CrimsonK there might be something there in that in my own personal opinion......attacking down hill defenses are able to take away that short stuff Texas Tech relies on. Texas Tech is not an offense that does not generate many big plays and are more like a Woody Hayes offense than not.....from what I have seen not a good 3rd and long team like Oklahoma and some other passing teams that can generate down field.
They use wr bubbles, screens, rb dropoffs and wr passes very close to line of scrimmage along with the occasional run.
At least Oklahoma that seemed to be their blueprint was to be jumping routes and forgetting the deep ball. Tech tried to combat with shovels and more screens and it backfired.....the opening was downfield and had success when they did but they need manageable situations. Basketball on grass is a short passing game equivalent of a running game, relying more on Wes Welker's with picks and pivots no Randy Mosses going deep. TAke away the run.
....Nevada, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas were the top TT faced in tackles for loss.
I am not that confident though that this is a solid angle but I do not like teams that sit back and let them pick you apart. My experience with Purdue in the Big Ten is teams that man up aggressively are much more successfule. However I'm not a defensive coordinator who has seen how every team plays Tech and how they combat, Leach has had success against it all and Oklahoma has always had success. I think playing downhill than x's and o's. Ole Miss blitzes a lot, but to be #1 in tackles for loss implies guys who see the ball and react at the line of scrimmage.
.......Last year
Arkansas vs. Missouri
I think motivational this game was decided with Nutt gone and Mizzou off loss. Arky had the #1 pass efficiency defense rating last year. So, you would of assumed Arky would not of gotten blown out. Missouri, Colorado, two teams that beat Missouri all had a top 40ish pass efficiency defense. Not sure how these teams were at tackles for loss altough i have reason to believe Colorado got pressure on Harrel forcing a couple pick sixes. Virginia dominated TT till very late in game and I'm fairly certain were up their in tackles for loss although had a medicore 63 pass defense.
I believe against Tech the most important factor might be a downhill attacking defense.
.......The Ole Miss pass D, they have given up alot of yards vs. any capable pass offense. Memphis, Wake, Florida, Carolina, Arkansas, and Auburn all had over 265 yards passing. The Rebels are better in efficiency however as bringing pressure will get lot's of incompletions.
I think this is a big play offense and a big play defense Ole Miss, as in plays of 15 yards or more.
I think Ole Miss right now is playing dynamite against these power run teams. Limiting Alabama to 107 and LSU to 37 rushing is unbelievable. So TT might not of been the best matchup for them,
but....
what I notice is Nutt is a coach who raises his team's performance in bigger games and I think LSU and Bama shows an ability to challenge his players to rise up and neutralize the opposition's strong point. The Rebel rush defense was not outstanding the first few games of the year.
....It will be run vs. pass. and as big a question is TT stopping the Rebel run. TT though has been pretty good against the run save Oklahoma and quarters of Baylor/Nevada type games.
The TT pass defense though is not a strong point like the Ole Miss run defense, Ole Miss might be able to at least take one option away.
It could be a classic game.....points will be critical. At a touchdown dog Ole Miss is worth some kind of look I would presume.
