College Football News Preview 2020: Texas Tech Red Raiders Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Texas Tech Red Raiders Offense
The passing game has to be great at an unreasonable level. The program has become handcuffed by its style and identity. Yeah, the Red Raiders led the passing conference in passing, but that still wasn’t enough.
And it hasn’t been for several years.
For Texas Tech to come up with a winning season – because the running game and defense won’t pick up the slack – it has to throw for 5,000 yards. Last year it was just
Biggest Key To The Texas Tech Red Raiders Defense
The secondary has to stop giving up so many massive plays. New Mexico and UMass – those are the only two teams to allow more yards per pass attempt than the 9.2 Texas Tech allowed.
On the plus side, the 21 touchdown passes the Red Raiders gave up weren’t all that bad, and the 14 interceptions were good, but only UCLA and New Mexico gave up more passing yards per game.
For the most part, the secondary was decent and keeping the dink and dunk plays down, and they were able to keep most quarterbacks from getting into a groove. However, the team was 0-5 when allowing teams to go for nine yards or more per throw, and that includes Kansas as well Oklahoma.
Since beating Louisiana Tech early in 2016, the program is 0-18 when giving up nine yard or more per pass, and is 1-24 in its last 25 when getting burned deep too often.
Key Texas Tech Red Raiders Player To A Successful Season
LB Xavier Benson, Soph.
Jordyn Brooks seemed like he tackled everything last year, making a team-high 108 stops with 20 tackles for loss. Brayden Stringer – the No. 2 guy behind Brooks – is transferring, and the linebacking corps needs to find as many playmakers as possible behind the line.
Benson was a good tackler as a freshman – finishing fourth on the team with 47 stops – but he only came up with four tackles for loss. The 6-3, 220-pounder is built like a big safety, and he can run like one. He’s got the ability to become one of the team’s top leaders in every way, but the more plays behind the line this year, the better.
Key Game To The Texas Tech Red Raiders Season
at Iowa State, Sept. 26
Forget Oklahoma and Texas, Texas Tech has to learn how to beat Iowa State.
There was a time when beating the Cyclones was a relative given, but Texas Tech has lost four straight in the series and hasn’t won in Ames since 2014.
It’s the Big 12 opener this season, and it would be a huge deal for the team to get off to a big start. Beat UTEP, Alabama State, and Arizona, and there’s a chance to go 4-0 for the first time since 2013.
– Texas Tech Red Raiders Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Texas Tech Fun Stats
– 4th Quarter Scoring: Opponents 96 – Texas Tech 69
– Fumbles: Texas Tech 16 (lost 7) – Opponents 9 (lost 5)
– Average Yards Per Pass Attempt: Opponents 9.17 – Texas Tech 7.34