RED RAIDERS READY FOR ACTION!

Raiders ready to face anyone else
By Don Williams

The games can't come soon enough for college football fans, and they think they have it bad waiting until the traditional start date.

Imagine being Mike Leach, who thinks beyond convention.

"They ought to let us have scrimmages or mixed practices a couple of times for preparation,'' Texas Tech's coach said Monday, suggesting that his team could meet Texas-El Paso or Colorado State halfway for intersquad workouts. "I think it'd be good for everybody. It just has never been done before.''

Leach sketched a workout scenario in which teams would face each other in one-on-one drills, skeleton passing periods, 11-on-11 team periods and so forth. Senior defensive tackle Ra'Jon Henley said he wouldn't mind.

"I think it would be an experience for guys who haven't played last year,'' Henley said, "and just seeing where guys who did play last year are (in their development), seeing what they can do on the field .''

Tech starts the season Saturday hosting North Dakota, a 6-4 team last year that's picked fourth in the five-team Great West Conference. The first game might be less of a challenge than August practice for the Red Raiders, but that doesn't mean they aren't looking forward to it.

"We're kind of like a caged animal right now,'' senior guard Brandon Carter said. "Everybody's ready to be released. I think we're the most excited team in the country right now. But when it comes time, we have to control that rage. We have to play disciplined and make sure we don't have any penalties.''

New Tech quarterback Taylor Potts will play in his 14th college game Saturday, but make his first start. Being 6-foot-5, 218 pounds, blessed with a strong arm and decent agility, Potts brings more physical attributes to the table than Graham Harrell, the man he follows.

But Harrell had the skins and the statistics - 28 wins as a starting quarterback and a major-college record 134 touchdown passes.

Potts already has an endorsement, collecting enough teammate votes Sunday to be one of four team captains. He's the only one who isn't a senior.

"I think I'll always have to earn that trust, to earn that leadership,'' he said. "Being voted a captain's an honor to feel that respected and well thought of by your teammates. I'll try my best to work my hardest and play my best every week, and hopefully I can lead this team really well.''

Potts is the latest player to enter the realm of Leach's quarterbacks fraternity. Among the rites of passage are sitting in the film room, listening to Leach's stories and watching hours of videotape over multiple years. Potts has put in the time, and so he said he was ready when the time for his promotion came.

"There's definitely a lot more behind-the-scenes work than just practice,'' he said. "It's enjoyable, and it's a good workload. I've been around it long enough, I think I kind of knew what to expect this time. It's different (being the starter), but it's not anything new.''

Potts might be the most closely scrutinized new face in Tech's starting lineup, but he's far from the only one as the Red Raiders try to produce an encore to their memorable 11-2 season last year.

Every position group except linebacker has significantly new personnel, although Leach took a favorable impression from a smooth-running training camp that was largely free of disruptions.

Asked what surprised him in August, Leach said, "The overall cohesiveness of the group, which I expected, but that's further along than I thought. I'd say the level of play of our young class overall, our incoming class, they're playing at a high level. The biggest thing is they're not intimidated by anybody, which is impressive for a group that age.''

Among the first-semester freshmen, running back Eric Stephens, defensive backs Will Ford and D.J. Johnson and defensive lineman Pearlie Graves could be quickest to find roles. Coaches also have spoken highly of freshmen tackle LaAdrian Waddle and split end Derrick Mays, even though they want to redshirt them.

As well as camp went, Leach said it could have been made better if the NCAA permitted mixed practices with other schools.

"Right now, we spend too much time just amongst ourselves,'' he said. "When they got rid of two-a-days, the (preparation) window went long, so I think it would be a great way to mix it up. Mixed practices may be even better than scrimmages.''

Story courtesy of www.lubbockonline.com