NCAA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

2009 ANALYSIS:

OFFENSE: With QB Graham Harrell and WR Michael Crabtree gone, the hope is that juniors Taylor Potts and Detron Lewis are ready to take their [rightful] place in the spotlight. "Potts could have started for a lot of teams last year. Could have started for ours except for Graham was ahead of him." While not ready to anoint Lewis (76 receptions, 913 yards, three TDs) the guy to fill the huge shoes left by Crabtree, Leach likes the general makeup of his receiving corps. "I think the overall receiving unit is going to be a little deeper and could very well overall be better."

The run game has taken a back seat at Tech since Leach's high-flying aerial attack was implemented, but there have been talented guys taking hand-offs -- as infrequent as that may be. This year is no exception with junior Baron Batch expected to pick up where he left off last year when he averaged better than six and a half yards per carry and scored seven TDs. Helping create a bit more balance is an offensive line that returns just two starters, although one of them is menacing senior Brandon Carter (6-7, 345 pounds).

Leach is hoping Carter's desire and intensity is contagious. "He's a real intense guy before the game. He's one of those guys that wishes we were playing a doubleheader instead of one game."

DEFENSE:
It has long been said that Leach cares only about offense, and that his defense will always be an afterthought. While that is probably true to a certain extent, you don't win 11 games in a season, particularly in the Big 12, without at least putting some gamers out there who have the ability to stop the opposition most of the time. Tech permitted 27.9 points and 382.6 total yards per contest in '08, and the effort against the run was actually decent (140.4 ypg). The Red Raiders logged 34 sacks and were +8 in turnover margin, and while a few of the top defensive playmakers have moved on, the cupboard isn't completely bare.

The line has two returning starters back in junior Colby Whitlock and senior Richard Jones, although the strength of the unit will likely be at linebacker where junior Brian Duncan is back after amassing 94 tackles last season.

Questions abound in the secondary as only senior Brent Nickerson returns to his starting role.

Despite some uncertainty, Leach likes his defense. "I think our defense will probably be a little better than it was last year. We certainly have the chance to."

SPECIAL TEAMS:
The kicking game may or may not be an area of concern this season, depending on the play of returnees Matt Williams and Donnie Carona. Neither excel in their respective duties, but both could serve valuable roles on this team. As for the guys returning kicks, senior WR Edward Britton could emerge from the pack and develop into a solid specialist.

OUTLOOK:
First up for Texas Tech are a pair of winnable games against North Dakota and Rice, but the Big 12 opener at Texas on September 19th has trouble written all over it. The Longhorns will be especially ornery after last year's heartbreaking loss to the Red Raiders.

Next up for Tech are bouts with Houston, New Mexico and Kansas State -- all games the Red Raiders can win. The remainder of the Big 12 slate has more than its share of pitfalls, but if all goes according to plan the team could be in position to challenge for a middle-tier bowl game.

Lacking the known commodities he has had in the past, Leach is reserving judgment on his team, and hopes everyone else does as well. "It was a couple years ago where, you know, the questions were a little more along the line of how's this Harrell going to be any good? How's this Crabtree guy? What do you mean he's just a freshman? And all this other business. You know, it's a yearly ritual, honestly. So, yeah, there's some guys that are going to play that most people haven't heard of. But they've been around our place for a while, and we feel good about them."

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Story courtesy of www.seattlepi.com