Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire displays following win over BYU – Deseret Information

Jacob Rodriguez for Heisman?

His head coach actually thinks so.

Texas Tech’s star linebacker was excellent Saturday towards BYU, racking up 14 tackles with an interception and fumble restoration in a 29-7 win over the Cougars.

Unsurprisingly, Purple Raiders head coach Joey McGuire wasted no time in lobbying for Rodriguez’s Heisman candidacy after the sport.

“I’m 54 years previous, I’ve grown up a soccer fanatic, I’ve in all probability watched each Heisman that I can bear in mind,” McGuire informed reporters. “However guys, the Heisman is given to the most effective soccer participant. It’s not given to the most effective quarterback, they’ve acquired awards for that. And you may’t say that Jacob Rodriguez, at his place, is just not taking part in at that degree, at an elite degree, pretty much as good as any man within the nation.

“… I do know our Lubbock media will maintain pushing it, however anybody that’s nationwide (media) in right here, you need to push it, as a result of that child deserves to be a part of (the Heisman dialog), and he’s nice for school soccer.”

Rodriguez led a wonderful defensive cost for Texas Tech, who held BYU underneath 10 factors for the primary time in two years, allowed 2.5 yards per carry and simply 157 complete yards by way of the primary three quarters.

“Our protection has performed at a very excessive degree all 12 months lengthy,” McGuire stated. “One factor I talked to them (about) is dominating up entrance, we wished to cease the run. That’s the primary working again within the Huge 12 yardage-wise, LJ (Martin), and I really like LJ. That quarterback (Bear Bachmeier) has been electrical together with his ft, and so they have a very good offensive line. So we stopped the run, and whenever you do that you simply’ve acquired an opportunity to hurry the passer.

“I informed the protection, ‘If we take three turnovers and we cease the run, we’ll win the sport.’ And so they got here in and did that at a excessive degree.”

The hype for Saturday’s matchup was immense, with Texas Tech college students camped out in entrance of the stadium for practically per week beforehand and ESPN’s ‘Faculty GameDay’ even coming to city. McGuire stated the vitality and pleasure from Purple Raider followers proved to be a serious enhance for his staff towards BYU.

“I’ve acquired to provide credit score to our pupil physique,” McGuire stated. ”… Our students were absolutely incredible this week, the stadium was completely electrical … let’s flip it up a notch, we’ve acquired one other house recreation subsequent week, and it’s like I informed my guys, we have now one other gear, we are able to play even higher, and I feel we will be even higher as a crowd within the Jones.”

With the win, Texas Tech is 9-1 and 6-1 in Huge 12 play as the present heavy convention favourite.

However although Saturday was one of many largest wins in program historical past, McGuire doesn’t need his Purple Raiders to be happy with the result.

“This was an enormous recreation, however man, there’s greater video games in entrance of us if we keep on observe. There’s a lot extra in entrance of this staff if we keep targeted and maintain coming to work.”