Clinton Greathouse averaged 39.5 yards per punt last season, and is first in line to also handle the place-kicking chores this season, taking over for the departed Chris Birkhlolz. Mike Leach had a nice debut as a head coach last season. But the defense, often unappreciated, also had several shining moments. Tech pitched three shutouts, all of which came against lightweights, but no points is no points. The only major disappointment was that Tech didn't have a breakthrough win, going 0-5 against teams playing in the postseason.
Tech has plenty of playmakers on offense and a handful of potential stars on defense.
An extra year of seasoning in Leach's system means the Raiders might be able to get over the hump against some of the better teams on the schedule. If Tech can't dramatically improve its running game, it could be a case of losing to all the good teams on the schedule again. Without much proven depth, the Raiders could be in trouble if the injury bug returns. Barring some miracles on the road, Tech is probably not a serious contender for the South Division title. But with a few breaks at home, a talented Raiders team could improve their bowl slotting from a year ago.