Football Practice Report
August 23, 1999 | Football
Aug. 23, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech football team returned to the two-a-day grind Monday with a pair of practices which left head coach Spike Dykes feeling better about the ball club.
?We are a little bit better football team today,? Dykes said. ?You want to get a little better every time you come out to practice. If we aren?t getting better we?re wasting a lot of time.?
Time for the season opener at Arizona State is growing near, with the Red Raiders traveling to Sun Devil Stadium exactly two weeks from Monday?s drills. Kickoff for the game, which will be televised by Fox Sports Net, is 7 p.m. CDT.
Texas Tech worked in shoulder pads and helmets Monday morning before putting on full pads for the afternoon session. Both practices lasted just under two hours and featured limited contact.
?We still haven?t put everything together, but cohesiveness comes with practice time,? Dykes said. ?We have done a lot of individual work, now we have to start putting it all together as a team.?
The Red Raiders have practiced 12 times in the last eight days and will continue two-a-day drills through this week. A closed scrimmage on Wednesday will break the week?s routine.
Monday?s drills featured position and team groups in teaching and recognition drills. Pass skeleton drills with skills players from both sides of the ball and pass protection/rush drills pitted front line offensive and defensive players against one another.
Both practices started and finished with work on special teams. The afternoon practice closed with punt return work being done on the defensive field and red zone drills being executed on the offensive field.
?The players are working hard to be ready to go to Tempe. It?s a tremendous challenge and a tremendous opportunity,? Dykes said. ?The attitude and effort of the players has been good. I don?t think we have a single player who hasn?t been busting his tail.?