Texas Tech football: Handing out game balls for Saturday’s win over WVU

LB Colin Schooler

When your defense needs to rebound from a disastrous performance as was the case with the Texas Tech football team on Saturday, you need your best players to lead the way.  And against West Virginia, the Red Raider’s top defensive player, Colin Schooler, took his game to a new level.

Racking up 15 tackles (nine solo) and a strip-sack, the senior was the most dominant defensive player in the game.  That’s what team leaders are supposed to do when their team’s back is against the wall.

Of course, it was the sack and forced fumble on WVU QB Jarrett Doege that took center stage.  And the play was a perfect example of Schooler’s football I.Q.

Coming on a blitz, Schooler appeared to have a clean shot at Doege until he was slightly bumped off of his line.  But he still had the presence of mind to reach out and slap the football out of the QB’s hand.

That play would set Tech up at the WVU 34 and six plays later, SaRodorick Thompson would find the endzone on a 1-yard run to give Tech a 14-0 lead.

So far, Schooler has a massive lead in tackles for the team.  With 45 stops on the year, he has a 16-tackle lead over Riko Jeffers.  He’s also tied for second in the Big 12 in that stat.

Against Texas, Schooler was not at his best, as was the case with the entire Red Raider team.  He had a number of missed tackles and he managed just three solo stops (but he did have nine total).

Fortunately, like the rest of his team, he rebounded well against the Mountaineers.  And for leading the way with a season-high in tackles, including one of the game’s defining plays, Schooler earns a game ball.