How Kingsbury and Texas Tech are getting their swagger back
After a disastrous 2014, Texas Tech is back on the college football radar and it’s for a lot more than Kliff Kingsbury’s charged post-game comments about Bret Bielema after last week’s 35-24 win over Arkansas.
The Red Raiders are 3-0 and lead the Big 12 in fewest penalty yards, which is a dramatic difference from last season’s 4-8 debacle, where they ranked dead last in the conference -- and in the nation -- in penalty yards.
“We’re playing a lot cleaner, especially in the amount of turnovers and penalties we’re committing,” Kingsbury told FOX Sports Monday. In 2014, Tech was 117th in turnovers lost. The Red Raiders are No. 30 now with three in three games.
Tech is No. 5 in the nation in total offense, third in scoring at 54 points per game and sophomore quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the Red Raiders’ latest prolific gunslinger, completing 66 percent of his passes while averaging 343 yards per game in the air. He’s also yet to take a sack this season (only three other teams have played three games and still haven’t had their QB sacked.)
Some of that goes to an experienced O-line, which Kingsbury notes does start four three-year starters, but the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Mahomes deserves a lot of the credit too for his ability to escape pressure.
“His ability to extend plays and keep his eyes downfield is as good as I’ve been around,” Kingsbury said, which is quite a statement considering he had Johnny Manziel and also Case Keenum, a guy known for his excellent pocket presence. “He’s unflappable and he picks thing up quick and can process a lot.”
Kingsbury said he’s eager to get a much better read on just how improved this Tech team is Saturday when TCU visits Lubbock. Last year, Gary Patterson’s team hung 82 on the Red Raiders. “I don’t think you forget losses like that,” Kingsbury said.
The No. 3 Horned Frogs still have dynamic dual-threat QB Trevone Boykin along with arguably the fastest collection of skill guys in the country. Tech’s better on defense thanks in large part to the arrival of new coordinator David Gibbs, his calm demeanor and a stronger D-line. However, TCU, which just gave up 37 points to SMU, has some issues to sort out defensively. The Horned Frogs had half of their defense to replace after last season and that was before being rocked by injuries that include standout CB Ranthony Texada, safety Kenny Iloka, LB Sammy Douglas and DE James McFarland. Another starting LB Mike Freeze has taken a leave of absence and DT Davion Pierson has been sidelined while recovering from a head injury. TCU, though, still has Patterson running the show.
"Defensively, I think he is one of the top minds in all of football,” said Kingsbury. “He’ll have 'em in the right spot and they'll play hard. Whenever you play his teams, nothing is easy or given and they're always where they’re supposed to be.”
It should be a good test for Kingsbury’s team, which has some momentum. The 36-year-old coach was determined to keep the focus this week on the TCU game and not his comments about Bielema, although he admitted he was a little surprised by all the attention it got. “It was more than I expected."
Bruce Feldman is a senior college football reporter and columnist for FOXSports.com and FS1. He is also a New York Times Bestselling author. His new book, The QB: The Making of Modern Quarterbacks, came out in October, 2014. Follow him on Twitter @BruceFeldmanCFB and Facebook.