Sheffield, Suh embolden their teams

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Sheffield making case for starting job

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach was more than impressed with backup quarterback Steven Sheffield’s seven-touchdown performance in his team’s blowout victory against Kansas State.

In fact, there might be a quarterback controversy brewing in Lubbock, Texas.

Senior quarterback Taylor Potts took two hard hits on sacks in Texas Tech’s game against New Mexico Oct 3. Leach said Potts would be a game-time decision for Saturday’s game against Nebraska.

Leach said he thought Sheffield brought a spark to the Red Raider offense.

“I think he’s got really good leadership qualities,” Leach said.

As for Sheffield’s nickname, “Sticks,” coined by teammates who notice Sheffield’s 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame, Leach said he wouldn’t have thought of it, but “it makes sense.”

Suh a dominating presence

Nebraska defensive tackle Ndomukong Suh was dominant Thursday night against Missouri. In turn, some analysts have thrown his name into the Heisman race. Suh picked up six tackles, a sack and a huge fourth-quarter interception in the 27-12 Nebraska victory.

In the conference’s weekly media teleconference Monday, a couple of Big 12 coaches talked about Suh’s ability to change a game.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said he had seen a lot of good defensive linemen, including former Tiger Ziggy Hood, selected 32nd overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. But after watching Suh up close Thursday, Pinkel said he didn’t think there was a better defensive lineman in college football this year.

“It’s a task to be able to handle him,” Pinkel said. “Give him credit where credit is due. He’s a great football player.”

Pinkel said he thought his team’s pass protection wasn’t necessarily the issue — Suh is just that dominant. Brown said Monday that Suh lateral quickness and power made him a force to be reckoned with.

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, whose team takes on Nebraska this Saturday, also spoke highly of Suh’s abilities, but said his game plan wouldn’t necessarily change to counter Suh’s presence.

“A good player can do a lot of things. They move him all over,” Leach said. “We’ll just keep an eye on him and know where he’s at. We’re not nearly as concerned about him as we are about the Nebraska Cornhuskers overall.”

— Edited by Jacob Muselmann

Texas Tech gameday

Get a closer look at the Red Raiders as they prepare to ...

/news/2009/oct/30/texas-tech-gameday/

Nebraska clinches spot in Big 12 title ...

Kansas State’s season, hopes of bowl bid end abruptly after loss.

/news/2009/nov/23/big-12-title-game/

Leach undecided on starting quarterback

Texas Tech coach will base decision on practice.

/news/2009/oct/27/leach-undecided/

Big 12 Media Day: Overview of Big ...

See how next Football seasons looks before it starts.

/news/2009/jul/29/big_12_media_day_overview_big_12_teams/

Big 12 teams fight through injuries

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State overcome sidelined players.

/news/2009/oct/12/big-12/

Big 12 football wrap up

Cowboys lost without Gundy, Leach criticizes officials

/news/2007/nov/13/big_12_football_wrap/

Big 12 sees upsets and surprise victories

Kansas State wins again, and Nebraska and Missouri are defeated.

/news/2009/oct/26/big-12-sees-upsets-victories/

Oklahoma loses second game of the season

Backup quarterbacks, non-conference losses define weekend for several Big 12 teams.

/news/2009/oct/05/oklahoma-loses-game/

Red Raiders, Sooners set to clash in ...

An Oklahoma win could create a three-way tie in South, while a ...

/news/2008/nov/20/red_raiders_sooners_set_clash_norman/

Texas-sized showdown highlights Big 12 games

Red Raiders try to upend Longhorns as Missouri and Oklahoma look to ...

/news/2008/oct/30/texassized_showdown_highlights_big_12_games/

Nebraska defense strong in trenches

Suh and the rest of the Huskers could pose problems for the ...

/news/2009/nov/11/nebraska-defense-strong-trenches/

Big 12 Quarterbacks Breakdown

A Preview of the Big 12 Quarterbacks

/news/2008/aug/28/sp_big12quarterbacks/

Red River Rivalry highlights second week of ...

Missouri, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State look to remain undefeated and make noise ...

/news/2008/oct/09/red_river_rivalry_highlights_second_week_big_12_pl/

Jayhawks try to neutralize defensive tackle

Offensive line held major threat to three tackles despite lineup changes.

/news/2009/nov/16/jayhawks-neutralize-tackle/

Texas Tech looks to line for protection

Returning only one starter to the line, the Red Raiders may see ...

/news/2007/aug/29/texas_tech/

Big 12 experiences offensive explosion

Typically Big 12 offenses are known for smashmouth football. But this year ...

/news/2007/nov/14/football/

Big 12 teams win all but one ...

Texas Tech lost the only Big 12 game by one point to ...

/news/2009/sep/28/big_12/

They’re not in Texas anymore

Kansas’ Todd Reesing and Mizzou’s quarterback Chase Daniel are both from Texas, ...

/news/2007/nov/20/theyre_not_texas_anymore/

Football: Big 12 South Preview

Here is a preview of Big 12 South teams and the up ...

/news/2009/aug/21/big_12/

Gameday: Nov. 15, 2008

Get ready for Saturday's game against the Longhorns.

/news/2008/nov/14/gameday_nov_15_2008/

National college football preview

Staff writer Case Keefer previews the nation's college football action. There are ...

/news/2007/nov/22/national_college_football_preview/

Game Day: Oct. 25, 2008

Get ready for the game against Texas Tech.

/news/2008/oct/24/game_day/

11,837 reasons to watch the Big 12

Big 12 quarterbacks pace the nation in passing yards

/news/2008/sep/24/football/

An updated looking at football coaching candidates

Larry Fedora still tops the list while Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn ...

/news/2011/dec/04/updated-looking-football-coaching-candidates/

Texas defeats Oklahoma in rivalry

Missouri shut out for last half of game against Oklahoma State.

/news/2009/oct/19/Big-12/

Missouri's Smith captures national honors after victory

/news/2005/oct/25/big_12_notebook/

Coaches argue about preseason polls

The debate continues about how accurately college football polls reflect team talent.

/news/2009/sep/03/coaches_argue_about_preseason_polls/

Big 12 South Breakdown

A preview of the Big 12 South

/news/2008/aug/28/sp_Big12SouthBreakdown/

Nebraska Gameday

Get to know the Cornhuskers as they prepare to play the Jayhawks ...

/news/2009/nov/12/nebraska-gameday/

Big 12 Football Wrap-Up

This week brought debate over the new, shorter play clock, and the ...

/news/2008/sep/25/big_12_football_wrap/

Big 12 goes the distance with passing ...

The spread offense has enabled quarterbacks in the conference to put up ...

/news/2008/jul/17/quarterback/

Big 12 teams face suspensions, injuries

Problems stand in the way of teams gearing up for the weekend.

/news/2009/sep/29/big_12_teams_suspensions/

Top 10 teams to battle for Big ...

/news/2005/oct/20/sp_big_12_football/

Big 12 North Breakdown

A preview of the Big 12 North

/news/2008/aug/28/sp_big12northbreakdown/

Conference offers no clear favorites

/news/2005/apr/12/sports_football_conference/

Nebraska regains dominance over KU in the ...

Despite injuries, Nebraska QB Joe Ganz made plays bringing a much needed ...

/news/2008/nov/10/spread_bernsider/

Big 12 North football previews

Big 12 North football previews for Nebraska, Iowa State, Colorado, Missouri and ...

/news/2009/aug/20/big_12_north_football_previews/

Shroyer: Talib deserves Heisman talk

With Kansas undefeated, star defensive player belongs in the same sentence as ...

/news/2007/oct/22/Shroyer/

Conference play begins this weekend

Familiar foes turn attention to each other as ranked teams face unranked ...

/news/2008/oct/02/conference_play_begins_weekend/

Kansas coaches puzzling over ways to stop ...

The Red Raiders’ spread offense poses a unique challenge to Big 12 ...

/news/2008/oct/22/ttu/

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID