College Football
Previews - NCAA Football Handicapping - Preview 2006 Betting
Texas Tech
Red Raiders 2006 Preview
Online
Predictions By:
Matt Fargo Texas Tech Red Raiders Football
Preview Matt Fargo remains the NUMBER
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Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be
here before you know it so that means getting
an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season.
Knowing the teams now will save you time in August
and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp
of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from
worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.
Fargo’s Take
- Texas Tech led the nation in passing
for a 5th straight season in 2005 and even though
the Red Raiders will be breaking in a fifth different
quarterback in five years, expect more of the
same. The difference is that in the past four
years, a 5th year senior has taken over and this
season, it will be a relatively untested sophomore.
Graham Harrell played in six games last season,
mostly in late blowout contests so things could
be dicey early on. However, word is that he knows
the offense and will come out firing. The defense
was a pleasant surprise last season, improving
in all categories for a third straight year. Contending
for a Big XII title depends on if the Red Raiders
can get by Texas and Oklahoma as they are just
2-8 combined against the two teams the last five
years. It sets up favorable getting Texas at home
and playing a now weaker Oklahoma team on the
road.
Returning Starters
on Offense – 8 Last season, Texas
Tech averaged the second most amount of points
in the six years that Mike Leach has been the
head coach. The average can go up this year as
the majority of the offense returns but it all
hinges on how quick Harrell can get comfortable
running the “Air Raid” offense. Record-breaking
running back Taurean Henderson is gone but sophomore
Shannon Woods, who averaged 7.0 ypc last season,
should fill in admirably. Harrell will have the
luxury of the top four receivers coming back,
three of which grabbed at least 65 passes last
season. Also retuning is four of the five offensive
linemen so expect the 36 sacks from a season ago
to decrease. Quarterbacks have completed at least
at least 65 percent of their passes in each of
the last five years.
Returning Starters
on Defense – 5 Defensively, the Red
Raiders do have some questions, namely in the
secondary, but numerous players who were injured
last season will be making their returns across
the defense. All three players in the secondary
will be new so a regression from the 15th ranked
passing defense is likely. Even though the chart
shows only five starters coming back, in reality
it is seven with defensive end Seth Nitschmann
and linebacker Brock Stratton coming back after
missing most of last season with injuries. Six
of those seven returnees are seniors so there
shouldn’t be much of a falloff from the
30th ranked defense from a season ago. The rushing
defense allowed the fewest yards per carry since
2000 while the 180 ypg allowed through the air
was also the fewest since 2000.
Schedule
- Cupcakes were prominent on the early schedule
last season but now things will get a little tougher.
Non-conference home games against SMU and SE Louisiana
will not be a problem but two road games against
UTEP and TCU will not be easy. The Big XII slate
starts off with a difficult road game at Texas
A&M followed by three games that should all
be won – a home games against Missouri and
road games at Colorado and Iowa St. Three of the
final four games are at home but that obviously
includes Texas coming to Lubbock and traveling
to Norman to face the Sooners. Home games against
Baylor and Oklahoma St. rounds out the schedule.
After having only four road games last year, Texas
Tech has six this season.
You can bet on…
The Red Raiders always seem to be right on the
cusp of breaking through in the conference but
they have yet to be able to win the big games
when they count. Being undefeated heading into
a showdown with Texas for the second straight
season is a definite possibility but there must
be some minor upsets along the way. With 13 starting
seniors, this could be the last chance for a while.
The books have finally caught up to the Red Raiders’
totals as they have gone 14-7 under over the last
two years. A lot of that has been because of an
improved defense and seeing that the stop unit
should be above average in 2006, the value should
once again lie in the under. The public loves
taking the over in Texas Tech games and that will
be the case again this season.
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