Big 12, Year Two: Texas Tech Seeks Mental Toughness, Physical Toughness and Healthy Quarterbacks
The Big 12 Conference had four new head football coaches in 2019 — a 40 percent turnover. SI Sooners publisher John E. Hoover caught up with all four before they began spring practice to ask how they expect their programs to look different in their second offseason. With the Coronavirus shutdown all but ending spring practice for all Big 12 teams, their plans must certainly adapt. But the offseason words of Neil Brown, Chris Klieman, Les Miles and Matt Wells are now more relevant than ever as they try to evolve in Year Two.
Texas Tech lost four games in 2019 by a total of 11 points.
After stunning Oklahoma State in Week 2 of Big 12 play, the Red Raiders lost by three points in double overtime at Baylor, by three points in a fourth-quarter collapse at Kansas, by two points in a slow start against TCU, and by three points in a fourth-quarter rally against Kansas State.
Against two of the Big 12’s three best teams, Texas Tech had opportunities to win late.
Guess what second-year coach Matt Wells has emphasized this offseason?
“I think you have to, first, become accountable and disciplined off the field and in the offseason program before you ever do it in season,” Wells said. “We lost five games in the fourth quarter. It’s pretty been pretty well documented — 0-5 in fourth quarters, blown fourth quarter leads etc. I believe that comes down to accountability and the discipline, from January through the end of August.
“That's really what we're working on every day in here.”
The Coronavirus shutdown, of course, has disrupted that — disrupted everything, really. But in the heavy training months of January and February, Wells said he saw some things from his team that he didn’t see in his first offseason.
BIG 12: YEAR TWO
- Monday: Brown, Klieman, Miles & Wells just more comfortable
- Tuesday: WVU: Brown sees ‘stronger, more mature’ team
- Wednesday: KSU: More consistency is Klieman’s goal
- Thursday: KU: Miles wants physical, mental toughness
- Friday: Tech: Red Raiders ’way ahead’ of 2019 to Wells
“A lot of the changes are really happening more internal here on campus,” Wells said. “And the offseason January, February lifting and conditioning program, really, was major minimized when we walked in here because of just they hadn’t been exposed to things like that. And I think building it up over a year, now that we’re fully into this offseason — and I'm calling it our first real offseason — I think, you know, we’re making gains weight gains and strength gains.
“But I also think there’s a toughness factor, mental toughness, and a faction of guys that have continued to become really accountable to each other. And I think that starts to spread throughout the locker room. But the discipline has to be at a higher level, and discipline is just doing the right thing, absolutely correct, the first time we ask you to do it. And the more times that we can do that, day after day, with consistency, I believe that all of that translates to on the field.”
In his first year replacing Kliff Kingsbury, Wells’ club went 4-8 last season. Adding to Wells’ frustrations: All four victories were by double-digits.
There were numerous circumstances — quarterback Alan Bowman got hurt again, the defense didn’t play to its potential again, whatever — but the long list of losses also included two blowouts and two other double-digit defeats.
“You look at the season, the commonalities, and losing those games were one of two things,” Wells said. “We were not enough detail-oriented and ready to play right out of the gate. And, you know, got down in the first quarter, you know, 20-0 against Iowa State, 17-0 against TCU. … You can’t get down that much.
“And then I think it comes down to fourth quarter plays, either not getting off the field on third downs on defense or not being able to make a first town or sustain the drive on offense.
“I look back into accountability and the discipline that we’ve got to increase. And I think that’s done through the offseason I really, really do. I think it’s done through having some poise. And I think poise can be taught. And that takes a little bit of time. … We didn’t earn the right to win those games. So what I think you’ve got to do in the offseason is earn that right.”
FACING OKLAHOMA
- 2019: OU 55, Texas Tech 16
- 2020: Nov. 28 in Lubbock
The Red Raiders need mental toughness, but they need more than that. To that end, Wells said a second winter under strength coach Dave Scholz has already paid dividends.
“We look better,” Wells said. “We’re more physical. We’re bigger. I believe that, you know, one year into developing, one year into recruiting, we’re just looking different.”
Wells was eager to see that payoff translate to the practice field, and Tech got in a week of practices before the shutdown. He said the focus of this spring was going to be lining up faster, recognizing formations better and communicating more effectively.
Now, the focus is staying in touch, finding ways to get in a good workout and making sure guys are staying on top of their online courses.
When football does resume, one of Texas Tech’s priorities will be keeping quarterback Alan Bowman upright. He’s gone down each of the last two seasons with serious injuries. He suffered a punctured lung in 2018, and last year he took a medical redshirt after sustaining an injury to his non-throwing shoulder.
Backup Jett Duffey departed through the transfer portal, so Bowman’s backup is Maverick McIvor, who missed all of last season with an injury after missing almost all of his senior year in high school with an injury.
At Texas Tech, quarterback play has become kind of a big thing.
“Just gotta keep ‘em healthy,” Wells said. “I gotta hope that it was a little bit of bad luck, to be honest with you — for both of them. They are, first, they are really going through their first real offseason. Here’s that quote again. This winter, they needed — as much as anybody, and as quarterbacks — you lift and you train to get up off the turf and to play another play.
“And I think that's extremely important for those guys that put on the right weight. But they gained strength, and they gained some muscle mass, to be able to protect themselves a little bit. And again, I'm hopeful that the last couple years for both of ‘em was just bad luck.”
Tech also needs to be bigger, strong and just plain better on defense. Last year the Red Raiders finished 125th in the country in total defense despite having some really talented players.
Now, with the graduation of first-team All-Big 12 defenders Douglas Coleman and Jordyn Brooks and playmaking tackle Broderick Washington, Wells thinks the Texas Tech defense can take the next step.
“Well, first of all you got to play team defense,” Wells said. “No individuals ever played great team defense. It’s a team, it’s 11 guys. Certainly you don’t replace an individual that had the season that he did, like Jordyn Brooks, with one guy. I think you deal with multiple guys.
“I think Riko Jeffers has to get a little bit better, I think, Xavier Benson and Kosi Eldridge and the guys that are in this program have to get a little bit better. Then you bring in a Krishon Merriweather, who led the NJCAA in tackles, you bring a grad transfer from Michigan State. Brandon Randle, that can play outside and inside.
“So you kind of replace Jordyn with several guys, to be honest with you. No individual can play great defense by himself. It’s got to be a collective group. It’s in your alignment to your assignment to your key to your communication, and we’ve got to take major steps in that area and that’s certainly the goal for us this offseason.”
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