Leftwich, Texas Tech look to improve scoring efficiency
Offensive Coordinator Mack Leftwich, and Texas Tech picked up a huge win over #7 BYU in dominant fashion. Although, one of the things many took away from that game was the Red Raider’s inefficiency in the redzone. Leftwich reflected on improving scoring efficiency, and focusing on the fundamentals to prevent drops by receivers.
Game plan and managing
Quarterback Behren Morton is reportedly suffering with a hair line fracture to his fibula according to Holly Rowe. On top of that Morton hasn’t been known as a dual threat player, Leftwich gave insight into if that changes how he calls the game.
“The good thing is that was never really his best redeeming quality (running ability). So when we designed the offense around him, it wasn’t like we were planning on doing a ton of quarterback run game and all that.”
“Obviously, something that that I keep in the back of my mind and trying to protect him out there a little bit, and trying to take some hits off of him. But, I do think he’s mobile enough, you know, to still go operate the offense at a high level without having to change just too much of what the base offense is.”
Behren Morton is known in the locker room as a leader, and manages the game for the offense to give them the best chance on the field. Leftwich spoke on how important it is for him as a game manager, and how can he can coach him better in that aspect.
“I think every time he steps on the field and every time he’s in the meeting room, those are just coachable moments. Like the couple of the sacks that he took on Saturday, had great opportunities where maybe he should’ve thrown the ball away.”
“And, like Coach McGuire said in his post game press conference, we have the luxury of having a really good defense where you know that there’s not a ton of pressure on 3rd and 12.”
“If we don’t convert, it’s okay that we punt the football away. You don’t have to take a big 15 yard sack. We can live to play another down. And so just kind of getting that through to him, and that message to him every time that I’m coaching him.”
“That’s the cool thing about football, even though he’s played so many games and has so much experience, there’s still so much to learn at all times. All those guys are still working and trying to get better at everything that they do.”
Explosiveness in space
Texas Tech has multiple targets they can get that ball to that can make huge plays in space. A pair of those is the core of the running back room in J’Koby Williams and Cam Dickey. Mack spoke on how he can give those two more opportunities in the open field.
“Yeah, I think just finding creative ways to get them matchups. You know, I think those guys do a great job when we do get the ball in space to them, they are a mismatch to most linebackers, and just throughout the game plan process, making sure that that we’re conscious of how many touches we have scripted for those guys.”
Running back J’Koby Williams was able to take a motion swing toss to the right side versus BYU for a huge play to put Tech in scoring position. Leftwich gave insight into what he called there, and how the motion grabbed the eyes of the defense.
“Yeah, we mowed. We were in a condensed set. We felt like gave us pretty good leverage, and we motioned Coy (Eakin) across and ran what’s basically called a toss crack scheme.”
“So Johncarlos (Miller) did a great job blocking down on the defensive end. Caleb Douglas actually had a huge block. He was blocking a 245-pound linebacker, and did a phenomenal job on the perimeter.”
“Coy (Eakin) ended up kicking out the corner. We had Jacob Ponton on the safety. And you watch the play, you actually get the backside. Davion Carter‘s like 30 yards down the field blocking the safety on the backside.”
“We were able to get really good hats at the point of contact. And get J’Koby (Williams) in space. And so he did a great job of hitting the hole exactly like you want to. And that’s a nice compliment. The bread and butter of the offense is the inside zone and counter stuff …and I think it fits those two running backs really well. They run it at a high level.”
Texas Tech has been able to create explosive plays consistently all season. Whether run, or pass the Red Raiders have been one of the most explosive teams in college football.
“I think our players they do a good job making the plays when they’re there, when they have one on one opportunity to get ready. (Reggie) Virgil on the little double move, you know, right before half he makes it, Behren makes the throw. Reggie makes the catch.”
“I think the guys have done a great job executing what we’re asking them to do, and making the plays when they’re there. And then I think, you know, we got a really good coaching staff that puts those in positions. I think all of our assistant coaches, the game plan process, is a very collaborative thing, and we’ve got some creative minds that, you know, are able to kind of move the puzzle pieces around.”
“Now, we got to figure out a way we have those explosives, put it in the end zone, and keep Stone (Harrington) on the sideline this week.”
The two backs evolution
J’Koby Williams and Cam Dickey is arguably one of the best duos of running backs in the country this season. Those two specifically have been one of the best at creating explosive plays, growing throughout the season.
“Now that J’Koby is feeling back to being pretty close to 100% with that ankle sprain that he was dealing with, I truly feel like we do have two number one backs. I think both those guys are highly capable of doing everything that we ask, and have done it at a really high level.”
“I think the rotation becomes more of who needs a blow. Is Cam running the ball really well, or is J’Koby making big plays and kind of riding the hot hand a little bit more so then, then one guy being, you know, way better at one thing or the other thing.”
“They’ve kind of both shown to be complete backs. Even like I think J’Koby later in the game, has had a couple of really good blitz pickup reps that I was really proud of him to see. I think those guys are continuing to hone in on their craft and sharpen the areas where they were a little bit weak in the beginning of the season.”
“Coach Garret has done a great job with that room, and I think both those guys are playing an extremely high level.”
Redzone struggles
Building on the last section, the redzone will be one of the biggest emphasis in the offensive meeting this week heading into the UCF game. Mack Leftwich gave some insight into what he and the team will need to do to improve their efficiency.
“Everybody’s got to do your job. I think when we get down there maybe guys start pressing to try to do too much, instead of just doing the routine things. Making the right reads, blocking your guy, running the right route, at the right depth, those kind of things. Just as a play caller, making sure that we’re putting the ball in the right guy’s hands, in the right situation. So I think I can be better in that regard as well.”
To accomplish their goals, Leftwich believes this will be one of the biggest aspects in putting them to where they want to be.
“I think the red zone execution and finishing drives is the biggest thing for me. I think you look at the BYU game for the most part throughout the game, or maybe the drive there at the end of the game, four minute situation when you’re trying to run the football.”
“But overall, I felt like we moved the ball pretty well. And just like in between the 25s, when we got down to the red zone, we had to settle for five field goals. You look at the final score, and it could have been a lot worse if we’d have executed a higher level.”
“They did a great job on defense too, because that’s a high quality football team, and they do a good job so credit to them. But I think we’ve just got to be better at finishing drives in the end zone, the execution, the game plan, play calling, all those things have got to be better. These last couple weeks, I’m hoping to see some growth there. As we get into the postseason.”
Receiving
One of the biggest emphasis is also in the receiving core. Precisely the drops we’ve seen by the group in different games throughout the season, and Leftwich thinks focusing on the fundamentals can help in that aspect.
“Yeah, I think a lot of that just goes back to fundamentals, to be honest. I think maybe getting a little too excited and thinking about the rewards after the catch, or getting their eyes upfield to try to set up that next move.”
“So just going back to day one fundamentals of really focusing and catching the ball with your eyes. You can’t make the move on the safety until you catch the football. Just trusting the fundamentals, trusting what Coach Juice is teaching them to do and not trying to do too much until they have the ball in their hands.
Opening drive struggles
To start off the season it felt like Texas Tech would get pretty hot of the get go and score on the first drive. But since the Kansas game they may have slowed down there due to various faults, including self inflicted wounds like false starts that stall out drives.
“I feel pretty good about the game plan, and feel like the guys have a good grasp of what we want to open with and get rolling. And like the Kansas State game, I think we started off pretty hot with a couple first downs, self inflicted wound, like this past week.”
“We started off with a false start, and you’re sitting 1st and 15, and it’s a really good defense. And so I think getting behind the chains because the penalties and I need to do a better job of calming the guys down early.”
“Maybe get a little excited out there early in the game. But I think if we can settle down and everybody just does their job and do what they are coach to do and execute the game plan on a high level.”
“We got good enough players. We’re pretty good at moving the football, so I think that’s that’s got to be the focus early in the game, and not let the emotions of the game, you know, get too high.”
Behren Morton also mentioned in the postgame press conference that the Red Raiders need to be better on early downs, Leftwich gave his insights into improving early downs.
“Yeah, I think to that point there were sometimes too, like J’Koby’s 45 yard run was on 1st down, and I think we were a little hit or miss.”
“Something to look back at is play calling and execution, when you have issues like that, usually there’s a lot that go into that. Not necessarily just one thing that you can pinpoint so kind of looking at everything.”
Up next: UCF
Texas Tech will have to take down the Knights of Central Florida to keep their aspirations for the Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff hopes alive. Mack Leftwich provided some insight into the matchup and how they can attack it.
“We’ll go into this UCF game knowing they’re a good team, and they’re playing good on defense. We’ll have to have a great game plan, just like we do every week, and those guys are gonna have to go out and execute at a high level, and we’ll kind of see what happens after that.”
“Man, you watch their defense it is a really talented defensive line. They’ve got two defensive ends that can really, really get after the passer and affect the game. I think their interior is good. They had a safety who had three interceptions last week, kind of a ball hawking guy who has eyes in the backfield, and is pretty instinctive back there.”
“I think defensively, and you look at the statistics they’re top 30 in most of the defensive categories. So we’ll have our work cut out for us, because it’s a good defensive unit. Coach Grinch does a great job on defense.”
“We’ll have to show up and play. For sure it could be very misleading looking at the record, I think they’re playing good football on the defensive side.”
The Red Raiders will be able to take a lot away from the win vs BYU into this matchup against UCF.
“Yeah, I think when you when you look at it, it is a great win and all those things. But I think that’s probably the exciting piece of it for me as a coach is we have the excitement of the win, you have the week leading up to it, all those kinds of things.”
“It was a big win, and that’s it at the end of the day. That’s what we were trying to do and trying to accomplish, we are able to coach those guys hard, because we left a lot of meat out on the bone.”
“Those guys see if we just do our job a little bit better in these four or five plays, it could have been a really special day offensively and against a good team.”
“They see the potential, but at the end of the day that doesn’t mean much. We got to go out there and execute at a higher level. And so that’ll be the focus moving forward for sure.”
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