For Texas Tech:
It is annoying, but more importantly, extremely damaging to our university that many “Tech fans” think that being a malcontent is normal. I just read a piece by a “journalist” attacking the hiring and decision making of Coach Kliff Kingsbury.
We’ve all seen hundreds of negative comments about Davis Webb by all the “arm-chair” coaches out there. It seems no matter what happens, many of these people are not going to be happy and they apparently “know more than KK” who spent time in the NFL and groomed two of the best college quarterbacks in history before he took over at his alma mater (where of course he helped to take our program to the next level).
First … I guarantee you that if KK chose Davis Webb as our starter, it was a sound decision. Even for slow minds like me, there was concrete proof as the 18-year-old rewrote the record book in our last bowl game victory. (Has everyone forgotten that stunning upset win on national TV?) Like so many, I was disappointed when Baker Mayfield became #2. But I figured the guy who sees the team day in and day out probably had crucial information that I lacked. The bowl game pretty much proved the point.
And still, people who call themselves “Tech fans” continued to attack Davis Webb, probably because he was not their choice, and they of course want to feel smart and right and good about THEMSELVES and all that.
Get over yourselves.
Support your team.
Whatever Davis Webb is — in addition to being a very talented quarterback — he is young. He is what, 19 now? Young athletes are going to make mistakes. (Graham Harrell-led Red Raiders didn’t score a touchdown against TCU in Fort Worth, 2006 …).
Young quarterbacks are going to get a little bit “shook” and their rhythm thrown off when receivers drop 12 passes in a single game. Veterans do too. And yes, I maintain that young quarterbacks hear all the barking out there and the naysayers.
If you are one of the vocal critics … and if you really care about “your team,” consider just how counter-productive you are behaving. Think for a second.
Because he is young, Tech fans should be showering Davis Webb with support and positive reinforcement and help him to become and play more and more confident. This is true for older veterans as well … but especially true for a young player. It’s common sense. It’s sportsmanship. It’s good psychology. It’s even Machiavellian in that it will get you what you want — more wins.
I hate to ever compare Texas Tech to the dreaded burnt orange down south, but I have seen lately that most people support their new coach and accept that UT is in rebuilding mode. And — although it is almost incomprehensible to me — their supportive fans think that about a team loaded with blue chip talent year in and year out. This year is no exception for The Horns. How does a fan base at a perennial football powerhouse give the new coach a “pass” on a rebuilding season. I don’t know, but it does seem to indicate there is some character in the Longhorn faithful.
What about Tech? Do we have some character? Are we smart enough to support our team and prop up our players, instead of joining with all the other Big 12 schools who want to tear us down? Why in the world would we help them and be so self-destructive as a fan base?
And on that topic of rebuilding … have you looked at the number of freshmen/sophomore underclassmen playing important roles for The Red Raiders? Furthermore, not only are they young … no offense to these guys with big hearts … most of them are nowhere close to being “blue chippers.” Yet, they go head to head against “better,” bigger, more seasoned teams each week. Every week.
Obviously, I could go on for days … but I won’t. Some of you will not hear, no matter how much I say and support. But … one last example.
Living in Fort Worth, I see a lot of the TCU program. Two years ago in a down season (yes, due to leaving cakewalk conferences and joining The Big 12) TCU was having less success. There were so many people — fans and journalists — who blamed their quarterback. TCU’s golden boy Casey Pachall (who probably should have gone on to a great record-setting career and The NFL) had personal problems and TCU was “stuck” with a running back/receiver to play quarterback. YES … like Tech “fans” there were hundreds and hundreds of detractors saying that TCU’s bad times fell squarely on the shoulders of Trevone Boykin. He was their fall guy. Many Frogs said “no doubt about it, Boykin and his inability to play quarterback” was the cause of all their worries. (He gave Tech a run for their money that year and was still their fall guy.)
I have no doubt Boykin heard this negative BS … and I am willing to bet some of it affected him in a negative way. I would bet even more that Boykin heard the voices of those who supported him. Thousands did … they supported him and they “lived purple” and they supported their young quarterback and supported their team. Loyalty. He was not their choice. But he was “their guy,” like it or not and they supported him.
Guess what. He got better.
The same guy TCU was blaming for all their woes is now the guy they are pushing as a newly anointed Heisman Candidate! Hmmm … amazing what a little experience and some fan support can do! (Not to mention a new offensive mind in the mix … Coach Sonny Cumbie … yet another Mike Leach disciple changing the game …).
Davis Webb has thrown too many interceptions. I get that. He has also won games where we shouldn’t even have been in the running. Real Tech fans support their team. They focus on great things Tech players have done — as a team and as individuals.
I am sorry if you chose another quarterback and are left holding the bag. The one guy who knows best has chosen his quarterback.
Real Tech fans support their coach in a definite rebuilding year … a rebuilding year that does not include the best recruits in the state … like they are “struggling” with down in Austin.
Texas Tech is not in glamorous Austin. It is not in affluent Fort Worth. It is not in T. Boone Pickensville. It is in Lubbock. I love Lubbock and loved every minute of my years there. But it is a different cup of tea. It will always be difficult to recruit to Lubbock. That is your source of frustration. Davis Webb and Kliff Kingsbury are your solutions. They are the best you have. Support them … fanatically.
Guns Up Damnit!
Know what I sayin?
