This might be the final presser before the spring game on Saturday. As you know, this is a non-transcript, which is me typing as fast as I can to get the gist of what’s being said, but not actual quotes.

Matt Wells

I think we’re in a good spot, can’t honestly say that we had a bad or poor practice, I thought today was spirited, competitive, full pads, really saw some guys stand out coming off the field, I see Ezukanma, Krishon Merriweather, and Colin Schooler are all-Big 12 performers, our guys are going on cruise control and shutting it down. Still excited about the next two practices.

Keith Patterson [yes, this is a reference to defensive coordinator Keith Patterson] is limited, he is in full coaching gear and is a full participant, but is limited athletically, potentially a end of season clean up.

First and foremost want to see competitive, excited to be in a bunch of fans again, I hope Red Raider Nation comes out to support. Want to see guys make plays in limited reps, and come out healthy, hopefully all of those things can be accomplished.

I think you always put a little bit more evaluation and a bit more important when you get in live scrimmage reps, Thursday is going to be in shells or helmets, players and coaches preparing for it, but always put a bit more stock in those reps.

Myles Price is coming out of concussion protocol. SaRodorick Thompson had to have surgery on his shoulder, out extended period of time through the summer, and coming back in August. Confident in SaRodorick’s work ethic, confident in the other running backs, Tahj Brooks had a really good day today, looked like a running back, Xavier White is back full speed this summer, we’ll see what Camron Valdez can do, Chad Townsend has started to run behind his pads had some nice runs indoor, that’s a deep room, but SaRodorick is the leader of that room.

Saturday was a half practice and half scrimmage, the offense had moments, the offensive guys made plays on Saturday, the quarterbacks looked good, no interceptions or turnovers, maybe the first day all spring that they haven’t had one. We kicked the ball well, we made 3-4 50+ yard field goals, with Jonathan and Trey, Austin punted the ball well, hanging the ball inside the 10 yard line. Saturday will be another test. need to see guys shine and take the next step, may be hard to knock the starters out of their spots, I mentioned 3 of those today, but we have other guys that need to take the next step.

SaRodorick was a freak deal, barely got grazed. It did not get hit flush, the guy barely hit his shoulder, he was running.

Seth Collins had to get his knee cleaned up, he’ll be full speed by June.

Tyler Shough, don’t really put the numbers on what he needs to know, he knows what’s going in each day, to put a number on it each day isn’t fair to Sonny, he’s handling it very well, I would think he’s got a lot of room for improvement, but the reps he’ll take in June and July with player led practices, and going over the install 3 or 4 times and that’s the vast majority of the offense and when it gets to Houston it will get shrunk.

I don’t remember who made the field goals, they are in a dead heat, they are both right around 89% or 90%, we’ve kicked more field goals than at any point, every situation and they’ve responded well, they are neck-and-neck, and this will be a competition that will go through training camp.

It’s a big balance, constant evaluation that is probably the hardest thing coaches do in spring, you are physically tough when you are mentally tough, if you are mentally tough, you will be somewhat physically tough, you have to be gong full contact and live, and it is a collision sport, so much of it is me and the overall practice, and the individual live reps. I monitor that, we keep a rep count on live reps, take consideration on guys who are freshmen and 6th year seniors, it is juggling that and getting guys those reps. When we go thud, it is full contact, we do not go live and tackle to the ground, Saturday will be what amounts to half a scrimmage. I think it is a mix of thud and staying off the ground, we do a lot of live tackle, and fundamental live tackling where we protect ourselves and think our guys protect themselves. I think we’ve improved on that for the past 2 years since we’ve been here, going every other day does help some. It is a constant that Coach Scholz and I are consistently evaluating.

JJ Sparkman had some really good moments today, he’s a big body, bright future, he’ll be a guy that plays a certain amount of reps, he’s a big targets for those quarterbacks.

Jacob Morgenstern was unavailable today, nothing serious.

[joking] Everything I say in these press conferences are no fluff and no excuses, Keith hurt his knee skiing, he’s getting older and then he tweaked it yesterday, he looked bad on Saturday, he really is going to have to get it looked at, maybe we’ll start off with Patterson on the injury report. He’s got no eligibility left.

Here’s a few links for you.

• ESPN released their Football Power Index, which is an indication of how well a team is going to perform in the year and right now, Texas Tech is at #21, which is 7th in the Big 12 and predicted to go 7-5 for the season. If you were to guarantee me that today, I’d take it in a heartbeat.
• This article from New York Upstate’s Matt Parrino is about Buffalo Bills quarterback and former Red Raider footballer Davis Webb. This is just a fantastic article about all of the non-quarterback things that he does to help his team. I just can’t recommend this enough and makes me appreciate how hard he’s working to stay in the league.
• Dallas Morning News’ Chuck Carlton with an article about quarterback Tyler Shough and picking Texas Tech:
  

  “Because I thought the team was a great team and we’re really on the brink of something here,” he said. “Just watching Texas Tech team film — you don’t like to say it — but it’s almost like you’re just there. The guys on the team, the skill guys coming back.”