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Five West Virginia Offensive Playmakers Texas Tech Must Stop Saturday
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- Five West Virginia Offensive Playmakers Texas Tech Must Stop Saturday
(Ben Queen-Imagn Images)
Texas Tech's defense just shut down one of the Big 12's rushing attacks. Now comes an entirely different kind of challenge.
The No. 13 Red Raiders (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) welcome West Virginia (5-3, 2-3) to Lubbock on Saturday night, facing a Mountaineers offense averaging 261.6 rushing yards and 35.9 points per game.
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For defensive coordinator Shiel Wood, the biggest concern is containing a dual-threat quarterback and a physical running back who have combined for more than 1,700 rushing yards.
Here are five West Virginia players Texas Tech must keep under control.
Michael Hawkins Jr. | QB
Hawkins is the engine driving West Virginia's offense.
The Oklahoma transfer has thrown for 1,598 yards and 11 touchdowns against just two interceptions. But his legs are the bigger problem.
Hawkins has rushed for 836 yards and 16 touchdowns, giving the Mountaineers an additional running threat on virtually every snap.
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Against TCU on October 24, Hawkins rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns, helping West Virginia secure a 24-20 victory.
Texas Tech can't afford to let him escape the pocket and turn broken plays into explosive gains.
Cam Cook | RB
Cook gives West Virginia a powerful complement to Hawkins.
The Mountaineers' leading rusher has accumulated 923 yards and seven touchdowns on 186 carries, averaging nearly five yards per attempt.
He rushed for 90 yards against TCU and added a receiving touchdown.
Cook's ability to punish defenses between the tackles creates opportunities for Hawkins to attack the perimeter.
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DJ Epps | WR
Epps might be the most dangerous big-play receiver Texas Tech has faced in recent weeks.
He leads West Virginia with 556 receiving yards and five touchdowns on just 22 catches.
That's an eye-opening 25.3 yards per reception.
His explosive production means the Red Raiders can't focus exclusively on stopping the run. One blown coverage could quickly turn into a touchdown.
Prince Strachan | WR
The Boise State-USC transfer provides another downfield threat in West Virginia's passing attack.
He has accumulated 275 receiving yards and gives Hawkins a secondary target when defenses devote extra attention to Epps.
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Against TCU, Strachan caught two passes for 24 yards.
His presence makes it harder for Texas Tech to overload coverage toward West Virginia's leading receiver.
Jaden Bray | WR
Bray adds another experienced option to the Mountaineers' offense after transferring in from Oklahoma State.
With 174 receiving yards this season, he hasn't produced the same explosive numbers as Epps, but his ability to work underneath coverage could become important if Texas Tech forces Hawkins into passing situations.
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The matchup ultimately comes down to the ground game.
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Texas Tech allows only 94.9 rushing yards per game and limited Arizona to just 12 yards on the ground in Saturday's 34-26 victory.
West Virginia, meanwhile, owns one of the nation's most productive rushing attacks.
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire understands the challenge.
"Number one, they stress you on the perimeter at a really high level," McGuire said while discussing the Mountaineers' offensive approach.
The Red Raiders have won six of their last seven meetings against West Virginia, including last year's 49-0 shutout.
But this Mountaineers offense presents a different challenge.
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If Texas Tech can contain Hawkins, limit Cook's production and eliminate explosive passing plays, the Red Raiders should have a strong opportunity to extend their home winning streak to a school-record 14 games.
If not, Saturday night could become another Big 12 shootout.
