Red Raiders Visit Scottish Rite Children's Hospital
December 28, 2005 | Football
Hospital Visit Photo Gallery
Dec. 28, 2005
DALLAS, Texas - The Texas Tech Red Raiders (No. 15 BCS/No. 18 AP) continued its preparations for the 70th AT&T Cotton Bowl with a 90-minute workout under warm conditions at Texas Stadium, the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys. The Red Raiders will face the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide on Monday, Jan. 2 at 10:00 a.m.
The team worked out in helmets and shorts in ideal conditions. The weather in the Dallas metropolitan area has been perfect for the last two days, and forecasts indicate conditions will remain mild through game day next Monday.
Today the Red Raiders moved into their usual weekday workout schedule, with today's practice serving as their "Sunday night" practice. Such a schedule has worked well for the Red Raiders the last three years, as they have won their bowl game each of the previous three seasons. This will be Texas Tech's sixth consecutive bowl appearance under head coach Mike Leach, going 3-2 in Leach's five previous bowl games as Tech's head man.
"We've had two pretty good practices, and we need to build on them," Coach Leach said. "We will get sharper as the week goes along. I'm happy with where we are, but we have a ways to go and will need to continue to get better.
"Bowl games are supposed to be fun and rewarding for the players, but you've got to keep an eye focused on the game," Coach Leach continued. "We need to avoid distractions. When it's football time, we need to focus on football."
Texas Tech is at full strength with no players injured heading into the Classic.
Following practice the Red Raiders visited hospitalized children at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. Tonight Texas Tech will enjoy a team function at The Main Event in Grapevine, Texas.
Tomorrow Texas Tech will work out from 12 noon until 1:30 p.m. at Texas Stadium. TOMORROW'S PRACTICE IS CLOSED TO THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC. Coach Leach will be available for interviews following practice. Texas Tech's defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich along with selected defensive players will participate at a news conference from 2 - 3 p.m. at the Omni Mandalay Hotel in Las Colinas.
The 70th AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic will be nationally televised by FOX Sports. Westwood One will handle the national radio broadcast on Jan. 2.