Kliff Kingsbury Defiant on Slowing Down Offense

Texas Tech Head Football Coach Kliff Kingsbury was featured in an article by the Associated Press Tuesday on the pace of offenses in the NCAA.

A couple of defensive minded SEC coaches, Alabama coach Nick Saban and Arkansas coach Brett Bielema, want the NCAA to adjust the rules on how fast an offense can run a play to allow for defensive substitutions.

They coaches say injuries can be cut down with the slower pace rules allowing for the substitutions.

You have to think Saban is asking for this rule tweak because Texas A&M rushed out to 20-0 lead in the 1^st half in Tuscaloosa before defeating the Crimson Tide 29-24.

The defiant Kingsbury told the AP yesterday,

“I would have to see some scientific or statistical information showing an increase in injuries, because to me right now it's just talk.

You want me to play slower, well, OK, you need to get smaller, less strong defensive linemen. To me, it's asking to do that.

Stop recruiting these beasts up front and we won't run as many plays."

The Red Raider offense will probably run around 80 plays per game this upcoming season and the added emphasis on throwing more down field will improve yardage per game.

The pace of the Big 12 Conference dictates that you need an offense that can move up and down the field. That’s reality.

Kingsbury said of teams in the SEC facing Big 12 offenses,

“If Alabama or LSU or those guys faced these offenses all the time, each and every week, it would be different. That's just a fact.

"We're big on being great in the red zone, holding people to field goals and creating turnovers. I think the yards are going to be up there. It's just the way the game is set up these days."

You can read the full interview with Kingsbury and the AP here.