Go on record now

[deb025]

The bottom line is there isn't a huge amount of separation between the two so I look at three things. #1 The season is done. #2 Higgins is much younger and will grow, mature and improve. #3 Higgins has much more mobility.

The season is not done! They can still make this a respectable season and make a bowl game. I saw a lot of improvement yesterday. Their character is being tested right now. The breaks will eventually go our way. I believe we beat Army next week, gain some confidence and momentum and finish the rest of this season strong!

[Gooddawg]

Out of what setup would you like to see us running?

From under center with two tight ends and a FB! I know that isn't going to happen so I would love to see us use the reverse wishbone formation? Not real sure what that is called but with Lee, Dixon, and King or Banks. Guillot should not be back there. We also killed teams with the play action last year out of that formation.

When you have the ball inside the 10 and never give Dixon a carry? Makes NO sense. This happened more than once. We got a turnover in plus territory more than once and throw the ball 3 times and punt. Once we took a sack on 3rd down taking you out of FG range, drives me crazy. Dixon had 27 RUSHING TDS last year as a FR. We ran the ball last year in red zone to score all those points!

[Gooddawg]

Really bad post. First of all, Higgins' INT was NOT his fault. The ball was well thrown. It was the fault of #8, who just flat missed it. (Who is #8 for Tech anyway?) Next, Higgins did a great job of surveying the field and finding open receivers all day. Higgins completed passes to 8 different receivers yesterday. Higgins also moves around inside and outside the pocket MUCH BETTER than Scotty Young. By contrast, Scotty Young TELEGRAPHS everything he does, and he looks at only one receiver -- the CLOSEST one. Any decent defense (even Tulane's) KNOWS what Scotty Young is going to do before he actually does it.

I like a lot of what Higgins did that you mentioned-spread ball around, moves out of pocket well, read option. I actually think he is more accurate on the move than in the pocket. But I don't think he completed a pass over 10 yds downfield all game, many of his throws weren't in the same zip code. He had several wrs open downfield and wasn't close numerous times. I really like the read option and think he will get quicker at making decisions. My primary concern is that he is turnover prone. He is lucky KU dropped a couple of balls that looked like sure picks. If he continues to turn the ball over at the rate he has for a game and a half I would bench him. I think it was obvious that was the best game plan we have had all year and I don't think Young has had that benefit yet. He has a stronger arm and I believe is more accurate.

[DocMarvin362]

Higgins..... for now. I wouldn't be opposed to Young getting one more shot when he's healthy and if the team needs a spark or continues to struggle. Higgins still struggles with accuracy. If we have that read option package installed with Harris, then we need to bust it out. Maybe not against Navy since they see it daily and run much better than we'll be able to run it, but later on, we need to do that some. If Harris isn't getting snaps, then I'd have to assume that he is a running threat that can throw some and not an every down QB.

But what do I know... never seen him play or practice. Peterson and Rattay know what's going on, and I hope that they're making the best decisions available.

[RealityCheck]

Tech is 103rd (of 123 FBS teams) in Red Zone Offense...10 scores (7 TDs 3 FGs) and 4 no-scores in 14 penetrations.

In the Kansas game Tech was 1 of 4 (1 TD, 1 missed FG, and 2 fumbles lost).

The good news is that three of the 20 teams below Tech in this category are still left on the schedule (Army, FIU, and USM).

[HogDawg]

I like a lot of what Higgins did that you mentioned-spread ball around, moves out of pocket well, read option. I actually think he is more accurate on the move than in the pocket. But I don't think he completed a pass over 10 yds downfield all game, many of his throws weren't in the same zip code. He had several wrs open downfield and wasn't close numerous times. I really like the read option and think he will get quicker at making decisions. My primary concern is that he is turnover prone. He is lucky KU dropped a couple of balls that looked like sure picks. If he continues to turn the ball over at the rate he has for a game and a half I would bench him. I think it was obvious that was the best game plan we have had all year and I don't think Young has had that benefit yet. He has a stronger arm and I believe is more accurate.

I'm just FLOORED when I see a post like yours (and DonMarvin's) suggesting Scotty Young hasn't had a chance yet. What were the first 3 games? As far as I'm concerned, Young had his chance, and proved to me that he was vastly over-rated coming out of high school. He holds the ball too long, he stares down his receivers, his delivery is awkward and his accuracy was bad.

Meanwhile, Higgins goes out in his FIRST start, and delivers 289 yards of passing, 443 yds of offense and a 65% completion rate. No, it's not Heisman Trophy numbers, but it was a drastic improvement.

[Dwayne From Minden]

I'm interested in how he responds in Dallas -

If he responds well, I think everything will be put to rest - if not it just keeps the embers stoked...

[Gooddawg]

I'm just FLOORED when I see a post like yours (and DonMarvin's) suggesting Scotty Young hasn't had a chance yet. What were the first 3 games? As far as I'm concerned, Young had his chance, and proved to me that he was vastly over-rated coming out of high school. He holds the ball too long, he stares down his receivers, his delivery is awkward and his accuracy was bad.

Meanwhile, Higgins goes out in his FIRST start, and delivers 289 yards of passing, 443 yds of offense and a 65% completion rate. No, it's not Heisman Trophy numbers, but it was a drastic improvement.

We are 1-3 and just lost to two of the worst football programs in the country so neither one of them are getting the job done so far. If Higgins keeps improving I have no problem with him starting and keeping the job when Youngs get healthy. You have to admit this game plan offensively was a BIG improvement over the first 3 weeks. We made major changes on offense just last week. Changes that any of our QBs would benefit from. I hope we don't stop changing things up until we find something that works and wins us some games!

[Gooddawg]

I'm interested in how he responds in Dallas -

If he responds well, I think everything will be put to rest - if not it just keeps the embers stoked...

I agree

[Dwayne From Minden]

I look at it this way -

Most days I'm a mediocre putter at best, then there are those days I make everything in sight for the round...

We don't know if we got Higgins average day or his lights out day?

[dawgcrazy]

We don't know if we got Higgins average day or his lights out day?

We don't know that, but we do know our passing game this past week was much improved over week 1-2. Higgins has earned the shot to start again in my opinion. I don't think the door is closed or the leash is that long -- if we see play resembling the second half of the Tulane game or too many freshman mistakes, we go to door #3.

[Dwayne From Minden]

I agree...

[Bigdog13]

I'm just FLOORED when I see a post like yours (and DonMarvin's) suggesting Scotty Young hasn't had a chance yet. What were the first 3 games? As far as I'm concerned, Young had his chance, and proved to me that he was vastly over-rated coming out of high school. He holds the ball too long, he stares down his receivers, his delivery is awkward and his accuracy was bad.

Meanwhile, Higgins goes out in his FIRST start, and delivers 289 yards of passing, 443 yds of offense and a 65% completion rate. No, it's not Heisman Trophy numbers, but it was a drastic improvement.

Has anyone ever thought that there might be a reason he struggled so much at Texas Tech and that reason might not have been the coaches????? Right now until Young proves in practice that he is vastly superior to Higgins than I agree with HD. Start the kid.

[Cool Hand Clyde]

We don't know what we don't know.

[Russdawg]

HIGGINS!! We had some fire and energy Saturday. Hadn't seen that vs Lamar or Tulane. As the game went on Saturday the Tech fans just felt that we were going to move the ball. Those two drives deep out our end zone to establish field position after the long punts were awesome. He definitely earned and deserves the start Saturday, looking forward to seeing him and the team put up nice yards AND copious points.