Takeaways: Wells, Red Raiders prep for Homecoming game against Iowa State

Texas Tech's loss to Baylor ended with plenty of controversies but the result remained the same. The 2OT loss to the Bears, 33-30, dropped the Red Raiders to 3-3 on the year.

Next up, Iowa State, which has had the better of Texas Tech the past three years under head coach Matt Campbell. The action Saturday morning in Lubbock will be the first of three remaining home games for the Red Raiders.

Here's what Matt Wells discussed with the media on Monday morning following the loss and moving on with his focus on Iowa State.

"Very proud of our guys, their fight, their resolve to come back after a win and continue to prepare. I thought we fought. I thought just like I thought after the game, after watching it a few times, I thought our guys competed to the bitter end and left everything we had on the field. For that, I'm very proud.

You know, defensively, got three new starters in new positions, you know, again fifth time in six games we shut the opponent out in the first quarter. We started off very fast and played very, very well in defense in the first half again. That's a couple of weeks in a row we have done this now. Got to learn to finish games in the second half. We have to learn to finish and play better in the second half. We'll continue to address that for us. As far as scheme, coaching, players, all of that kind of good stuff.

Offensively, started off slow, the three punts in the first quarter. I thought we picked up some steam after halftime. A little bit of the tale of the tape, it is the second week in a row we have done that on offense and defense. Obviously the goal is to start fast on both sides of the ball, but I thought we threw and caught the ball well, and especially the second half.

So with that, moving onto Iowa State, very well coached team. Matt Campbell has done a nice job in turning that program around. Very solid team. It is a team that's used to winning, going to Bowl games. Certainly what we want to be around, about here at Tech. A couple of 8-win seasons the last two years. Very solid on both sides of the ball. They're tough. They're physical.

You know, defensively, playing the odd stack, and that defense is designed to stop the run. You see them run the ball, everybody is there, all the safeties. They do a tremendous job in terms of their gaps. Their gap responsibilities are strong up the middle, led by the nose guard, 58 (Ray Lima). Linebacker core is really good. The guy that stands out, 23 (Mike Rose). He's out in space. He's everywhere. He's a really good linebacker.

You know offensively, (Brock) Purdy is... Again, here we go. We're in the Big 12. There is a great quarterback every week, and this week is no different. He's very accurate, runs the ball well, and leads that offense. You know, the running back (Breece) Hall, had a really good game. Freshman, taller kid, lane I'm a little familiar with, a Salt Lake City kid out of East High. No. 4 (Johnnie Lang). Good athlete. A big wide out, No. 7 (La'Michael Pettway), makes plays. He presents a match-up problem for us, and so something that we certainly need to be aware of. Big, strong offensive line. I only kind of laugh because it's big, strong. They have a lot of experience, both tackles, the guard, even the kid that plays guard or center, either one, he's a two-year starter, the other three are three-year starters. They have certainly played a lot of football.

It will be a tremendous challenge, and one that our guys I believe will be up for and we're looking forward to playing Saturday."

Texas Tech Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt announced on Sunday afternoon that the Big 12 informed him that a controversial "illegal snap" should not have been called which ultimately would have been ruled a fumble with a clear Texas Tech recovery.

Wells was asked if the "knife" digs in deeper a little bit when a potentially game changing call is confirmed to be a miscall.

Wells said there is "no knife."

"The referees are accountable for their actions and their calls. I expect the Big 12, as I know they already have, to deal with it and continue to deal with it directly and appropriately and swiftly. I trust and believe that they are."

Wells didn't want to talk specifics but some members in the crowd took notice that the sounds and music being played over the PA system inside McLane Stadium were being played longer than they should have.

Wells said he didn't want to address the situation during his press conference but did explain the rule.

"That's a question about the sound in a game, certainly came up during the game. You can't play the sound once you address the ball. It becomes a little bit of a gray area for all of us no-huddle teams that want to address the ball. Not supposed to have music, band, piped in music, whatever. So that's certainly game ops. Big 12 Conference, they can continue to address that. I'm not going to sit here in my press conference and address it."

Wells was asked about another controversial called that may have been missed when Baylor was backed up into its own end zone following a sack at the one-yard line by Eli Howard. Wells said they turn in plays to the Big 12 office and that's one call they're waiting to hear back on.

Wells said he's been proud of the fast starts the offense has been able to produce in the first half of games. The second half – could be better. How can he fix it?

"That's a good question. Because if I knew exactly that answer, we would try and replicate it at halftime. We have struggled a little bit coming out of halftime. We're in talks about that. I mean, we're trying to figure that out. That's a concern.

Man, we have started out very, very good. We have been dialed in, we have been ready to play. I believe our coaches have had them ready to play and a credit to our players, I believe they got themselves ready to play, whether it is the last 48 hours prior to kickoff, it is their mental, emotional state that morning, you know, whatever leading up to the game. I think that's been spot on. We have to try to replicate that coming out of halftime."

Against Iowa State, the Red Raiders will have to break the streak of run problems in the second half specifically. Last year, the Cyclones, according to Texas Tech Athletics' statbook, held the Red Raiders to negative-two rushing yards the entire second half.

A total of negative-20 yards were accounted for on the ground for the Red Raiders in the fourth quarter alone last season in Ames, Iowa.

RB SaRodorick Thompson led the Red Raider rushing attack against Baylor with a career-high in carries and yards – 28 attempts for 153 yards. It was also his first start of the season as Armand Shyne started in the previous three games before Baylor and Ta'Zhawn Henry began the year as the team's starter in the season opener and in the second game of the year.

Thompson needed to step up for them this past weekend, according to Wells. Henry is expected to be back this whole week of practice, now, but Thompson made it known that he's capable of leading the charge.

"The biggest thing he does, he gives you a little bit of extra energy and a little bit extra juice I think. I think he fires the whole lineup when he runs through arm tackles. I mean, for him to carry the ball 28 times is a testament to him and his durability. I'm proud of Sarodorick. I think he played well. He caught the ball well. He protected well. You know, I thought he had a breakout game. Very proud of him.

I think his practice habits have been very consistent. And leading into the game, you know, in the meetings, his practice Tuesday and Wednesdays, it just has been Sarodorick is always there and he's done a nice job. And I think he reaped some of those awards Saturday, and he played pretty well."

Thompson also has a good lead on the team’s second-leading rusher, Shyne. Thompson has rushed for 412 yards and five touchdowns on 76 carries. Shyne has rushed for 280 total yards on 44 carries.

McLane Mannix was seen on the sidelines after a play hobbling around on one leg. Wells said there is no concern for him at all as he was simply stepped on.

Seth Collins hasn't seen the field at all this year with a broken collarbone that he was healing through in the offseason but has since taken way longer than expected.

Collins will have x-rays done soon, within the week, Wells said, but will be handled from there. He expects him to be back possibly after the bye week later this year depending on those results.

"It was just a really, really shattering break, if you want to say it that way. It is an area of the body that doesn't get a whole lot of oxygen -- I think that's the right term, if you all -- that may be jacked up right there -- it is a slow healing deal. It is a really, really slow healing deal. It's not any of the kids' fault. I tell you Seth busted his tail in the training room, he's here every day, with our guys every day, he's doing a great job. If we can't get him back this year, we'll look to get him back next year obviously."

Des Smith and Thomas Leggett are both "day-to-day" still.

Leggett, however, was seen running drills and stepping up as a leader during pregame against Baylor. Wells addressed seeing the junior DB doing those things despite being out of the game.

"Thomas Leggett is big time. I love that kid. He's one of our captains. He's played very consistent. He's a consistent special team player. He was out Saturday, and he was into it as much as anybody on the sidelines with his energy and his juice, and I respect that and I'm very thankful for that. He's a tremendous teammate."

Let's not forget Leggett's opening score of the game when he blocked the Iowa State punt and recovered the ball in the end zone.