Football
Associated Press 16y

Tech's Leach, OU's Stoops meet again amid replay chatter

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Mike Leach worked for Bob Stoops at
Oklahoma and the two coaches always enjoy a chance to chat. There
should be plenty to talk about before Saturday's game between Texas
Tech and No. 3 Oklahoma.

Leach was fined a record $10,000 by the Big 12 for blasting the
officiating crew after his Red Raiders lost to Texas last weekend.
Stoops can relate to being frustrated with officials.

Both have been on the wrong end of replay reviews, Leach last
week when he objected to reversals that negated two touchdowns and
Stoops in 2005 when it wasn't clear whether a Tech running back
crossed the goal line on the final play. Replays were inconclusive
and Tech won 23-21.

Leach, who said Thursday he plans to appeal the fine, criticized
the officials after the game, calling their work "a complete
travesty." Two years earlier, Stoops decided not to question the
call publicly. Maybe he has his friendship with his former
offensive coordinator to thank for his calm reaction.

"We talk from time to time," said Stoops, who brought Leach to
Oklahoma in 1999 but lost him a year later when Leach took the Tech
job. "Of course whenever we're at coaches meetings or coaches'
clinics, whether they're Big 12 or national, we always spend some
time together and visit and have a good time."

There was some good-natured chatter this week, with Stoops
playfully suggesting that it might have helped to pull a Leach two
years ago. He said he planned to call Leach and "ask him how that
helped him."

If the same thing happens again, Stoops won't be quite so calm.
The stakes are much higher for the Sooners (9-1, 5-1 Big 12) this
time, higher even than they were a couple of days ago. No. 2
Oregon's loss to Arizona on Thursday night appears to clear a path
to the national title game if OU can beat Tech, Oklahoma State and
its opponent in the Big 12 championship.

The Sooners are likely to try to run over the Red Raiders (7-4,
3-4), who rendered the replay controversy secondary by failing to
stop the Longhorns in a 59-43 loss. Texas had 283 yards rushing and
551 total yards and held the ball more than 40 minutes against a
Tech defense that was a respectable 38th nationally going into the
game.

Oklahoma running backs Allen Patrick and DeMarco Murray were
combining to average 136.8 yards per game. The Sooners, who beat
Baylor 52-21 last week, are averaging 191.4 rushing yards; Tech is
giving up 176.9 yards a game on the ground.

"Oklahoma's identity is their run game," Leach said. "Any
time a team has a clear sense, clear vision and clear focus on what
they're going to do and what they want to accomplish on any side of
the ball, you have some concerns."

The Texas loss was the first time Tech didn't hold a team below
its yards-per-game average since Ruffin McNeill replaced Lyle
Setencich as defensive coordinator in September. The Longhorns went
12-of-18 on third down and 4-for-4 on fourth down.

"There are ups and downs, there are improvements and there are
shortfalls," Leach said. "You just keep plugging away. They
(Oklahoma) are good with the run, and we're going to have to be
good at stopping it."

The Sooners' passing game isn't shabby, either. Sam Bradford is
the nation's most efficient passer (180.4) and has thrown 28 TD
passes.

Stoops' teams have been able to find ways to slow Tech's
offense, which leads the nation in yards passing (480.7 per game),
and is sixth in scoring (42.5 points per game).

Graham Harrell leads the nation in passing (4,878 yards and 43
TDS) and is completing 73.6 percent of his passes. He'll try to be
the first Tech quarterback to score more than 25 points against the
Sooners since Leach arrived.

"We've been fairly successful, yes, but you have to earn it
each time," Stoops said. "Just because we have before, or have
many times, you've got to do it this time. We have our philosophies
on how to deal with that, and we'll just continue to work those and
sharpen them through the week."

Tech freshman receiver Michael Crabtree leads the nation in
receptions (10.27) and yards per game. He has 20 TDs among his 113
catches and is a big reason Oklahoma defensive back Nic Harris is
"hungry" this week.

"Every time they throw the ball up, you want us to catch the
ball," he said. "The priority this week is to get a rush on the
quarterback, don't let him get back there and get comfortable."

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