12th-ranked Texas Tech looks to avoid upset

By BETSY BLANEY | The Associated Press • Published August 29, 2008

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LUBBOCK — Texas Tech coach Mike Leach will see an offense similar to the one his No. 12 Red Raiders employ when they take on Eastern Washington in each team’s season opener Saturday night.

Tech begins with its highest preseason ranking in 31 years and returns nearly all of its offense, including its prolific duo of quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

But Tech’s defense, usually its weak link, will face an offense with two big weapons of its own: quarterback Matt Nichols, the reigning offensive MVP of the Big Sky Conference, and All-American wide receiver Aaron Boyce.

“It’s not an accident that they’ve had quite a bit of success,” Leach said.

Nichols threw for a school-record 34 touchdowns last season and uses the whole field in trying to get the ball into the hands of Boyce, who pulled in 10 TDs in 2007.

But Nichols and Boyce’s numbers are far from those notched by Tech’s top duo. Harrell led the nation in passing in 2007 with 48 touchdowns and 5,705 yards. His favorite target was Crabtree, a speedster who led the nation in receiving with 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns, good enough to win the Biletnikoff Award as the best pass catcher in the country.

“They are an incredible duo,” said first-year Eagles coach Beau Baldwin. “It’s going to be a tremendous challenge.”

Harrell said he’ll be ready for whatever the Eagles show.

“I have seen a little but, but not too much yet,” Harrell said. “They run pretty basic stuff...they blitz a lot, bringing linebackers stuff like that.”

Tech’s defense found its stride in the final nine games of last season after Leach installed a new defensive coordinator. Eastern’s type of offense is like the one Tech practices against all the time, but Tech defensive lineman Jake Ratliff said the Eagles are in an enviable spot.

“Small schools come out like they’ve got something to prove, they always have,” he said. “They have nothing to lose if they come play a big school. All the big schools kind of have a bulls-eye on their back. They just come up and give it all they got.”

Darcel McBath, part of Tech’s secondary, said he was surprised at Eastern’s offensive efficiency.

“They do a lot of things really well,” he said. “They’ll mix it up.”

Both teams finished last season with 9-4 records. Tech, beginning the season at its highest ranking since 1977, capped its year by winning the Gator Bowl 31-28 over Virginia. Eastern fell 38-35 in the quarterfinals to eventual Football Championship Subdivision national champion Appalachian State, who upset Michigan to start last season.

Leach has not failed to mention that game, McBath said.

“I definitely don’t want to make (ESPN’s) Sports Center for that,” he said. “We can’t let that happen.”