Notebook: Texas Tech’s David Yost and Keith Patterson talk Texas and more

Both offensive coordinator David Yost and defensive coordinator Keith Patterson wrapped up the final media week for the Red Raiders as they prepare for a season finale against the Longhorns in Austin.

Here's what both had to say on Monday following practice.

- Yost said QB Jett Duffey did some good things on intermediate and vertical throws in the loss to Kansas State. He added Duffey was able to put the team into a good position on making his reads and dumping the ball off to RB SaRodorick Thompson. However, turnovers hurt him as well.

“The two interceptions were both costly and both kinda, how we reference them, ‘bad interceptions,’ Yost said. “Decision wise they weren’t what he had been kind of doing. It was kind of a step backwards that so we gotta learn from that and be better this week doing that. Both of those are ones that we shouldn’t have happen and everything and we’d done a pretty good job at doing that for a while and protecting the ball and we gotta get back to that.”

- Yost said this is Duffey’s season. To clarify, Alan Bowman and Maverick McIvor are both in a “if needed” status. He said McIvor’s progressing but isn’t where he would like him to play a game and would be unfair for the young freshman. With Bowman, he has one more game remaining to play and still keep his redshirt. The whole conversation with him has been preparing his mental to be ready if they need him to go out and get a win.

- Thompson was the main running back for the Red Raiders against the Wildcats and that’s because Ta’Zhawn Henry was injured during pregame in a collision with McLane Mannix. Yost said Thompson did a good job and was ready to play every snap if needed. Jax Welch was ready to go behind Thompson if needed. The gameplan was to treat it as an in-game injury.

- With the Longhorns up next, Yost said the most consistent part of the Texas defense is the defensive line and two safeties. He said the defensive backs have been injury plagued with multiple guys missing three to four games. They’re getting back to full health, though. But, the safeties and guys in the trenches are the ones to watch out for.

- Yost talked about some big positions they need in recruiting as we approach early signing day. He said every position is always critical but a big situation for them is to come away with at least four offensive lineman even if it means waiting until February to sign them. They’re restocking at tight end with losing Donta Thompson. Running back is another spot they want to fill and receiver will be a “mega-position” when it’s all said and done.

- On the same topic, Yost talked about the pitch and process of landing a target.

“So much of recruiting is really the relationship you build with the recruit,” he said. “I think that’s a bigger factor than how big your stadium is, how shiny the helmets are. I mean, the wins and losses, it definitely helps when you’re winning. There’s no question about that but it’s really the relationship and that they want to come play for you. That they see a vision that they can kind of reach their goals and what they want to get done and everything. It’s really the personal side that really I think recruiting comes down to so much of the time. And, our coaches have worked tirelessly since we got here especially on this class because we were behind on the last one ... It’s a constant moving picture.”

- Jordyn Brooks was named a finalist for the nation’s top linebacker award – the Butkus Award. Brooks has led the Texas Tech defense all year and even through injury. Patterson said Brooks exhibits everything in being an NFL linebacker from his speed and instincts. Patterson said Brooks has been the leader of the defense all year but at some point during the coaching change that the senior linebacker may have questioned to stick around.

“Like with any young man during a coaching change it’s emotional because they were recruited by those coaches and Jordyn was no different than everyone else. So I had heard rumors that, you know, there was talk that he might be looking to maybe move on somewhere else whether it be the NFL or whatever. We just sat down and had a heart to heart talk and I just told him, ‘if you’ll just listen to what I say and just trust us. I know that you don’t know me but if you’ll just do this, it’ll be the best decision you’ve made in your life and I think that he’ll probably admit to you that may be one of the best decisions he’s made in his life up to this point.”

- Patterson spoke about Texas QB Sam Ehlinger. He said Ehlinger is the guy that makes the offense go. His defense has to make the tackle on him at first contact. He added that Ehlinger never panics which makes him dangerous on every play through the air and on the ground. “He’s probably a quarterback with a linebacker mentality.”

- The receiver duo at Texas is also very dangerous. Collin Johnson stands at 6-foot 6-inches tall while Devin Duvernay is at a height of 5-foot 11-inches. Patterson said their size throughout the receiving unit is noticeable. He said they’ll defend them from the inside out. He wants them to throw the ball on the outside of the field.

- Patterson said they’ve made changes in the red zone that have ultimately helped them get off of the field sooner by forcing field goals against Kansas State. For the most part, he thought they did a nice job at stopping the run besides one big run toward the end of the game.

- Patterson spoke about recruiting, too. He said right now it’s fairly balanced on what positions they’re targeting. He wants to add guys up front on the defensive line then in the middle at linebacker rounding it out with safeties because they have a lot of cornerback type bodies on the roster right now. They’ll focus on filling the need at safety.