It's going to be hard for him to win the Heisman. Voters don't like players in gimic offenses. Especially when the team probably isn't going to win its Conference. If he breaks all sorts of records and Tech wins the Big 12, he'll have a decent shot. No matter how much I enjoy watching Tech, I just can't like how little they run. I'm the opposite of the traditional "you win games by running the ball" type. I think running's overrated. I prefer passing teams. But I think Tech's lack of balance is going to prevent them from getting over the final hurtle.
It's going to be hard for him to win the Heisman. Voters don't like players in gimic offenses. Especially when the team probably isn't going to win its Conference. I'm not sure their offense is that much more gimmicky than the Spurrier fun-and-gun, which consistently produced Heisman candidates. As for the conference - don't count Tech out yet. They play an easy schedule and don't face either Nebraska or K-State. They very realistically could be 9-1 before closing with Texas and OU. If they can beat one of those two, they finish 10-2, top 15 in the country, possibly the Big 12 South champion. It's a bit early to project that far out, but if they do finish 10-2 or even 9-3, and he has ~50 TD's and 5,000 yards, it will be hard to ignore him ... especially in a season where none of the pre-season favorites have been anything special. Their defense sucks - and that may cost them a win against a Mizzou or OSU - but that also gives the offense more opportunities if they have to keep scoring to win.
Fun'n'Gun maintained a far more realistic running threat than does Tech. Spurrier preferred pass, but the run was viable. I'm not sure Tech's is against a real defense. And besides, even Florida under Spurrier... ran into supreme difficulty when the passing game wasn't working a couple of times a year. Imagine what happens to Tech when this occurs... And as for Heisman candidates... did anybody other than Wueffel ever actually win? Grossman probably got jobbed. But the fact that he was a Florida QB counted against him at least a little (the fact he was a sophomore screwed him the most, of course). And Spurrier got better talent than Tech is likely to. If Tech becomes an excellent team, they'll get talent. But they're never going to get the kind of talent that the really big schools get. West Texas sucks. And the facilities aren't there. And the fanbase isn't there (to the same extent it is for the powerhouses). Tech is going to have trouble getting a great record because of factors like say, the wind. On bad weather days, that team is screwed. I'm not really sure if Tech is going to win the Big12 before their scheme gets old. They might. Until it gets solved, that offense will be able to explode on any day. But I don't think it's going to for all that long- and I'm not sure that in the time it does last, they're ever going to have the combination of the right QB and a Conference championship. But whatever happens... they're going to be a hell of a fun team to watch for a while.
If everything goes right tech should have 1 loss coming into the last 2 games vs UT and OU. If that happens, Tech could possibly be hovering around the top 10 and if BJ is still going on this record breaking terror he will most likely be one of the favorites going into NY. And an upset over OU or UT he could become the favorite. All of this is possible but I doubt it will happen. Lets not forget Tech barely beat Ole Miss last week on the road. They play both OSU and Missouri on the road its going to be tough for them to pull out both of those. 8-4 is probaly what will happen. Might get him to NY but he wont have a legit chance at the hardware.But he should have 1st team all american wraped up if they go 8-4. Not bad at all
How did Eric Crouch win? I hope they can look past that and note that Tech's passing game is as reliable as running when they want to pick up 4-5 yards. Texas Tech does not get the respect they deserve. Remember, these are the same voters who had Auburn in the top 10 and Texas A&M in the top 25.
This has always been the first thing mentioned in knocking Tech's program. Yeah Tech can't pull a top 25 class. But they have been putting a very competitive program on the field as a BCS member of what some say is the best football conference in America since joining the BigXII. They play with emotion, with a sense of a chip on their shoulders and they aren't a team any of the "big" schools can afford to take lightly. This team is capable of having one of those seasons where the combination of talent, experience, schedule, and plain ole lucky breaks, can have a surprise championship year. I would feel a whole lot more optimistic about their chances if the defense wasn't so young. But they are improving with every game and that is a good sign. If Tech can make it to the OU game undefeated in conference play, can you picture the excitment that would be in the air in Lubbock when they meet? (assuming OU knockes the snot outta UT like I think they will). Tech has I think the talent and the schedule, the defense needs some lucky breaks. The anticipation is gonna kill me between weeks.. oh yeah here is something from ESPN I thought was funny..
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/football/ncaa/10/05/heisman.watch.6/index.html BJ getting some love from CNNSI
West Texas sucks???? Ummmmmm I dont know if you have ever been in the Midland/Odessa area, but Im pretty sure they field teams and have talent that doesnt suck...... Have you ever heard of Permian? Im pretty sure a certain Pro Bowl linebacker for the Miami Dolphins doesnt suck and wouldnt you know he was a 5'10" nobody that Dykes recruited out of West Texas. The facilites arent there??? Give me a freaking break dude.... Have you ever been to Lubbock and seen our brand new facilites, or are you just making asumptions because you think West Texas sucks? Brand new training/locker rooms for football - and more improvements to come, 3 year old basketball arena, brand new 18 hole golf course..... Now I know you really dont know what you are talking about. The fan base is still growing..... We are one of the youngest Universities in the nation.
I only watched some of the game in the third quarter, but from what I saw, Symons was basically tossing short passes to his slot receivers who ran the open field for all the yardage. Every pass I saw, the receiver got about 25 yards after the catch. It was basically the run and shoot without a running back...
Hey, if they carry the Symon's banner for the Heisman, I might actually buy a Sports Illustrated again someday (never bought any after they dissed the Tech campus in the 80's)
Hey Cohen, can you expand on your post? I wasn't around much in the 80's (born in 86) and would like to know how they dissed Tech.
They said the campus looked like a penitentiary. If they cannot appreciate spanish colonial, they should just have kept their mouths shut. Their initial comments created a ruckus, but instead of apologizing or at least just letting it lie, their writier reiterated his comments in another issue. They're a freakin' sports rag and they have to diss someone's campus, twice? Everyone from Lubbock ripped up their subscriptions and mailed them in.
Try to keep them there. Let's face it: West Texas is never going to win a "best place to live" contest. Half of my family is from West Texas, so yes I'm familair with it. Then keep the talent all there. I'm sorry, but it's really nothing compared to UT's. Tech might have good, solid facilities. But they don't compare with what UT has and what TAMU is getting. Tech is probably my 3rd favorite college team... but you're just not being realistic. It's in Lubbock. I'm very sorry. That will always hamstring you. Tech is never going to be as rich as UT or TAMU. It will probably never be as good of a school. It would not surprise me for Tech to become a perennial Top 25 team. But I think they're probably going to end up capped at being a lot like Wisconsin. A good team, but there are just too many inherent disadvantages with the location, lack of money compared to regional competition, and inferior alumni base to contend with UT, Oklahoma, and TAMU on a permanent basis. I'd like to be wrong about that as compared to Oklahoma and TAMU, at least. And I have no doubt that Tech is fully capable of winning the Big12 in their year. But I just don't think the elements of being a permanent power program are ever going to exist.
Damn, I even left out Tech's largest location problem: Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. West Texas has some good football. West Texas also has a comparatively small population. Even if you don't mind Lubbock, everything else being equal, most recruits prefer staying relatively close to home. TAMU and UT will always be able to recruit the major Texas population centers better.
