0-0
Texas Tech -4 3units
I wasn't going to touch this game because initially the line was a little higher than I wanted and I wasn't sure about Webb, who I thought would start at QB. Mayfield might be a walk on but he didn't have offers from some good D1 schools.
A big key for Mayfield playing is his ability to scramble. The one thing over the years the Air Raid offense lacked was the threat of the QB running. Leach didn't want his QBs running and to me that took away a lot of worries for the defense. Last year Manziel showed Kingsbury what a running QB could do for the offense. Mayfield can and will run tonight.
Tech has two very good RBs. Williams is a load and runs with power and Washington is electric and great in the open field. I expect them to get a lot of touches. SMUs strength on D is their defensive backfield but that won't help them against the running game.
Tech is as loaded at WR as they've ever been, at least IMO. They have speed, great hands and size. The one note I will make is that their VERY good TE is out for the first half due to fight in last years bowl game. He will be a big difference in the 2nd half and I don't see any chance for SMU stopping him. Amaro is that good and was playing well last year before he hurt his spleen.
Techs D is brand new and will blitz more than past Tech defenses. I'm not sure they'll be good but the emphasis is on creating TOs. I think they'll give up big plays and long drives but I do think they'll get some TOs in this game. Gilbert played well at the end of the season last year but he doesn't have any tape on this d and what they like to do.
Last but not least, this will be close to a Tech home game. 75% of the crowd will be Tech fans. The last game I went to when these two played a few years ago it felt like a home game for Tech. The crowd will not be a factor when Tech has the ball and IMO that's one of the big things QBs deal with on the road.
Texas Tech -4 3units
I wasn't going to touch this game because initially the line was a little higher than I wanted and I wasn't sure about Webb, who I thought would start at QB. Mayfield might be a walk on but he didn't have offers from some good D1 schools.
A big key for Mayfield playing is his ability to scramble. The one thing over the years the Air Raid offense lacked was the threat of the QB running. Leach didn't want his QBs running and to me that took away a lot of worries for the defense. Last year Manziel showed Kingsbury what a running QB could do for the offense. Mayfield can and will run tonight.
Tech has two very good RBs. Williams is a load and runs with power and Washington is electric and great in the open field. I expect them to get a lot of touches. SMUs strength on D is their defensive backfield but that won't help them against the running game.
Tech is as loaded at WR as they've ever been, at least IMO. They have speed, great hands and size. The one note I will make is that their VERY good TE is out for the first half due to fight in last years bowl game. He will be a big difference in the 2nd half and I don't see any chance for SMU stopping him. Amaro is that good and was playing well last year before he hurt his spleen.
Techs D is brand new and will blitz more than past Tech defenses. I'm not sure they'll be good but the emphasis is on creating TOs. I think they'll give up big plays and long drives but I do think they'll get some TOs in this game. Gilbert played well at the end of the season last year but he doesn't have any tape on this d and what they like to do.
Last but not least, this will be close to a Tech home game. 75% of the crowd will be Tech fans. The last game I went to when these two played a few years ago it felt like a home game for Tech. The crowd will not be a factor when Tech has the ball and IMO that's one of the big things QBs deal with on the road.
