I'm sure I'll catch some heat for this, but I'm still not buying them. Yes, their offense is ridiculous... but they're allowing over 22 points a game on defense. I think a team like Florida would expose them. The Gators would be able to hang with them on offense... and there's no way Tech would be able to light up Florida's (or Alabama's) defense like they do their Big 12 competition.
That's exactly why I still believe the SEC is the slightly better conference again this year. No one in the Big 12 plays great defense. Even Oklahoma has given up 13 TDs in their last three games.
It always comes down to the same ol' cliche: Defense wins championships.
That's fair.
But they held a pretty damn potent Poke offense to 370 yds when they were averaging 500. OSU was averaging 265 on the ground but only got 180.
These aren't SEC offenses. These are better in the Big 12. 365 and 20 points is pretty damn good against that offense.
They won a game that really no one thought they'd win and they won handily.
I know it was at home and we'll see more in Norman in 2 weeks.
As far as UF and Bama go - to be fair there are NOT WR's in the SEC that go as deep as Texas Tech does.
I know there are some good ones - but no one like Micheal Crabtree.
The Raiders can trot out some dudes that can all catch and block. They aren't the fun and gun just run and catch they used to be. They rush for 115 a game. Used to they'd run for like 50 yds.
As far as exposing - it would only be due to speed.
Leach is a guy that will give any head coach fits. I think Meyer and Saban would have to be looking at the top 5 and not wanting to face him and his sticky note worth of plays.
He's a mastermind. I think UF/Bama would be well to face a Stoops or Brown before Leach.
I think ole Pirate would teach Meyer/Saban a thing or 2....
Go ahead and mark it down - there wouldn't be a repeat of the '06 Fiesta when Meyer coached circles around Tressell (and that was what decided the game more than anything, IMO) if it was UF and TxTech.
I'm not sure what I think the outcome would be if it was UF/Bama against TxTech. I'd have to think about it. But I, for sure, wouldn't write Guns Up out of it just because they play in the Big 12 and not the SEC.
As a side note - have been contemplating more and more Leach to UT. I know he really wanted the Miami job 2 years ago. Apparently dreamed of what he could do with south FLA speed. They don't quite have that in Knoxville, but they do have awesome facilities and a great tradition and NFL contingent.
I think he would like to move on to something more prestigious than TxTech. UT is definitely that.
I think that he'd be a helluva hire for UT in regard to game planning. I have no idea how much recruiting he does. But I know he can transform those 2 and 3 star kids he gets out there to BFE into pretty damn good CFB players.
Whereas the Vols haven't been developing anyone in the last few years that wasn't already NFL ready (see: Eric Berry).