Texas Tech wants to avenge a win
Kliff Kingsbury and his Texas Tech players are drawing on last year’s close game at Kansas for motivation for the rematch Thursday night.
In the 30-20 win, the Red Raiders (2-1) offense was “unenergetic” and “a joke,” the fourth-year coach said.
“They really brought it to us, they were way more physical and it showed on tape and on the field,” Red Raiders quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “It’s something that we really looked at and are going to go out there and hopefully we can bring the physicality to them here at home.”
Mahomes leads the Big 12 in passing and touchdowns (497.7 yards per game and 14 TDs) in large measure because he has many good receivers: Johnathan Giles (346 yards and five TDs), Cameron Batson (197 yards and three TDs) and RB Justin Stockton (191 and one TD).
Mahomes has just two interceptions through three games, one fewer than the same time last season.
“He has protected the ball well, he’s been very accurate, and I think it’s a credit to him, because he made it a priority,” Kingsbury said.
The road has not been kind to the Jayhawks (1-2). The 43-7 loss at Memphis in their last outing was their 39th straight loss away from Lawrence, Kan.
Kansas coach David Beaty hopes to stop the program’s winless skid but knows it won’t be easy against the nation’s second-leading offense (678.7 yards per game).
“Very dynamic, terrific quarterback,” he said. “Guys out wide are very capable, very capable. They’ve got a couple of really good young running backs, really good running backs, so very difficult.”
The Red Raiders are 16-1 against the Jayhawks.
Nebraska: Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts called the protests by three Nebraska football players “disgraceful” and “disrespectful.”
Two universit y regents and the governor are voicing their opposition to Michael Rose-Ivey, Mohamed Barry and DaiShon Neal each taking a knee as the national anthem played before Saturday’s game at Northwestern.
Regents Hal Daub of Omaha and Jim Pillen of Columbus said Tuesday the three used poor judgment. Daub said it wasn’t the place for a “Colin Kaepernick cloning sit- uation.”
Rose-Ivey tweeted at Ricketts Tuesday night, saying that he would like to discuss the issue with him. Ricketts agreedto meet with him through a response on Twitter: “Thanks for reaching out. Direct message me your information, and we will get something set up right away!”
Florida: Coach Jim McElwain says the SEC has overturned receiver Brandon Powell’s suspension for throwing a punch.
Powell was ejected in the fourth quarter at Tennessee for seemingly swinging at safety Rashaan Gaulden. Replays showed Gaulden dramatically flopped as Powell turned in his direction. The official flagged Powell for unsportsmanlike conduct and kicked him out of the game.
Iowa: Former All-American quarterback Randy Duncan has died after a lengthy fight with cancer. He was 79.
Duncan was perhaps the best quarterback the Hawkeyes have ever had. He was a two-time AllBig Ten selection, winning the Walter Camp Trophy as the nation’s player of the year in 1958. Duncan capped his career by helping the Hawkeyes beat Washington 38-12 in the 1959 Rose Bowl. He was later named to the College Football Hall of Fame.
CoachMike Gundy rolled into bed at 3:15. He rolled out at 6:40.
“Might as well go to work,” he said, and he did, resuming the quest to resolve defensive issues that have dogged the Cowboys since November.
The big-picture problem is that Oklahoma State’s defense has not played well and the Cowboys are losing.
Sincea10-0 start last season, OSU has lost five of its last six games when matched with FBS opponents. In those defeats — against Baylor, Oklahoma and Ole Miss to close the 2015 season, and against Central Michigan and Baylor this season — the Cowboys gave up averages of 47.2 points, 543.8 total yards and 7.2 yards per play.
Last weekend, Baylor quarterback Seth Russell gashed Cowboy cornerbacks, averaging 21.5 yards per completion and throwing for four touchdowns.
Cowboys defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer also admits that his sleep pattern is wrecked by blown assignments that result in big plays for opponents.
“It eats at you,” he said. “I could say the right thing, but I don’t know what the right thing would be. It eats your gut out. You wake up every hour, and that’s on your mind. That’s the way it should be, if you’re a competitor.”
Spencer say s S t erlin Gilbert, the former Tulsa assistant who now coordinates the Texas offense, has achieved an immediate and profound influence on the Longhorns’ personality.
“It’s the most physical Texas offense I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” said Spencer, a Gundy assistant since 2008.
Against Baylor and OU last season, and in the Sugar Bowl against Ole Miss, Oklahoma State’s inadequacy centered on run defense. In those defeats, the Cowboys gave up a combined total of 855 rushing yards
5.6 yards per attempt. This season, the run defense has improved, but pass coverage has been poor. OSU is 107th nationally against the pass, giving up 274.5 yards per game.
“We have to come up with solutions,” Gundy said. “If you’re driving down the road and you have trouble with your transmission, you can keep driving but eventually you’re on the side of the road, stranded. Or you can take a look at it and get it fixed. That’s where we’re at.
“We have to id e nti fy t he issues, practice and solve the problems, and then go play. It’s not always easy to do that as fast as you want.”
While Baylor has the Big 12’s best record and highest ranking at No. 13 nationally, Texas has more talent overall. Texas doesn’t want a 2-2 record any more than Oklahoma State wants a 2-3 record.
In the OSU-Texas series, the visiting team has recorded seven consecutive victories. It’s a crazy stat, but no crazier than two opposing quarterbacks having completed 69 percent of their pass attempts against the Cowboys.
If Oklahoma State intends to be a presence in the Big 12 pennant race, the defense has to be better. Improvement must be immediately evident.
Not since 2002 has an Oklahoma State team been stuck with a losing record through five games, but it’s a real possibility if the Cowboys’ defense doesn’t show up against the Longhorns.
In advance of Texas’ visit this weekend, Gundy and Spencer undoubtedly will spend many more hours searching for answers than they will sleeping soundly.