10? Sure. So can Missouri and Kansas. But not Iowa State. Or Baylor. That would take a major bar ditch. CU is the dark horse, more because a running attack is running contra to so many offenses. Could be very dangerous at home.

by whills on Jun 17, 2008 12:25 AM CDT up 0 recs

wow, you're a bright one

They either won 8 or 9 wins a year for 6 years. 3 with 9. 3 with 8. What part of simple fractions are tough?

by Blitzburgh on Jun 17, 2008 1:19 AM CDT up 0 recs

why start at 2002?

Leach arrived at Tech in 2000. Or are you ashamed of those 6 and 5 loss seasons, with bowl losses to football juggernauts East Carolina and Iowa?

65-37 is a mediocre 8-4 average season. Mediocrity is when you lose to bad teams like Kansas ‘01, NC State ‘03, New Mexico ‘04, Okie State ‘05, TCU ‘06, Colorado ‘06, Colorado ‘07.

Tech always manages to lose one they should win. In their non-conference schedule this year, I’d pick Nevada to be that team. In conference, I’d pick K-State to upset them.

by Beergut on Jun 17, 2008 2:55 AM CDT up 0 recs

if that's mediocrity...

then what is the team that loses to them every single year, beergut?

by billyzane on Jun 17, 2008 11:03 AM CDT up 0 recs

Fran's struggles against Tech

doesn’t change anything about their program.

Despite the fact that he only beat them once in 5 years, it doesn't make them better than mediocre.

by Beergut on Jun 17, 2008 1:10 PM CDT up 0 recs

better than mediocre - end of sentence

dammit

by Beergut on Jun 17, 2008 1:10 PM CDT up 0 recs

Obviously

he’s not ashamed of the 5 loss seasons, since he included 2002, 2003, and 2006.

Mediocrity is not making bowl games, in my opinion. See, for example, Texas A&M in 2005. Or 2003. Or 2002.

Go register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Jun 18, 2008 6:29 PM CDT up 0 recs

To me that's the definition of mediocrity

it’s good, but not good enough. You know?

by LonghorninRaiderland on Jun 17, 2008 1:04 PM CDT up 0 recs

Tech

I f’ing hate em. Leach is kind of an idiot. He needs to be an OC. Not a head coach. He has no defense. None. If they didn’t beat OU and have incredible bowl comebacks no one would care. I wish Leach would leave the BIG 12 and go to a school with big expectations (not lubbock) and then get fired because he has no defense.

I always talk about leach with my friends and say why would you want to play for this guy? If I was a recruit and I had my choice of a Texas (or big 12) school and it was leach, stoops and sherman; the other guys would be telling me how storied their programs are, how they coached the greats, and how they will make me into a man. Leach says, “do you like pirates?” I suppose this might work for some 18 year olds but not for me.

I hope Baylor beats Tech this year. They’re in need of an upset. (BTW, baylor=coaching graveyard).

by carsondude on Jun 17, 2008 2:07 AM CDT 0 recs

You ever notice how it's not his fault....

Head coaches are supposed to shoulder the losses am I right? At least that’s what the respectable ones do, Bowden, Mack, Stoops…but Leach…Well, it’s always someone elses fault. For example, Losses to Texas in ‘06 and ‘07, were the refs fault. I believe after their loss to Colorado last year, he said something to the effect that his players didn’t execute what he called and that’s why they lost. I wouldn’t want to play for a guy who it going to blame me for everything that goes wrong. The guy’s an egotistical idiot who only care’s about what make him look good.

by LonghorninRaiderland on Jun 17, 2008 1:14 PM CDT up 0 recs

I've noticed that

Leach is a character, but an incredibly sore loser when his team doesn’t win.

by Beergut on Jun 17, 2008 1:23 PM CDT up 0 recs

Dude

Bowden, Mack, Stoops?

You are 1 for 3 on respectable coaches.

by Wells on Jun 23, 2008 11:06 PM CDT up 1 recs

Tee hee...

+

=

Can we please stop for a second and remember that OU lost to a WAC team in the Fiesta Bowl? Are you kidding? This is one of those things that I’ll always remember, and when I randomly do, it will surprise me with just how crazy it is.

by Horn Brain on Jun 24, 2008 8:45 AM CDT up 0 recs

I respect the guy

Carsondude -

I think if you look at your statement, it’s actually a pro-Leach argument, IMO. Sure he’s gruff with the press and no doubt eccentric, but he does a lot with FAR less talent. He basically gets 5th pick in his backyard (Texas, Aggie, OU, LSU) every year in recruiting talent, and has the near impossible task of convincing people to come to Lubbock. His innovative offensive system has transformed that team from a slight chance of a Big 12 upset into a program that you damn well better game plan for or they will beat you, or at least win 8.5 games a year, according to a previous post. True, their defense keeps them from contending for grander things but again, he doesn’t have a realistic shot at the talent more storied programs can seemingly pick off the local trees with ease (this isn’t to say Mack doesn’t work hard for his classes, because he does do a phenomenal job). For all his shortcomings (and there are many), he plays a pretty good game of poker with the cards he’s dealt.

by Horndogger on Jun 17, 2008 4:09 PM CDT up 0 recs

Dammit.

PB kicked it up to the front page and much more eloquently while I typed this, so disregard.

by Horndogger on Jun 17, 2008 4:16 PM CDT up 0 recs

Since Ruffin McNeil

took over the defense last season, Tech ranked first in the Big 12 in total defense.

Go register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Jun 18, 2008 6:30 PM CDT up 0 recs

Defense?

Please don’t give Tech defensive stats. Tech gave up a ton of yards/points against Texas and ou (with the backup qb in). Texas Tech’s offense always struggles against SEC defenses..We have a SEC defensive coor. now, and the Tech offense will struggle.

by Longhorns84 on Jun 20, 2008 10:40 AM CDT up 0 recs

Re:

Oklahoma was 50 yards under their season average last year against Texas Tech (we won, by the way… guess who gave up more total yards against OU than Texas Tech did? Hint: This site supports that team).

In Re: SEC defenses… here’s your sample size since 2002:
Alabama 2005
Ole Miss 2003
Ole Miss 2002

If you really think our one loss in the above three games from three years ago indicates that Texas Tech “struggles against SEC defenses” than go ahead, though I’ll disagree. It shows one bad game (ever had one of those?) and hardly indicates systemic failure to beat an entire conference’s defenses.

So, in sum, we’re 2-1 against the SEC since 2002 with 33.3 PPG (wins over Ole Miss, once ranked 18th and a lost to 8th ranked Alabama) and Texas is 2-1 against the SEC (win over unranked Arkansas and 25th ranked LSU and loss to unranked Arkansas) with a 28.3 PPG average. If we “struggle”, what does that say about Texas?

For the record, I do NOT think Texas struggles against SEC defenses. I think making that conclusion on a small sample size of three games with old data is ludicrous; hence why I think it’s crazy to conclude that Tech struggles generally against SEC defenses.

Go register. Or else.

by Skin Patrol on Jun 21, 2008 1:22 PM CDT up 0 recs

They fired they DC mid season last year

And we gave up 6 more yards per game than they did.

Granted last year was a bad year for us on D, but if Tech keeps growing better on D, they will be a pain in everyones side.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Jun 17, 2008 8:58 AM CDT 0 recs

Don't go biblical on us.

Leach wants to be the pain in your ass and the searing in your lungs.

If he wants a better D, he has to give up some O.

by whills on Jun 17, 2008 12:43 PM CDT up 0 recs

following the Oklahoma State loss

is not mid-season.

Sentenich had off-field issues that were distracting him from his job, and had a history of poor defenses on top of that. Rumor on Tech boards was that some boosters met with Leach and some other university mucky mucks after the Okie State game, and told him to fire Lyle. Don’t know if it is true or not, that is the rumor.
If texas hired a defensive coordinator who had poor results for multiple years in a row, instead of demoting him in the offseason like you did with Akina, then a comparison to Tech would be valid.

by Beergut on Jun 17, 2008 1:07 PM CDT up 0 recs

re:

so Akina was not fired?

by vy til i die on Jun 17, 2008 1:40 PM CDT up 1 recs

Semantics

When I say mid-season I mean, not at the beginning of the season, and not at the end. To be clear, the DC was fired after game 4, there were 12 regular season games on their schedule and one bowl game. Even if it wasnt precisely after game 6.5, Ill call that mid-season unless you have a better term for it.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Jun 17, 2008 2:30 PM CDT up 1 recs