Picture a third-grade recess, where students are getting ready to play a game of hide-and-seek. One child closes his eyes and begins the count, "One, two, three ..."
The moment he hits "one," 25 or so other children scatter.
Now you've got an idea of what the Texas Tech offense looks like the moment quarterback Graham Harrell yells hike.
Nevada, Texas Tech's opponent Saturday at Mackay Stadium, has as much experience against the spread offense as any of the Red Raiders' non-conference opponents -- the Wolf Pack sees it when it faces Hawaii and Mew Mexico State each season -- but spread offenses tend to have their own personality, and that's the case with the 12th-ranked Red Raiders.
Hawaii's attack is more vertical.
New Mexico State's emphasizes short, underneath routes and crossing routes.
Texas Tech's "Air Raid," which last year had a 3-to-1 pass-to-run ratio, is a little bit of everything.
"They've got the kitchen sink," Wolf Pack defensive coordinator Nigel Burton said. "I think (Texas Tech's) is a lot less predictable (than Hawaii's and New Mexico State's)."
It's hard to prepare for, Burton said, because the receivers -- on most plays there will be four or five players running routes -- don't decide on their routes until they line up and get a look at the defense.
"The routes all look different because they sight-adjust so well," Burton said. "Usually in those systems they don't run a ton of plays, but they look like a ton of different plays because the receivers and the quarterbacks are so well-versed that they're able to react based on what you're playing. So the same play may look like 10 different plays because you see it run against 10 different coverages. It's an on-the-fly deal, which is why it's hard to cover."
Throw in the added element of talent and you have the makings of the most prolific passing offense in the country. The Red Raiders led the nation in passing four times during a five-year period (2003-07), and they were tops in the nation in total offense in 2003 and 2007.
"The scary thing about these guys is the athletes they have and the unpredictability they have," Burton said. "We're dealing with probably the best quarterback-receiver tandem in the country. If it's not them it's probably the guys we're facing next week."
Next week is No. 6 Missouri with Heisman Trophy candidate Chase Daniel at quarterback and Jeremy Maclin at receiver. But first up is Tech quarterback Graham Harrell and receiver Michael Crabtree. Each won one of his position's most prestigious national awards last season -- Harrell the Sammy Baugh Award and Crabtree the Biletnikoff Award.
"I've been coaching and playing for a long time," said Burton, 32, a Sacramento native who played at Washington. "I don't think I've ever seen a guy like Michael Crabtree before -- a guy that can take a hitch screen, shake three people, outrun the rest of the defense, makes Texas look slow. He might be a one-in-a-generation kind of guy."
Crabtree caught nine passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns in Tech's 59-43 loss to Texas last season.
And Tech returns five of its top six receivers from a year ago, two of whom are running backs Aaron Crawford and Shannon Woods. They combined for 72 receptions, which means Nevada's linebackers will have to be solid in pass defense, too.
With Nevada's cornerbacks being so raw -- none had played in a Division I game until Saturday's 49-13 win over Grambling State -- Burton was asked if he felt like he might need to take more chances.
"If I take any more risks they might run me out," Burton said, chuckling. "I'm already a pretty risky guy. We're going to be aggressive no matter who we play against. But we've got to be smart."
The moment he hits "one," 25 or so other children scatter.
Now you've got an idea of what the Texas Tech offense looks like the moment quarterback Graham Harrell yells hike.
Nevada, Texas Tech's opponent Saturday at Mackay Stadium, has as much experience against the spread offense as any of the Red Raiders' non-conference opponents -- the Wolf Pack sees it when it faces Hawaii and Mew Mexico State each season -- but spread offenses tend to have their own personality, and that's the case with the 12th-ranked Red Raiders.
Hawaii's attack is more vertical.
New Mexico State's emphasizes short, underneath routes and crossing routes.
Texas Tech's "Air Raid," which last year had a 3-to-1 pass-to-run ratio, is a little bit of everything.
"They've got the kitchen sink," Wolf Pack defensive coordinator Nigel Burton said. "I think (Texas Tech's) is a lot less predictable (than Hawaii's and New Mexico State's)."
It's hard to prepare for, Burton said, because the receivers -- on most plays there will be four or five players running routes -- don't decide on their routes until they line up and get a look at the defense.
"The routes all look different because they sight-adjust so well," Burton said. "Usually in those systems they don't run a ton of plays, but they look like a ton of different plays because the receivers and the quarterbacks are so well-versed that they're able to react based on what you're playing. So the same play may look like 10 different plays because you see it run against 10 different coverages. It's an on-the-fly deal, which is why it's hard to cover."
Throw in the added element of talent and you have the makings of the most prolific passing offense in the country. The Red Raiders led the nation in passing four times during a five-year period (2003-07), and they were tops in the nation in total offense in 2003 and 2007.
"The scary thing about these guys is the athletes they have and the unpredictability they have," Burton said. "We're dealing with probably the best quarterback-receiver tandem in the country. If it's not them it's probably the guys we're facing next week."
Next week is No. 6 Missouri with Heisman Trophy candidate Chase Daniel at quarterback and Jeremy Maclin at receiver. But first up is Tech quarterback Graham Harrell and receiver Michael Crabtree. Each won one of his position's most prestigious national awards last season -- Harrell the Sammy Baugh Award and Crabtree the Biletnikoff Award.
"I've been coaching and playing for a long time," said Burton, 32, a Sacramento native who played at Washington. "I don't think I've ever seen a guy like Michael Crabtree before -- a guy that can take a hitch screen, shake three people, outrun the rest of the defense, makes Texas look slow. He might be a one-in-a-generation kind of guy."
Crabtree caught nine passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns in Tech's 59-43 loss to Texas last season.
And Tech returns five of its top six receivers from a year ago, two of whom are running backs Aaron Crawford and Shannon Woods. They combined for 72 receptions, which means Nevada's linebackers will have to be solid in pass defense, too.
With Nevada's cornerbacks being so raw -- none had played in a Division I game until Saturday's 49-13 win over Grambling State -- Burton was asked if he felt like he might need to take more chances.
"If I take any more risks they might run me out," Burton said, chuckling. "I'm already a pretty risky guy. We're going to be aggressive no matter who we play against. But we've got to be smart."
