Texas Tech Red Raiders O:8 D:5
The only team in the Big 12 Conference to have 11 straight winning seasons, are, in fact the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Head coach Mike Leach has lead this squad to their highest win total. Offense and Texas Tech have been synonymous ever since Coach Leach took over, but what's remarkable is that their defense is pretty solid as well, having only allowed a shade below 19 PPG this past year.
The Red Raiders are looking for their first Big 12 Conference Championship this coming 2006 season. They have lost some key players and their schedule is not easy, nonetheless, if they play well on the road, they can win ten games and a championship. In a worst case scenario, they will probably be in a bowl game on New Years day.
They return 13 players with eight of them on the offensive end including sophomore quarterback Graham Harrell. Traditionally, quarterbacks put into the Leach system have succeeded, and Harrell is expected to as well. The loss of Taurean Henderson and his receiving talents out of the backfield will hurt the ground game for the Red Raiders.
Texas Tech has one of the best wide receiving units in college football, with Filani, Hicks, Johnson and Amendola who collectively put up some amazing numbers last season. There is no reason they can't put up great numbers this year as well, especially with an offensive line that is better than average, by college standards, blocking for them.
Only five return from the defense but there are several important players coming back from injuries. The front seven look great but the secondary has lost several players from last season‚s unit that permitted only 180 YPG. No changes in the special teams and that should help their numbers.
