Texas Tech Red Raiders Season Preview

Tommy Tuberville did his job in year one going 8-5. He had some talent at his disposal from former head coach Mike Leach who was fired prior to the 2009 Alamo Bowl against Michigan State.

Leach once produced eleven 1,000 yard receivers and last year was finally the first year in seemingly forever where a player failed to reach that total.

Quarterback Record Setters

The Red Raiders have produced a boatload of solid quarterbacks going from Kilff Kingsbury to BJ Symons to Graham Harrell—the Red Raiders have had their fair share of studs. Taylor Potts was the man last year throwing for 35 TDs and only 10 INTs.  

His replacement will be Seth Doege (6’1”, 200-pound Junior) who only appeared in two games, throwing four passes. He was highly recruited for Texas Tech standards not too long ago and should be able to lead the aerial attack that Tuberville still uses.

The receiving corp is far from being the elite group they once had, however. They lose Detron Lewis (6 TD) and Lyle Leong (19 TD), who were both primetime red zone and third down targets that helped lead this Red Raiders offense.

Who is going to step up now? Alexander Torres, Tramain Swindall, and junior college recruit Marcus Kennard will have to attempt to be half as good as those two former studs. 

Need More Time to Shoot?

The offensive line returns all five guys and they will be led by Mickey Okafor, LaAdrian Waddle, and Lonnie Edwards. Those three may have a shot at making a Second Team All-Big 12, but they are not quick enough off the snap to ever block the elite pass rushers.

Those three beasts all weigh over 300 pounds which is not particularly great news, but they are talented enough to keep Doege clean in the pocket against the sub-par Big 12 teams such as Iowa State, Kansas State, and Kansas.

The first two games are against Texas State and New Mexico—cupcake city—which should allow the entire offense to get ready for a decent Nevada Wolfpack team in late September. 

Mediocre D Must Add More Pressure

The defense is coached by former TCU safeties coach Chad Glasgow who has switched this defense back to a 4-2-5 defense similar to TCU’s. The front four has been mediocre at best through the years and this year is not going to get much better. In fact, the front four returns only two starters and the pass rushers may be the worst that Lubbock has seen in quite some time.

The linebacking corp is always undersized but has decent skills and is known for its instincts. Sam Fehoko is back as the leading tackler at linebacker (40).

Once highly touted, he will be asked to carry this unit and avoid the injury bug since there is literally zero experience backing him up. Tech was 69th allowing 162 yards per game a season ago. Only Kansas State (119th), Kansas (107th), Iowa State (93rd) and Baylor (79th) were worse.

The pass defense as usual was abysmal. They were 118th in America allowing 293 yards per game. Only poor Rice and Tulsa were worse than the boys from Lubbock.

Three starters return though none of the three stick out as future conference selection threats. Keep in mind still that they also have a total of six coming back who started games a season ago so their numbers should improve moderately and they should shoot way up the rankings from 118th.

Drama's Forecast

The schedule is pretty brutal as they face Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri on the road as they get the Aggies and Cowboys at home. Those are potentially five losses with all of them possibly being blowout losses saves perhaps the Aggies since history is on their side to keep it close. This team is more talented than last year's squad but the schedule will take this team down a notch or two. 

However you look at this Red Raiders team, and they will have to pull off several upsets to touch the eight win plateau. A season at the .500 benchmark and another bowl game is likely if they can stay healthy and find a way to get their playmakers to produce.

Predicted Finish: 7-6, 3-6

Predicted Bowl: Pinstripe Bowl  

Predicted order of finish in Big 12: Seventh