CNNSI.com - 2000 College Football Preview - CNNSI.com's Texas Tech preview

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Texas Tech Red Raiders

Leach's air show comes to Lubbock

College Football: The New Century

'99: 6-5, 5-3 Big 12

Coach

Mike Leach (first season)

Key offensive players

Kliff Kingsbury, QB, So.
Despite only one collegiate start, looks like he was born to flourish in Leach's pass-happy attack.

Ricky Williams, TB, Jr.
Former 1,500-yard rusher poised for big comeback after missing most of last season with a knee injury.

Shaud Williams, TB, So.
Tech's leading returning rusher (112 carries, 658 yards, 7 TDs) should become strong receiving threat as he moves to slotback.

Rex Richards, T, So.
Outstanding, athletic tackle who steadily improved after starting the last seven games as a true freshman last year.

Key defensive players

Aaron Hunt, DE, So.
Gets his chance to start after producing five sacks in reserve role last season.

Ivan Maisel's Player of the Century: Zach Thomas, LB, 1992-95
"Gets the nod over backs Donny Anderson and Byron Hanspard because the undersized Thomas personifies Red Raider spirit."

Brightest Moment: Tech quarterback Joe Barnes ran for one score and passed for two more to direct the Red Raiders to a 28-19 victory over Tennessee in the 1973 Gator Bowl, wrapping up an 11-1 aeason.

Lowest Moment: The Red Raiders celebrated their first Cotton Bowl trip with a 55-14 loss to USC in the 1995 game.

Kevin Curtis, SS, Jr.
Playmaker who averaged almost 17 tackles per game over Tech's final six games last year.

Key newcomer

James Wegener, WR, Jr.
Speedy transfer from San Francisco City College should emerge as Tech's prime deep receiving threat.

Throwback player

If you want to find SS Kevin Curtis, simply look around the ball. The junior has made a career of making big plays.

21st century player

Whoever heard of Josh Heupel before he started passing in Leach's futuristic offense last year? Don't be surprised if the same happens for Kliff Kingsbury this season.

Fast fact

Leach's only other head coaching experience came in 1989, when he directed the Pori Bears, a Finnish club team.

Outlook

Leach's coaching staff has made a complete transformation of the Tech program in less than six months from the chicken-fried homilies of Spike Dykes to a new-age offense, but not without some growing pains. Look for Kingsbury, who some coaches feel has more athletic talent than Oklahoma's Josh Heupel, to similarly flourish in the same offense. Williams is set for a recovery into a complete back who wants to become the first NCAA player to rush and catch passes for 1,000 yards in the same season. There should be enough talent on hand to boost the Red Raiders back to a bowl game after missing out last year, although the one-dimensional offense could struggle late in the season with uncertain weather conditions across the Big 12.

-- Tim Griffin