Texas Tech University Athletics
Competitive Practices Unite Red Raiders
August 16, 2011 | Football
The Red Raiders have benefited from the competitive grind of training camp.
August 17, 2011
by Britton Drown
Texas Tech Athletics Communications
It's not that there isn't a sense of chemistry within this Texas Tech football team. No, they're an extremely close group.
Ask, and they'll make sure and emphasize that.
In fact, talk to any of the Red Raider football players, and they'll say the long grueling hours of training camp have helped bring this team closer than ever. It's a fact that tends to be consistent with most college football squads throughout the country as the long hot days of August continue onward until the calendar finally flips to September, signaling the start of the college football season.
But take an initial glimpse inside the day-to-day practices of the Texas Tech training camp, and that may not necessarily seem like the case. The bitterly intense training camp workouts are a breeding ground for competition between teammates.
Jobs are won and lost as players battle for their positions each and every day.
 | "It's intense. Coach [Chad] Glasgow wants enthusiasm, so we have to get each other going and riled up and bring that to the field." - junior safety Cody Davis |
"Right now, it's the only competition that we have," junior running back Eric Stephens said with a laugh.
That competitiveness culminates at almost the same moment in each practice. It comes just before the offense and defense face each other in live drills. The two units separate into two separate huddles--and thus the unity between the team as a whole disapears.
It's here, inside the separate, loud and chaotic huddles where any resemblance of a united team vanishes. For now, the Red Raiders have fully transformed into two teams.
Separated each day by different colored jerseys, the offensive and defensive units have battled against each other for over two weeks now, and each practice concludes with this live mini-scrimmage between the two.
"It's intense," junior safety Cody Davis said. "Coach [Chad] Glasgow wants enthusiasm, so we have to get each other going and riled up and bring that to the field."
And that's exactly what happens--each and every day. And while the grind of training camp takes its toll on players, and the season opener is still over two weeks away, it's an attitude and approach that the players know they must keep consistent.
"You have to establish that competitive spirit out there," Davis said. "You just have to be consistent and go out there and work everyday and focus on the little things to be great and focus on that everyday. Focus on your teammates and lead by example."
While the Red Raiders may be competing against one another for now, competitiveness breeds chemistry, and ultimately, in the end, brings a team together.
"I think we are a much closer team this year," Davis said. "We did more things over the summer together and kind of formed that bond. I think it shows out here in practice when we are going offense versus defense. We're a little bit more competitive, and there's a lot more excitement on the sidelines. That turns it up a notch on the field."
