Sans Leach, Texas Tech Rallies To Win Alamo Bowl

Sports News - January 3rd, 2010 - Written By John

After one of the most tumultuous weeks in school history, the Texas Tech Red Raiders rallied big time.

Literally.

Led by interim head coach Ruffin McNeill, the Raiders came back from a four-point deficit late in the fourth quarter with two touchdowns to run away with a 41-31 victory over Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl.

Steven Sheffield came on in relief at quarterback after Taylor Potts left with an injury, and led the Raiders to an eight-play, 77-yard drive ending with a game-winning strike to Detron Lewis. Sheffield finished the day 9-of-11 for 88 yards, and Lewis was the game's co-leader with 114 yards on 10 receptions.

In the week leading up to the game, Texas Tech players had been hounded by the media for their opinion on the Mike Leach saga, and many assumed the scattered week would lead to a letdown on Saturday night.

Leach was fired late last week over alleged misconduct in handling injured receiver Adam James, surrendering the program after 10 years of service.

McNeill admitted that it was the most challenging week of his coaching career, but he was able to shape his team up for the game, and many said they felt it was the best practice week of the entire 2009 NCAA Football Season.

"It was easily the best week of practice," senior offensive lineman Brandon Carter told ESPN. "It literally was like a burden was kind of lifted up. I don't want y'all to think I don't have any respect for Mike Leach because he gave me an opportunity, he gave me five years of his coaching and I learned a lot from him. I hope the best for him. I hope somewhere down the road we cross paths again. I just hope that it's a little different from this past year."

Junior wideout Lewis cocurred.

"Ruffin McNeill did a great job," Lewis said. "We just blocked everything out and had a good week of practice. It was the best week of practice we've had, I think, this year."

But with fans wielding "Man, up Adam" signs among others that cried for Leach's return, translating those rehearsals to the field was another story altogether.

And, boy, did it translate on the field. The Raiders topped their season average for points (41), passing yards (460) and total yards (579) in a game. Taylor Potts threw for an Alamo Bowl-record 384 yards and two scores before being sidelined with an injured hand, and Sheffield spelled him in the fourth quarter to lead the game-winning drive.

Trailing 31-27, Sheffield came off the bench succeeding with a variety of screens and short passes to get his team down to Michigan State's 11. Then he drilled Lewis with a completion at the goal line, and the wideout did the rest, bulling his way through a defender backwards, and spinning across the pylon for the game-winning score.

The Spartans had a chance to recover, but Kirk Cousins' interception on the next drive led to Baron Batch's 25-yard score that sealed it.

McNeill will now have to lobby to get the gig full-time, and school officials confirmed that Saturday was a mock audition as step-one.

""Ruff has done a good job," Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said. "He mentioned earlier in the week that he would be auditioning for the job tonight, and I think he had a pretty good performance. He did a great job. These players love Ruffin. Our fans love Ruffin. He certainly will get a lot of strong consideration. We're not opposed to hiring coordinators. We're going to take a look at it. We've got to meet with our administration and go from there. The sooner the better is all I can say.