Football Practice Report
August 27, 1999 | Football
Aug. 27, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech football team ended a 90-minute workout in full gear Friday afternoon with the traditional watermelon cutting which signifies the end of two-a-day drills.
After a pair of practices Friday, and 18 in the last 12 days, 200 watermelons sliced and ready to be devoured under the shade trees next to the Athletic Training Center were a welcomed site for leg-weary Red Raider players.
Preparations continued Friday for the season-opener at Arizona State on Sept. 6, with both the offense and defense working against Sun Devil schemes to close the afternoon drills. The first defense picked off several passes, while the highlight for the offense was long touchdown passes from Rob Peters and Kliff Kingsbury to wide receiver Tim Baker.
?I like this team. I like the chemistry, the makeup?all those things we talk about but can?t really define,? head coach Spike Dykes said. ?This is a close bunch with a lot of good leadership.
?We have a long way to go, but we have time to do the things we need to before we play,? Dykes said. ?One of the best things about two-a-days is that we had very few first-line players miss a play.?
Reserve tight end J.P. Jansen continues to be day-to-day while nursing a shoulder sprain and senior flanker Brien Burchett missed Friday?s afternoon practice after turning an ankle during morning drills.
Defensive end Terrance Colquitt of Houston underwent successful knee surgery Friday to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, while an MRI exam revealed freshman receiver Carlos Francis of Ft. Worth has suffered probable meniscus damage and possible ACL damage to his left knee.
Texas Tech will make its maiden voyage on the newly installed artificial turf at Jones Stadium Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. The practice is listed as a situational scrimmage, which is a teaching drill to simulate game-day situations. It will not be a contact workout.
Dykes said the Red Raiders would work out in shoulder pads and head gear both Saturday and Sunday before taking Monday off for the start of classes. Regular game-week preparations get started Tuesday.