Tech QB ready for a winner

[Guest Huskerboard]

Texas Tech may give Huskers run for their money

 

 

By Robin Washut / Daily Nebraskan

October 07, 2004

 

As Sonny Cumbie walked out of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday, it was almost as if he was walking off a winner.

 

Though the Texas Tech senior quarterback and his team had just suffered a 28-13 loss to the Sooners, the defeat was nowhere near as bad as many had projected.

 

The Red Raiders had held their own.

 

It has been this new aura of confidence among the once traditional Big 12 Conference doormats that has made Texas Tech a team to notice around the league.

 

As they prepare for this Saturday’s 6 p.m. kickoff against Nebraska, the Red Raiders believe they have a legitimate chance to pull off their first-ever win over the Cornhuskers.

 

“With the explosiveness of our offense, we always feel like we are in the game,” Cumbie said. “It's the confidence we have in our team.”

 

The Red Raiders’ high-flying passing attack has been well documented since the arrival of head coach Mike Leach.

 

This season in particular has been marked by the abrupt explosiveness in which Texas Tech has been able to score.

 

Take their 70-35 win over TCU earlier this season.

 

After trailing 21-0 to the Horned Frogs midway through the second quarter, the Red Raiders scored eight unanswered touchdowns to take a permanent lead.

 

In Tech’s 31-30 win over Kansas two weeks ago, the Red Raiders trailed 30-5 within the last minute of first half. Four consecutive TTU touchdowns later, the Red Raiders had once again risen from the grave to pull off a win.

 

Though it may not be the ideal approach, Tech has made it clear that it is never out of a game, no matter what the score.

 

“Our game plan for Nebraska and every game, for that matter, is a combination of trying to run our offense and look at the other team's defense,” Leach said. “We just try to get better every day. The high-scoring games this year and some other trends seem to be a product of college football, not more passing, etcetera.”

 

With the offense throwing the ball around religiously, Tech’s defense has assumed the daunting responsibility of holding its opponents to a surmountable point total.

 

That total roughly stands at about 26 points per game this season.

 

“I really don't mind playing that much as long as the offense is scoring 60 points,” senior defensive end Adell Duckett said. “We might give up a few more points on defense playing like that, but that’s OK.”

 

Yes, their techniques may be unusual, but the Red Raiders have an undying faith in what they do – to live and die by the pass.

 

And with the No. 1 ranked passing offense in the nation, it’s easy to see why.

 

“We're a team emerging that way because we play really hard,” Leach said. “I think that the extra element is the expectation that you're going to make something happen.”

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