Texas Tech Head Coach Matt Wells: "They're a Good Team, a Real Good Team"
Last season, West Virginia was coming off an impressive defensive performance on the road against No. 12 Baylor. Although it was a 17-14 loss, optimism was running high behind a defense that looked dominant but the following week, Texas Tech hung 28 first quarter points and coasted to a 38-17 win.
Texas Tech is, again, heading into the matchup with West Virginia after a bye week while the Mountaineers handled the Kansas Jayhawks after a rough start.
The Mountaineers have improved since the last time these two teams met with a running game that averaged 73.3 yards per game to 189.3 yards this season and a defense that has shown consistency early in the season and Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells has taken notice.
Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Matt Wells in the second half of the game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
“They’ve certainly improved a lot,” he said. “They’re playing very good on defense. Their D-line – the pass rush has been very, very good – they’re disruptive.
“(Jarret) Doege has proven to be more than a steady hand, he’s good, he’s a good player. (Leddie) Brown is one of the top backs in the league right now.
“They’ve done a nice job. They’re steady on special teams. They play their best players on special teams. It’s a good team, a really good team.”
Leddie Brown is second in the Big 12 in rushing at 128.8 yards per game and has become an option in the passing game registering 12 receptions for 91 yards and seven total touchdowns on the year.
“He’s a patient runner. They do a lot of zone schemes with him. He’s a powerful back. He’s just kind of patient, patient, patient, and then when he hits It, he goes,” said Wells. “The o-line, I think, has gotten better as the year has gone on for them. He’s played well. He certainly had a great game against Kansas on Saturday.”
The West Virginia defense continues to grab the attention of the Big 12 after holding Kansas to just 157 yards of total offense and moving to the number in the country holding opponents to 240.3 yards per game. Wells contributes their success to “intensity and effort.”
“Those guys are playing with tremendous confidence; you see them flying around. The Stills brothers (Darius and Dante), first of all, they stick out,” said Wells. “(Jeff) Pooler sticks out. Akheem (Mesidor) comes in. I mean, what a game against Kansas, six tackles, I think a couple of sacks.
“Four (Alonzo Addae) and 29 (Sean Mahone), those two safeties and 23 (Tykee Smith), they can fly around. They’re playing well - they’re playing confident. Both corners (Dreshun Miller and Nicktroy Fortune) are big - they’re over six foot. 50 (Jared Bartlett), that guy plays with a motor.”
West Virginia travels to Lubbock, TX this Saturday to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders at 5:30 EST and broadcasting on ESPN2.
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