Texas Tech University Athletics
Marching Onward
October 28, 2011 | Football
After the biggest win of the season, Tommy Tuberville has his Red Raiders focused on the task at hand.
October 28, 2011
by Britton Drown
Texas Tech Athletics Communications
Maybe Alex Torres put it best.
"We can't live on that," the junior receiver told a reporter during the team's weekly press conference.
It was Monday, and Torres was discussing the signature, perhaps even unimaginable win over Oklahoma--a win that at the time was less than 48 hours old. The 41-38 victory over the No. 1-ranked Sooners got the Red Raiders back on track after dropping consecutive home games to Texas A&M and Kansas State.
The win was pivotal, and yes the Red Raiders certainly embraced the signature moment of not only this season but likely many of their careers. They rushed over to the group of Texas Tech fans packed in the corner of the end zone at Oklahoma-Memorial Stadium, celebrated in the locker room and later even took a team photo in the locker room to permanently seal the moment.
The win propelled the Red Raiders into the Top-25 rankings for the first time since the end of the 2009 season. Tech enters Saturday's game ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press Poll, No. 22 in the USA Today/Coaches poll and No. 20 in the BCS Standings.
 | "We still have that taste in the back of our mouths. It's just one of those things. We're motivated because we know exactly what they can do to us if we're not ready to play." |
"That's when leadership really steps in," he continued. "Especially coming off of a win like we just had against such a great team. We've got to remember that our last two games here at home we've lost. It starts with leadership, and kind of works its way down."
Head coach Tommy Tuberville had his own way of ensuring his team remained entirely focused on their next task at hand.
Early this week, white signs appeared throughout the Football Training Facility with a simple phrase used to remind this Red Raider team exactly what could happen on Saturday if they were to lose that focus. The signs, posted on the front door and along the hallways read:
October 2, 2010
52-38.
Remember.
The date and score of the Red Raiders loss to Iowa State last season in Ames, IA was a small symbol, but a powerful reminder of how important that focus is this week.
"As coaches we just want to get them prepared," Tubervile said.
For junior quarterback Seth Doege, the message was clear. He was there last season when the Red Raiders fell to Iowa State in Ames, and the game still remains fresh in his mind.
"We still have that taste in the back of our mouths," Doege said. "It's just one of those things. We're motivated because we know exactly what they can do to us if we're not ready to play."
The Cyclones (3-4, 0-4 Big 12) enter Saturday's matchup in the midst of a four-game losing streak, and are winless in Big 12 play. Tech leads the all-time series with Iowa State 7-2, and last year's loss snapped a three-game Red Raider winning streak in the series.
Meanwhile, the Red Raiders (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) enter Saturday's game on a roll, especially on offense.
In Norman, Doege went 23-33 for 441 yards and four touchdowns as the Tech offense continued to stay hot. Throughout the last three games the Red Raiders have totaled 1,675 yards of total offense and 115 points on 297 plays. During that stretch, Tech has averaged 539 yards per-game and ranks fifth nationally in total offense.
"It was fun to watch the offense execute," Tuberville said of the win at Oklahoma.
But for the Red Raiders, it all comes back to those signs throughout the Football Training Facility--they must remember. A win against Iowa State would give them their sixth of the year, and qualify them for bowl eligibility heading into a showdown against Texas next week in Austin.
"We've got to get focused on what we've got to do this week," Tuberville added. "And after this week, try to do it again."
