Texas Tech @ Iowa State preview
Jack Trice Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 6, 2007 ) Iowa State 17, Texas Tech 42
It wasn’t long ago that Texas Tech carried one of the most prolific offenses in the nation into each of its games. The Red Raiders can still put up the points, but now that Tommy Tuberville is running the show, a more well-rounded game is the goal.
Texas Tech will be looking to pick up its first Big 12 Conference win under Tuberville when it visits Iowa State on Saturday.
The Red Raiders (2-1, 0-1 Big 12 South) had no trouble scoring points under former head coach Mike Leach, using a wide-open offense to outgun opponents and become the third-winningest Big 12 program of the last decade. But a messy divorce with Leach in the offseason opened the door for Tuberville, who came up as a defensive coordinator at Miami before he made his mark as a head coach at Auburn.
The 2004 national coach of the year, Tuberville has Texas Tech ranked No. 22 in the nation in rushing defense and No. 31 against the pass with a turnover margin of plus-five - a step in the right direction for sure.
Defensive coordinator James Willis has relied on senior linebackers Brent Bird and Brian Duncan along with senior nose tackle Colby Whitlock to stuff the run, while sophomore safety Cody Davis makes a bid to become Texas Tech’s first defensive All-American since 2001.
It was the offense that let the Red Raiders down last time out as they managed just 144 total yards, including negative-14 rushing yards, in a 24-14 home loss to Texas on Sept. 18. Texas Tech did not score in the second half.
The offense will not have it much easier against the Cyclones (2-2, 0-1 North), who shut out Northern Iowa 27-0 last week. Iowa State returned two interceptions for touchdowns and forced five total turnovers in the school’s first shutout since 2004.
The defense is led by head coach Paul Rhoads, who served as defensive coordinator under Tuberville at Auburn in 2008.
Rhoads has some work to do with the offense, however, as starting quarterback Austen Arnaud, who ranks second in school history with 5,664 career passing yards, was replaced by backup Jerome Tiller after the first series against Northern Iowa and did not return.
Arnaud has been bothered by a minor shoulder bruise, though Rhoads has suggested that the two quarterbacks may split time even if both are healthy.
Tiller connected on 11-of-22 passes for 87 yards and was sacked four times against Northern Iowa.
The Cyclones dropped their Big 12 opener 27-20 to Kansas State on Sept. 18 in a game that saw the lead change six times. Arnaud passed for 132 yards and rushed for 39 more while senior tailback Alexander Robinson rushed for 82 yards on 19 carries.
Iowa State has just one win in eight games all-time vs. Texas Tech, with the Red Raiders running away with a 42-17 victory in the last meeting in 2007.