 "Photo: Coleman Morefield")
Texas Tech will look continue its winning ways as the team returns to Big 12 Conference play 6 p.m. Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Tech's (4-1, 0-1 in Big 12 play) defense is still transitioning to interim defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill's style of coaching.
Tech coach Mike Leach said McNeill takes his job seriously and puts everything he has into being successful.
"He's very passionate about it," he said. "He's always in constant motion and he's always done a good job with groups of people. Having enthusiasm in what you're doing is more important than anything."
In their last game, the Red Raiders held Northwestern (La.) State to seven points and 118 total yards, but redshirt freshman linebacker Brian Duncan said the bar has been raised for this week.
"Seven points is not even in the question," Duncan said. "We're going to try to hold them to zero (points) and do all we can to hold them to zero."
Iowa State (1-4, 0-1) has been turnover prone in 2007 with 13 turnovers, including eight interceptions from quarterback Brett Meyer.
"I think that one word can really describe every loss - turnovers," Cyclones coach Gene Chizik "They play a huge role in why we're 1-4. I've said it since the beginning: I think the game is real simple - you get turnovers and you don't give the ball up and you've got a chance to win."
Leach said he sees similarities in Chizik's first year as a head coach and his own.
It kind of reminds me of my first year here just from the standpoint that there are things that you must adjust and you improve quickly as time goes on, which I think that they've done," he said. "I think there are always challenges as you get your stuff in place."
Before taking the job at Iowa State, Chizik spent two seasons as assistant head coach and co-defenisve coordinator at Texas, where he has experience against the Red Raider offense.
"They're averaging 610 yards of offense and 55 points a game, so I guess other people have struggled preparing for them as well," Chizik said. "Whether they run it or throw it, whatever they do they're doing it really well. They are difficult to prepare for because they are really good at what they do."
Last season, Tech beat the Cyclones 42-26 in Ames, Iowa, thanks in part to 368 yards passing and six touchdowns by Tech junior quarterback Graham Harrell.
"That was a big game last year," Harrell said. "We came out and played really well last year against them in an environment (that) wasn't what you would plan on for having a great offensive game - rainy, real windy, kind of snowy, cold."
Chizik said he believes Harrell's experience under center for Tech makes him more dangerous than other quarterbacks who have only been able to start for one season in Lubbock.
"He is executing that system phenomenally," he said. "He's a young guy that's got it down, which is a little bit different from what they've had and that's scary. He kind of has that knack and the intangibles that good quarterbacks have. He's got it and then he's in a system that if you're a good quarterback it magnifies all of your skills because you throw it 70 times a game, 60 times a game, whatever it is and he's got it down now and he's really good."
After losses by Oklahoma and Texas Saturday, Harrell said the Iowa State game could help the Red Raiders get back on top in the Big 12 South.
"It's wide open for anyone because only two teams have won their conference openers," he said. "You just have to take it one game at a time and try to win every week and that's what we're going to try to do."
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