Missouri puts Smith's speed up against Texas Tech, Kingsbury's

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury and Missouri's Brad Smith, the Big 12's top two offensive producers, go about their craft in distinctively different ways.

Kingsbury passes a lot and Smith runs more than he throws, though he has a favorite aerial target in wide receiver Justin Gage. Gage leads the conference in receptions with 49.

Tech (4-3, 1-1 Big 12) is host to Missouri (3-3, 0-2) today.

Kingsbury is averaging 342 yards a game of total offense to Smith's 303.

"He slings that ball around probably 50 times a game, so it's big if (Tech's) offense struggles," Tiger defensive end Antwaun Bynum said. "We have to put pressure on and get interceptions."

For Tech's defense, the task is to play consistently. Last week in their 31-17 loss to No. 9 Iowa State, the Red Raiders produced their best defensive performance of the year but that evaporated in the second half.

The Red Raiders rank 11th in the conference in rushing defense and it will be tested against Smith's run threat.

Last week against the Cyclones, Tech faced an agile Seneca Wallace who in the third quarter scrambled around for about 60 yards before scoring on a play marked officially as a 12-yard run.

"Wallace is a passer first, a runner second," Tech coach Mike Leach said. "(Smith) runs it a little more. I'm not going to say he's a runner first but he certainly runs it more than Wallace does."

Smith, though, also has Gage -- who has a 41-inch vertical leap -- as a receiver. Gage leads the Big 12 with an average of eight catches a game.

"We're going to give him some special treatment," Tech defensive coordinator Greg McMackin said. "We may have to have some doubles on him and have some different things, but he's a very talented guy."

Tech linebacker Lawrence Flugence said the team has grown more accustomed to chasing quarterbacks this season. Tech has played against Mississippi's Eli Manning, North Carolina State's Philip Rivers and Wallace.

Smith, however is different.

"He can do a lot of things," Flugence said. "The main thing we have to do is contain him. They have a multitude of weapons. They're no pushover team."

Tech's offensive line has done a decent job of protecting Kingsbury, but it will be without one very large part of that front against the Tigers. Rex Richards is out for the game with an ankle injury.

"That's going to hurt," Kingsbury said. "He's a team leader and one of those physical guys that everybody kind of follows but we've got some young guys who will step up."