The Red Raiders are just a few days away from leaving for Wyoming for the opening game of the 2023 season and we chatted with offensive coordinator Zach Kittley and defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter ahead of Texas Tech’s departure.
Tech will be facing a run heavy offense from the Cowboys, something that DeRuyter spoke about at length on Monday.
“Coach Bohl and the offensive staff, they know how to win football games,” DeRuyter said. “So, they're going to run the ball first and then play action and try to take their shots where they can, and if you don’t have your eyes in the right place, not setting the right edges, not fitting your gaps, they’re going to take advantage of it.”
The Cowboys are returning a fifth-year quarterback for his second season in Laramie in Andrew Peasley who has impressed DeRuyter through what he’s seen on tape.
“They’ve got a quarterback who’s started a year at Wyoming after transferring in from Utah State,” DeRuyter said. “He’s a guy who’s seen a lot of things, an athletic quarterback who can hurt you in the run game.”
Joining Peasley in the backfield is going to be Saddleback CC transfer Jamari Ferrell and sophomore DJ James after the Cowboys lost Dawaiian McNeely for the season, their projected starter heading into fall camp.
“One was returned from a year ago a little smarter stature and really good feet quickness, number seven (James),” DeRuyter said. “They got a junior college transfer that just got there in the summer. Now his take we had to go back to Saddleback Junior College to see him. He's a little bit thicker guy, good feet. I'm sure he's gonna be a back that’s gonna be patient on the zone running scheme that they run.”
DeRuyter also echoed confidence in his team’s depth in the front four ahead of a matchup with a very large and experienced offensive line.
“We can have guys stay fresh,” DeRuyter said. “I think Coach probably mentioned a year ago that we didn't feel we had the quality of depth that we could take Jaylon (Hutchings) and Tony (Bradford) out all the time, they played too many snaps last season. They've got a big offensive line. They're very, very efficient in their run game. They've seen you know a bunch of different schemes and know how to block it and they're gonna come off the ball trying to knock you off the ball.”
On the flip side of the ball, Kittley sees a nickel-base defensive package from the Cowboys, believing that the Cowboys have some major strength in the box.
“Nickel based defense, you know, four down with a little bit more one-high than two-high,” Kittley said. “Coach Bohl is a defensive-minded head coach and seems that they kind of hang their hat on stopping the run first and foremost.”
The Cowboys are returning quite a few of their defensive starters from last season and have the Mountain West preseason Defensive Player of the Year roaming around at MIKE linebacker in Easton Gibbs.
“The strength of their defense is in the box and in the defensive front,” Kittley said. “They do a really good job and they have a lot of experience back, a lot of snaps played came back for them this season.”
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