Know your foe: Five Questions with Lubbock Avalanche-Journal beat writer Nick Kosmider

Each week, I’ll check in with the beat writer who covers Oklahoma State’s opponent to get some perspective on the game from the other side.

Nick Kosmider covers Texas Tech for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. You can read his work here or follow him on Twitter at @AJ_NickKosmider.

Gina Mizell: Texas Tech was a hot team after throttling West Virginia and winning a thriller against TCU. What’s changed during this three-game stretch, where the Red Raiders have struggled?

Nick Kosmider: For whatever reason, Tech has struggled to put complete games together ever since dismantling the Mountaineers, 49-14, back on Oct. 13. The Red Raiders ran into a buzzsaw in Kansas State, but their inability to beat Texas came down to major inefficiency in the red zone, a problem that crept up again in a narrow, double-overtime win against Kansas last week. Through stretches the last month, Tech has looked every bit as strong as it did against West Virginia, but this team isn’t good enough to only play parts of games well and still win.

GM: Seth Doege is again statistically one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. He obviously plays in a pass-happy system, but had problems last season in windy conditions in Lubbock. Where has he improved or grown the most this season?

NK: I think his mental state has come along way. Doege said going into the season that he was focusing on not letting mistakes he made get him down to where he allows one bad play to build into a string of them. He’s demonstrated that this season. On the rare occasions he is making bad throws or tossing an interception, he’s quick to bounce back. He’s on pace for more than 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns, so whatever he’s done has worked pretty well.

GM: Tech’s improved defense is arguably the biggest development this season. What’s been the key to the turnaround under new DC Art Kaufman?