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SPORTS
MARCH 5, 2013
Kingsbury↵
playing experience, he is confident his coaching staff will be able to relate to the players well. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “Almost all of them played, and five of them played here at Texas Tech’s lone four-star recruit, Devin Tech, so they should definitely relate Lauderdale from Houston, had initially to the players,” he said. “They love decommitted after the departure of being around them and I think it’ll be former Tech coach Tommy Tuber- a good group.” ville, but co-offensive coordinator With five different defensive coorand receivers coach Eric Morris was dinators in the last five seasons, the Red able to get him to stay. Lauderdale Raiders have struggled to establish a also received scholarship offers from strong core defense, but Kingsbury said Alabama, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, the hiring of former A&M linebackers Ohio State and several other power- coach Matt Wallerstedt will be good house football programs, according to for the team. Rivals.com. “I wanted to hire somebody that Of the 23 signees, 12 of them were I’ve seen their defense, I know what three-star recruits, including pro-style they do and I know how it affects me quarterback Davis Webb out of Pros- as a play caller, and that’s what I did per, outside linebacker Jacarthy Mack here,” Kingsbury said. from Lithonia, Ga., and defensive back An important thing to accomplish, Dee Paul out of Munday, who recorded he said, is to force more turnovers than a 40-yard dash time of 4.4 seconds. the team did last year. During the “I’m really pleased,” Kingsbury said. 2012 season, the Red Raiders forced “Late in the game like we were, I re- 11 turnovers. TCU nearly tripled that ally thought we filled some immediate number with 32, placing the Horned needs and some positions, and we got Frogs at the top of the conference in guys that can play immediately — and turnovers forced. we want to recruit guys that want to “That’s something we really have play and want to play early.” to improve upon,” he said, “but I A lot of the know Coach work done in Wallerstedt is gothe recruiting ing to bring an area was hanattacking style, dled by Kingsvery multiple, lots bury’s assistant of different looks, coaches, many and that’s what I of whom were want. I want to be former Tech an aggressive deplayers as well. fense, just like our Kingsbury said offense is going to he felt it was be aggressive.” important Last season, to bring in the Big 12 had KLIFF KINGSBURY coaches with five teams averagHEAD COACH playing expeing more than 40 TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL rience, and points per game added bonus and seven teams for knowing totaling more the culture of West Texas. than 400 yards per game. “Positive energy-type coaches — Kingsbury said he does not mind guys that are going to know about this his defense giving up the yards as long place, that are going to know the cul- as it is not giving up points. ture of this place and be able to attack “I think in today’s college game, what our weaknesses are, the obstacles especially in the Big 12, everybody we have to overcome out here,” he said gives up yards,” he said. “You look at about what he was looking for in his as- OU, Texas, TCU — they’re all giving sistant coaches. “It’s a special place, and up yards, but you got to be good in the you kind of have to know the culture of red zone, you got to be able to turn it to really embrace it and do your best. people over, and from the stats last We’ve got guys that are familiar with it, year, Tech wasn’t very good at turning and I’m really pleased with the staff.” people over.” Kingsbury said because of their In the SEC, only one team aver-
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I think in today’s college game, especially in the Big 12, everybody gives up yards.
aged more than 40 points per game: Kingsbury’s Aggies. The difference between the two leagues, Kingsbury said, is a failed drive or two can lose a game for a team in the Big 12. “In the Big 12, if you get stopped a few times, you’ll get blown out,” he said. “In the SEC, you’re still going to stick around and hang in games. So it’s just different, just a more offensive league. I’m familiar with it; I’ve played in it, been around in it, so I’m just excited to be back.” Tech junior receiver Eric Ward and defensive tackle Kerry Hyder will both return for their senior seasons, and Kingsbury said he thinks the two will have big impacts on both sides of the ball. “Eric Ward is a guy who came back for his senior year and (is) obviously (a) very talented wide receiver, has a chance to be really special player,” he said. “Defensively, Kerry Hyder is a guy that stands out, plays really hard up front and did a great job for them last year.” Hyder was a force on the defensive side during 2012, racking up 55 tackles and five and a half sacks on the season. Ward finished the year with 82 catches for 1,053 yards and 12 touchdowns, including a seven-catch, 77-yard and one-touchdown performance in the bowl game victory against Minnesota. The Red Raiders will look to carry their momentum from the bowl win into next season and a tough conference schedule. While the Big 12 does not have the same prestige as the SEC, Kingsbury said the league is among the elite. “I think it’ll be a very talented league as always,” he said. “I think it’s at the upper echelon each and every year, and I just think everybody’s gotten better in the league. You talk about TCU, Baylor, West Virginia — teams that come up. Just a lot of parity, but I don’t think that’s a knock on the league, I just think the other teams have kind of caught up to the guys that used to be way out in front.” At the beginning of last season, Kingsbury said A&M was up against the odds and was strong enough to overcome them. He said he hopes Tech can emulate A&M’s attitude and success on the field. “The expectations were very low there last year,” he said. “The kids played with a chip on their shoulders and really proved a lot of people wrong,
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BRAD TOLLEFSON/The Daily Toreador
TECH COACH KLIFF Kingsbury coached at two different universities before returning to Lubbock to coach the team he formerly played for. As a Red Raider, Kingsbury broke 39 school records, 17 Big 12 records and 18 NCAA records.
so hopefully we can do the same here.” Kingsbury’s contract gives him five years to work with — to build a program, to move up in the recruiting rankings and bring the Red Raiders to the top of the conference. While some of the most legendary coaches
struggled in their first seasons — Bobby Bowden had a losing record during his first season at Florida State and Joe Paterno went 5-5 during his first year in 1966 — Kingsbury made it very clear he has no intention of settling for an average record in his inaugural season.
“We expect to win this year, that’s why I came here,” he said. “I had a great job at the other place, but this is home for me. I wouldn’t come back if I thought we couldn’t win it this year.” ➤➤zdischiano@dailytoreador.com
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