TECH BACK TO WORK AFTER HOLIDAY BREAK

Texas Tech players spent most of December studying, staying sharp and working on fundamentals, aware that their Alamo Bowl tussle against Michigan State was still some time away.

“We’ll really dive into Michigan State when we get down there,’’ Tech assistant coach Lincoln Riley said last week.

Finally, four weeks after its regular-season finale against Baylor, Tech goes back into game-week mode starting today. The Red Raiders report to San Antonio and have their first on-site workout at 5 p.m. today in preparation for Saturday’s Alamo Bowl.

Tech hasn’t played in San Antonio since the 2001 Alamo Bowl against Iowa. The Red Raiders lost that one, but Tech coach Mike Leach doesn’t mind going back.

“San Antonio’s a great city,’’ he said. “You can make the argument it’s easily one of the best cities in Texas. Great place. Great food. What really makes it good, it’s a walk-around setting, so it’s not like you’re on a bus and transit and taking cars to get somewhere. It’s a walk-around deal. The way the Alamo Bowl people put it together, I think, is excellent.’’

Michigan State (6-6) arrived in San Antonio on Sunday. The Spartans’ first workout is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. today at Alamo Heights High School. The Raiders’ practice site is at the University of the Incarnate Word, which had a first-year program in NCAA Division II this season.

Tech players were given Wednesday through Sunday off for a Christmas break. Before that, Leach said he was pleased with the preparation in Lubbock. Most of the game-plan installation, though, will take place this week.

“During the season, it’s just one week (preparation): You’ve got this (opponent), and you get used to playing them,’’ Riley said. “You don’t ever have two weeks, really and we don’t use (bowl preparation) that way.’’

Tech is favored by a little more than a touchdown against a team that’s had to deal with player suspensions and dismissals stemming from a Nov. 22 dormitory fight for which nine players have been charged.

Michigan State got the invitation based to a large extent on the productivity of its offense. The Spartans led the Big Ten Conference in passing and finished third in scoring offense, averaging right at 30 points per game.

“I think it’s a good offense,’’ Leach said. “They run a lot of stuff. I think their quarterbacks are pretty good. They get the ball to a number of people. They’re big on formations. They’ll mess with formations and things. I think they’re good.’’

Sophomore Kirk Cousins led the Big Ten in passing efficiency while throwing for 2.460 yards and 18 touchdowns. The Spartans also use Keith Nichol, a transfer from Oklahoma who appeared in nine games and threw for 764 yards and seven touchdowns.

“To me, they look very similar,’’ Leach said. “They move around decent. They throw decent. I think they’re good overall players.’’

Story courtesy of www.redraiders.com