Texas Tech Football Notebook: McGuire, Cochran, Ah You, and Fitch Recaps

This is going to be a long post, it’s going to cover Josh Cochran and Clay McGuire from last week and CJ Ah You and Zarnell Fitch from yesterday. Remember, these are not actual transcripts, just me listening to the audio and typing as fast as I can so you don’t have to listen to the video.

Offensive Line Coach Clay McGuire

Easy decision, loved Washington State, but any time you get a chance to come home, and get the opportunity to work with Coach McGuire, my brother worked for him 20 years ago at Cedar Hill, and be at a place like Texas Tech was an easy decision.
We’re coming along, knew this would be a process, need to build some continuity and process, not near where we need to be, but kids are buying in.
Ty Buchanan, coaching for the 2nd time, that’s where we are at and the landscape of college football.
Caleb Rogers from a leadership standpoint, he’s been awesome, gives great attitude, plans are to play him at one of the three positions inside, can play center, just based on needs and trying to figure out problem solving on he’s had the opportunity to also play tackle, and he’s a valuable guy to move inside and his goals of playing in the next level and playing all 5 positions is valuable to him.
[On the two most recent signing classes] Still up in the air, pleased with those 2 classes, think we have a bright future, there are 3 or 4 getting some reps with the 2’s, it’s been a shuffle but wouldn’t shock me if kids on campus get playing time next year.
Davion Carter, just based on stature and really sharp, started out at center, but went fast for him and went to guard to take some of that off of him. He’s a kid that can play any of the inside positions, has a quick first step, definitely see im as an inside guy.
Sterling Porcher and Maurice Rodrique, they have experience, just not experience here. Sterling did a good job of picking things up fast, and just got back Dalton Miami kid.
Fortunately I got to work with Ben Arbuckle, who will be a hot name. When this job came open, had lots of good things to say about Kittley, remind him to Kingsbury, one of the closer things to what Kingsbury does.
Extremely fired up about Sheridan Wilson, he signed with Texas Tech and hasn’t had a lot of opportunities at this point, he carried and worked like he’s a 5 year starter, how hard he works and the epitome of what we’re trying to build here.
Just appreciation for all of the powers that be for building this place and my brother played here. From 1993 to 1997 I saw every home game in this stadium, from 2000 to 2009 I was here for every game. Just thankful and appreciative of everything and says something about McGuire and what he’s building here. Continue to build and recruit to the program.
Favorite memory, hard to top Michael Crabtree in 2008 and the other is Zach Thomas’ interception against the Aggies, was in 5th and 6th grade at the time, was walking around to the tunnel and my brother would take me in the locker room, place was going crazy.
It’s a work in progress, can’t go into a season with just 5 guys, in a great situation you have 10, but that’s rare, if we can get that sweet spot of 8 guys with true back-up center, guard and tackle, or a guy to rotate in situational football to keep guys healthy, you’re lucky to do that. We’re trying to develop those 8 guys, and it will be up to the end to determine who that guy is.
Tahj Brooks definitely makes my job easier, and what people need to be talking about his how great of a kid he is, and is what we want as Red Raiders and one of the better blockers I’ve been around.

Tight Ends Coach Josh Cochran

Have some special dudes, losing a guy like Baylor is tough, he did a heck of a job, but with Mason, Conyers, Millers, Llewellyn, and Jackson coming in and a room full of talented guys and are people you want to be around.
Being named the run game coordinator is a blessing and appreciate McGuire giving me that title, not a lot changes as Kittley and I working together, but having that title is a blessing.
We’re doing some studies on different scheme to open up with and what fits our personnel, don’t want to just do what we do because we’ve always done it that way, want to open up to what our guys do best. We are looking at different things, still going to run inside zone, counter, and power.
Being up in the box, only on field coach up there, he asks me what the front is, what is the box, and where can we attack them, and where is the weakness, get a bird’s eye view and he’ll come to me with what runs we like. We work hand-in-hand, he’s the best I’ve ever been around.
Miller is freaky athleticism, a special person too. You’re going to be a better person for having met him, and am blessed for getting to work with him. He’s made some catches that leave our eyes wide open, he can run and jump and brings a level of rawness that a coach loves and you can mold it how you want it. He has the tools and work ethic.
Conyers, has a pro mindset and the mindset that McGuire talks about, he’s doing a lot behind the scenes, meeting extra and a film junkie, loves the game, he’s going to be a huge contribution to the offense, we’re not worried about him.
Can’t not start out with Mason, who has done a phenomenal job, he’s come in as a man on a mission, a pro mindset, he wants to lead this team to win a lot of games and wants to get to the next level. But younger side of things, Trey Jackson has really fired up our staff, our athleticism, hasn’t been in the weight room a lot because of basketball, but he’s not afraid to stick his nose in the run game and championship program from Oak Cliff.
Llewellyn, doing a really good job in the run game and is coached really well, coming from Aledo and OU, a technician in the run game and bringing a level of physicality, very intelligent, he has savviness to his route running ability and can find grass.
Good chance of 12 personnel, will have the best players on the field and love about Kittley, won’t try to shove a square peg in a round hole, and if that’s going 12 or 21 or 10, however we can attack the defense the best.
Mason has become one of the better blocking tight ends I’ve been around in my life, I’m fired up about how he’s doing it physically and he takes pride in the run game and JC is a physical kid and he and one of our bigger ends met on a collision and it is guys who don’t mind getting dirty.
Mason, he’s 100%, held him out last spring, but he hasn’t missed a rep and is a man on a mission, he doesn’t want to miss a rep, if I pull him he’s mad and wants to get back in, they’re all going to play. He’s at 267, but he doesn’t run like it.
My daughter absolutely loves them, we fed them Rudy’s and wife cooked the sides, they hid the eggs for my daughter, I love those guys and I hope they feel comfortable with me in the same way, when you build that relationship where you do anything for each other, that’s what McGuire has done with this team.
Mason, if you know him, he’s quieter, he didn’t speak up a lot, but that mentality has flipped and embraced that leadership role. How he prepares for work and practice, and he and Tahj are the first ones in the weight room and those guys see that and they see the success he’s having on the field, so I know Trey and JC are both really following in his footsteps.
[On Baylor Cupp] scouts call me and talk about what a phenomenal person and think he can be a great 3rd tight end and can play in both run and pass. Got married recently and he’s excited about pro-day and he didn’t get to run, but he tested well in the jumps and wish the best for him.

Outside Linebackers Coach CJ Ah You

Building depth and value with the guys who are healthy. They are getting valuable snaps that are usually spread out.
Harvey Dyson and Charles Esters are having a solid spring. Amier Washington is doing good things. Dylan Spencer as well. Young guys are are still a work in process.
Dylan is still learning the position, this time has been beneficial. Last year probably made him hungry, it’s just a start. Last year is last year, we’ll see how things go this year.
Everything, play the run and the pass.
Kason Long doesn’t have a bad day, he’s so eager to learn and so willing to do whatever, it’s exciting and he’s a good person to have in your room.
It’s great, we had a meeting to see where we have our guys, the overall depth is going to be solid. Each one of those guys is going to have an opportunity.
Isaiah Crawford was off to a good start, Dylan is still young and is building up on confidence. Everything in my room other than Kason Long is 2nd or 3rd year in the system and are starting to play a lot faster and good to see them not think so much and just play ball.
Consistency, to see Esters go from first year to now, he’s playing faster, just make faster decisions. Harvey is the same thing. Just have to continue that.
Just trying to go 1-0, not worried about who they brought in. We’re competing against ourselves.
[Tyree Wilson] Had a guy that came and to do the things he did in his only year in the system, to lay the foundation, is huge, and Myles Cole going through the same process now.
Leadership, whoever will step up, Joe [Adedire] has the most playing time with us, just looking for guys looking to do it the right way, and it is about one mindset.

Defensive Line Coach Zarnell Fitch

We knew this day would come, a lot of leadership that left, you will see a deep group, the strides the guys are making, putting those roles into those guys. Just really like the group as a whole.
Start thinking this is year 3, seeing Doda [E’Maurion] Banks from first year to now, just get 1% better. I think I see them just growing and developing and a leader in the room. Quincy Ledet is playing his best ball.
Trevon McAlpine, are working on those things in drills, he’s an explosive kid. I need to get Tre to understand the player he can be.
[De’Bralon] Carroll brings some maturity to the room, learning the system and new techniques, he brings an attitude to the group. Knew him in high school and him being at Duncanville, glad we got him. Also James [Hansen], older guy and married. He’s going home to his wife like his coaches.
I think the guys, the younger guys, their size and yo use the athlete these are, [Braylon] Rigsby, McAlpine, [Jayden] Cofield, we want them to have a mindset of J-Boog and Tony.
I’m looking at it right now, I don’t look at leadership of just 1 person, we may have some talented young guys that are going to be in that rotation and exciting this spring.
Rigsby, McAlpine, Cofield, and could see those guys rotating. Get those guys used to ratting, excited with their growth and need to be consistent.
When you have that room competing, our room is about toughness and grit and being a true effort based team, you see guys taking it up a notch. We’ve got to be good. Excited about him. They keep taking that 1% every day.
I love where we are trending, we’ve done a lot of talking, and we need to go to work.
Coach McGuire had us go back and go over the games and level rushing and making sure our guys understand rush lanes. It’ sus as coaches can we do to help and improve those things. That was a cool thing and getting back, and CJ and I go spend time with Rod Marinelli and he and his wife treated us like we’ve known him for 10 years.
Why the drop-off in sacks from one year to the next and need to develop and making sure those guys know what we can do.
Clay McGuire is a great coach, I love him, I think Clay comes from what I come from, toughness and grit and some of the drills he and I did every day and it’s fun. Cool when he and Cochran are doing plays, we’re seeing plays during the course of the year.