Overview
Texas Tech was 10-0 last season before losing at Oklahoma. The Red Raiders also finished the best season in school history with a disappointing loss to Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl. Record-setting quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree are missing from the offense but in years past coach Mike Leach has a history of retooling quickly and maintaining a winning record.

Who's missing
Quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree are gone. Defensive end Brandon Williams (who led the Big 12 in sacks) left early for the NFL Draft. Defensive McKinner Dixon was suspended indefinitely during the spring and his return is uncertain. Safety Darcel McBath, the leader in the secondary, completed his eligibility; so has fellow safety Daniel Charbonnet.

Who's moving
Adrian Reese, a 6-7, 207-pound junior, was moved from tight end/inside receiver to split end. He'll be competing for playing time with Edward Britton and Rashad Hawk. Reese sat out last season as a redhsirt. "He gives you a bigger, physical body - a more physical player at that position,'' Texas Tech wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons said. Two veteran backups on defense switched positions. Senior Victor Hunter went from middle linebacker to nose tackle and junior Julius Howard moved from outside linebacker to safety.

Fresh face
5,833 yards. 4,742 yards. 4,238 yards. 4,555 yards.

Those are the passing totals for the last four first-year QBs at Texas Tech.

For the fifth time since 2003, Texas Tech will enter 2009 with a new QB. Junior Taylor Potts, who completed 23-of-36 passing for 290 yards last season in mop-up duty, is next in line.

"He's bigger (6-5) than the quarterbacks we've had and has a stronger arm than most," Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said. "And like a lot of them in the past, he had several years to learn and play behind some good people. A lot of times as you are sitting and waiting their chance, guys will waste their opportunities to learn. Taylor didn't do that."

Before when Leach has had to break in a new quarterback, he typically has waited until the end of pre-season practice to announce the starter. Potts ended spring practice firmly entrenched as the first team QB.

In the spring game, Potts looked comfortable and composed. He completed 20 of 27 passes for 211 yards.

"It's really comforting knowing you have the support of your coach and the coach is behind you as well as the other coaches and your teammates,'' Potts said. "It makes your job a little easier knowing that you're backed by a lot of people on your team, so it's nice.''

With the depature of three-year starter Graham Harrell and two-year starter Michael Crabtree, the offense has some significant production to replace. The defense also is missing some play makers from last year's 11-2 team. Potts isn't concerned about talk of the Red Raiders not measuring up in 2009.

"I really don't know what people are thinking," he said. "I try not to listen to a lot of people, what they're saying, this and that. We're gonna have a good team. That's about all I know."

Spring buzz
* Edward Britton, the team's most experienced receiver, was demoted before the start of spring practice because of his indifferent approach to academics. After one practice in March, coach Mike Leach sent Britton to study at a desk set up at midfield at Jones AT&T Stadium. It was 30 degrees with snow flurries. "Ed didn't like showing up and studying at places I felt like he needed to and like the academic people asked him to, so he can go study out there on the 50-yard line,'' Leach said.

* In mid-April, starting defensive end McKinner Dixon was suspended indefinitely. Coach Mike Leach said he suspended Dixon for not taking care of his academics. When asked about the likelihood that Dixon will be reinstated for the 2009 season, Leach told the Lubbock Avalanceh-Journal, "I don't think it's very high.''

Coach speak from Mike Leach
On the performance of junior quarterback Taylor Potts:
"Taylor has had a really good spring, comparable with (starter Graham Harrell's) last three years. Our guys just need to get used to responding to him, where you know what to expect from somebody."

On how junior quarterback Steven Sheffield, the current backup, played in the spring game:
"I thought he really did a good job of creating a level of tempo out there and then, if he made a bad play, I thought he did a good job of bouncing back and playing the next play."

On whether the offense will change with the departures of Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree:
"I don't think it will change a bunch. But what ends up is that different players and receivers will get more of a chance to emerge and play. Crabtree got so many catches, but now different players and receivers will do well. But I don't think it will change that much."

2009 Schedule