Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire watches the first half of an NCAA college football game against BYU, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Provo, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
There were a lot of positives in Joey McGuire's first two seasons as Texas Tech's head football coach.
McGuire is just the second coach in Tech history to lead the team to a bowl game in his first two seasons, joining the late Mike Leach. He turned around a six-year stretch in which the school had five losing seasons and just two bowl game appearances. He also took advantage of the transfer portal to recruit a top freshman class this season.
But it's been a while since the Red Raiders were a Big 12 championship contender, so Tech still has a lot of work to do.
This summer, BuffZone will be previewing each of Colorado's opponents for the 2024 season, this time focusing on Texas Tech, who will host the Buffaloes on November 9th in Lubbock, Texas.
Though the Red Raiders were not considered a favorite to win the championship this year (media projects them to finish ninth in the Big 12 Conference), McGuire enters his third season with confidence.
But the health of the quarterback is crucial.
“I pray to God we don't use three quarterbacks this year,” he said in a recent interview with 365 Sports.
Injuries have forced Texas Tech to use three different starting quarterbacks in 2022 and 2023. Third-year guard Beren Morton has been a starter both seasons and returns for his junior year.
“Keeping our quarterback healthy is really important to us,” McGuire said. “I think that's one of the things that's going to help us take the next step. We feel good about our team.”
Traditionally known for a strong offense, Tech regressed last year, averaging just 27.4 points per game, the lowest average for Tech's offense since 2000 (Leach's first year in Lubbock) when he averaged 25.3 points per game.
Berens will be a key part of the Red Raiser offense, but the team will be led by star running back Taj Brooks, who was one of the nation's leading rushers last year and will be a valuable asset in a conference loaded with running backs.
While Brooks and Morton are back, there have been many changes around them.
Only one starting offensive lineman returns, McGuire used the transfer portal to add three new starters, and the receiver corps has also been bolstered with five-star freshman Micah Hudson and several transfers.
Defensively, the Red Raiders will be banking on the linebacker duo of Ben Roberts and Jacob Rodriguez. Roberts was one of the Big 12's top recruits last year, and Rodriguez was highly productive when healthy but missed most of 2023 with injury.
The secondary returns two starters, but Tech is counting on young players and newcomers to step up.
Tech also could benefit from a schedule that features seven home games and only two against teams projected to finish in the top five of the Big 12 standings.
“I think it's really important to get more consistency defensively and keep our quarterback healthy,” McGuire said. “If we can keep him healthy, I'm really confident in our football team.”
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Head Coach: Joey Maguire, 3rd season (15-11)
2023 season: 7-6, 5-4 Big 12 Conference, beat California in the Independence Bowl
Series with CU: 5-5 draw
game
Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs Texas Tech Red Raiders
when: Saturday, November 9th, time TBA
where: Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas
Texas Tech running back Taj Brooks (28) runs for a first down against the University of California during the second half of the Independence Bowl in NCAA college football in Shreveport, Louisiana, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. Texas Tech won the game 34-14. (Associated Press Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Five people to watch
S CJ Baskerville: Baskerville, a transfer from San Diego State last year, appeared in 10 games as a star rushing safety for the Red Raiders, finishing second on the team with 78 tackles to go along with 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and five pass breakups.
RB Taj Brooks: He had a breakout season in 2023, rushing for 1,538 yards and 10 touchdowns and earning first-team All-Big 12 selection. He was fourth nationally in rushing yards (118.31 per game) and caught 29 passes for 72 yards.
WR Josh Kelly: He had 61 catches for 923 yards and eight touchdowns at Washington State last year, and is a sixth-year senior who played four years at Fresno State, where he has 148 catches for 2,228 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career.
QB Beren Morton: He was a reserve at the start of the 2022 season but became a starter by the fifth game. He ultimately played in eight games, completing 62% of his passes for 1,757 yards, 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
LB Ben Roberts: He was named the Big 12 Conference co-Defensive Freshman of the Year last year after leading the Red Raiders with 107 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one interception.
Good to know
• Taj Brooks is seventh in Texas Tech history with 3,052 rushing yards and needs 1,168 more to become the school's all-time leader. Byron Hansperd (1994-96) currently holds the record with 4,219 yards.
• Texas Tech has appeared in a bowl game the past three consecutive seasons, the school's longest streak since an 11-year stretch from 2000-2010.
• Receiver Dray McCray was named to the preseason All-Big 12 list as a returner after averaging 27.6 yards on kickoff returns in 2023 and catching 29 passes for 255 yards on offense.
Former Fresno State head coach Tim DeRuyter will be in his third season as the school's defensive coordinator. Prior to his arrival in 2021, the Red Raiders allowed an average of 30.2 points per game. That average dropped to 29.2 points in 2022 and 26.0 points in 2023.
• Zach Kitley, 32, is in his third year as offensive coordinator after previously serving as offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky University and Houston Baptist University. Tech averaged 34.2 points per game in 2022 before dropping to 27.4 points last year.
• According to 247Sports.com, Texas Tech has landed the top recruit in the Big 12 for the Class of 2024. The top recruit is five-star receiver Micah Hudson, who is expected to be a starter.
• Gino Garcia returns as kicker after making 16 of 22 field goal attempts in 2023. He made 3 of 5 field goal attempts of 50 yards or more, with the longest being 55 yards. After going 2 of 6 last year, Garcia has made 14 of his last 16 field goal attempts.
• Jack Burgess was one of the top punters in the FCS last year while at Weber State. He averaged 44.1 yards per punt over the past two years.
Moving a Portal
Tech lost 23 players to the transfer portal. Most were reserves, but they lost key players, including starting offensive linemen Jacoby Jackson (Mississippi State) and Monroe Mills (Louisville). Two of last year's top four receivers, Jerand Bradley (Boston College) and Myles Price (Indiana University), also transferred, as did former starting quarterback Tyler Shaw (Louisville). Defensively, the Red Raiders lost part-time starting linebacker Jesiah Pierre (University of Central Florida) and rotational edge Steve Linton (Baylor University). In return, Tech added 16 transfers to fill holes on offense. Davion Carter (University of Memphis), Sterling Poacher (Middle Tennessee University) and Vinnie Scully (University of Toledo) are all expected to be starters on the offensive line. Receivers Caleb Douglas (Florida) and Josh Kelley (Washington State) and tight end Jalyn Conyers (Arizona State) are also expected to start. Defensive linemen D'Braylon Carroll (Rice) and James Hansen (Nevada) and cornerback Devin Cromwell (Guelph) are expected to be rotation players, and Jack Burgess (Weber State) is expected to handle punting.
