Every year, there's lots of turnover and change for every college program. What do the Big 12 teams need to do before next fall? Let's continue our look with Texas Tech.
1. Get used to new faces, terminology and schemes. Texas Tech's offense hasn't changed much since Mike Leach's exit, and new coach Kliff Kingsbury will throw it around, too, just as offensive coordinator Neal Brown did in three seasons in Lubbock. Still, the Red Raiders are preparing for their fifth defensive coordinator in five years in Matt Wallerstedt, who came over with Kingsbury after coaching linebackers at Texas A&M. Tech won't look markedly different, but it's still going to be an adjustment for everybody involved. Different coaches do things different ways and use different terms and approaches. Getting those relationships off to the right start is imperative.
2. Develop Michael Brewer. There doesn't appear to be much competition at quarterback next season in Lubbock. Brewer looked solid in spot duty and his potential is sky-high. Still, in this offense, he needs to be great for Texas Tech to succeed. As a first-year starter, Brewer will be a redshirt sophomore in his third year in the program, but he'll have to weather that transition, and a new offense, too. The basic principles will be similar, but expect Brewer to get a lot of opportunities to use his impressive wheels, too.
3. Fill out the secondary. Tech's secondary finally figured it out last season and made some huge strides, but now it's back to being gutted. Safeties D.J. Johnson and Cody Davis, the team's leading tacklers in 2012, are gone. Cornelius Douglas and Eugene Neboh are gone, too. I'd expect Wallerstedt and secondary assistants Kevin Curtis (cornerbacks) and Trey Haverty (safeties) to go into spring with an open mind. If unheralded players are going to emerge, those 15 practices will be the time to do it. All bets are off with that group.
More offseason to-do lists:
