Good morning. I’ve got some links to start your Saturday.

Dallas Morning News’ Ryan Mainville | The Main Point: A deep dive into 2021-22 Texas Tech basketball

ME: Texas Tech’s offense is going to look fundamentally different than it has in years past. This has been clear to me since Barret Peery was hired onto Mark Adams’ staff, and it was reinforced when the roster was built. The Red Raiders need to play a different style of offense because if they don’t, the talent that they’ve assembled won’t be maximized. Most of the players on this roster are most effective with the ball in their hands and when they are attacking the basket. Peery frequently ran an offense at Portland State similar to what’s called dribble-drive motion. Now don’t flinch at the word motion, it’s a fundamentally different scheme than we’ve seen in Lubbock the last few years. The scheme focuses heavily on constantly attacking the basket, forcing the defense to collapse, and kicking the ball out to the open man. It’s a perfect match for the kind of players on the roster. I think we’ll see a lot of this from Texas Tech next year. I know that variations of this set have been practiced over this offseason.

RedRaiderSports’ Mark Moore | Football Talk with Sonny Cumbie

Texas Tech interim coach Sonny Cumbie held his weekly press conference with the media on Wednesday afternoon to talk about the Red Raiders’ bye week, last week’s contest against Oklahoma, and the team’s outlook for the remainder of the season.

Junior quarterback Tyler Shough had a red jersey and shoulder pads on as the media arrived towards the end of practice. Asked about Shough’s availability, Cumbie said it’s still a process where the team will work through these next two weeks of practice and then re-evaluate his progress and where he’s at physically. Cumbie said Shough’s status is “to be determined, but he’s out here with us and that’s good.”

Cumbie said Wednesday was Shough’s first day in shoulder pads, but he still hasn’t been medically cleared for game action.

RedRaiderSports’ Brandon Soliz | Two Docs Brewing Co. Takeaways: Red Raiders closer to opening tipoff

What they learned from the scrimmages
Although he couldn’t discuss the scrimmages much, Adams said the team learned a lot about themselves from those two events.

The focus during the past few weeks was to grow together and learn where they excel and what areas they lack in. Adams said the two teams they played exposed them in the areas they need work in.

Kevin McCullar said the team has plenty of focus on getting better, but as it is every year turnovers are crucial in keeping those numbers low. He said the team wants to keep that number in the single digits each night out.

“We definitely got to improve on that,” McCullar said. “That’s early on with every team I’ve been on at Tech. Turnovers is a big key. once we understand that and play with 10 or 9 or less turnovers, which is what great teams do in March, then we’ll be a great team.”

Dallas Morning News’ Kevin Sherrington | Mid-season firings and in-state courtship prove time is money in college football

Matt Wells didn’t even make it through three seasons at Texas Tech before Kirby Hocutt decided that was quite enough. Chances are good it wasn’t all his call. Hocutt went against the wishes of Tech officials and boosters by hiring Wells in the first place, so you could say both Hocutt and Wells were on a short leash. No use throwing good money after bad, either.

Back when a college football coach drew a salary more in line with, say, an English lit professor, athletic directors could afford to be patient. Because they didn’t owe boosters outsized favors, there wasn’t as much pressure to reward them with a quick return on their buck.

Of course, that was before we saw names of boosters on campus buildings. Some even got their own statues. I don’t rub elbows much with rich types, but my experience is they don’t enjoy waiting on what they want.

RedRaiderSports’ Ben Golan | Texas high school coaches talk Joey McGuire potential fit at Texas Tech

Coach in DFW (and Tech alumnus)
“Man, I have met coach McGuire once at Cedar Hill then a couple times when he got to Baylor. He’s a great guy and a better coach. We have an issue with keeping good guys in state and in a few cases keeping west Texas guys around. I think his relationship building with high school coaches will go a long way to land overlooked kids. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he got kept on staff after Rhule left and that he got more responsibility with a new head coach. He seems to be a loyal enough guy to stick around Tech for a long time, something I think we desperately need to have some continuity and success. Just my two cents.”

Coach in DFW (and Tech alumnus)
“I’ve only met him once, but that one interaction with him he left a great impression. He knows the state, and I know he wants a chance to turn it around. Being a Tech guy, I want someone who wants to make a difference and knows what’s at stake to win over the state of Texas in the recruiting battle. And as a HS guy, I know that it’s important for the HC to have a great relationship with HS guys, which he does. We don’t need to be anybody’s second choice, so if Traylor and Dykes want to turn the other way, I say go all in on McGuire. I know he wants it.”