This should be a pretty easy win - not a blowout like SMU or anything - but a good win nonetheless Tech - 38 UNM - 24 Symons throws for 350 yards and 4 TD's Guns Up!
New Mexico at Texas Tech ·When/where:6 p.m. today; Jones SBC Stadium. ·Radio:KSEV (700 AM). ·Series record:Texas Tech leads 31-5-2. ·Last meeting:Texas Tech won 49-0 in 2002. ·What's at stake:Tech has a nine-game winning streak in the series, which began in 1931. Several New Mexico players say they were humiliated by last year's blowout loss on ESPN2 and have vowed to keep this game closer. ·New Mexico at a glance:The Lobos opened with a 72-8 win over Texas State-San Marcos and rolled up 556 total yards. Late in the game, Katie Hnida kicked two extra points to become the first woman to score points in Division I-A. ·Lobos to watch:QB Casey Kelly was 12-of-16 for 175 yards and four TDs in the opening rout; RB DonTrell Moore had 109 yards and four TDs. ·Texas Tech at a glance:Tech opened with a 58-10 rout of SMU, gaining 437 yards. Nine players caught passes, with six grabbing three or more. ·Red Raiders to watch:QB B.J. Symons was 23-of-38 for 297 yards and three TDs in his first start; WR Wes Welker returned his seventh career punt for a TD, tying an NCAA record. ·Key injuries:Texas Tech, DE Gathan McGinnis (right hip) is out 2-5 weeks. ·Bet you didn't know:In 40 games since the start of the 2000 season, Tech has scored 40 or more points 17 times. The Red Raiders have reached 50 points six times and 60 points twice. ------------------------------------------------------------ Man New Mexico showed last week that they are capable of putting up Texas Tech-like numbers. I like how the New Mexico players were embarassed last year and "vowed to keep the game closer this year." Not that they are going to win the game but they are going to keep the score closer. New Mexico has a girl on their team!? That is pretty incredible. Props to her but I hope she doesn't do well against Tech. --------------------------------------------------------------- Raiders gear up for Lobos' tough, tricky defense By DON WILLIAMS AVALANCHE-JOURNAL Being part of the Big 12 Conference, Texas Tech gets a steady dose of teams ranked in the Top 25, including several in the top 10. With opposition such as that comes the danger of being overwhelmed by talent. Then there are the New Mexico Lobos, who Tech coach Mike Leach asserts can confuse you to death. Leach says he would rather play the Lobos later in the season than early, because it takes that long to solve their defensive schemes. Instead, he gets them at 6 p.m. today at Jones SBC Stadium. "From a preparation standpoint, they're probably the most difficult team we play — always have been," Leach said this week. It was hard to tell last September, because Tech trounced New Mexico 49-0 on national television in arguably the Lobos' darkest hour of the season. UNM quarterback Casey Kelly went down with a broken bone in his non-throwing arm that night, and Kliff Kingsbury passed for a Tech record six touchdowns, leaving the Lobos with reason for redemption. "It is a big game, and what they did to us last year was embarrassing," said UNM senior receiver Dwight Counter, a Texan who once was recruited by Tech. "With it being on national television, it was one of the only games my family and friends got to see me play, and that was the memory they had." New Mexico got off the mat last year, rallying from a 2-4 start after the Tech debacle to finish 7-7. Kelly, initially feared out for the season, came back within a month and finished with nearly 2,000 yards passing and 14 touchdowns. A star was born in running back DonTrell Moore, who didn't start until game five but finished with 13 touchdowns and 1,134 yards rushing — third-best in the nation among 2002 freshmen. The defense got better, too. Even though they lost the Las Vegas Bowl 27-13 to UCLA, the Lobos held the Bruins to a season-low 167 yards total offense. UNM started this season with a 72-8 rout of Texas State and its new coach, former Tech assistant Manny Matsakis. Tech picked up where it left off last year, beating Southern Methodist 58-10 with no perceptible dropoff at quarterback. Fifth-year senior B.J. Symons was good for 297 yards passing and three touchdowns in his first start. "He doesn't have the experience Kingsbury had," UNM coach Rocky Long said, "but he seems to have just as good an arm, and when he scrambled with the ball he was faster than Kingsbury with it." Leach is certain, though, that Long will have something up his sleeve. He always seems to. The Lobos are one of only eight teams to finish among the top 30 nationally in total defense the past three years. The Raiders have picked apart UNM's 3-3-5 alignment two years in a row — the score was 42-30 in the 2001 game in Lubbock. But UNM returns seven starters on the defensive side, which means they have mostly experienced players operating a complex system. Leach says the Lobos do a superb job disguising coverages and bringing creative blitzes. "Recognition is the biggest thing — recognition, and once you identify it, trying to get into the right play," Leach said. "The toughest thing with them is, 'Can you recognize it? Guess what we're doing.' "We don't play anybody that gives you as many different looks as New Mexico." New Mexico's biggest question mark on defense plays into Tech's hands. The Lobos have no proven returnees at cornerback. Tech had no proven returnees at several positions defensively, but the Raiders didn't play that way against SMU. "What you wanted to see was a very inexperienced defense making a lot of mistakes, but that's not what you see on tape," Long said.
Texas Tech 45 New Mexico 17 BJ should go off for somewhere near 400 tonight. I dont see it being close if the defense just holds their own. I didnt know Wes was that close to breaking the record, he may get it tonight hes always a threat to go the distance everytime he touches the rock
Wish I could watch the game, Tech gets no respect. Top 25 next week hopefully with todays likely blowout. Can anyone post updates on how BJ is looking? I hear he's more talented than KK, which is a very good sign for Tech's year. 10-2, 11-1, or 12-0 this year, depending on upsetting UT and OU.
21-0 baby! Why the hell does NM have more votes in the polls than Tech, and for that matter, why isn't Tech in the top 25?
BJ Symons tearing it up again tonight. I told you the kid could play....... 37 of 54 418 yards passing 5 TD's Kicking ass and taking names.....
The game should have never gotten as close as it did. The Tech Defense has had problems against the run and it showed again tonight. Also, in Tech's 2 games this year the T.O.P. has been under 25 minutes for both games. The bye week should help out the defense as they will need to play well against NCSU. Wes Welker was contained tonight as UNM only gave him one good shot at a punt return, and he didn't get a lot of rushing and receiving yards. I wish Tech could have another year with Symons as QB as he would definately be noticed nationally the 2nd time around. For the full Tech Radio Affiliate list go to www.asrn.com As was noted you can listen in Austin on KJCE 1370AM, in Houston games starting before 6pm 1180 KGOL, after 6pm 700 KSEV; in the Metroplex 95.3 KHYI, and in San Antonio KSJL AM & FM 810/ 92.5
Did Cy-Creek not have any good receivers? I never heard of this dufous back when I was in High School. All the good football players in 16-5a came out of Cy-Falls, and Langham Creek, and JV.
I don't think Cy-Creek did too well when BJ was there. I don't remember them getting into the playoffs in the late 90's. I went to Klein in the late 90's and for a little while we were with the Cy-Fair schools in our UIL district.
Cy-Creek's talent was raided when Cy-Falls opened up. They never been to the playoffs in the late 90s.
Graduated Klein High School in 1994..... small world. Cy-Creek did pretty well with BJ at the helm - he didnt have much of a supporting cast to help him out. My stepmom is pretty good friends with his parents. My dad said he has a better arm than Kingsbury. Wish he would have gotten to play a few more years at Tech.
Exactly. When I was there, it was only Cy Creek, Cy Farm, and Jersey Village. Langham Creek was the new kid on the block. All the other "Cy" schools raided Cy Creek hard. We haven't been to the playoffs since the Sam Adams days. BJ piled up some good stats on a bad team and wasn't really recruited that hard if I remember right. He wasn't even on The Chronicle's Top 100 list. There wasn't much fanfare when Tech signed him.
Klein class of 2002 here. I don't remember Symons for Creek either but I know Sloan Thomas, Robert Killebrew (both with UT) AJ Ricker (center for Misso football) and someone else on the Ohio State Buckeyes who is seeing a little playing time as a freshman Ashton Youboty amongst others. All Klein high grads.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/ncaa/polls/2003/coaches/ Tech starting to sneak up there maybe in a few weeks they can crack the top 25. LMAO aTm ranked ? I guess that 15 point win over Arkansas state and that 8 point win over Utah is enough to get it done.
8 point win? I think it was a 2 point win over the Utes. I would have voted for Tech before I vote for ATM. Don't know why UT dropped. USC's win over Auburn looks less impressive since Auburn lost again. USC struggled with BYU and they move up? UT won it's only game by 59, yet they've dropped in both polls.
