Well, we are less than ten days out from the expected start of Texas Tech's fall camp and after taking a look at what the biggest storylines on the offensive side of the ball last week, it's time for a look at Tim DeRuyter's group heading into year three.
Will any separation be created at the defensive end positions during camp?
This group has a fair amount of questions heading into the season but seems to be a very deep group this year. After losing Myles Cole to the draft and Steve Linton to the transfer portal, there are some significant snaps to be replaced from last season and Tech will have the bodies to do it.
Dylan Spencer, Amier Washington, Isaac Smith, Joseph Adedire, Charles Esters and Harvey Dyson are all viable options at the position but I am curious to see if there will be any tipping of the hand during camp of what the rotation of four will be to open the year. I would assume that Adedire, Spencer, Washington and Smith are the leaders in the clubhouse for those spots but after a good spring from Dyson and Esters, it will be interesting to see play out.
With a depleted and injury stricken room off the edge during spring camp, it will be a very important time for OLBs coach CJ Ah You, who seemed bullish about the group back in April but hadn't seen the completed product with Smith, Spencer and Adedire all missing some time throughout the spring.
Who wins the free safety & STAR battles and how do they effect one another?
This is probably the biggest question heading into the season on the defensive side of the ball. With Dadrion Taylor-Demerson off to the NFL, the Red Raiders have a massive void to fill at the free safety spot to play in tandem with now veteran leader CJ Baskerville.
The expectation is that Tech's battle between Chapman Lewis and Jordan Sanford will continue into the spring for the starting spot that was voided by Rabbit. However, it has been alluded to a couple of times throughout spring camp that Tech could shift AJ McCarty, the transfer from Baylor who was ineligible last season, to free safety if he does not beat out Brendan Jordan for the starting spot at STAR.
In my opinion, it will come down to who the staff believes is the best pair of defenders at their positions but I would find it hard to keep McCarty off the field with his athletic prowess and experience relative to the trio of second year safeties in Jordan, Sanford and Lewis but we will find out over the next month or so on that front.
Will the corner position be up to snuff?
This is a question that is likely to not be answered until the season is really getting going but it is a position that I am going to try to pay a bit more attention to when at the practice facility during camp.
With a lot of turnover from this position from last year, it is up to Bralyn Lux and Maurion Horn to shoulder the majority of the snaps for the Red Raiders at the position which is a pair with a lot of experience in Lux and very minimal experience in Horn. It's expected that Jalon Peoples and Canadian junior college transfer Devynn Cromwell will round out the rotation of corners to start, which should create a very physical unit at the position this season, but it is a group with minimal experience to start the season.
Inside linebacker two-deep will be?
This might be a forgone conclusion with three experienced players primed to play key roles at this position in Jacob Rodriguez, Ben Roberts and Bryce Ramirez all hoping to have a healthier and more continuous season.
Beyond that trio, it seems that redshirt freshman Lubbock local John Curry will have the opportunity to jump into the two-deep after an excellent spring but will have to beat out the experienced returning guys in Wes Smith and Trent Low alongside exciting young prospects with interesting potential in Miquel Dingle and Justin Horne.
Curry looked the part and was really strong in individual drills back in the spring and it will be interesting if he can keep up the momentum heading into the season.
Will the quartet at defensive tackle replace Bradford & Hutchings?
We all know what Tech's losing up front on the defensive line with Tony Bradford and Jaylon Hutchings out of the fold but this group of DTs is almost certainly the most experienced and deep room that has been here under McGuire.
McGuire has mentioned the struggle that was for him and the coaching staff in 2022 with minimal depth behind Bradford and Hutchings, which should be different this season for Tech, and I'll be fascinated to see how the defensive snap counts compare to 2022 and 2023, seen below.
2022:
Hutchings - 747 - 75%
Bradford - 659 - 66%
Blidi - 223 - 22%
Scott - 238 - 24%
All others (Burris, Banks, Carrell) - 42
2023
Bradford - 672 - 69%
Hutchings - 497 - 51%
Ledet - 378 - 39%
Banks - 237 - 24%
McAlpine - 127 - 13%
All others (Burris, Rigsby, Cofield) - 73
Tech has a pair of transfers in Rice's De'Braylon Carroll and Utah State's James Hansen bringing in significant experience into Zarnell Fitch's room this season while E'Maurion "Dooda" Banks and Quincy Ledet are back after quality contributions last season. Tech's depth doesn't end there as Tre'Von McAlpine seems primed to have the chance to see the field this season while Braylon Rigsby and Robert Wooten round out the "seven" defensive tackles that McGuire mentioned at Big 12 Media Days earlier this month.
There are a lot less questions surrounding the defense which is a bit surprising based on the amount of lost production at each position relative to last season, but it seems that Tech will be in a good position here with plenty of pieces to the puzzle heading into 2024, so long as Tim DeRuyter can put the puzzle together this year.
Founded by a Red Raider, All Hands Craft Cocktails is proud to announce their partnership with RedRaiderSports.com. Try these bar strength, ready-to-drink vodka cocktails at Jones AT&T Stadium this football season or find them at a retailer near you. Cheers.
@ALL HANDS
Will any separation be created at the defensive end positions during camp?
This group has a fair amount of questions heading into the season but seems to be a very deep group this year. After losing Myles Cole to the draft and Steve Linton to the transfer portal, there are some significant snaps to be replaced from last season and Tech will have the bodies to do it.
Dylan Spencer, Amier Washington, Isaac Smith, Joseph Adedire, Charles Esters and Harvey Dyson are all viable options at the position but I am curious to see if there will be any tipping of the hand during camp of what the rotation of four will be to open the year. I would assume that Adedire, Spencer, Washington and Smith are the leaders in the clubhouse for those spots but after a good spring from Dyson and Esters, it will be interesting to see play out.
With a depleted and injury stricken room off the edge during spring camp, it will be a very important time for OLBs coach CJ Ah You, who seemed bullish about the group back in April but hadn't seen the completed product with Smith, Spencer and Adedire all missing some time throughout the spring.
Who wins the free safety & STAR battles and how do they effect one another?
This is probably the biggest question heading into the season on the defensive side of the ball. With Dadrion Taylor-Demerson off to the NFL, the Red Raiders have a massive void to fill at the free safety spot to play in tandem with now veteran leader CJ Baskerville.
The expectation is that Tech's battle between Chapman Lewis and Jordan Sanford will continue into the spring for the starting spot that was voided by Rabbit. However, it has been alluded to a couple of times throughout spring camp that Tech could shift AJ McCarty, the transfer from Baylor who was ineligible last season, to free safety if he does not beat out Brendan Jordan for the starting spot at STAR.
In my opinion, it will come down to who the staff believes is the best pair of defenders at their positions but I would find it hard to keep McCarty off the field with his athletic prowess and experience relative to the trio of second year safeties in Jordan, Sanford and Lewis but we will find out over the next month or so on that front.
Will the corner position be up to snuff?
This is a question that is likely to not be answered until the season is really getting going but it is a position that I am going to try to pay a bit more attention to when at the practice facility during camp.
With a lot of turnover from this position from last year, it is up to Bralyn Lux and Maurion Horn to shoulder the majority of the snaps for the Red Raiders at the position which is a pair with a lot of experience in Lux and very minimal experience in Horn. It's expected that Jalon Peoples and Canadian junior college transfer Devynn Cromwell will round out the rotation of corners to start, which should create a very physical unit at the position this season, but it is a group with minimal experience to start the season.
Inside linebacker two-deep will be?
This might be a forgone conclusion with three experienced players primed to play key roles at this position in Jacob Rodriguez, Ben Roberts and Bryce Ramirez all hoping to have a healthier and more continuous season.
Beyond that trio, it seems that redshirt freshman Lubbock local John Curry will have the opportunity to jump into the two-deep after an excellent spring but will have to beat out the experienced returning guys in Wes Smith and Trent Low alongside exciting young prospects with interesting potential in Miquel Dingle and Justin Horne.
Curry looked the part and was really strong in individual drills back in the spring and it will be interesting if he can keep up the momentum heading into the season.
Will the quartet at defensive tackle replace Bradford & Hutchings?
We all know what Tech's losing up front on the defensive line with Tony Bradford and Jaylon Hutchings out of the fold but this group of DTs is almost certainly the most experienced and deep room that has been here under McGuire.
McGuire has mentioned the struggle that was for him and the coaching staff in 2022 with minimal depth behind Bradford and Hutchings, which should be different this season for Tech, and I'll be fascinated to see how the defensive snap counts compare to 2022 and 2023, seen below.
2022:
Hutchings - 747 - 75%
Bradford - 659 - 66%
Blidi - 223 - 22%
Scott - 238 - 24%
All others (Burris, Banks, Carrell) - 42
2023
Bradford - 672 - 69%
Hutchings - 497 - 51%
Ledet - 378 - 39%
Banks - 237 - 24%
McAlpine - 127 - 13%
All others (Burris, Rigsby, Cofield) - 73
Tech has a pair of transfers in Rice's De'Braylon Carroll and Utah State's James Hansen bringing in significant experience into Zarnell Fitch's room this season while E'Maurion "Dooda" Banks and Quincy Ledet are back after quality contributions last season. Tech's depth doesn't end there as Tre'Von McAlpine seems primed to have the chance to see the field this season while Braylon Rigsby and Robert Wooten round out the "seven" defensive tackles that McGuire mentioned at Big 12 Media Days earlier this month.
There are a lot less questions surrounding the defense which is a bit surprising based on the amount of lost production at each position relative to last season, but it seems that Tech will be in a good position here with plenty of pieces to the puzzle heading into 2024, so long as Tim DeRuyter can put the puzzle together this year.
Founded by a Red Raider, All Hands Craft Cocktails is proud to announce their partnership with RedRaiderSports.com. Try these bar strength, ready-to-drink vodka cocktails at Jones AT&T Stadium this football season or find them at a retailer near you. Cheers.
@ALL HANDS
