Notebook: DBs ready to play
After diving head first into
Chad Glasgow's 4-2-5 during spring
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football, Texas Tech's secondary is doing more than just treading water this
fall.
Click Here to view this Link."It's been a long year, coming from redshirting and all, adapting to the
system," cornerback
Urell Johnson said. "Things are a lot faster in
college. I've had to adapt fast switching defensive coordinators and stuff. I'm
pretty confident in what I'm doing right now with adapting to the new system.
I'm feeling good about this year."
Strong safety Terrance Bullitt, who has run with the first-team for
most of the spring and fall, is ready to play today.
"I'm ready to play right now," he said. "I wish we could play Texas State
tomorrow, but we've still got more things to learn, and it's just really
exciting right now."
Cornerback Jarvis Phillips feels like his performance tailed off late
last season after starting off well. His pick six during the Texas game was
likely the high point of his freshman season, and Phillips would like to see
himself be a playmaker on a more consistent basis this fall.
"Second year, I'm pretty anxious to get started. I feel like I didn't finish
that well last year, and I want to come back and have a complete year this
year," he said. "(I'm) really working more on technique. The new defensive
scheme is playing more off, last year was more in your face. I'm going to try to
get my footwork better so I can play off."
As many observers have noticed, the team speed seems to have jumped a few
notches after the offseason. Bullitt credited head strength and conditioning
coach Joe Walker for the improvement.
"He's a great strength coach and we worked on speed a lot this year," Bullitt
said. "It's very important in this conference, a passing conference. We've got
to be fast. The linebackers have to be fast, everyone, d-line too. It's very
important, and I'm really excited about it."
While speed is important, it means nothing when you have Glasgow in your face
for missing an assignment. He may be intense, but Glasgow's players enjoy his
coaching style.
"Every day, every play, that's his motto," said Bullitt. "He comes out very
intense every single play. No plays off, and that's what I like. If we want to
be good, we have to have someone like him here. He doesn't show favoritism, and
I'm glad he's here. He's going to help us win a lot of games."
"Coach Glasgow, he keeps us fired up," said Johnson. "If you don't do what he
says, sorry, he's going to be all up in your face. He wants what he demands.
Everything he asks for, he expects you to do it right away. He's a good coach
though."
When the defense broke the huddle today, they did so with a new mantra: "Hunt
Together, Kill Together."
"'Hunt Together' is more of mine, they added the 'Kill Together,' I don't think
that's going to make it into the media," laughed Bullitt. "We say 'Hunt Together
on three,' that's what we're going to try to say. That just means 11 guys to the
football every play, so everyone. We need to get all red and black jerseys to
that football."
MOORE HITS THE FIELD
Junior receiver Darrin Moore, who did not report with the team and
missed Saturday's practice, arrived at the practice fields about halfway through
the team's workout. Moore's absence was not unexpected, and head coach Tommy Tuberville said
afterward that Moore was dealing with a personal issue.
"It was good to have Darrin Moore back," Tuberville said. "He had a death in the
family last week and got back today about half way through practice"
RAIDERS CHANGE ROUTINE
In an attempt to escape the heat, the Red Raiders will practice in the morning
for the rest of the week.
"We will change our routine tomorrow and start going in the morning every day
and we will have our walkthroughs at night," Tuberville said. "It
will be a little bit cooler and hopefully we can keep their attention for a
little bit longer but it is awfully hot out here but they are pushing through it
pretty good."
GRANT LIMITED WITH SPRAIN
Freshman receiver Jakeem Grant wore a blue non-contact jersey on Sunday
due to a wrist sprain.
"He did everything up to a point," Tuberville said. "He caught a few balls, but
we want him to get 100 percent healthy before we get to the scrimmage."