Advertisement
football Edit

Previewing Game Five: Texas Tech

GET TO KNOW THE RED RAIDERS

2021 record: 7-6 (3-6)
Big 12 Standings: Seventh (Tie)
Best wins: Houston (12-2, AP No. 17, FEI/SP+ No. 38), Iowa State (7-6, FEI/SP+ No. 16 and Liberty Bowl win over Mississippi State (7-6, FEI/SP+ No. 41)
Notable losses: They lost 27-24 to Baylor and 25-24 to Kansas State.
Head Coach: Joey McGuire. He enters his first season as a head coach after being a long-time high school coach in Texas before joining the staff at Baylor, first under Matt Rhule and then staying after the arrival of Dave Aranda. He spent five years at Baylor, which is his only experience in college. But McGuire has extensive ties to Texas High School Football.

Advertisement
Joey McGuire
Joey McGuire (Getty)

THE NUMBERS

Texas Tech finished No. 47 in the combined FEI/SP+ ranking, which included No. 25 on offense, No. 89 on defense and No. 17 on special teams. Head coach Matt Wells was let go after their close loss to Kansas State eight games into the season.

As the metrics show, the offense was solid for the Red Raiders after finishing No. 50 in scoring offense (30.3 points per game) and No. 26 in points per drive (2.74). For total offense, Texas Tech ranked No. 56 (416.3 yards per game) and the success rate on offense finished No. 26 (47.0 percent).

The pass offense was the strength of the team. It featured a pass success rate that finished No. 22 (47.0 percent), ranked No. 39 in passing yards per game (257.2) and a passing efficiency that finished No. 46.

Rush offense was not as strong and ranked No. 70 (159.1 yards per game), but the rushing success rate was No. 33 (47.6 percent).

Texas Tech finished drives well and finished No. 10 in red zone conversions (92.0 percent) and No. 17 on points per drive inside the opponent’s 40-yard line (4.49).

Defense was a mighty struggle for the Red Raiders under Wells in 2021. They were No. 86 in total defense (405.0 yards per game), No. 95 in scoring defense (30.2 points per game) and No. 110 in points per drive allowed (2.88).

The rush defense was solid, though, and ranked No. 40 in yards allowed per game (136.8) and No. 56 in success rate allowed (42.4 percent).

However, the pass defense struggled. They finished No. 119 in yards allowed per game (268.2), No. 108 in passing efficiency allowed and No. 106 in passing success rate allowed (46.3 percent).

Texas Tech also struggled with third down conversions allowed and ranked No. 116 (44.7 percent), finished No. 102 in red zone conversions allowed (88.0 percent), and No. 122 in points per drive on drives inside their 40-yard line (4.60).

They were No. 77 in havoc rate created (16.6 percent).

The special teams were good, led by KO coverage (#16), punt coverage (#6), and field goal efficiency (#3). The return units weren’t great though, ranking #126 in KO returns and #98 in punt returns, but they still had a top 20 special teams unit overall.

Tyler Shough
Tyler Shough (Getty)

The Red Raiders are picked No. 9 in the Big 12 preseason poll, just ahead of Kansas. The preseason SP+ slates the Red Raiders at No. 48, which is a combination of being No. 35 on offense, No. 69 on defense and No. 2 on special teams.

Texas Tech also ranks No. 90 in returning production, which is a result of being No. 97 on offense and No. 71 on defense.

They played three quarterbacks in 2021 and two are back, giving them talent and experience at the position. McGuire and company also return their top four rushers but lost three of their top four receivers.

On defense, they lost their top three tacklers, but they do have quite a few experienced players returning.

Young offensive coordinator Zach Kittley is a Texas Tech product who came up under coach Kliff Kingsbury and also Sonny Cumbie. He led a top 10 offense last year at Western Kentucky.

Defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter has plenty of experience after leading defenses at Oregon, California and Texas A&M in the past 15 seasons. He also had a five-year stint as head coach for Fresno State.

No Red Raider was named to the 2022 preseason All-Big 12 team.

Donovan Smith
Donovan Smith (Getty)

KEY RETURNERS

OFFENSE

1. QB Tyler Shough (6-5/230): The former Oregon transfer was the starter to begin the 2021 season, but he was injured in game four. He completed almost 70 percent of his passes and threw for 872 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. Shough helped lead Oregon to a Pac-12 title in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

2. QB Donovan Smith (6-5/230): Smith started the final four games of 2021 and led the Red Raiders to a bowl victory. He threw for 1,181 yards, seven touchdowns and just two interceptions, plus he racked up another 155 on the ground for three more touchdowns. Shough and Smith should have a good Fall battle for the starting spot.

3. RB Tahj Brooks (5-10/230): He led the team in rushing yards with 568 and collected an impressive 6.5 yards per carry and seven rushing touchdowns.

4. RB SaRodorick Thompson (6-0/220): Thompson was second in rushing with 500 yards and led the Red Raiders with 10 rushing touchdowns.

5. WR Myles Price (5-10/180): As Texas Tech’s third-leading receiver, he logged 523 yards, 38 catches and two touchdowns. Price also had 14 rushes for 83 yards.

6. WR Xavier White (6-0/190): He tallied 18 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.

7. TE Mason Tharp (6-9/260): The big tight end caught 14 balls for 198 yards and one score.

DEFENSE

1. DE Tyree Wilson (6-6/275): He led Texas Tech in tackles for loss with 13.5 and sacks with seven. Wilson was also second on the team with 14.5 havoc plays and finished with 38 tackles.

2. S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (5-11/195): Not only is he the leading returner in tackles with 62, Taylor-Demerson led the Red Raiders with three interceptions and 10 passes broken up.

3. LB Krishon Merriweather (6-0/235): Merriweather recorded 52 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss.

4. S Reggie Pearson (5-11/200): He finished with 54 tackles and broke up three passes.

5. DL Jaylon Hutchings (6-0/310): The interior defender finished with 47 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.

6. CB Rayshad Williams (6-3/195): Williams is a big corner that finished with 38 tackles and broke up 10 passes.

SPECIAL TEAMS

1. P Austin McNamara: He averaged 48.2 yards per punt last year with 17 downed inside the 20 and booted 20 punts of 50 yards or more.

2. KR Chadarius Townsend: Townsend returned 11 kicks for 216 yards.

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (Getty)

KEY ADDITIONS

OFFENSE

1. OL Cole Spencer (6-4/305): Texas Tech will be rebuilding the offensive line and Kittley brought a nice piece with him from Western Kentucky. The All-Conference USA tackle will be a key piece up front for the Red Raiders.

DEFENSE

1. LB Dimitri Moore (6-3/235): He spent three seasons at Vanderbilt where he finished with 219 tackles, 10 for loss, 1.5 sacks and broke up six passes. Moore also spent last year at Missouri State.

2. DE Myles Cole (6-6/285): A UL-Monroe transfer, Cole had 28 tackles, 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks last season.

Chris Klieman
Chris Klieman (Kansas State Athletics)

PREDICTIONS

FAN: Kansas State wins if…

They handle coming off the big win over Oklahoma.

Head coach Chris Klieman talked a lot about consistency in the offseason, and it will be a game to prove it. Texas Tech is a team that will likely struggle in 2022 unless one of the quarterbacks really overachieves expectations.

K-State should handle a program with a green head coach at this level.

Prediction: Kansas State 31, Texas Tech 13

DY: Kansas State wins if...

I agree with Fan. Assuming they defeat Oklahoma, which I predicted, it will be determined by how well they respond to the high that the win will produce from the fan base and within the locker room.

It would also make them 4-0 with a win that will catch national headlines and further the notion that they are a darkhorse contender for the Big 12 title. The whispers about it would only be louder and louder.

Do they have the maturity to handle that? Yes. But it will also be a first for many of them. I imagine Trumain Carroll playing a large role throughout the week in making sure the team remains steady and focused.

Texas Tech is talented enough to beat them. I just don't think they have the horses or the chops on defense to pull off the upset. That's where my biggest question mark will lie with the Red Raiders in year one under Joey McGuire.

They were terrible on the defensive side a season ago and his best hires were on the offensive side of the ball.

Prediction: Kansas State 35, Texas Tech 24

Advertisement