Lance Leipold describes Texas Tech as an 'extremely explosive' team

Kansas coach Lance Leipold knows the challenge that his defense will be up against when it takes the field against Texas Tech on Saturday. The Red Raiders enter as one of the top offenses not only in the Big 12, but also the country thus far.

Leipold called them “extremely explosive,” referencing a Week 1 game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in which Tech led 47-0 at halftime and agreed to play eight-minutes quarters in the second half. The Red Raiders have continued on that pace since and rank second in the country with 48.6 points per game.

“They’re an extremely explosive football team,” Leipold said at his Monday press conference. “An excellent team with lots of talent and depth. I don’t know if I’ve ever an FBS football game that went to eight-minute quarters as they did against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. That just shows what they have. Most of their games have been decided early and, again, lot of weapons.

“I think they’re top three in every statistic imaginable right now in our conference and in the top 10 nationally in a lot of things. That just says that coach McGuire’s got himself a good football team.”

Texas Tech has looked sharp in its first two conference games of this season, never trailing in wins against Utah and Houston. Three Red Raiders players have already totaled more than 200 yards rushing, while running back J’Koby Williams has 535 yards from scrimmage to lead all players.

After a 5-0 start to the season, Tech finds itself at No. 9 in the AP Poll entering this week, its first top 10 ranking since the 2008 season. It is one of only two remaining unbeaten teams in the Big 12 along with BYU.

For Kansas, this represents a big opportunity to move themselves up in the conference title race. The Jayhawks are already off to a 2-1 start in Big 12 play and handing the Red Raiders their first loss would help them inch closer to first place.

It’ll be a big task for a Jayhawks defense that so far ranks middle of the pack in the conference, and it shows with them being 14-point underdogs according to BetMGM. However, Leipold believes in his group to be prepared to the best of their ability when Kansas kicks off against Texas Tech at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday in Lubbock.

“It’ll be a heck of a challenge on homecoming night there,” he said. “But our guys will embrace that challenge and it’s a great opportunity for us to go down there and play well.”