Texas Tech University Athletics
A Sense of Resilience
October 18, 2011 | Football
Week 7 Press Conference Video | Weekly Press Conference Quotes
October 17, 2011
by Britton Drown
Texas Tech Athletics Communications
Resilient. Alex Torres continually referred to that adjective Monday afternoon at the team's weekly press conference. The junior wide receiver used it in both confidence and reflection about his team.
It was a a depiction of exactly why Torres was confident at the beginning of a week in which the Red Raiders must prepare for perhaps their most intimidating task all season--a nationally televised match up with No. 1-ranked Oklahoma inside Memorial Stadium in Norman.
But Torres, a veteran in the Texas Tech program who is also the eldest player at the age of 24, is more familiar with his team than most, and he knows they have the ability to do just that---be resilient.
 | "The past two weeks have been rough. The one thing I'm really proud of our group about is we're resilient, and we're going to keep fighting." |
Yes his team has been knocked down twice in their own stadium by both in-state rival Texas A&M and a feisty Kansas State squad by a combined 12 points--but he spoke with an unwavering confidence on Monday emphasizing that they will get right back up.
That process started Sunday. After reviewing film from Saturday's 41-34 loss to K-State, Torres and the Red Raiders rose up, and got right back to work.
"As soon as we got done with that film, we put that [loss to K-State] in the past," Torres said. "We went out there and had a great Sunday practice."
However, for Torres and the Red Raiders, their fight certainly won't get any easier. After stumbling through their two-week homestand, Tech must make their second Big 12 road trip of the year, only this time into Memorial Stadium in Norman, a place where they haven't won a game since 1996--the inaugural Big 12 season.
"It will be the ultimate challenge of the year," head coach Tommy Tuberville said.
The Red Raiders dropped last year's contest at Oklahoma 45-7, and the Sooners have won 39-straight contests inside their home stadium, dating back to the 2005 season. The impressive home-winning streak is the longest active in the nation.
However, Torres and the Red Raiders know they can compete with anybody on their schedule. Texas Tech, led by quarterback Seth Doege, will bring an offense into Norman that ranks in the Top-10 nationally in passing, scoring and total yards.
The Red Raiders have rushed for over 100 yards in both of their home losses during the last two weeks, and Doege threw for a career-high 461 yards against K-State.
This Texas Tech team is only a few mishaps from being a perfect 6-0 heading into this weekend's showdown in Norman, and that is something the Red Raiders understand.
"I see a lot of promise with the way these guys are playing," Tuberville said. "We've got a pretty good football team."
How good?
That question may be answered both on Saturday, and as the Red Raiders wind their way into the second half of the season.
"It's just one of those things we need to prepare and have mentally right to go into this game, so we can be fresh and go into that game and give them a good shot." Doege said.
