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John Denver Actually Went to Texas Tech · Talkin' Tech

• 0:39
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome in, everybody, to the Talk and Tech Podcast.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: My name is Steven Rodriguez, my co-host, Tristan McDonagh.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: Tristan, how are you doing today, man?
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_02: I'm refreshed, Steven.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we had a nice break from uh football this past weekend.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_02: It was well needed.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_02: I think all of us needed a breath after uh a very strong 0-3 opening to the season of conference play.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: But, you know, I'm I'm actually excited to start looking towards football again, but I think the break was nice because I'm a little more level-headed than I was before at this point.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's nice not to be sad on a Saturday for once during football season.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_01: For sure, man.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_02: And that this had to have been the most boring weekend in Big 12 football history.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_01: One game, one time, man.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_01: Big blowout.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: And one blowout.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, when your one game involves uh the University of Kansas playing football, probably not great.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_02: So come on, Baylor, figure it out.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: We don't want any more canceled games.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, come on, guys.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: Stop holding holding parties or whatever.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: What did they do?
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_01: What did they do?
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: They held homecoming in the stadium this past weekend after they had to cancel a football game with Oklahoma State.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_02: So, I mean, whether they took the right precautions or not, read the room.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_02: So we want to play.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_02: So don't be that one team that has to ruin it for everybody else.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, for sure.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_01: So I think we can kind of get right into this West Virginia preview.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, since we do have a game this coming week, uh, new quarterback here for the Red Raiders.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: Matt Wells announced that Henry Columbi would be taking over uh Bowman's role as the starting quarterback.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm excited, man.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_02: Me too.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm really excited to see a change of pace on the offensive side of the ball.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_02: Something needed to be done.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_02: And I think this was the most important change they could have made.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_02: So I've loved the way the offense has looked under uh being with Columbia behind the line.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_02: I think this is what I kind of feel like whenever we see Columbi uh at quarterback, is I think he fulfills the vision of the Utah State offense at Texas Tech more than Alan Bowman ever could.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm really excited to see uh the coaches go back to what they know and feel comfortable with calling plays that they've been used to doing for years at uh over in Utah State.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm excited to see some Columbi magic on the field.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: Recruited by Wells and uh Yost back in the Utah State days.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_01: So uh like to see that.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I also like the fact that he I I you know I wrote a few things down about Colombi.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um in 2020, right now for the games that he's played, he's 74 74 completion percentage, which is great.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I know before this past weekend he was top five in all of college football.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_01: That completion percentage is better than every starting quarterback in the Big 12 right now.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that's something to be happy for.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, another encouraging stat is that his QB rating, 144 and a half, is better than Max Duggan at TCU, Brock Purdy at Iowa State, Charlie Brewer at Baylor, and Jared Dageie, who we are playing this weekend at West Virginia.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um those are encouraging stats, something to get excited for.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um, he he's taken three sacks this year, but that you know, that's that's hardly his fault at all.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh against K-State, 30 for 42, 244 yards, two touchdowns.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and he rushed eight times for 40 yards.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_01: Iowa State obviously he only came in for that those last eight minutes, had 115 yards and a touchdown.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so you know, every every time he's on the field, our team is encouraging for the most part.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Alan, we're not talking about Alan Bowman anymore.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_02: About Henry Columbi is he seems to get everybody involved.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_02: You know, he doesn't seem to have a favorite receiver that he seems to glue to, like it kind of seemed like with Bowman.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it really seems like he can read the field and he can really pick his targets where it matters.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, and I think that's why we've seen him be able to walk it up the field a uh much easier than Alan Bowman had, because um, I think he just has a great field vision.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_02: And the great thing about him is a huge issue with the offense this season is that the O-line has been a big disappointment.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_02: And so the great thing about Columbia is he's got those legs and uh he's got a bit of a dual threat to him, so he can make sure he he can pull out of the pocket and still make good decisions.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_02: I've really liked the way he looks whenever the pocket breaks down and he's got to move.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_02: I really like his decision makings with um, so do I run or do I throw?
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_02: And I it's really paid off well whenever a play falls apart, and that's what I really like to see out of a quarterback, someone that's comfortable, whether the play's uh in motion or is falling apart.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I felt a lot of the time that Alan Bowman he looked at his at one specific spot on the field, and if it wasn't there, he threw it away.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Bowman didn't take a sack this year, but that's I that's kind of a misleading stat because he really just got rid of the ball so much quicker than what he needed to.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_01: You know, he had time and then he had options to run and he and he just kind of stuck in the pocket a little bit.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_01: Columbia adds that different element, like you were saying, uh, to be able to run for eight yards or run for, you know, uh even just a five-yard gain to get positive yardage, to not, you know, just throw the ball away immediately.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um, he's super calm in the pocket, and that's what I really like about him.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_02: And there's there's a lot to sit to look forward to with him because what we're all thinking about this game coming up.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_02: This is gonna be his first ever collegiate start.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_02: Is that correct?
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_02: You were telling me earlier.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's that's crazy.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_02: So um, as a junior, this is gonna be his first collegiate start.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm really excited to see how he looks whenever he comes out with the full game plan in his favor.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_02: You know, since the offense will be built for him, I'm really excited to see how we come out of the gates in this game.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_02: So, but I'm I also kind of wish that they waited to announce that it was Columbia.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, I was about to bring that up because uh there's uh there's good elements and bad elements to Matt Wells, you know, kind of making that decision last week and announcing it to everybody.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_01: It gives West Virginia 10 days to prepare for Henry Columbi and for his, you know, his playstyle, but it also gives that firm confidence in Columbia that he's that's it's his it's his time now.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: Like this is his team, this is his you know, time to show out.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: And uh it gives the player, you know, all the players just uh uh I don't know if it's a sense of relief or just you know confidence in in their guy.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: So um I'm not mad that he did it, but it's also you know something that that probably could have been uh held back for another week or so.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: But uh, you know, whatever I whatever on that one.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly, because I I just I didn't want the West Virginia and analyst to go scrounging through his game tape.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I was hoping they would still be practicing for Alan Bowman.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it's it's okay.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_02: I I don't think it would have made that much of a difference in the end, regardless of the case.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: Well, and true, and yeah, and truly, Columbia's only played like one full game this season, so they only have one game of tape, really.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, he played the eight minutes against Iowa State and then probably about uh three and maybe a half quarter.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: I don't, I'm not sure when Bowman got hurt, but it was it was about three quarters against uh Kansas State.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_01: So uh there I I still think we have kind of a a sneaky presence going into this one.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_02: I I agree, man.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_02: And uh kind of a non-tangible I was thinking about today whatever uh I was thinking about uh Henry Columbia because obviously he's gonna be the biggest topic of our team this episode.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_02: I was I was thinking to myself, do you think this guy is going into this game thinking he's got something to prove?
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, you're a backup, you're you're a backup your entire career, you know, at Utah State, you're a backup, and then you transfer to a bigger program and backup there too, and now you're finally given the shot to make your make your name to you know to get play your game for the first time in your collegiate career.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: Do you think that kind of adds an an element of pizzazz for for lack of better word in your gameplay going into this?
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think I think he's gonna have to watch himself uh mentally not get too high uh that he got the starting role.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_01: I know that happens a lot, especially with younger, you know, younger quarterbacks.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_01: He's he's still only about 22 or 21 years old.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: And you're going out there for the first time ever, uh, you're you're starting.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, this is the first time since high school that you've started a football game.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_01: And so uh he has and he's shown, you know, he doesn't need to get too high and make a mistake early and you know, do all that kind of stuff.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I was listening to a podcast earlier with uh uh some Red Raider local guys, and they were saying that you know Seth Dagey's kind of going into the same sort of deal, you know, going back to Texas Tech.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, his brother uh uh or I say I said Seth Dagey, Jared Dageie, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_01: Jared Dagey going in to uh back to Lubbock.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, his brother Seth played for the Red Raiders very good quarterback previously, very good quarterback, and so he's coming back to Lubbock, he's gonna have this kind of you know, probably a little hyped up uh sense to him.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: And uh both these quarterbacks have to kind of stay cool, stay calm.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and that's what Columbia's done every time uh he's he's stepped on the field this year.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I'm not too worried about it.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, but we'll see it come Saturday.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_02: He's played with confidence, and uh the last time we had a scramble a quarterback that could scramble, it wasn't he wasn't the best.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, let's be real.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_02: But I I really like what I that's chet for for y'all.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I really like what I've seen out of Henry.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_02: So it's he he comes out with a confidence and he he hasn't made many bonehead moves yet.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_02: His his passes have been very deliberate for the most part.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_02: They they all seem to have a good purpose in them rather than just a desperate bomb that we've seen occasionally from Bowman.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_02: So uh I really hope I'm with you.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_02: I really hope he comes in with a cool head, but I think that's his thing because whenever uh Matt Wells was saying that they told him that he was gonna have the job, he said it was a very quick conversation.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_02: He was obviously excited for the opportunity, but said that he was very level-headed about it.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_02: So I I think this guy's a gamer and is just ready to do his part to win.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no doubt.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_01: I I I think he's I think he's prepared uh to take on this role, and I think he's gonna be uh if I was a betting man, I would probably bet that he does good versus bad.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_01: But um, yeah, man.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_01: I do you have anything else on on Columbia or or the Red Raiders?
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's pretty uh the team itself has been uh you know disappointing for the most part, but I think a lot of that had to do with Bowman.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: And so uh I think the guys will will kind of get around Columbia.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: But did you have anything else?
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_02: No, I mean, I think that's a great point.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_02: I think starting this new quarterback kind of feels like we're taking uh it's kind of like a refresh, you know, refresh button, yeah.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_02: You know, kind of like we're almost restarting the season, but I know we're obviously not.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_02: But I'm really hoping that perhaps a different vibe can be taken on for the rest of the season, um, rather than just these disappointing performances.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_02: I really hope we can see more out of a Texas Tech offense that we expect a lot of, no matter the year, uh, that just hasn't been there.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_02: And I think a lot of it has to do with quarterback play.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm really excited to see someone else take those reins.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_02: And this guy seems like a good kid all around and a solid player.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm excited to see some Columbian magic.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_02: No doubt, man.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: Columbian Magic.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: Let's hope for it.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, so let's talk a little West Virginia.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_01: Uh they're three and one, only loss coming to Oklahoma State.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_01: They've beaten Baylor, Kansas, and FCS Eastern Kentucky.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_01: So uh not a huge uh uh a really good strength of schedule there for the Mountaineers.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Oklahoma State, I think they lost by about 13.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_01: So um who and who's turning out to be a pretty good team.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_01: But Baylor, Kansas, and Eastern Kentucky aren't necessarily you know good wins so far.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_01: So the three-and-one record may be a little misleading.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but obviously led by quarterback Jared Dagey, brother of Seth Dagey.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and he's he's been solid this year.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_01: He's third in the Big 12 in passing yards, uh, only behind Ellinger and Rattler.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: And he's just he's been a pretty good quarterback so far.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_02: For sure.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, this this Mountaineer team is looking better than a lot of people expected.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_02: Uh they look they look better than I expected.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, um, they're kind of in this zone in the Big 12 where it's just how good are they?
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's the problem with almost all the teams in the conference right now.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um, because uh look, you know, looking at us stacking up against the rest of the conference, it's even hard to say because did we just get past two of the hardest teams in the in the in the conference out of Iowa State and Kansas State?
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and I and West Virginia just hasn't seen that level of competition yet.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_02: Are we as good as them?
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, that's gonna show out this Saturday.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I'm not gonna say that Baylor was a bad win yet.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we just don't know.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_02: But Kansas has been awful this year.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_02: Awful.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_02: And uh Oklahoma State is a favorite to win the conference.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_02: So it's it's a lot of mystery going into this game.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and hopefully we can talk our way through it and see see if we can get some hope for our Red Raiders.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no doubt.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_01: Uh another guy I wanted to highlight on that West Virginia offense is uh Letty Brown.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_01: He's the uh second in the Big 12 in rushing yards and probably would be first.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_01: He he has like 12 less carries than Brees Hall, but only about 15 less yards.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: So if he had the same, you know, he's probably number one guy.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_01: He's he's the leader in yards per carry in the Big 12 with almost six and a half yards a carry, which is pretty unreal to think about.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and and you don't normally see that out of a West Virginia, you don't see a a star running back out of a West Virginia offense usually.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_01: So this is gonna be different for sure.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm just like, can we please get a break from these all-star running backs for the yeah, for the love of goodness?
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, there's so there's so many good running backs this year in the Big 12, it stinks.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_02: That's weird to say out loud, um, because it's usually receivers that we're talking about out of Vaughn, out of Hall, and now now Leedy Brown.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_02: So, yeah, but I mean, have we been punished by running backs as much as we expected this season, would you say?
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, uh, I think it was more of a balanced rush.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, Deuce Vaughn killed us uh against Kansas State, and Brees Hawk did kill us against Iowa State.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, we have been you know pretty torn apart by by running backs this season.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so I we'll see how this guy does.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, yeah, we have I hope we change up the game plan a little bit when it comes to the running attack.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I don't I don't necessarily trust our defensive line to to really stop him much, but uh if we can just contain him and and uh kind of have Seth Dagey beat us, or keep saying Seth, uh uh uh Jared Dagey beat us, uh, I think that's the way to go at it and not have Letty Brown just you know have his way.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_02: For sure.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_02: And uh I I think it's gonna definitely come down to the biggest point on West Virginia that is the scariest is their defense.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_02: So we can sit here and talk about their offense all uh all day long, but they haven't exactly lit up the scoreboard um in by by any stretch beside outside barring the eastern Kentucky game.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_02: Um they kind of took it away for with Kansas in the end, but it was pretty close until like third quarter.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but the good but their offense has kind of sputtered a bit, you know, it hasn't exactly been liked out.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, their defense is scary, though.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_02: They're they're literally number one in total defense in the NCAA.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_02: Kind of weird to say for a Big 12 team.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm not even the one to buy into any of the the memes that the Big 12 is just flat out awful at defense, but that's just it's rare to see someone like that, especially out of a West Virginia team.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_02: And watching them in Kansas, you know, they they did they did look dirty, you know.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_02: This is uh they they know how to stop teams, it appears this year.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_02: So uh obviously this Kansas team is bad, but they weren't gonna let anybody score on them yet uh Saturday.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_01: No, yeah, no doubt.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_01: They're only they're only allowing 91 rushing yards a game and 148 passing yards a game.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_01: So uh their defense has been spectacular.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, three guys I kind of wanted to highlight on that defense.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Tony Fields is the linebacker.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_01: He's he's number one in total tackles and uh in the Big 12 right now.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Akeem Mesador, second in sacks.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_01: Again, we haven't really allowed a lot of sacks uh this season, but uh you know, guy coming in second in sacks, it's it's uh you know he's got to watch out for.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_01: And then Alonzo Adai, uh first interceptions of the Big 12.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_01: So I they really do have a balance.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I talked about a linebacker, a defensive lineman, and then a safety right there.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: So that's I mean, that's a balanced attack they got at that defense.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_02: So I mean, whatever you have a Texas Tech going up against the number one defense of the nation, you're obviously going to be nervous.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um, especially with the offensive woes we've been having, it kind of makes me feel a little nervous about the game.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_02: I'm very happy that Matt Wells announced that we're switching quarterbacks because otherwise, I really wouldn't have had a lot of hope going into this game.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_02: No, yeah, absolutely.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm with you, man.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_02: So uh I really hope we can come out hot because West Virginia, kind of like I've been saying about other teams, is they they've been coming out flat.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_02: You know, they they they were trailing Kansas in the end of the first quarter, and they only go into the half with 17 points.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_02: So I I really hope we can start kicking it up a notch and whenever the game starts, because it seems I'm tired of having to come back from the half, yeah, you know, where we adjust and you know, because it seems like the second half's we like the best.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we make our adjustments, we go out there and play much better ball on the offensive side of the ball.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I I just hope it doesn't take till the half this time.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_02: I'm really hoping that this this offense they're planning out for this week um under Columbia comes out with some some some tricks, some uh something to to shake up the West Virginia off uh defense early so we can get ahead early.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_02: Because, like I said, I mean they no the most they scored in a quarter and against Kansas was two touchdowns.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_02: So, and that was in the fourth quarter when Kansas was done.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_02: So this this isn't a high powered offense that we're used to from West Virginia, but of course their defense is formidable.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_02: So I I just I really want some old school Texas Tech line them up early.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I and this is the whole deal with Columbia, like we said, you know, he just doesn't need to come out uh too high and too uh, you know, rambled early on and just you know get ready to play.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes that's when you make all your mistakes.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so you know, I I think he's got a cool head, and I think he's just gonna go out there and and uh you know do his thing and hopefully uh hopefully we'll be pretty good against this West Virginia team.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I I wouldn't predict a win right now uh for the Red Raiders, but I would I would say that this is gonna be a little different and that uh we'll show out.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_01: That defense scares me though.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, but you know.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_02: So you're you're not predicting a win.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_02: I know I have a hard time saying I am as well.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um so but I think that kind of brings me to a question I wanted to ask you on this podcast was is this a must-win?
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_01: More so, it's it's a chance to turn around the season.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_01: We have two straight home games coming in right now.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_01: We're going in against a three-and-one West Virginia and then a solid OU squad, you know.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and people will say whatever they want about OU.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_01: OU is always pretty good.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_01: But um this is a chance if we can scrape off two straight wins in Lubbock against two solid teams, this this could be a program changer.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I I don't know if it's a must-win necessarily.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_01: I think uh you know this is this would be a big win.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_01: Not not necessarily a must-win, this would be a huge win, though.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_02: So so if this isn't the must-win, is there ever a must-win for you on this schedule if we continue to take L's?
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know, man.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_01: At this point, Texas Tech is so hard to read.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_01: I think if we I think we could have gotten two or three wins this year in the Big 12 if we'd been starting Columbia the whole time.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_01: So and it's covet year.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_01: I I don't know.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_01: I I go back and forth with this, as as you can tell, but uh I think I think I don't know if it's a must-win.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's a must-win to save the season.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, um, because if we lose to West Virginia, I don't count on us going and going and beating OE OU.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_02: Texas Tech has had fits against the Sooners this decade.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, the Sooners have owned everybody this decade, basically, in this conference, but Texas Tech, especially, like I don't think I can't recall.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_02: I I'd have to go back and look at the uh the past, but I can't recall a time this decade where we beating the Sooners.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_02: So and the Mountaineers have had our number.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we got them last year, but before that, it was a long stretch of Mountaineer wins.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and this is not gonna be the best team we play this year.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_02: So, I mean, we may have already played them, thankfully.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe we're past the Oklahoma State, obviously, might be the best, but I think this is the must-win if you're gonna expect any sort of accomplished season.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_01: Well, see, I think the the reason I struggle with it is because we still have Baylor, TCU, and Kansas on the schedule, and I think we can beat all three of those teams.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_01: So if we finish with a four and ten record after losing possibly to West Virginia, is that bad?
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, yeah, that's that's a good point, man.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it's just if I if you continue to skid on L's, though, that I feel like that kind of takes its punishment on the program and feels like you're never gonna win.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I feel like they can get into the player's head as well.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, just hopefully we have more fortitude than that.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_02: But we don't know how how dang good those teams are yet.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_02: A TCU got to do what we didn't, and that was beating you.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_02: Baylor, we have no clue on, other than they've lost to this West Virginia team.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_02: And obviously Oklahoma State's looking like a favorite.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_02: But and Kansas.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I think we can count Kansas as a win right now.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_02: But I I would like to see four wins total this season.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that really starts with this game because I think this is the one of the first truly winnable games you have at home.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_02: And if we're going to see any progress this year with our Texas Tech Red Raiders, I feel like this is a start.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no doubt.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, we have six games left on this on this schedule this year, uh, not including the bowl game, which it looks like we'll be invited to one, I guess, no matter what.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: But um, yeah, it and so I guess best case scenario, we finish with seven wins.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_01: Worst case scenario, you know, one win.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_01: But I think right there in in the middle at four, I think it, I think it's a salvage, salvageable season.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't think having to beat West Virginia is necessarily, you know, uh means for for a terrible season.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but you know, who knows?
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we we also didn't mention that we got some we got some injury, uh injury updates.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Dawn Rigdon should be back this week.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_01: He was a weapon that we used early on in the season, so he's coming back from concussion protocol.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, still unknown about Kishan Carter and uh McLean Mannix.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_01: Mannix hasn't played all season, like to get him back.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_01: He's another uh quick slot receiver kind kind of guy, and obviously Keyshawn's had a great year.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so they're questionable.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_01: Hopefully they'll be back as well.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_01: Give give Columbia a few more options.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, man.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_01: Uh what I mean.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have anything else on West Virginia?
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_02: No, but it's uh it's the the the battle of John Denver.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_02: The official John Denver went to Texas Tech episode.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_02: He went he went to tech.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_02: I don't care.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_01: You can sing country roads all you want, West Virginia.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_01: He still went to Texas Tech.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, sir.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I I I just I really want to win.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_02: I I really do not want to look at an 0 and 4 conference record for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, especially whenever you have OU the next week.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm just really dying for some progress in this program.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_02: And I think Saturday is a good shot to do it.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_02: And if we lose this game, man, I have a hard time saying we're gonna do any better than beating Kansas.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_02: So I I I really want this win against the NIRS.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um, do you have anything else to top off?
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_01: The no, no, I just think uh, you know, uh good luck.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_01: Uh hopefully Columbia pulls out some magic, and I'm I'm hoping to see something a little different this coming.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_02: How about this this weird kickoff time too?
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_02: 4 p.m.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, weird, a little weird.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I like it.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_01: I guess it's basically a night game, but I don't know how we've uh managed to avoid 11 a.m.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_01: kickoffs this season.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_01: Same and we still against OU next week or in two weeks, I guess.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, Halloween night game, 7 p.m.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_01: kickoff.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that's spooky.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't understand.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know how we've managed to avoid 11 a.m.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_01: kickoffs.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_01: I would have liked this when I was a student.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_01: Dude, preach.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_01: But yeah, man.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_01: So um I think we can kind of move on.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we we got another uh mailbag question from uh our guy Phil in Dallas.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_01: Uh he asked, What's your favorite player on this year's upcoming basketball roster?
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_01: So, Tristan, you want to hit that?
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_02: Shoot, wow, you're dropping that on me on an episode?
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_02: That's a great question.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, you know what?
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_02: The first one that came to mind, and I I don't know if he's necessarily kind of like my gonna be my favorite player on the court, but I really like that we have Mac McClung on this on this roster because Mac McClung is kind of a symbol that we're a destination now, you know, like uh with in the transfer portal portal, we're that we're kind of a team that people can come and see, you know, like that.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_02: This is that Texas Tech is on the map when it comes to like big name transfers.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, he he could have gone anywhere, you know.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_02: The people there was a lot of teams throwing their name in his hat.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_02: And I I think it's just so cool to get uh such a guy that people think is such a superstar over to Texas Tech via transfer.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um I I I think that's just kind of my mentality on that.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I think he he's definitely one of the flashiest transfers we've had.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I mean Mooney and Tariq Owens were were already good transfers, and and Santosilva and Intabwe and all those guys have been uh solid transfers, you know, top top 10 guys that that put their name in the portal.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_01: But McClung is a guy that a lot of people outside of Texas Tech and Georgetown know.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, he's he's one of the flashiest players, like I said, you know, one of the best mixtapes uh there was out there, crazy dunks, highlight plays, and that type of stuff.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_01: So um he still hasn't gotten his waiver.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_01: Hopefully he gets his waiver.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we're still waiting in CAA.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know what you're waiting on, but I know that Texas Tech is hungry uh to get that waiver approved.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_01: So uh hurry it up.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_02: How about that?
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_02: I I just I really like seeing Texas Tech break that you can't bring people to Lubbock uh stigma.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_02: Chris beer to shatter that and getting players like him.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_02: So that's my answer because it just I like seeing more glass ceilings get shattered, and I think he was a big glass ceiling to shatter.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_01: No doubt.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we'll go with my answer right here.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, if you didn't listen to last week's pod, uh, you know, you got time to go listen to it.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um once you hit about the 15-minute mark, we just start talking about basketball, break down the whole roster.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and if you listen to that episode, you'll know that Marcus Sanosilva is my favorite player going into this season.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_01: I love the returners, don't get me wrong.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_01: I love Kyler, I love Terrence Shannon, I love uh Kevin McCullough and and uh really everybody on this roster.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_01: But Marcus just adds that extra something that we desperately needed.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_01: Uh he's the guy that's coming in and he's gonna rebound and he's gonna provide a toughness and provide an experience that we don't really.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, Kyler's experienced and and Avery Benson's experience, but uh, you know, he's our senior, man.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_01: Marcus is gonna be, he's our senior.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_01: He's our guy that's gonna be, he's already been a vocal leader.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, Chris Beard has has he said that Marcus was his number one option in the transfer market this year.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, I I I don't know how much truth that is necessarily because Beard's gonna say, you know, good stuff about his guys no matter what.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_01: But uh to have that confidence instilled on you, um, it means that a great coach like Chris Beard really likes you, and that makes me super confident that he's gonna be such a huge part of this team.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_02: Good, good one, man.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_02: I know how much you're you you really like that guy and like seeing him on the team.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, because he's definitely gonna be one of those guys that fills those holes that you were talking about last episode with with rebounding and size and all that.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_02: So good one, man.
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, man, no doubt.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_01: So uh Phil, thanks for that question.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_01: Uh yeah, thank you, Phil.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, man.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_01: We you can you can always uh send us a few more questions, uh, talkintechpod at gmail.com uh and we'll hit him here at the end of pods.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_01: But uh why don't we finish off this uh shorter podcast uh than the last few last few weeks?
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Tristan, why don't you give me your song of the week?
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_02: My song of the week, I had to do this.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we're playing West Virginia, so I had to bust out some John Denver who went to Texas Tech University and not West Virginia.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_02: He never lived in West Virginia that I know of either.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_02: So every all those mountaineers really need to calm down with John Denver.
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_02: Uh chill out, chill out, chill out, chill out.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_02: So everybody knows they're his song, uh Take Me Home, Country Roads.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um but I'm gonna give one that's also pretty popular, but not very many people know of outside of uh Take Me Home is uh Rocky Mountain High.
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Rocky Mountain High is probably the song I listen to him by the most.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_02: So, and it's just it's a very well-written song about you know finding peace in the mountains of Colorado.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_02: And it's a beautiful song, and it's just kind of like one of those lasting legacy songs that John Denver has left on us.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_02: So the great alum of Texas Tech University, one of the greatest country musicians that ever live, Rocky Mountain High, John Denver.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_00: Rocky Mountain High Mountain Baco, Rocky Mountain High Bowl.
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_01: I knew you were gonna choose a John Denver song.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_01: I just knew.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_01: And I I knew it wasn't gonna be Take Me Home, Country Roads, because that's not the type of guy you are.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, but uh yeah, man, John Denver.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um good good pick.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_01: So uh my song of the week, since we just got uh we just got done doing some road tripping.
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_01: We went up uh visited uh your brother up there in Dallas, hung out for a few days, had some.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, shout out, shout out Austin.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but uh a good road tripping song I gotta do um is Highway 20 Ride by Zach Brown Band.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um Zach Brownband, before their last couple albums that have been duds, in my opinion, uh, has some of the best music there is.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and some of the best albums there are.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_01: This one, uh, this album, uh the foundation, I believe, is what this album was.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's got songs like Toes, it's got songs like Chicken Fried, Free, you know, Where the Boat Leaves From, different kind of finds.
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_01: Such, I mean, a lot of good, good, solid jams right there.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_01: But Highway 20 Ride is the ultimate road tripping song.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's so smooth.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_01: Uh it's nice driving through uh, you know, the the wide open spaces in Texas on the way from San Antonio to Dallas, and and you just have Highway 20 Ride come on and uh just makes you feel good, man.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_05: Every time I turn that truck around right at the door to line, and not count the days, and the miles back home on that highway 20 ride.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_02: Great choice.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, Zach Brown band has so many bangers like that are just legendary songs at this point.
• 31:51
  SPEAKER_02: The some of the best country music of the 2000s, without a question.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_02: So good one.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_02: But for you, it was more like Highway 35.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_01: Not not highway 20, but highway, yeah, 35 the whole time.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_01: That was a bad pun.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was bad, but shout out, shout out to Waco, Round Rock, and Austin for having the worst traffic I've ever seen.
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_01: I have to work and all that, so I'm with you.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_01: Geez.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, it was a nightmare.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_01: But uh, yeah, man.
• 32:16
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's gonna end it for this pod.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_01: A little shorter pod for the for the tech fans out there, but uh good luck to our Red Raiders against West Virginia.
• 32:24
  SPEAKER_01: Let's uh let's get some dubs.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_01: Come on, baby.
• 32:26
  SPEAKER_02: Let's wreck some Mountaineers because I'm freaking ready to talk about a winning episode for once.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_02: I want to be recapping a game where we're like, we went and got that dub.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_02: Play the song.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_02: I'm ready for that.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_02: So uh thank y'all for listening.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_02: And uh please reach out to us on any of our social medias.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, man.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, those social medias you can follow me and Tristan on Twitter.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_01: I am at L underscore S underscore Rodriguez.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_01: Tristan is at Tristy Mick.
• 32:49
  SPEAKER_01: You can follow the pod on Twitter at talking tech pod.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_01: We've been getting a lot of a lot more followers lately.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we really appreciate it, guys.
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_01: You know, uh during game days, it's you know, we're we're pretty active on game days, being sad.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_01: So we'll get we'll get a few followers here or there, but uh happy this Saturday.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_01: Happy, we're gonna be happy this Saturday.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_01: Come on, Columbia Magic.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_01: Columbi Magic.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and you could also send us some uh some mailbag questions and general feedback, talking tech pod at gmail.com.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_01: So um, man, we appreciate y'all listening and always Wreck'em Tech.
• 33:17
  SPEAKER_01: Wreck'em Tech.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_03: Uh wow, first of all, uh got a lot of respect for Steven and Tristan.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_03: Uh their program, tough guys, just uh a lot of fun.
• 33:29
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I just want to congratulate Steven and Tristan on another great podcast.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_04: They were everything we thought they would be.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_04: Um, we have a lot of respect for their program.
• 33:36
  SPEAKER_04: We have such a high opinion of them.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_04: I want to congratulate them.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_04: I just want to tell Stephen and Tristan thanks for coming out.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_03: The energy uh was really, really good in there today.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_03: You know, we fed off of it.
• 33:48
  SPEAKER_03: I think it goes back and forth tremendous.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_03: Uh great job.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_03: And um, you know, just just proud of our guys for the way they responded.