2023 Texas Tech Postmortem: Defense/Special Teams

Catharsis. An intense and emotionally satisfying release provided only by invested drama.

With a berth in the Big 12 game and the college football playoff at stake, not to mention additional payback needed to be meted out on the Big 12 Embrace The Hate Tour, the tension was real. For a while, at least.

The build up and drama was short-lived in a 50 point rout, but the ensuing catharsis was no less satisfying.

The Texas defense and special teams headlined the 57-7 massacre in Austin in front of Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire, two men whose mouths wrote offseason checks that their teams couldn’t cash. On Saturday, they couldn’t even land a payday loan.

Judging from this season’s Big 12 television rankings sans Texas and OU, their future IOU’s won’t be accepted most places either.

Enjoy ESPN Ocho, fellas.

While the road to the Big 12 title definitely didn’t run through Lubbock, it is true that the team from Lubbock couldn’t run offense on the road in Austin. Bright lights, a gigantic packed stadium, better players and coaches and a tangible reminder of the SAT scores that they couldn’t manage all around them were off-putting for Raider Nation.

It’s these sorts of nuanced home field advantages that so often lead to a 50 point deficit.

The Longhorn defense held Tech to 198 total yards, 110 on the ground and 88 of them through the air. I’ve never seen a quarterback stat line that goes 19 of 36 for 88 yards and 3 picks, but I did tonight. Texas Tech’s longest completion in four quarters of football – a game where they kept their starters in despite Texas putting in reserves in the 3rd quarter – went for 15 yards.

A little business decision there at the end from the Tech QB.

So what happened?

Texas defense throttled the easy button on offense and practiced more denial than an A&M coaching hire. There were no route concessions and the general execution of the Longhorn scheme was:”We will allow nothing. If you want more, take it from us. We don’t think you can.”

It wasn’t just about the coverages played, per se. Even on the change-up snaps that featured off coverage or zone, Texas defenders were on their front foot, actively attacking routes. Not letting routes happen to them.

The Texas players and staff dialed in and executed a strong game plan that clearly wasn’t what Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley expected from his scout. As I mentioned on the On Texas Football Tale of the Tape before the game, breaking tendency can be powerful if the opposing team builds out an entire game plan banking on the defense carrying on business as usual.

Business did not continue as usual.

Behind the stone wall of the defensive line, the Texas secondary featured extensive use of press man coverage, even some inside leverage on in-breaking routes (!), with second and third level personnel chopping down route trees before they bloomed.

It was a complete smothering of anything that Tech wanted to do behind the line of scrimmage much less between the hashes just beyond it. Tech’s staple routes were denied, baited, or jumped mercilessly.

Joey McGuire couldn’t cash any of his verbal checks, but his offense sure cashed in a lot of 0-2 yard check downs.

When it became clear that the Red Raider receivers had zero ability to separate from Texas defenders (a function of both aggressive coverage and timing disruption) and that Morton was going to take hits anytime he held the ball, the game was effectively over in the late first quarter.

It was only going to be a question of margin.

That margin was provided in no small part by absolutely dominant Longhorn special teams, defensive touchdowns and repeated short fields for the Longhorn offense. The Horns D/ST scored two non-offensive touchdowns and then gifted the offense scoring drives of 33, 27, 19, 6 and 1 yards.

I will offer props to Tech running back Tahj Brooks. I thought highly of him before the game and he impressed me even more in person, running for a hard 95 yards on 19 carries. He was their sole wellspring of productive offense, though a majority of his carries still went for nothing. 28 of his rushing yards came after Tech fell behind 43-7.

Defensive Line

Texas had 9 hits on the QB and they repeatedly affected Morton in the pocket. Murphy, Sweat, Collins, Broughton all had numerous game impacts. Sweat had a pass break up that he nearly picked off and then created another errant throw that led to Jett Bush’s Shoe Six. Burke missed a first half sack he’ll be sick about after watching it on replay. I have no idea how many snaps Collins played, but he logged 5 tackles in a very short time span and drew a big holding call. Bledsoe flashed a couple of times in mop up. As did Tapp. Finkley had no tackles, but had 2-3 QB pressures.

Linebacker

Bush has a sack and a pick six on his senior night. What a gratifying way to go out in front of the home crowd. Jaylan Ford led the team in tackles, had a couple of QB hits and dropped an interception that hit him in the chest. Anthony Hill drew a personal foul early for — being intimidating? — but finished out the game with 4 tackles and a sack. David Gbenda had some real impact in his run, getting 4 tackles in limited snaps. Morice Blackwell matched those tackle numbers.

Tech made the Longhorn linebackers make quite a few plays in both the running and short passing game and they were up to the challenge.

Defensive Back

Great game all around. Freshman safety Derek Williams put on a tackling clinic against the short passing game while Manny Muhammad and Terrence Brooks absolutely dominated Tech’s receivers in press, each nabbing a pick. Gavin Holmes spelled both nicely after Ryan Watts went out on the first play of the game. Jerrin Thompson missed a tackle that allowed a 25 yard run from Brooks, but he was otherwise solid in coverage. Kitan had a PI call in the end zone, but tackled well.

Here’s an example of lock down man from Brooks. No concessions here and he’s lined up with his right foot inside. Still dominates the sideline route.

Texas Tech was 3 of 14 on money downs and a huge piece of that was because of the play of the Longhorn secondary. Their aggressive and decisive play was unrecognizable contrasted to the unit on display the last three weeks. Frankly, it looked a lot like the bunch that shut down Rice’s throw game early in the year.

On pass attempts >10 yards from scrimmage, Morton was 1 of 7 for 13 yards with a pick.

On throws behind the line of scrimmage (a big part of Kittley’s offense), Tech was 7 of 9 for 5 yards.

The first stat is about aggression in coverage, the second is about tackling and recognition. Do all three and an opponent can average less than 3 yards per pass attempt.

Special Teams

Texas dominated a strong Tech special teams unit. Or at least what had been a strong Raider unit.

Look at the strong lead block on the right that sets Keilan’s return up…hey, who is that?

Incredible job by Jeff Banks and Taaffe on the blocked punt. Tech’s punter is right legged and he drifts two steps right to kick, which allows the late shift edge pressure from #16 – which Banks clearly had scouted out. Outstanding body control and acceleration from Taaffe to pick it cleanly right off of his foot. Textbook. Coaching clinic tape.

Highlights included:

Michael Taaffe’s punt blockKeilan Robinson housing a 95 yard touchdown kick returnThree Worthy punt returns for 48 yardsTwo Sanborn pins inside the TT20Bert Auburn going a perfect 5/5, including a cold-blooded 54 yarderTre Wisner covering kicks like a maniac

A complete special teams domination that, in concert with oppressive Longhorn defense, created the conditions for a 50 point destruction.

Final

This was the dream and what the Texas defense is capable of when they challenge every aspect of a mediocre and limited offense. As for Jeff Banks and Longhorn special teams personnel, they put on a coaching and execution clinic.

Dominance in these phases is about as much legal fun as you can have watching a football game.

11-1. Hook ’em!

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