What happens when you take the nation's No. 1 passing team and return ten of its starters? A high billing in the polls is our answer. Such a surprise ranking may be hard to digest for fans outside of Lubbock or the Big 12, but anyone who has seen this unstoppable “Air Raid” attack has to believe. The system being run by head coach Mike Leach has proven over time to be one of the all-time great passing systems the college football world has ever witnessed. QB Graham Harrell is just another in the long line of great Red Raider hurlers. In this, soon-to-be his senior year, don't be surprised if he smashes many of the NCAA single season passing records. Young Michael Crabtree (All-American, First Team, AP; top WR in FBS) is one of the best freshman receivers we have seen since Larry Fitzgerald, as evidenced by his Jim Thorpe Award. His talent is way more than a product of the Leach system - he knocked Oklahoma out of a sure 2007 national championship slot single-handedly in racking up 12 receptions on their vaunted secondary. TT’s receiving cast (that returns six of eight from ‘07 who had at lest 20 catches) will continue to make Harrell’s huge numbers seem effortless. The front line returns every starter from a unit that only gave up 15 sacks in 644 pass attempts (which ranks third nationally in sacks allowed per pass attempt). Anchored by three-year starter Louis Vasquez at guard, the unit averages 6-feet-6 and 331 pounds. Converted TE Rylan Reed, a former White Sox organizational pitcher of the year and cancer survivor, has locked down one of the tackle spots after setting a school record with a 565 pound bench press. As with potent passing programs like Texas Tech, the key issue almost always at some point boils down to defense, or the lack there of. Stopping the run was a problem last year; many of the team’s losses were due in part to Graham Harrell and this offense being kept off the field based on the Red Raider’s inability to stop an opponent’s methodical rushing attack. Six starters return along the front seven. Don't expect overnight miracles from this bunch, but expect an improvement. They have proven they can play with Oklahoma and Texas, and such small, worthy forward steps of late should make this Red Raider be better than their recent 8-4 regular season mark. Too many offensive positions are back in the fold for the upcoming season not to think their successes can snowball. This will be the same powerhouse offense fans have come to know and love under coach Leach, with the ‘08 version possibly his best yet…and worthy expectations in tow.