Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Texas Tech Red Raiders season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Recruiting Class Analysis | Schedule Analysis
– Texas Tech Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 5-7 overall, 3-5 in Big 12
Head Coach: Matt Wells, 1st year
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TEXAS TECH OFFENSE
– The Utah State offense last season under new Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells finished second in the nation in scoring, 11th in yards, and rocked with a quick mid-range passing game that fits the Texas Tech offensive world almost perfectly.
There will be tweaks, and it’s not going to be the same attack like there was under Kliff Kingsbury – get ready for more of a rushing element to the mix – but if it all works under offensive coordinator and quarterback coaching star David Yost, Red Raider fans will like what’s coming.
– The quarterback situation was very deep and very good, and then injuries hit, and the season went into the tank. The passers are there to do what the new coaching staff wants, starting with Alan Bowman, who put up a wonderful season before getting knocked out with a lung injury. Jett Duffey is a great fit with his mobility, and freshman Maverick McIvor is an interesting option to develop. McLane Carter – who struggled when he got his chances – transferred to Rutgers.
– The receiving corps lost leading receiver Antoine Wesley early to the NFL – he’s a Baltimore Raven – and second-leading target Ja’Deion High is done, but it’s Texas Tech. Everything will be fine as long as everyone is healthy – more on that in the What To Watch For On Offense.
TJ Vasher is a 6-6, 190-pound matchup problem who caught 54 passes with seven touchdowns, 6-3 former Oregon State transfer Seth Collins had a nice 32-catch season, and there’s a whole lot of young talent – sophomores Kesean Carter and Erik Ezukanma – waiting to explode.
The group is already solid, and in comes McLane Mannix from Nevada – who caught 50 passes with seven scores for the Wolf Pack – and ULM transfer RJ Turner.
The tight ends will matter, too, but one has to emerge from the pack. 6-5, Donta Thompson caught just two passes last season – the position has to be developed.
– Four starters are back on an offensive front that did its job. The Kingsbury attack is all about getting the ball out of the quarterbacks’ hands in a hurry, but don’t gloss over the line allowing just 25 sacks. It’s a veteran group that should be one of the team’s biggest strengths, and it should be more than solid for a good group of running backs to add a bit more to the mix.
Leading running back Da’Leon Ward returns – maybe, considering he’s been indefinitely suspended – but he only ran for 341 yards and averaged just 4.3 yards per carry. Utah’s Armand Shyne is transferring in, to go along with Ward and sophomore Ta’Zhawn Henry.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TEXAS TECH DEFENSE
– All things considered, the defense did its job in the high-octane Big 12. The D wasn’t Alabama-good, but it wasn’t totally abysmal for Texas Tech, giving up 31 points and 449 yards per game. It starts in the interior with a solid tackle rotation of Broderick Washington, Nick McCann, and Joseph Wallace. All three are 300+ pounds and more than capable to gum up the works, but …
– Now the ends have to show up and get to the quarterback after the linebackers did most of the pass rushing work. Junior Eli Howard is a decent veteran, and Nelson Mbanasor is a promising 280-pound three-technique type.
– The linebackers will be good. Dakota Allen is gone, but the combination of Jordyn Brooks and Riko Jefferson should booming for well over 150 tackles again. They’re big, and they can get into the backfield – Brooks led the team in tackles for loss, and Jeffers was a half a TFL behind. There’s enough depth and enough options to go to a true 4-3 whenever defensive coordinator Keith Patterson wants.
– The secondary was able to hold up just fine, finishing second in the Big 12 pass efficiency defense while allowing a not-bad-for-the-Big-12 237 yards per game. The corners are set, but the safeties have to be replaced with Jah’Shawn Johnson and Vaughnte Dorsey done.
Former JUCO transfer Thomas Leggett got in a little work last season and will lock down one safety spot. Sophomore Adrian Frye is an ultra-athletic corner with all-star upside, and with Desmon Smith, DaMarcus Fields, and the versatile Douglas Coleman all working into the mix in a variety of ways.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP TEXAS TECH PLAYERS
Best Texas Tech Offensive Player
QB Alan Bowman, Soph.
Can he stay on the field? As tough as they come, the 6-3, 210-pounder tried to fight through a collapsed lung, but ended up missing the last few games of the season and four overall.
When he played, he was a difference-maker, in command of the offense and outside of a rough day against West Virginia, consistently sharp on the way to completing 69% of his passes for 2,638 yards and 17 scores with seven picks. There might be other options for the coaching staff to play around with, and Bowman’s not a runner, but he’s the accurate decision-maker who should shine.
2. OG Jack Anderson, Jr.
3. OT Travis Bruffy, Sr.
4. WR TJ Vasher, Jr.
5. WR Seth Collins, Sr.
Best Texas Tech Defensive Player
CB Adrian Frye, Soph.
Either of the top two linebackers or end Eli Howard could be here, but it’s the versatile Frye that should grow into an even bigger star after earning First Team All-Big 12 honors in his first year. He’s a decent-sized 6-1, 190-pounder with the quickness to work as a kick returner, corner, or as a freelancing safety, coming up with five interceptions – taking one for a score against Lamar – and with 13 broken up passes to go along with his 21 tackles.
2. LB Jordyn Brooks, Sr.
3. LB Riko Jeffers, Jr.
4. DE Eli Howard, Jr.
5. DT Broderick Washington, Sr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Texas Tech Offense
Good health. There’s plenty of depth, but that wasn’t enough last season as quarterbacks Alan Bowman and Jett Duffey weren’t available in the bowl-or-go-home regular season finale to Baylor. Those two have to stay in one piece – at least one of them has to – and the receivers have to come back and be okay.
The corps is loaded, but Seth Collins has to get over a broken collarbone, McLane Mannix had an ankle problem this spring, and TJ Vasher had a few leg issues. There’s time to get everyone right, but the skill guys have to last the long season.
Biggest Key To The Texas Tech Defense
Stop someone from completing big pass plays. Texas Tech was better than Oklahoma. The Sooners had the only pass defense worst than Tech’s, which gave up 288 yards per game and got bombed on for 250 or more by everyone but Kansas, Kansas State and Lamar.
On the plus side, the Red Raiders allowed quarterbacks to convert just 57% of their throws. Unfortunately, nine of the 12 interceptions came in four games, and eight teams averaged eight yards or more per attempt. Utah State’s defense not only came up with 20 picks last year, but it scored on six of them.
Key Player To A Successful Season
RB Ta’Zhawn Henry, Soph.
Or Da’Leon Ward if and when he’s off his suspension. Last year, Utah State RB Darwin Thompson ran for 1,044 yards and 14 touchdowns, and backup Gerold Bright took off for 888 yards and ten scores. The Aggie passing game was fantastic, but the offense became unstoppable with the way the ground attack rolled. The Texas Tech backs will get their chances.
The 5-7, 170-pound Henry tied for the team lead with Ward with 341 yards, and he scored eight times on the ground to go along with his 22 catches with a touchdown. Now he needs to get ready to handle more work.
Key Game To The Texas Tech Season
at West Virginia, Nov. 9
The Red Raiders will have to come up with at least one Big 12 win at some point. They have to go to Oklahoma, Baylor, Kansas, and Texas – figure they beat the Jayhawks – to go along with a trip to West Virginia in a battle of first year head coaches.
Texas Tech gets a week to prepare – the Mountaineers have to go to Baylor the week before – one it could be a momentum builder with the next two games at home. The Red Raiders haven’t lost in the series since 2013.
– Texas Tech Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Texas Tech Fun Stats
– 4th Down Conversions: Texas Tech 11-of-18 (61%) – Opponents 8-of-21 (38%)
– Texas Tech and its opponents hit all 101 of their extra point attempts
– Texas Tech 3rd Quarter Scoring: 72 – Texas Tech 4th Quarter Scoring: 140
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. TEXAS TECH WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
It’s a good Texas Tech team that has a defense, has the experience on both sides of the ball, and it has the coaching staff that should be able to take what’s in place – and factor in what the program is all about – and make the necessary adjustments to come up with a bowl season.
However, the rest of the Big 12 is going to be just tough enough to keep this from being a massive first season under Matt Wells.
The passing game will still rule the day, but like the Utah State offense last year under Wells, the ground attack will play a big role creating a bit more balance.
On the other side, the defense isn’t going to be a brick wall, but it’ll be more disruptive, and it should create a slew of takeaways. As long as the secondary can start coming up with a few more stops – just don’t have the second-worst pass D in America again, Texas Tech – this will be a successful season. However …
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 6
Guarantee a 2-0 start with Montana and UTEP to kick things off, but then it gets way too tricky with five road games in the next seven outings. As good as the Red Raiders might be, going to Arizona, Oklahoma, Baylor and West Virginia will be a problem, and dealing with a revamped, Les Miles-led Kansas team in Lawrence might not be a picnic.
And there’s a trip to Texas to close out the regular season.
And there are home games against Oklahoma State, Iowa State, TCU and Kansas State.
The Red Raiders can win four of the remaining games. There’s too much experience and upside not to.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Recruiting Class Analysis | Schedule Analysis
