Texas Tech was again in Jones AT&T Stadium this 12 months for his or her annual spring recreation after not having one final 12 months with followers in attendance.
Saturday’s actions included the staff going by a number of completely different eventualities, akin to a two-minute drill, Third-and-long conditions, and a pink zone lockout interval.
Whereas a number of key gamers have been injured and did not take part in Saturday’s spring recreation, head coach Joey McGuire stays optimistic about the place his staff might be as soon as these guys are again.
However within the meantime, McGuire has gotten to see not solely extremely anticipated transfers make an influence, however some guys who’re slowly and quietly making their presence referred to as nicely.
“I am at all times down on one on ones and gravitate to teaching the line of defense and it is actually cool to look at these guys and the way in which they assist one another,” McGuire advised the media after the spring recreation on Saturday. “You may see Howard (Sampson) say ‘Romello (Top) I do know you are going to do that simply by your stance’ after which vice versa.”
The line of defense was the star of the present on Saturday, with Top, David Bailey, Lee Hunter, and Skylar-Gill Howard main the beginning entrance 4 for almost all of the day. In addition to Charles Esters (switched out and in with Bailey for beginning reps), Braylon Rigsby, Jayden Cofield, and AJ Holmes getting high quality reps with the second staff.
These guys have been pushing the o-line all day, however there nonetheless some optimistic sightings from the offensive huge guys upfront, clearly with Howard Sampson making essentially the most noticeable influence holding off Romello Top and David Bailey as a lot as he may. With some gelling needing to occur with the o-line, there are nonetheless some starters which are sitting out from damage.
“It is good to know that I will have Vinny Sciury again, and I will have Hunter Zambrano again, who had performed a whole lot of soccer,” McGuire stated.
“I do suppose with the blokes that now we have and the depth now we have within the line of defense, that we must always be capable of strain the quarterback at a better stage,” McGuire stated. “Particularly only for dashing.”
Persevering with with accidents, everyone knows Will Hammond has been taking the beginning snaps this spring instead of Behren Morton recovering from shoulder surgical procedure. Hammond was stable on Saturday, or nearly as good as he may very well be with a swarming d-line working straight at him proper after the ball was snapped.
McGuire has been happy with Hammond for the expansion he has had, however acknowledges what the primary concern was in Saturday’s contest, particularly with a brand new offense coming in from coach Mack Leftwich.
“I advised him (Hammond) through the two-minute drill you’ll be able to’t take that sack there,” McGuire stated. “I believe he did a greater job within the pink zone lockout of dashing issues up… it is a new offense, however he has to hurry up the operation.
You bought to get the movement going. You bought to be in a rhythm… that is not simply Will being younger, that is us being in a brand new offense, and we have to proceed to get higher in operations.”
For those who have been on the spring recreation, essentially the most noticeable concern was the kicking, with Upton Bellenfant and Stone Harrington going 1-5 on makes an attempt, which was not what McGuire was anticipating from the pair.
“It was actually shocking,” McGuire stated. “Our second scrimmage, they each kicked the 53 and 54 yard area purpose in that pink zone lockout… they have been actually good in conditions.
What we need to do within the subsequent week is search for a combo man, a man that could be a punter and a kicker.”
General, McGuire expressed his appreciation for Purple Raider nation, and thought the spring recreation was successful, however not even near the place they need and know they may very well be.
“I can not thank the Purple Raiders sufficient. It was a very good crowd,” McGuire stated. “We bought a whole lot of work to do, and I am enthusiastic about this staff, however we bought an extended strategy to go the place we have to be. The nice factor is these guys actually need to be particular, and I do know they will put the work in.”
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