Story by
Texas Tech football midseason report: MVPs, positive trends, challenges ahead
- Story by
- Texas Tech football midseason report: MVPs, positive trends, challenges ahead
The Big 12 standings have an unusual look, even for mid-October. The Texas Tech football team is off to its best start since 2013 at 5-1 , and is the only Big 12 team with a 3-0 conference record.
The Red Raiders have an open date this weekend. Here's a look back at the first half of the season and a look ahead at what to expect in the last six games.
Advertisement
Texas Tech football first-half MVPs
Offense:No surprise here. Tahj Brooks is the FBS's fourth-leading rusher, same as he finished last season. The senior from Manor leads the Big 12 in carries (124) and rushing yards (679) and has reached 95 rushing yards 16 games in a row. The only game he missed this season is the only game Tech lost.
Defense:Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez is second in the Big 12 with 54 tackles, bouncing back from his injury-marred 2023 season. The junior from Wichita Falls Rider was at his best last week in an upset at Arizona when he racked up 13 tackles and a sack, tipped a pass that was intercepted and caused a fumble that helped clinch the outcome.
He made his mark in Minnesota: Success started early for Texas Tech football's Jacob Rodriguez as a youth wrestling star
Advertisement
Seven buoying Tech, 7 aiding new teams: Ranking Texas Tech football's top portal additions, transfers making impact elsewhere
Special teams:A harder call, considering special teams have been quality across the board, including kickoff-return man Drae McCray and punter Jack Burgess. The nod goes to the kickers, though. Gino Garcia is 10 for 10 on field goals, Reese Burkhardt is 3 for 3, and they were a combined 6 for 6 in the fourth quarters of four narrow victories.
Three trends that bode well for Texas Tech football
Behren Morton 's A-OK:The Tech quarterback's throwing shoulder was a worry for most of the 2023 season. Now it's healthy, and among the Big 12's qualifying quarterbacks, Morton ranks fifth in passing yards per game (273.3), tied for second in passing touchdowns (14) and second in fewest interceptions (two).
Quarterback Behren Morton #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders watches from the sidelines during the first half of the NCAAF game against the Arizona Wildcatsat Arizona Stadium on October 05, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona.
A diverse attack:The Red Raiders can regularly field two different offenses from series to series or even within series. There's 10 personnel with four wide receivers in long-yardage or late-in-the-half situations. There's 12 or 13 personnel when tight ends Mason Tharp, Johncarlos Miller and-or Jalin Conyers can add blocking to the run game and offer big targets. And there's the in-between and most prevalent deployment, 11 personnel, to keep defenses guessing. Tech used the broadly different looks last year, too, but it's become more of a forte this year.
Advertisement
Winning close games:Tech is the only FBS team that's won four one-possession games this season, and the Red Raiders have now won seven in a row in games decided by eight points or fewer. Having prevailed so much in pressure-packed games should breed confidence. On the other hand, it's tricky to keep up the highwire act and some regression could be in order.
More: Texas Tech football followers want to know: Where is Micah Hudson? | Don Williams
Three second-half challenges for Texas Tech football
The schedule:The hardest part lies ahead. Under Joey McGuire , the Red Raiders are 4-9 in the other team's stadium, and McGuire this offseason pointed to trips in the second half to TCU, Iowa State and Oklahoma State as telltale games.
Advertisement
The passing-game matchups:Texas Tech sits third from the bottom in the FBS in passing yards allowed, yielding 308 per game. That's problematic with TCU, Iowa State, Colorado and Oklahoma State all boasting top passers and-or receivers. Exacerbating the issue: Injuries sidelined cornerback Bralyn Lux for three games and safety Chapman Lewis for most of the last two.
Lack of pressure:Only eight FBS teams, one in the power-conferences, have a worse sacks-per-game average than Tech's 1.0. The Red Raiders did harass Arizona QB Noah Fifita last week, but they haven't had a plus pass rusher since Tyree Wilson two years ago.
Three more things to keep in mind
Big plays are increasing:Tech is tied for fourth in the FBS in plays of at least 20 yards with 38 and tied for 17th in plays of at least 30 yards with 16. Last year in the same categories, the Red Raiders finished tied for 85th and tied for 67th, respectively. Josh Kelly and Brooks have nine and eight explosive plays, respectively, including two apiece of at least 30 yards. Coy Eakin and Caleb Douglas have five and four explosive plays, respectively, three each of at least 30 yards.
Advertisement
Fourth-down risks are decreasing:Texas Tech is only 3 of 10 in fourth-down conversions, and the Red Raiders are dialing down the risk. They were 33 for 52 two years ago, leading the FBS in both. They were 24 for 37 last year, third and eighth in those categories.
Record watch:In the Tech career rushing chart, Byron Hanspard had 4,219 yards, James Gray had 4,066 yards and Tahj Brooks has 3,731. Because of changes to NCAA record-keeping, however, Hanspard's and Gray's totals do not include big outputs in bowl games.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football at midseason: MVPs, positive trends, hurdles ahead
