Latest / Talkin' Tech / The Bevel Has Been Leveled

Transcript

The Bevel Has Been Leveled · Talkin' Tech

0:39
SPEAKER_04: Welcome in, everybody, to the Talk and Tech Podcast.
0:43
SPEAKER_04: I'm your host, Steven Rodriguez, my co-host, Tristan McGonagall is here.
0:47
SPEAKER_04: Tristan, what's going on, buddy?
0:50
SPEAKER_01: My name is not Tristan anymore.
0:53
SPEAKER_01: It is I've uh got my name legally changed to Texas Tech is 5-0.
1:00
SPEAKER_04: That's gonna be a that's gonna be a lot to fill out on the government forms.
1:05
SPEAKER_04: D and V, look, filling out an application for anything.
1:08
SPEAKER_04: That's gonna be tough.
1:09
SPEAKER_01: Worth until I'm gonna have to do it again next weekend as well.
1:12
SPEAKER_01: So it's it's gonna be a constant process throughout the week.
1:15
SPEAKER_01: And it's uh it's a pain to have to redo my insurance every single time and uh let my employer know that I've changed my name once more.
1:23
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, your boss is like, you gotta stop.
1:26
SPEAKER_04: HR department's like, we gotta, we gotta, we gotta cut this out, or else you're gone.
1:31
SPEAKER_01: Well, they they have to they have to respect my religious values of Texas Tech Football.
1:36
SPEAKER_04: That is true.
1:37
SPEAKER_04: You're not wrong, though.
1:38
SPEAKER_04: Texas Tech Football is 5-0 for the first time in a long time.
1:44
SPEAKER_04: I don't have any your impression.
1:48
SPEAKER_04: That's a long time.
1:49
SPEAKER_04: That's a long time, and even that season did not end up being great.
1:53
SPEAKER_04: This season, however, Texas Tech has started off just about as good as you can start.
1:59
SPEAKER_04: But Tristan, before we go any further, we need to do a thing that we do after Texas Tech wins a football game.
2:06
SPEAKER_04: And what is that?
2:08
SPEAKER_01: Play that funky music, white boy.
2:12
SPEAKER_05: Red Raider coming at you, riding through the night for the fury of West Texas win.
2:24
SPEAKER_05: The Texas Tech Red Raiders riding riding again.
2:30
SPEAKER_04: The Red Raider was indeed coming at the Houston Cougars on Saturday night, but before we get to the Houston game, there was some breaking news today that we figured out around 10 o'clock this morning.
2:47
SPEAKER_04: And I think you and I have differing opinions on this.
2:50
SPEAKER_04: So we're gonna duke it out in a civil and relaxed manner.
2:55
SPEAKER_04: We're not gonna yell at each other.
2:56
SPEAKER_04: We're just gonna give our opinions on what has happened with the rebrand of Texas Tech Athletics, which was announced today.
3:05
SPEAKER_04: They are officially leveling the bevel.
3:10
SPEAKER_04: Um, do you want to uh how about we do this?
3:13
SPEAKER_04: You give your opinion on it, and I'll give my opinion on it, and then we'll discuss.
3:19
SPEAKER_01: All right, so here's what I think the entire spirit of this rebrand is.
3:25
SPEAKER_01: I think it's less about leveling the bevel and more about signifying to the fan base, the university, and the country, and of course the world, which focuses on Texas Tech, that we have entered a new athletic era of Texas Tech sports.
3:44
SPEAKER_01: I think that's truly what they're gunning for, kind of like uh we're ditching the double the bevel double team in the past, we're gonna set it in the archives and then set the heartwarming reminders of memories to the leech years plus my homes.
3:57
SPEAKER_01: Because I think other than that, I think the team is really looking to um move forward fresh and you know, fierce.
4:06
SPEAKER_01: I think I think that's I think that's the entire purpose of this rebrand.
4:10
SPEAKER_01: That's that's my initial uh uh thesis of the matter.
4:15
SPEAKER_04: You okay, but let me ask you this stylistically, how how do you feel about going back to the flat double T?
4:25
SPEAKER_01: It's not it's it's not so much going back.
4:28
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it does look different from the old double T.
4:32
SPEAKER_01: It does.
4:32
SPEAKER_01: I mean, if you see some side by sides, it's it's sharper.
4:35
SPEAKER_01: It is like it's got more there's more contrast to the colors.
4:39
SPEAKER_04: I watched the video of them explaining it and being like, oh, we had to move the top line an eighth of a centimeter up a little bit to better find the angle.
4:51
SPEAKER_04: It's not that much different.
4:53
SPEAKER_04: It's not that much, it's it's not that much different.
4:55
SPEAKER_04: Very much not.
4:56
SPEAKER_01: It's it's not, but stylistically, I like it.
5:00
SPEAKER_01: You know, I think the flat double T is a cleaner look than the Bevel double T, all in all, all things considered.
5:08
SPEAKER_01: I think the flat double T looks better on helmets, uniforms, jerseys, uh, merch.
5:13
SPEAKER_01: I I just think it is a sharper look.
5:15
SPEAKER_01: It's because usually simpler, like less is more when it comes to this kind of thing.
5:20
SPEAKER_01: And I really do, I I I think that the bevel was a product of the 90s slash 2000s, you know, like there really was a lot of beveling going on both in the private sector and in sports.
5:35
SPEAKER_01: Like everyone was having uh bevels and in and all that jazz to the to their logo.
5:40
SPEAKER_01: So I really think that is a kind of a reminiscence from that.
5:44
SPEAKER_01: So I think we're kind of ditching it and hopping on.
5:47
SPEAKER_01: What is absolutely a trend right now of simplifying logos, flattening logos, sharp colors, simple colors, and that's it.
5:56
SPEAKER_01: So I think that's kind of where they're going with that.
5:58
SPEAKER_01: I like it, I'm not upset about it.
6:01
SPEAKER_01: And the good news is the double T isn't necessarily going anywhere.
6:04
SPEAKER_01: Now it's just kind of retro gear.
6:08
SPEAKER_04: In an era of discourse where you have to be so vastly on one side or the other, I like to remain neutral on a lot of things.
6:20
SPEAKER_04: My first point on this the old, now new logo slightly altered a little bit.
6:28
SPEAKER_04: Looks good.
6:29
SPEAKER_04: It's gonna look good on the field, it's gonna look good on merchandise, it's a solid look to it.
6:35
SPEAKER_04: The bevel logo also looked good.
6:38
SPEAKER_04: Did not have any issues with the bevel logo.
6:40
SPEAKER_04: Zero.
6:41
SPEAKER_04: No problems with it.
6:42
SPEAKER_04: I had uh there were times this every year we get people doing the back and forth on make the old double T full-time, get level the bevel, get rid of it.
6:53
SPEAKER_04: I had no issues with it.
6:54
SPEAKER_04: I think it was great, it was a solid logo, it was recognizable.
6:57
SPEAKER_04: We've had it since 1999.
6:59
SPEAKER_04: It was great.
7:02
SPEAKER_04: I kind of think making this the full-time logo, which is a slightly altered version of the old double T, of the classic double T takes away a little bit of the retro charm that that logo offers.
7:19
SPEAKER_04: And it also makes a current college logo in 2025 look like it's from the 1970s.
7:27
SPEAKER_04: So I don't love it.
7:29
SPEAKER_04: I don't love the rebrand, I don't think it was necessary.
7:32
SPEAKER_04: Am I going to still buy merch?
7:34
SPEAKER_04: Am I still going to think this new double T looks good on the field and good on merch and good everywhere?
7:40
SPEAKER_04: Yes, absolutely.
7:41
SPEAKER_04: It looks good.
7:42
SPEAKER_04: There's no bad double T.
7:43
SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna say that right now.
7:45
SPEAKER_04: There's no bad double T.
7:47
SPEAKER_04: But I don't think this rebrand or refresh was necessary, and I don't really understand the meaning for it.
7:55
SPEAKER_04: I I like I hear you on the new era thing, that was happening regardless.
7:59
SPEAKER_04: This has been in the works for years now without a new brand new double T.
8:04
SPEAKER_04: Like we had we've been getting new practice facilities, we've been throwing NIL money all over the place.
8:08
SPEAKER_04: This has been happening.
8:10
SPEAKER_04: So whether we kept the bevel double T or switch to a new one, it's still going to be a new era of tech sports.
8:18
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but I just think it's giving iconography to that new era.
8:21
SPEAKER_01: I think that's the idea is like officially it's a new era.
8:26
SPEAKER_01: It is worth noting that the Bevel Double T apparently is remaining the logo of the university itself, which is weird.
8:35
SPEAKER_01: And I mean, I I think that it's ultimately uh futile because the the athletic team is the face of the university, no matter how you cut it.
8:46
SPEAKER_01: Like athletics is the marketing arm of any bit major university.
8:50
SPEAKER_01: So whatever people see the flat double T, they're gonna associate that with the university more so the inevitably than the say the bevel double T.
8:59
SPEAKER_01: So it's I I think I think whenever it comes to that kind of thing, like if you want to make if you want to make the university logo different, I think what you usually have to roll to, and this goes for all universities, is the seal, like making the seal the official logo of the university.
9:13
SPEAKER_01: You know how all universities have a seal.
9:15
SPEAKER_04: So I don't know.
9:17
SPEAKER_04: I I well back to back to a point I made earlier, because uh this logo looks just like the old double T with some slight tweaks, slight tweaks, if you can say that.
9:30
SPEAKER_04: It's very simple, very simple.
9:33
SPEAKER_04: A blocky T on top of a blocky T, you could make that in 1970, which they did.
9:40
SPEAKER_04: I worry that the simplified charm that that double T has provided the fan base in the past is not gonna have that same charm if you use it full time, and they are using it full time.
9:54
SPEAKER_04: So I we haven't seen the new uniforms, we haven't seen everything like that.
9:59
SPEAKER_04: I think part of the retro and the and the allure of the classic double T is that it's used rarely, is that you don't use it full-time and you bust out a one-time uniform per year, you know.
10:13
SPEAKER_04: Basketball maybe busts out a one-time uniform, you sell merch at a certain time of year during that week or whatever.
10:20
SPEAKER_04: I I just don't I worry that this logo is is too simple and it's not gonna have that same charm to it when you use it year round.
10:30
SPEAKER_01: I I I I kind of agree with you here.
10:32
SPEAKER_01: I think um to give to give I love the bevel double T too.
10:36
SPEAKER_01: Don't get me wrong, because like to give credence to the double bevel double T is it is unique.
10:41
SPEAKER_01: Like if you set the double bevel double T up against uh the logos of the country, it stands out because it's colorful, it's it's geometric geometrically different than most all of them.
10:53
SPEAKER_01: It pops three three-dimensionally, so that gives it a unique bit to that.
10:59
SPEAKER_01: But to push back on your losing the charm of using that old double tee, we are talking about one logo here.
11:05
SPEAKER_01: I think if you want to be charming and add different uh fun things from the past or or currently with the university, do that.
11:14
SPEAKER_01: Like throw Raider Red on some stuff, throw the mask rider on some stuff, you know, and and use other old double teas because there are other old double teas, like we're gonna see this weekend.
11:24
SPEAKER_01: It's different, it's older.
11:25
SPEAKER_01: Um, and they also have that like drop shadow double tea that is kind of offset that we rarely use.
11:31
SPEAKER_01: And obviously, now the bevel can become a classic throwback uh double tee to use as well.
11:37
SPEAKER_01: So you have a whole arsenal of really cool stuff.
11:40
SPEAKER_01: Textech is thankfully uh has a lot of cool branding.
11:43
SPEAKER_01: Like, I I think we criminally underutilize Raider Red and the Mask Rider in official uh merchandise and uniforms.
11:51
SPEAKER_01: Like, I think I think we're gonna steal Notre Dame's idea of making the Leprechaun do all the different sports things and what OSU does with the pistol peat do with all the sports things.
12:00
SPEAKER_04: Tech's already announced that they're gonna make a different Raider Red esque, you know, sort of logo for all the different sports.
12:06
SPEAKER_01: And I love that.
12:07
SPEAKER_01: I think that's awesome.
12:08
SPEAKER_01: So I would love to see more of that, see our little cowboy and all these different things doing all that fun stuff because I think that's a great representation of the university and kind of sets us apart.
12:17
SPEAKER_01: So um I I I think I'm gonna push back to on you on that because otherwise, I do think in the what the this flat double T has what, like six different variants of color combinations.
12:28
SPEAKER_04: So yeah, you you I mean, you got the three colors if you're on a black background, you have a red and a white, and then different outlines, right?
12:34
SPEAKER_04: Depending, um, I I don't know.
12:37
SPEAKER_04: I just like I just didn't think this was necessary, and I did I'll I'll preface this by saying that I did think that the people that were clamoring for a level the bevel flat and the double teething were pretty annoying about it, so I'm taking that into my consideration here.
12:53
SPEAKER_04: But throw eggs at him.
12:56
SPEAKER_04: I know, I know that this is it, it is kind of weird though, because I thought, and and it seems within the tech fan base, they're pretty pro this rebrand.
13:05
SPEAKER_04: I think everybody's kind of fired up about it, it looks cool.
13:08
SPEAKER_04: Like I said, tech doesn't have bad branding, so whether you do this logo, whether you do the bevel logo, I think it all looks good.
13:15
SPEAKER_04: It's kind of crazy seeing the the other fans' perspective on this because it's been pretty negative on this switch.
13:24
SPEAKER_04: I mean, people are comparing it to the cracker barrel thing and and all this sort of stuff, and I don't know if that's like a natural reaction to change uh with college sports teams.
13:33
SPEAKER_04: Like I know Vandy got a lot of crap whenever they switched a couple years back um to like that V that they uh they switched it slightly.
13:41
SPEAKER_04: I just just to pause right there.
13:42
SPEAKER_01: I don't hate the the change to the V.
13:45
SPEAKER_01: I uh what I hate about the V the V change is they made it like a gradient.
13:49
SPEAKER_01: It looks like you made it in PowerPoint and did this like weird black to gold gradient in the V.
13:55
SPEAKER_04: Continually I I'm just I'm curious because I I the more I look at a side-by-side of both of these double T's, I'm like, I don't I don't think you need to do this.
14:07
SPEAKER_04: It's a great classic looking logo, but it's so simple, and that I don't know if that works in 2025.
14:15
SPEAKER_04: You know what I'm saying?
14:17
SPEAKER_01: But dude, uh look at all of college athletics, like the most iconic logos in the game, they don't have bevels and stuff, dude.
14:25
SPEAKER_04: And but this is different.
14:26
SPEAKER_04: This is this is different.
14:28
SPEAKER_04: We've seen we've seen the logo with a bevel, and we've seen the logo without a bevel, and one clearly looks like it's from 1970, and this new one looks like it's from 1970.
14:39
SPEAKER_04: Why, but why is that negative?
14:41
SPEAKER_01: That is because it's not 1970, right?
14:44
SPEAKER_01: It's not 1970.
14:46
SPEAKER_01: Is the bevel 2025?
14:49
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, it's definitely it's definitely more modern, and I know you're gonna argue this point because you think it was a trendy thing to do.
14:56
SPEAKER_04: It's still a more modern-looking logo than what this new one is.
15:01
SPEAKER_01: I disagree, I disagree.
15:03
SPEAKER_01: I I really think I really do think the bevel is a product of the 2000s, like it's it looks very 2000s, it does.
15:10
SPEAKER_01: While the clean new look does look more modern, in my opinion.
15:13
SPEAKER_04: But when you looked at the double T before this, you were not the bevel double T before this.
15:18
SPEAKER_04: You were not saying that looks 2000s, you were saying that looks modern, that looks like Texas Tech.
15:25
SPEAKER_01: I I don't know if I ever used the words modern, but I did like it, you know.
15:28
SPEAKER_01: It's it's yeah, and I'm not saying I'm not trying to like run it back or anything, but it's I obviously we never really had this discussion and be prior to these topics coming up.
15:39
SPEAKER_01: Um, and I just go back to what you're saying, like the outside is negative.
15:42
SPEAKER_01: You know, I found like obviously we're getting all of our input from Twitter, which is a very different place.
15:48
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I the what I've noticed, it seems in state in Tejas, people seem to like it.
15:57
SPEAKER_01: Out of state, people are seem to be ripping on it, you know, like uh because I guess there's some people that kind of are in our same boat of wanting to go more simplistic.
16:06
SPEAKER_01: Like you the our same thing with the bevel, the aggs are doing the same thing, like aggies are calling to level their logo all the time as well, and they they want the same thing for their logo.
16:16
SPEAKER_01: So it's I do think it's I think Texans seem to like it while people from the outside don't.
16:23
SPEAKER_01: And I'll tell you what, dude, people need to stop saying temple logo.
16:27
SPEAKER_01: It looks literally nothing like the temple logo.
16:30
unknown: Sure.
16:30
SPEAKER_01: It has the same letter and color, but dude, it's other than that, it's completely different.
16:37
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I didn't see the temple thing, I didn't think that was a fair comparison, and also we're talking about college logos here, like it's a letter behind a color in some.
16:47
SPEAKER_01: There's only so many letters.
16:48
SPEAKER_04: There's I mean, yeah, like we're like if we're really getting weird, we're doing like the pine bluff logo.
16:53
SPEAKER_04: That's really or the Kansas logo, which or uh here in a second, or yeah, it's some weird logo, which all of those are a mistake.
17:02
SPEAKER_04: So, no, I I just to end her off here, I like both.
17:06
SPEAKER_04: I didn't think it was necessary.
17:08
SPEAKER_04: Am I going to buy a bunch of merch that has this new double T on it?
17:11
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely, I'm not mad about it, I just didn't think it was necessary.
17:15
SPEAKER_01: Dude, I tell you what, like now I think people are gonna be like, I you know, I should probably go ahead and buy this bevel polo, yeah.
17:21
SPEAKER_01: Right, yeah, you know what I mean?
17:22
SPEAKER_01: I gotta get the throwback merch.
17:24
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, get the sweet throwback merch, dude.
17:27
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, for sure.
17:28
SPEAKER_04: But all right, I hope I didn't piss off too many tech fans with that one.
17:31
SPEAKER_01: Um, it's it's it's crazy how polarizing it is.
17:34
SPEAKER_04: It's weird, like it's it's not weird, yeah.
17:37
SPEAKER_04: It's not weird.
17:38
SPEAKER_04: People are always gonna complain about this stuff.
17:41
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
17:43
SPEAKER_04: Um, it's gonna be weird, it's gonna be different seeing it so often because I don't know.
17:48
SPEAKER_04: I I've just yeah.
17:49
SPEAKER_01: My my brain keeps going back to whoever I'm watching on TV and I look at the scorebug, and it's the it's gonna be flat and go D, you know.
17:56
SPEAKER_04: That's gonna be different.
17:57
SPEAKER_04: It's gonna take some getting used to, but all right, man.
18:00
SPEAKER_04: The Texas Tech Red Raiders this past Saturday.
18:03
SPEAKER_04: They're 5-0.
18:05
SPEAKER_04: They went into Houston, fans showed up pretty pretty heavily.
18:12
SPEAKER_04: Uh, I know there was a lot of disagreements from U of H fans and Texas Tech fans on how many lost how many fans actually were there, but it was it was 40-60, I would say.
18:26
SPEAKER_01: Hey, hey, history is written by the victors, okay?
18:29
SPEAKER_01: And dude, they're they're they're totally overhyping how many more fans they have than ours because it was something like it was the third highest attended game in their history in that stadium.
18:41
SPEAKER_01: And I don't even think it was full, like the whole stadium.
18:43
SPEAKER_01: I don't I don't even think it was to the brim.
18:45
SPEAKER_04: It's like 40, it was like 42,000 something, which yeah, come on, Houston.
18:50
SPEAKER_01: It's just still, and I you know, they did they did show up for the most part though, but uh you know the the crowd was the crowd was pretty good, but I mean our fans, you can hear them the whole time along with the going band.
19:02
SPEAKER_04: Oh yeah, when I I go back to the Cam Dickey long touchdown and you just hear it in the crowd.
19:07
SPEAKER_04: I'm just going absolutely nuts when that was happening, and that was cool to see.
19:12
SPEAKER_04: Texas Tech absolutely shows up.
19:14
SPEAKER_04: Uh, and we knew that this was the only road game in the state of Texas that we were in this year, so yeah, and you find a coupon code and then you go crazy with it, and everybody shows up.
19:25
SPEAKER_04: Tech fans rule um it was awesome if you made it out to the game.
19:29
SPEAKER_04: But overall, let's talk about the game itself.
19:32
SPEAKER_04: 35-11 on the road.
19:34
SPEAKER_04: You've beat every team so far this season by 24 points.
19:38
SPEAKER_04: You've outgained every team this season by 200 plus yards.
19:43
SPEAKER_04: Domination.
19:44
SPEAKER_04: This score doesn't necessarily reflect that, like it doesn't pop off the page or anything.
19:49
SPEAKER_04: But Texas Tech is dominating teams.
19:54
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, dude, I was about to say the score doesn't even reflect the game.
19:58
SPEAKER_01: Like Houston was never in striking distance.
20:01
SPEAKER_01: They had moments of popping up a little bit, like at the end of the second half in the getting in the first half, but they were never within a real threatening range, which has been a story for the most part all season.
20:14
SPEAKER_01: Like, even Utah, like we kind of had them in control the whole time.
20:17
SPEAKER_01: It was the same story here in Houston.
20:20
SPEAKER_01: Um, so we should have won by a lot more, actually.
20:24
SPEAKER_01: But you just you cannot be mad about that sort of like you said, domination on the road against an undefeated team who would consider you a rival, the probably the biggest rival in the conference.
20:36
SPEAKER_01: Like they got up for that game, and you took care of business, dude.
20:39
SPEAKER_01: No ifs, ands, or buts.
20:41
SPEAKER_01: No one in the country is dominating teams like Texas Tech.
20:44
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, it's and first and foremost, the reason for that is because this defense continues to be incredible, unbelievable in all aspects.
20:55
SPEAKER_04: I've never personally rooted for a team, any team, that you can just rely on defensively and just put all the faith in the world on that side and know that it's gonna work out in your favor because of how many different people we have on this defense.
21:13
SPEAKER_04: And we've talked about it every week, so I won't go into full detail like we have been, but I want to start with David Bailey because the highest pressure rate this season, he had 11 total pressures in just this game against Houston, absolutely shredded Dalton Merriman, and as we can see, is the reason why he was maybe uh shown the door uh after last season at Texas Tech.
21:37
SPEAKER_04: And now, after this game, David Bailey leads all of FBS in pressures.
21:41
SPEAKER_04: He's got 31 on the year to match his number.
21:43
SPEAKER_04: He got to the quarterback six times in less than two and a half seconds.
21:50
SPEAKER_04: That was a stat from Pro Football Sports Network.
21:53
SPEAKER_04: I'm not sure how legit they were, but I saw it on Twitter going around.
21:56
SPEAKER_04: That's his real.
21:58
SPEAKER_04: It's real.
22:00
SPEAKER_04: On Twitter, believe me.
22:03
SPEAKER_04: And Texas Tech as a whole has the third highest pressure rate without blitzing in the country.
22:08
SPEAKER_04: That's insane.
22:09
SPEAKER_04: That's insane.
22:11
SPEAKER_04: That is like that.
22:12
SPEAKER_04: That shows how talented this team is.
22:16
SPEAKER_04: Where you don't even have to call a blitz, and they're just going to get to the quarterback.
22:19
SPEAKER_04: You're just going to find a way.
22:20
SPEAKER_04: It doesn't matter if they got four guys blocking, five guys blocking, you're going to win these matchups consistently against the rest of your schedule.
22:29
SPEAKER_04: Because you've played you've played the best O-line in the Big 12 already, and you shredded them.
22:34
SPEAKER_04: So I'm amazed by this defense.
22:39
SPEAKER_01: That makes your job as coaches so easy, too.
22:43
SPEAKER_01: You know, like just to be able to rely on that, just the front line, being able to just shred their line and get to the quarterback every single drive.
22:53
SPEAKER_01: It's such it's such a luxury, dude.
22:55
SPEAKER_01: It makes your job so much easier uh defending the the next levels up.
23:00
SPEAKER_01: Um but gosh, dude, what a nightmare it is to scheme against that as an offensive coordinator.
23:07
SPEAKER_01: You know, like you're you must just be in the in hell trying to figure out how the heck you're gonna get past that D line.
23:14
SPEAKER_01: So dude, it's just we talked about this in the preseason, and we talk about it every single game, but this is easily the most outstanding unit in the Big 12, period.
23:26
SPEAKER_01: Just of all cross-all positions.
23:29
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah, they've absolutely shown it, and we still have a few more tests with a few more tough matchups coming up, but so far they have done everything.
23:38
SPEAKER_04: I want to bring this up, and it's never gonna happen, but the Heisman Trophy, right?
23:44
SPEAKER_04: It's a it's a trophy given out to mostly quarterbacks, sometimes a receiver will get it, sometimes a running back will get it.
23:52
SPEAKER_04: It's never really brought up to a defender.
23:56
SPEAKER_04: If it were, Jacob Rodriguez would be first in line to get the Heisman trophy if they ever considered giving it to a defender, which they won't.
24:06
SPEAKER_04: But to be the leader, both in the locker room and on the field, for you look across this defense and look at all the talent.
24:19
SPEAKER_04: I mean, you can name them Romelo Haid, Lee Hunter, even Ben Roberts, Dante Balfour, you know, Bryce Polak, David Bailey.
24:28
SPEAKER_04: There's so much talent, and yet the leader of that entire unit on the field is Jacob Rodriguez, and he backs it up.
24:38
SPEAKER_04: He's incredible, he's unbelievable.
24:41
SPEAKER_04: Like I am already willing to put him at least top three all time at Texas Tech at the linebacker position.
24:49
SPEAKER_04: And there's still a lot of season to go, but he after this season, he's gonna be permanently there.
24:55
SPEAKER_01: And I mean, not even just linebacker, dude, just of the grades of Texas Tech.
25:00
SPEAKER_01: He's the best player on the team, bar none.
25:03
SPEAKER_01: He's the best player on the team.
25:05
SPEAKER_01: And one of one of the co-hosts on this podcast selected him as the team the player they're most looking forward to seeing this year, and I think he's winning.
25:12
SPEAKER_01: So, um, but dude, you're absolutely right.
25:16
SPEAKER_01: If if anybody gave love to not even just defensive players, but to players who weren't basically picked before the season even started, this would be a different conversation, right?
25:26
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and I mean, he you know, he's gonna he's gonna get love in the buttgiss award and and uh the bednerick and all that kind of stuff.
25:35
SPEAKER_04: But uh I mean, if you're just talking about best players in college football, he's right there.
25:40
SPEAKER_04: All American.
25:41
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, 100%.
25:43
SPEAKER_04: I'm uh I'm amazed with him every time.
25:46
SPEAKER_04: And uh he caught that interception, I mean, just completely.
25:49
SPEAKER_04: Hurdled the guy, yeah, and then hurdled the guy.
25:51
SPEAKER_04: I mean, he's he's electric.
25:53
SPEAKER_04: I know he kind of went out uh towards the end of the game.
25:55
SPEAKER_04: He had a little bit of calf tightness, but I don't think it's a long-term deal.
25:58
SPEAKER_04: But yeah, it I I could just talk about Jacob Rodriguez every uh every pod if we wanted to.
26:03
SPEAKER_01: Better Rodriguez.
26:04
SPEAKER_04: Oh, 100%.
26:06
SPEAKER_04: No, no arguments from me, my guy.
26:08
SPEAKER_04: Um, I wanted to before we get off the defense, I wanted to shout out Brendan Jordan.
26:13
SPEAKER_04: Um, got beat on the long TD, the one huge play from Houston, and then comes back later in the game, makes a hell of a grab for an interception.
26:21
SPEAKER_04: That's just like that.
26:22
SPEAKER_04: They keep talking about the what's next mentality.
26:25
SPEAKER_04: That's the what's next mentality.
26:26
SPEAKER_04: You give up a big play, you come back, and then you you make a big play for an interception.
26:31
SPEAKER_04: So um this is that's a guy who's probably gonna be towards the bottom of the defensive starters that you look at and are like, oh, okay, yeah, that guy we have to worry about.
26:40
SPEAKER_04: But for him to make that play as probably the 10th best defensive starter on the team is incredible.
26:48
SPEAKER_04: And that's not a slight to him, by the way.
26:49
SPEAKER_04: That's just how good this defense is.
26:52
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
26:52
SPEAKER_01: And I mean, that's obviously where we're getting kind of getting torched uh when that happens, which is very, very, very rarely, is through the passing game.
27:00
SPEAKER_01: Deep.
27:01
SPEAKER_01: So and and like you said, I mean, with the way you bounce back from letting those big plays happen, and you know, it's it's hard as a fan in the moment to accept that those things happen, but they happen.
27:12
SPEAKER_01: Big plays happen for you and against you.
27:15
SPEAKER_01: It's it's just a part of the game.
27:17
SPEAKER_01: So, I mean, it we limit them for the most part.
27:20
SPEAKER_01: So just to watch them, like you say, back uh uh just get back in and then make a big play to make us erase all of our memory of that previous uh slip up is it's just it's great to see.
27:31
SPEAKER_01: And it's just good to see that guys don't get down themselves, just get back out there and get going.
27:35
SPEAKER_01: So, like just the fight in this team is relentless, especially on defense.
27:40
SPEAKER_04: For sure.
27:41
SPEAKER_04: Complete shutout of Houston in the second half, by the way.
27:43
SPEAKER_04: They didn't score a single point.
27:44
SPEAKER_01: I didn't even realize that.
27:46
SPEAKER_01: Oh my goodness.
27:47
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, they got that late touchdown in the second quarter and then they converted to two-point conversion, and then they did not score through that.
27:53
SPEAKER_04: So this defense takes things very personally, and uh when a big play happens like that, they are they're committed to not ever letting it happen again.
28:02
SPEAKER_04: Uh their star running back who's been good all season, Dean Connors, 13 carries for 31 yards.
28:08
SPEAKER_04: Again, your rush defense, incredible.
28:10
SPEAKER_01: Um best in the country, isn't it?
28:12
SPEAKER_04: Statistically, yeah, statistically, best in the country.
28:15
SPEAKER_04: I mean, you're just stopping the run, you're not letting those teams get any sort of room.
28:19
SPEAKER_01: Uh when they did just so luxurious, as I said, you stopped the run, dude.
28:25
SPEAKER_01: You are cooking.
28:27
SPEAKER_04: It's wonderful.
28:28
SPEAKER_04: It's wonderful.
28:28
SPEAKER_04: They got a few uh quarterback runs um after they dropped on uh you know out of the pocket and the the pocket collapsed and they took off a little bit.
28:36
SPEAKER_04: They had a few of those, but Houston's got those type of quarterbacks, whether it's Wickman or um or Xeon.
28:43
SPEAKER_04: Um, but it was, I mean, unbelievable showing from the defense.
28:47
SPEAKER_01: So before you go to offense, though.
28:49
SPEAKER_04: Sure.
28:51
SPEAKER_01: Our defense literally sent a quarterback to the locker room.
28:55
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
28:56
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
28:57
SPEAKER_04: Um yeah, he's apparently he's going through concussion protocol.
29:01
SPEAKER_04: Uh oh no!
29:03
SPEAKER_01: I didn't mean I did not mean for it to be like that.
29:06
SPEAKER_01: I feel like that's just how much you beat up the other quarterback, which is the point.
29:09
SPEAKER_01: It's football.
29:09
SPEAKER_01: You know, it's football.
29:10
SPEAKER_04: You you're gonna get hit, and you're really gonna get hit by this defensive line.
29:14
SPEAKER_04: But yeah, he's uh I think he's fine.
29:15
SPEAKER_04: He's actually, I think he's trending towards play in this coming week for Houston.
29:18
SPEAKER_04: But um, yeah, uh kick their butt offensively.
29:24
SPEAKER_04: There's some things to clean up, yeah.
29:26
SPEAKER_04: But I want to start off with a positive these running backs, so I wanna I because I've been seeing this every week now as as Texas Tech starts to get more and more into the national talks, and you know, people are talking about Texas Tech, and they have like three sentences they can say before they have to cut the commercial break.
29:46
SPEAKER_04: And I'm hearing a lot of and it's just constant, you know.
29:50
SPEAKER_04: Imagine this team with Quentin Joyner.
29:53
SPEAKER_04: That's really under underplaying what Cam Dickey and Jacoby Williams are doing right now.
29:58
SPEAKER_04: Cam Dickey's leading the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns as a for running backs.
30:04
SPEAKER_04: I think uh uh who has it?
30:06
SPEAKER_04: Uh Rocco Becht has the most rushing touchdowns right now, Iowa State's quarterback, but uh Cam Dickey's leading all Big 12 running backs in rushing touchdowns.
30:14
SPEAKER_04: Jacoby's tied for third in rushing touchdowns.
30:17
SPEAKER_04: Jacoby Williams leads the Big 12 in receiving yards by a running back.
30:21
SPEAKER_04: These guys are incredible.
30:24
SPEAKER_04: Cam Dickey had a 69-yard receiving touchdown against Houston.
30:29
SPEAKER_04: These guys deserve all the praise.
30:31
SPEAKER_04: And I hope Quinn Joyner is recovering nicely and I hope to see him on the field next year.
30:37
SPEAKER_04: But these guys should be the topic of conversation when you're talking about the running backs at Texas Tech.
30:42
SPEAKER_01: I won't really talk about the positives of the offense against U of H.
30:46
SPEAKER_01: It begins with the running backs, as you opened up with.
30:50
SPEAKER_01: Because if you've noticed between Utah and U of H, the running backs are actually the ones that are responsible for the explosive plays that really open the game up.
30:59
SPEAKER_01: So you know, you saw the the big the big catch and run against Utah, and then once again, a big catch and run against U of H that has really juiced up the offense and to get the motoring.
31:09
SPEAKER_01: And they have been so reliable moving the ball down the field.
31:12
SPEAKER_01: I just think the reason why they're not being talked about so much is A, it's a duo rather than just one guy doing it all.
31:19
SPEAKER_01: And B, you're following up Taj Brooks, and it's just that that's those are big shoes to fill.
31:25
SPEAKER_01: And they're doing a great job at doing that.
31:29
SPEAKER_01: But it, you know, it it was really great to see them step up because that was the most frustrating game to watch receivers all season.
31:36
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the receivers buttered up their hands before they went out there against this game.
31:40
SPEAKER_01: I mean, especially a guy that's been so reliable like Cody Aiken, he kept doing it, it was crazy.
31:45
SPEAKER_01: So it was really good to see the running back step up, just like you said, dude, not getting enough love nationally.
31:51
SPEAKER_01: But again, like you're talking about guys on like College Game Day or Big Fox, they are not watching Texas Tech.
31:56
SPEAKER_01: That is not the game they're turning into.
31:58
SPEAKER_01: They're turning into there, they find the biggest logo and turn that on.
32:00
SPEAKER_01: That's what happens.
32:02
SPEAKER_01: And so, uh, but they'll learn.
32:04
SPEAKER_01: We keep winning like this, they'll learn, they'll be forced to talk about us as they're already being forced to do so.
32:10
SPEAKER_01: Maybe there's a little bit, but they're gonna have to talk about a lot more about us if we keep this train running.
32:15
SPEAKER_04: I don't know if it's gonna happen much this week, but when we go to play Arizona State and Tempe, that one will be uh talked about quite a bit, I imagine.
32:24
SPEAKER_04: Oh, absolutely.
32:25
SPEAKER_04: The uh red zone struggles for Texas Tech were pretty evident in this one.
32:31
SPEAKER_04: Um, I think it's an overline conversation about Mac Lefwich in this offense.
32:38
SPEAKER_04: And I I have I just had a thought because I was listening to the Joey Presser yesterday talk about the offense and and how many pre-snap penalties we have, you know, how this offense kind of runs as a whole.
32:49
SPEAKER_04: And for many years, since Mike Leach and even before that, a little bit, Texas Tech had to rely on kind of up-tempo, complex offenses to throw defenses off and allow us to score points.
33:01
SPEAKER_04: This was especially evident in the Kingsbury years, and they were great.
33:04
SPEAKER_04: He ran an unbelievable offense, it worked out for us.
33:07
SPEAKER_04: It was unique, it was innovative, but it was also like necessary because of the poor talent usually on the offensive line at tech.
33:16
SPEAKER_04: Um we don't have that those issues with this offensive line.
33:22
SPEAKER_04: Are they perfect?
33:22
SPEAKER_04: No.
33:23
SPEAKER_04: Are they Alabama's?
33:24
SPEAKER_04: Are they Ohio State's?
33:25
SPEAKER_04: No.
33:25
SPEAKER_04: But they're really darn good, and it's much improved from these past couple years.
33:31
SPEAKER_04: This is this is an offensive line that you can just run simple plays through and get positive yardage.
33:37
SPEAKER_04: Like Howard Sampson is doing a pretty good job at the left tackle.
33:40
SPEAKER_04: You know, Jacob Pond is becoming a star at the right tackle.
33:44
SPEAKER_04: Like he's gonna be a really, really good player for Texas Tech for a lot of years.
33:47
SPEAKER_04: Sheridan Wilson's coming to his own at the center position.
33:50
SPEAKER_04: And, you know, I'm I don't think we necessarily need to get so complex in these offenses, in these pre-snap motions and the changing play calls and such.
34:00
SPEAKER_04: Like, I don't think we need to do that.
34:02
SPEAKER_04: We have needed to do that in the past because of the talent deficiency we had on the offensive line, but I think that's kind of messing with their brains a little much, and it's and it's difficult sometimes trying to learn and get acquainted into such a complex offense, and that's the reason for a lot of these pre-snap penalties.
34:19
SPEAKER_04: So I I think and Joey mentioned it too, so this isn't like coming out of nowhere.
34:25
SPEAKER_04: He I think he's having talks with Mac about just simplifying things a little bit moving forward, and that will lead to hopefully less penalties down the line.
34:33
SPEAKER_01: That's a really great point, dude.
34:35
SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, we are dealing with talent on both sides of the ball that we just have never really seen at tech, if not in a very long time.
34:41
SPEAKER_01: Certainly never.
34:42
SPEAKER_01: We've never seen a defense like this at tech, ever.
34:45
SPEAKER_01: Ever.
34:46
SPEAKER_01: I'm I feel pretty comfortable about saying that since the inauguration of the sport on campus.
34:51
SPEAKER_01: Um so uh, and obviously it's improved so much on offense as well.
34:54
SPEAKER_01: So that's a great point.
34:55
SPEAKER_01: And it's kind of I guess I I guess what you're saying is it's we're really trying to move to a keep it simple, stupid mentality and um like and play conservatively because you don't you don't have to play as dangerously, you know, and that leak because that leads to turnovers, and turnovers can kill any good football team.
35:11
SPEAKER_01: So I I definitely see where you're going with that.
35:13
SPEAKER_01: Just trying to just trying to keep things, keep the playbook simple, straightforward, and just use your talent to outdo the other dudes.
35:18
SPEAKER_01: So, but I mean the penalties were bad.
35:23
SPEAKER_01: They were drive killing each time pretty much every single time we got into the red zone.
35:27
SPEAKER_04: Uh yeah, a lot of them in the red zone, too.
35:28
SPEAKER_04: I mean, that's there's you know, that's leading to so much, it's a momentum killer, man.
35:32
SPEAKER_04: Everybody's stopping.
35:34
SPEAKER_04: You love to run emotion, you love to run like uh you know, consistently working, fast paced, and it just throws everybody off.
35:42
SPEAKER_01: And yeah, and you you you found a Baron Morton who is really taking care of the ball this season.
35:48
SPEAKER_01: And just so you could see you can tell that he's playing much more conservatively than he'd say you would in other offenses.
35:55
SPEAKER_01: So because he he he's playing, he's throwing balls that he knows isn't safe hands.
35:59
SPEAKER_01: He's not yet yeah, I I don't know if you know I uh maybe you saw it, but I really felt like he didn't try to slice through any tight holes in this game.
36:09
SPEAKER_01: I think he kept it yeah, I kept he I think he kept it very safe, and I think you could expect to see the same thing against a team like Kansas as well.
36:17
SPEAKER_01: So I I really think it's just we're gonna be so much better than a team like KU like we were against U of H that it just won't matter.
36:23
SPEAKER_01: And at all penalty should not be a problem.
36:26
SPEAKER_04: This is also gonna be a much worse defense that we're facing in Kansas than both Houston and Utah.
36:31
SPEAKER_04: I think Houston and Utah are probably you know at least top six-ish defenses in the Big 12.
36:37
SPEAKER_04: So I think this will be a little bit of a slice and dice deal, a few more big plays happening.
36:42
SPEAKER_04: But yeah, I think the red zone struggles are also we're looking at that, and and we really would have had two, three more touchdowns if it weren't for drop passes, like you mentioned earlier.
36:50
SPEAKER_04: Right.
36:51
SPEAKER_04: Um, too early on.
36:52
SPEAKER_04: I mean, Caleb Douglas missed like three or four in just this game where he just dropped them.
36:58
SPEAKER_04: I mean, he had them, he was there.
36:59
SPEAKER_04: Houston's got some pretty good corners, and he was and uh they had a player I can't remember his name, but uh pretty good player on CD the whole time.
37:08
SPEAKER_04: So definitely had good coverage, but he should have he should have hauled in at least three of those.
37:13
SPEAKER_04: Coy, not just on the screen right there that would have scored him at the very beginning of the game, but the punt.
37:18
SPEAKER_04: The bobble punt that was bad.
37:21
SPEAKER_04: It ended up working out uh because of the rule, and it is a rule.
37:25
SPEAKER_04: You have to, even if he bobbles it, you have to you know give him an opportunity to fully catch it.
37:29
SPEAKER_04: So I know a lot of Houston fans were upset about that one.
37:32
SPEAKER_01: But that makes sense though.
37:33
SPEAKER_01: Like that rule makes perfect sense.
37:35
SPEAKER_04: No, I don't I would disagree.
37:37
SPEAKER_01: I actually think no, wait, okay, okay, okay.
37:39
SPEAKER_04: If that player does not catch it immediately, the defender should be allowed to hit the crap out of him.
37:44
SPEAKER_01: I disagree.
37:45
SPEAKER_01: If you signal for a if you signal to catch the ball safely, it doesn't, it shouldn't matter whether or not he's in the Brad Basket or you just bop it a bit.
37:54
SPEAKER_04: No way, no, he didn't he didn't just bop it a bit.
37:57
SPEAKER_04: He didn't just bop it a bit.
37:59
SPEAKER_04: And by the time if he's calling for a fair catch, those guys are slowing down anyway.
38:04
SPEAKER_04: So it's not like they're hitting him at full speed if he bobbles it.
38:07
SPEAKER_04: Okay, okay.
38:08
SPEAKER_04: Like, I think and and through the rule, Texas Tech deserved to get the ball back.
38:13
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
38:14
SPEAKER_04: If you're just looking at that as a football play, Houston deserved that ball.
38:18
SPEAKER_04: Like that he bobbled the crap out of it.
38:20
SPEAKER_04: And it was so I know that we're missing Tristan Gentry uh last game, who has been our punt returner all year.
38:27
SPEAKER_04: Coy kind of stepped in and had to play that role, and they said because he's so sure-handed, so uh you're a little confused as to what the heck's going on with him.
38:35
SPEAKER_04: But um, yeah, I I think the red zone struggles and maybe a few other plays that you look and say weren't great for Texas Tech could be um, you know, push to the side if you just catch those balls.
38:47
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
38:48
SPEAKER_01: Well, the good news is this gave the players something to work on in practice this week.
38:52
SPEAKER_01: So obviously though those though, that's what they probably are focusing on in the film room.
38:56
SPEAKER_01: And I mean, Left Witch has been doing a great job.
38:59
SPEAKER_01: So it there's just seriously no complaints.
39:01
SPEAKER_01: And I love seeing how fired up both our coordinators get on the sideline about their players.
39:05
SPEAKER_01: You can tell they care deeply about the game, and so we even didn't even mention that Shieldwood went into his old job and just kicked ass.
39:13
SPEAKER_01: So that was that was awesome to see.
39:16
SPEAKER_01: So uh, but yeah, man, it it it's hard to complain.
39:19
SPEAKER_01: I know I know it sucks to leave six points off the board, but you were going down every single drive in scoring, and it's hard to ask for more than that every single time.
39:31
SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
39:32
SPEAKER_01: Because not every single drive is gonna result in six points, and obviously they should have resulted more than what we were just talking about, but you can't criticize it too much if you are coming away with points every single time.
39:44
SPEAKER_04: You I go back to you beat an undefeated team at their place 35 to 11.
39:48
SPEAKER_04: So I I'm not gonna complain about it.
39:51
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, the offense probably should have scored closer to 45 or something in this one, but um, I I think they played well enough and they played well enough to win.
39:58
SPEAKER_04: And with this defense, it's honestly it's like the offense has a lot less to do uh and a lot less weight on their shoulders because this defense is so good.
40:07
SPEAKER_04: So that's gonna continue throughout.
40:09
SPEAKER_04: Is there anything else you want to touch on?
40:11
SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, in any worries about special teams to the schools.
40:17
SPEAKER_04: They're long, they were long, but they and they weren't that long, and this is what it's gonna be.
40:22
SPEAKER_04: If you have to kick a 55-yarder at the end of the half, Stone Harrington's gonna go out there no matter what, because I don't think Bellenfon has the leg.
40:29
SPEAKER_04: But Belenfont is more accurate, it seems, from 40 in.
40:34
SPEAKER_04: So I I think it's you're gonna see them both, like depending on the situation.
40:39
SPEAKER_04: If you have to go and kick a 55-yarder, Stone Harrington's gonna go out there.
40:43
SPEAKER_04: And if you need a game tying field goal, you know, something within 40 yards, they're gonna throw out Bell and Bond.
40:51
SPEAKER_04: It's uh it's kind of a weird situation, but I think, and and Kenny Perry talked about it too.
40:56
SPEAKER_04: He they're gonna kind of see how everybody's feeling before every game, and they're gonna have both those guys ready no matter what.
41:02
SPEAKER_04: So I don't think it's ideal, but it's it's kind of what you're working with.
41:07
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's not ideal, but it it does make sense to have you know a power guy and an accuracy guy.
41:12
SPEAKER_01: Like that's that's you know, it's kind of different methods, I suppose.
41:15
SPEAKER_01: But uh, I'm with you on you.
41:17
SPEAKER_01: You obviously want both.
41:18
SPEAKER_01: Um, but uh we're we're doing fine in that department.
41:22
SPEAKER_01: Just we did leave six points off due to that.
41:24
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, absolutely.
41:25
SPEAKER_04: 100%.
41:26
SPEAKER_04: But we also left a few more points off from drop passes, so it's it's all around.
41:30
SPEAKER_04: But uh tech offense is fine.
41:32
SPEAKER_04: I want to ask you a question before we get to Kansas.
41:35
SPEAKER_04: Do you think Texas Tech is closer to Ohio State or closer to Michigan?
41:42
SPEAKER_04: Michigan right now, ranked number 15 in the country, Ohio State ranked number one in the country.
41:48
SPEAKER_04: Texas Tech right there at nine.
41:50
SPEAKER_04: Do you think this Red Raider team is closer to Ohio State good or Michigan good?
41:57
SPEAKER_01: I think we're closer to Ohio State good.
42:00
SPEAKER_01: The reason why I say that, I know that sounds like hot air.
42:02
SPEAKER_01: I get it.
42:02
SPEAKER_01: And we're on a Red Raider podcast, and we're gonna pump the team up, literally no matter what, for the most part.
42:08
SPEAKER_01: But the reason why I say that is because we are dominating everyone we play, even in our bad games.
42:16
SPEAKER_01: Quotation marks, we are destroying the other team.
42:19
SPEAKER_01: Like again, U of H offensive offense left a lot of points off the board, and we still destroyed them.
42:25
SPEAKER_01: So I would say we're closer to Ohio State than we are to Michigan this year.
42:30
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I would agree.
42:33
SPEAKER_04: I would agree.
42:34
SPEAKER_04: I think that this team has shown you everything they need to to prove that they're a top 10, top five team in the country.
42:41
SPEAKER_04: They don't have the resume that some of these others have right now.
42:44
SPEAKER_04: Ohio State has beaten some there's some politics to that though.
42:47
SPEAKER_04: There are, there's some politics to it, but I also don't quite know.
42:52
SPEAKER_04: I don't think anybody quite knows how good Utah is yet.
42:55
SPEAKER_04: I don't think anybody quite knows how good Houston is yet, due to the poor schedules outside of our games, you know.
43:02
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, is Texas Tech just that good?
43:05
SPEAKER_04: Uh and we're still trying to figure out everything right now.
43:08
SPEAKER_04: Like, Oregon hasn't played a killer schedule, you know.
43:11
SPEAKER_04: Uh these other ones like Miami's played a pretty solid schedule, I would say.
43:15
SPEAKER_04: They deserve their ranking.
43:16
SPEAKER_04: Ohio State's beat some good teams to start off.
43:18
SPEAKER_04: AM's beat some good teams to start off.
43:21
SPEAKER_04: So I it's it's yeah, there's there's definitely politics involved, and that's why I asked this question because I do think Texas Tech right now, if you're just looking at that team and you're looking at Ohio State's team, I think you're gonna get a pretty close game.
43:36
SPEAKER_01: I I don't think I don't think you're wrong for saying either or.
43:38
SPEAKER_01: I think one you're is more of an optimistic answer than the other, I'd say.
43:42
SPEAKER_01: Um, but it's just like the team is giving you no reason to not think they can't run with anybody in the country right now.
43:47
SPEAKER_01: And I really mean that.
43:48
SPEAKER_01: Like, I really think we'd give anybody a good fight right now.
43:51
SPEAKER_01: Um, so just on that point, we are number nine.
43:54
SPEAKER_01: First time we've been in the top 10 since the glory days of 2008, um, which is incredible.
44:00
SPEAKER_01: That long ago.
44:01
SPEAKER_01: Um, but even even with that ranking, I'm still frustrated because we have a team right ahead of us that has a bad loss, a really bad loss.
44:11
SPEAKER_01: Um, and they somehow leaped us.
44:14
SPEAKER_01: And uh, you know, I brought up politics.
44:17
SPEAKER_01: That if that if they do not have Alabama in our name, we would be number eight.
44:21
SPEAKER_01: We would be ahead of whatever team with their schedule and everything, we would be ahead of them.
44:26
SPEAKER_01: So it's if that was Missouri, we'd be ahead of them.
44:29
SPEAKER_01: You know, like if that if that was if that was uh what Indiana, that we'd be ahead of them, you know.
44:36
SPEAKER_04: Well, I don't know.
44:37
SPEAKER_04: Indiana right now is above you.
44:39
SPEAKER_01: Well, I know, but if Indiana had a loss, you know, you're ahead of Indiana.
44:42
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, that's true.
44:43
SPEAKER_04: I don't I think they're overhyping Illinois, and that's why Indiana's as high as they are, but because I don't think Illinois's all that good.
44:50
SPEAKER_04: The yeah, there's definitely politics.
44:53
SPEAKER_04: If you just keep winning, I mean the Big 12 is already a disadvantage nationally, it just is people have that perception of the conference, and um they're gonna put, you know, they're gonna say the sixth team in the SEC is better than the third team in the Big 12, which I don't know if it's true.
45:08
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, we're never gonna get like a full, you know, one-on-one comparison to these.
45:14
SPEAKER_04: But I think if you're if you've been watching the games, and a lot of these AP voters aren't watching all the games, which I wouldn't expect them to.
45:20
SPEAKER_04: That's a lot of a lot of games to watch.
45:22
SPEAKER_04: If you I would hope you'd at least try a little harder to do that if you have an AP vote.
45:27
SPEAKER_04: But I yeah, I I think if you've watched every game of Texas Tech this year, you see not just the talent, but how tight the team is and how well they play in the schemes that are currently run by these coordinators.
45:41
SPEAKER_04: I like we could go in and blow it to Kansas.
45:45
SPEAKER_04: I really don't think that's gonna happen because I firmly believe in the drive for this team, they're well coached, and uh the talent is obviously there.
45:55
SPEAKER_01: Very motivated.
45:56
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
45:57
SPEAKER_01: So um, yeah, no, I completely agree.
45:59
SPEAKER_01: And just just on that sticking point about the anti-Big 12 bias, and I'm not I'm not here to go rah-rah, conference for conference tribalism, blah blah blah.
46:06
SPEAKER_04: It's okay to be that way, it's okay to accept that you're that way.
46:09
SPEAKER_01: I I no, it's obviously yeah, yeah, I mean, I generally I don't want to be, but in today's world, you do have to want the best for your fight.
46:17
SPEAKER_04: You have to you have to fight a little harder because the national media isn't fighting it.
46:22
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly.
46:22
SPEAKER_01: Because I really do think Utah and Cincinnati should be ranked.
46:25
SPEAKER_01: I think it's kind of bullshit that they're not.
46:27
SPEAKER_01: I mean, because Utah's only lost to a top 10 team at home, so it's like that's that they should absolutely be ranked, especially since they are ranked before.
46:36
SPEAKER_01: In Cincinnati, I know they're they're they're crashing the party, but you need to let them in.
46:40
SPEAKER_01: Okay, they're they're they're they've won every single game after their uh their shortcoming in the opener at a neutral site.
46:47
SPEAKER_01: So it's like, come on now.
46:48
SPEAKER_01: You've let Arizona back in the in the game, in the club.
46:51
SPEAKER_01: Like you should put you should allow Cincinnati and the Utah in the club.
46:54
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah, we'll we'll see.
46:56
SPEAKER_04: A lot of that is based on last year's performance, and Cincinnati was not good last year, so people are afraid to put them up there.
47:02
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, it's it's the constant battle with the AP.
47:05
SPEAKER_04: But um, I I think the answer to all this is just win.
47:09
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, the old Al Davis, just keep winning.
47:12
SPEAKER_04: Uh, and then you'll get uh you'll get rewarded eventually.
47:15
SPEAKER_04: And Texas Tech, luckily being rewarded right now, I would say sure.
47:18
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely on the higher end of that team.
47:21
SPEAKER_01: Well, being good but but being ranked preseason helps that immensely.
47:25
SPEAKER_01: 100% had we not been ranked preseason, we'd probably be what teens maybe.
47:30
SPEAKER_04: Had we had we not spent$28 million on the roster and it was all throughout every article throughout the offseason, yeah.
47:35
SPEAKER_04: We probably wouldn't be in the position that we are right now.
47:37
SPEAKER_04: But um let's talk Kansas and wrap this thing up.
47:42
SPEAKER_04: Texas Tech 5-0, Kansas four and two.
47:46
SPEAKER_04: This game taking place this Saturday.
47:49
SPEAKER_04: We're gonna be there.
47:50
SPEAKER_04: We are there.
47:51
SPEAKER_04: We I wanna homecoming.
47:54
SPEAKER_04: I want to let the people I want to let the people know last year the game that we went to was the Arizona State game.
48:00
SPEAKER_04: Did it work out well for us?
48:02
SPEAKER_04: Yes, it did.
48:02
SPEAKER_04: So are we a good luck charm?
48:04
SPEAKER_04: I'm not maybe.
48:05
SPEAKER_04: I don't know.
48:05
SPEAKER_04: We went to school for four years and we lost a lot of those games.
48:08
SPEAKER_04: So I'm not gonna start saying that.
48:09
SPEAKER_04: A lot of those games, a lot of those games, but it's been good since last year.
48:17
SPEAKER_04: So we're gonna ride that high, baby, and we are gonna be there.
48:20
SPEAKER_04: Uh Texas Tech busting out the hundred-year uniforms that look fresh, look super cool at 6 30 p.m.
48:28
SPEAKER_04: kickoff night game at the Jones.
48:32
SPEAKER_01: How hype are you?
48:33
SPEAKER_01: Dude, this is gonna be the loudest, rowdiest Lubbock probably than you and I have ever seen as hardcore fans.
48:44
SPEAKER_01: Like, this is gonna be harking back to the 2000s.
48:47
SPEAKER_01: Like, we saw some big, rowdy games, do not get me wrong.
48:51
SPEAKER_01: But dude, I really think just the atmosphere, not just in the stadium, but around the stadium, is gonna be buzzing.
48:59
SPEAKER_01: And I just I cannot wait to see a Lubbock that has truly come alive due to football.
49:06
SPEAKER_01: It's been too dang long.
49:09
SPEAKER_04: Yep, yeah.
49:11
SPEAKER_04: I think it and we had a little similar feel to that against Arizona State because we were good, you know.
49:16
SPEAKER_04: I mean, we were four and one, I think, going into that game, or three and one, or something like that.
49:20
SPEAKER_04: So there was some buzz, and you could tell this is a different level, though.
49:24
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, like you got you're five and oh, man.
49:27
SPEAKER_04: Like you are you are number nine in the country right now.
49:32
SPEAKER_04: Like, this is insane.
49:34
SPEAKER_04: I'll say, this is the best quarterback that you face this season.
49:38
SPEAKER_04: Jalen Daniels is a good, experienced quarterback.
49:41
SPEAKER_04: He's got 16 touchdowns to two interceptions on the year.
49:44
SPEAKER_04: He's lost a fumble as well.
49:46
SPEAKER_04: Just want to point that out.
49:47
SPEAKER_04: He has almost 1,500 yards.
49:50
SPEAKER_04: So just comparing him to Barron, he's probably got about 80 more yards, four more touchdowns, one less interception, but he's also played one more game than Barron Morton has.
50:01
SPEAKER_04: So um, pretty equal quarterback comparison if you're just looking at the stats right now.
50:07
SPEAKER_04: Um, but this Kansas offense, probably the best offense that you're gonna face so far this year.
50:13
SPEAKER_04: We thought maybe Utah, but Devin Dampier hasn't had himself a great start, although he did play well against West Virginia the week after us.
50:21
SPEAKER_04: But this is going to be interesting seeing how the defense goes up against this offense because Kansas can be high powered and they score a lot and they have pretty good skill position guys.
50:31
SPEAKER_04: So um I'm excited to see it.
50:33
SPEAKER_04: I don't I'm not worried about it, to be honest, but I do think this is the best offense that you've faced so far.
50:39
SPEAKER_01: I was about to say, if you're if you're gonna get flowers to them, it's gonna be on the offense, like you just said.
50:44
SPEAKER_01: And I do worry about Daniel's dual threat ability.
50:47
SPEAKER_01: Like he can move around.
50:48
SPEAKER_01: So while we'll get after him, he can skirt around too.
50:51
SPEAKER_01: So he'll be he'll be a trickier fish to catch back there compared to the other other ones we've been going for.
50:57
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I would I will say, you know, while that is the while that is true, this is a Kansas team that cannot close a game.
51:06
SPEAKER_01: They refuse to close games, even the ones they win.
51:09
SPEAKER_01: They can't they just cannot shut the door.
51:12
SPEAKER_01: They they drop they blow a big lead at Missouri.
51:16
SPEAKER_01: They blow a they blow a lead at home against Cincinnati, and they nearly drop a game to a bad UCF team.
51:24
SPEAKER_01: So it's the this is this is a a team that just it doesn't seem like they have a motor that can last for four quarters.
51:30
SPEAKER_01: So I really think that with our ability, I think we'll be able to wear them down to a half.
51:36
SPEAKER_01: Like I just I don't think they have the horses to run against this Red Raider defense for four quarters.
51:43
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, this is a team that has beat every bad opponent that they've played and lost to every good opponent that they've played.
51:49
SPEAKER_04: So uh depending on how you want to classify Cincy right now, they're number 26 according to the AP poll.
51:55
SPEAKER_04: So right outside of the top 25.
51:58
SPEAKER_04: They look pretty good, good offense, good team.
52:00
SPEAKER_04: Missouri undefeated, they're top 15, I believe.
52:04
SPEAKER_04: They beat Fresno, Wagner, West Virginia, and UCF.
52:09
SPEAKER_04: So they play well, they play well against bad competition.
52:14
SPEAKER_04: I'll give them that.
52:15
SPEAKER_04: And this is going to be unlike any defense that they played so far this year.
52:20
SPEAKER_04: And Kansas's defense is just bad.
52:24
SPEAKER_04: They're bad.
52:24
SPEAKER_04: If you watch that Cincinnati game, they're bad.
52:27
SPEAKER_04: They're they give up points.
52:29
SPEAKER_04: That's what they do at KU this year.
52:32
SPEAKER_04: It's a very offensive reliance.
52:34
SPEAKER_04: If they don't score close to 40 against Texas Tech, I don't I don't see them really coming out with with a dub here because their defense is going to get scored on.
52:45
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so Texas Tech is their nightmare.
52:47
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, like we easily obviously the best defense in the conference, one of the best in the entire country.
52:52
SPEAKER_01: You will not score on us very much, just flat out.
52:55
SPEAKER_01: You might get to 20.
52:56
SPEAKER_01: You might score the most on us this whole year.
52:58
SPEAKER_01: But like you said, like if you don't, I don't dude I I I don't see that happening though.
53:04
SPEAKER_01: There, I just think there's just no way in hell that they break 30 points.
53:08
SPEAKER_01: I don't see it happening.
53:09
SPEAKER_01: I just don't.
53:10
SPEAKER_04: Um with Utah and Houston, exactly.
53:14
SPEAKER_01: And I think that this could be a great get right game for our offense.
53:19
SPEAKER_01: Just but just I mean, they lit up the scoreboard last game, don't get me wrong.
53:22
SPEAKER_01: But like if they win see some fireworks, kind of like you alluded to earlier, uh, I could see Wharton putting 40 plus points on his Kansas team fairly easily, too.
53:30
SPEAKER_01: I I just see it happening.
53:32
SPEAKER_01: I think our defense is gonna put them in positions to make it very easy to do so.
53:37
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, that's it.
53:38
SPEAKER_04: This defense has caused turnovers this year, too.
53:40
SPEAKER_04: I mean, we're a 12 to 6 turnover margin on our opponents, so and just burying them.
53:45
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I mean, we just find ways.
53:48
SPEAKER_04: We just we find ways, and Kansas has not faced a defense that is, I don't think, nearly as good.
53:54
SPEAKER_04: I think Missouri's got a good defense.
53:55
SPEAKER_04: I don't think they're nearly as good as this Texas Tech defense right now.
53:59
SPEAKER_04: So it'll be interesting.
54:00
SPEAKER_04: I'm very, very excited to be back in the LBK.
54:04
SPEAKER_04: It's always fun coming home and and going to the normal spots and enjoying a a nice frosty Chilton from old Chimbos.
54:13
SPEAKER_04: But uh I don't know, man.
54:15
SPEAKER_04: I'm I'm thrilled.
54:15
SPEAKER_04: We're gonna be there Thursday and we're gonna enjoy ourselves.
54:18
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely, man.
54:19
SPEAKER_01: And I just I can't wait to see us uh take down some birds with buckle shoes.
54:22
SPEAKER_01: I thought your write-up was excellent, by the way.
54:24
SPEAKER_04: Thank you, thank you.
54:26
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
54:27
SPEAKER_01: And are they is KU having some deja vu from last year?
54:30
SPEAKER_01: Like they caught they kind of got some preseason love within the Big 12, but then once the season got going, they're kind of sputtering a bit.
54:37
SPEAKER_01: Yeah so I feel like I feel like they might be plateauing a little bit, honestly.
54:42
SPEAKER_01: Like what they're what they're dealing with.
54:44
SPEAKER_04: This is what happened.
54:45
SPEAKER_04: Jalen Daniels and Lance Lipold were like looked upon as gods of college football last year, and they kind of came down to earth.
54:54
SPEAKER_04: Lipold, I think, is a good coach.
54:56
SPEAKER_04: He's obviously gotten Kansas out of a crazy hole that they were in for a long, long time of being that bad at football.
55:02
SPEAKER_04: Jalen Daniels was a big part of that and a reason that they are now respectable in the league.
55:07
SPEAKER_04: So you don't take this team lightly by any means, but it's just I I think they were completely overrated last year and it showed.
55:15
SPEAKER_04: And uh and this and now they're properly rated.
55:19
SPEAKER_04: Of like, you know, they'll probably finish sixth, two, tenth.
55:23
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, they'll go bowling, absolutely.
55:25
SPEAKER_04: They'll win some games in the Big 12, but I just think Texas Tech overmatches them in pretty much every every department.
55:32
SPEAKER_01: Big time, dude.
55:33
SPEAKER_01: And you already said it, dude.
55:34
SPEAKER_01: I am so pumped to be in the LBK.
55:36
SPEAKER_01: I cannot wait to get into the Jones.
55:38
SPEAKER_01: Cannot be waiting, like you said, sipping on Chilton.
55:40
SPEAKER_01: It's time for the pilgrimage.
55:42
SPEAKER_01: We're back.
55:43
SPEAKER_01: We're back.
55:44
SPEAKER_01: We're so back.
55:44
SPEAKER_01: We're so back.
55:45
SPEAKER_01: I mean, we've never been like this, but we're so back.
55:47
SPEAKER_04: We're so back.
55:48
SPEAKER_04: All right, buddy.
55:49
SPEAKER_04: Let's fun episode.
55:51
SPEAKER_04: Let's finish her off with a song of the week.
55:55
SPEAKER_01: Steven, I'm gonna do a turnpike troubadour song.
55:59
SPEAKER_01: From the new album.
56:00
SPEAKER_01: I don't think I've touched the new album on the Talking Tech podcast yet.
56:03
SPEAKER_04: I know I have, so be careful.
56:05
SPEAKER_04: Trading.
56:06
SPEAKER_01: I promise I have not, I'm not gonna over overlap you here.
56:10
SPEAKER_01: It's from the Price of Admission album.
56:13
SPEAKER_01: And I'm gonna roll with B here by the Turnpike Troubadours.
56:17
SPEAKER_01: And dude, whenever we're gonna be in Loving, it's like, oh Lord, you should be here.
56:21
SPEAKER_01: And that's uh that is that is that is what it's gonna be feeling there, dude.
56:24
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna go with B here by the Turnpike.
56:40
SPEAKER_04: Good choice, solid group, of course.
56:43
SPEAKER_04: That's a good album.
56:44
SPEAKER_04: I mean, it is Turnpike, Turnpike.
56:47
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, they just they're great.
56:48
SPEAKER_04: Um, I need to listen to that one.
56:50
SPEAKER_04: I don't know that one by heart.
56:51
SPEAKER_04: I know I have a few of them saved to the the old Apple music, but I'll have to give that one another listen.
56:57
SPEAKER_04: My song of the week pertains to the news today.
57:00
SPEAKER_04: We have returned to an old school style double T.
57:05
SPEAKER_04: A throwback, some would say.
57:08
SPEAKER_04: So I'll throw it back for the song of the week, naturally.
57:11
SPEAKER_04: My song of the week is a banger.
57:14
SPEAKER_04: Plenty have sung it over the years.
57:17
SPEAKER_04: Sang it, sung it, one of those.
57:20
SPEAKER_04: Sung, sure.
57:22
SPEAKER_04: 3 a.m.
57:23
SPEAKER_04: by Matchbox 20 is of the week.
57:27
SPEAKER_01: A matchbox song.
57:29
SPEAKER_04: A throwback anthem that is still a banger.
57:33
SPEAKER_04: When it comes on, the people know it, the people love it.
57:36
SPEAKER_04: It's 3 a.m.
57:37
SPEAKER_04: by Matchbox 20.
57:51
SPEAKER_01: Dude, fabulous bar song.
57:53
SPEAKER_01: Like every like everyone is very happy when that comes on in the bar because everyone can sing it.
57:57
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's a good one.
57:58
SPEAKER_01: Got some Rob Thomas mixed in here.
58:00
SPEAKER_01: You don't see that often here on the talking tech.
58:02
SPEAKER_04: You know, I had to I had to go look for a throwback song, and this one just spoke to me.
58:06
SPEAKER_04: So that's good.
58:07
SPEAKER_01: I should have I should have done a switchfoot song.
58:10
SPEAKER_01: Oh, you didn't live and you learn.
58:13
SPEAKER_04: There's always there's always next week.
58:15
SPEAKER_04: Um, everybody, thank you all for listening.
58:18
SPEAKER_04: We really appreciate it.
58:19
SPEAKER_04: You can follow both me and Tristan on Twitter.
58:21
SPEAKER_04: Tristan's at Tristy Mick.
58:22
SPEAKER_04: I'm at L underscore S underscore Rodriguez.
58:24
SPEAKER_04: Pod is on Twitter at talking tech pod.
58:26
SPEAKER_04: Song of week playlist, Spotify, Apple Music.
58:29
SPEAKER_04: We will see you guys in Lubbock.
58:31
SPEAKER_04: We love you, we appreciate you.
58:32
SPEAKER_04: Always Wreck'em Tech.
58:34
SPEAKER_04: Wreck'em Tech.
58:36
SPEAKER_02: Uh Wow.
58:37
SPEAKER_02: First of all, uh got a lot of respect for Steven and Tristan.
58:42
SPEAKER_02: Uh their program, tough guys, just uh a lot of fun.
58:47
SPEAKER_02: This is wild.
58:48
SPEAKER_02: When I walked in and I knew this would be an awesome podcast, and these guys have been tremendous.
58:57
SPEAKER_02: I love you, and I can't wait for this journey.
58:59
SPEAKER_02: I would like to thank uh Steven and Tristan.
59:02
SPEAKER_02: This is incredible.
59:03
SPEAKER_02: These guys have a passion and a love for this school.