The 2014 college football season would be remembered by the people at Lubbock as the year the Texas Tech Red Raiders forgot how to play defense. But by hiring a new defensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury is hoping that this coming season will see his team finally get it together on both ends. Are the Red Raiders ready to improve on their disappointing 4-8 record last year?
Read on for an overview of Texas Tech’s key player this coming season along with the team’s key game, best and worst scenarios and a complete list of the Red Raiders’ 2015-2016 schedule.
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[sc:”NCAAF Articles” ]2015-2016 Texas Tech College Football Preview
Overview
[sc:NCAA240banner ]If only Texas Tech played as smooth as Kliff Kingsbury’s hair, the Red Raiders would’ve done better in the Big 12 last season than what their 0-4 conference record suggests. The Red Raiders finished 10th last season in total offense per game (504.1 yards) but was only 55th in scoring (30.5), no thanks to their chaotic play that resulted to them being ranked 118th in turnover margin.
That sloppiness could change though, with nine starters back on offense and eight on defense. Four of those returnees will be on the offensive line, where senior left tackle Le’Raven Clark will further polish his NFL credentials. Over at the backfield, DeAndre Washington will lead a group that averaged 153.0 rushing yards per game last year. The receiving corps should be a strength again with senior Jakeem Grant (938 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2014) and junior Devin Lauderdale sharing top duties down field. But who’ll sling the ball at them?
Kingsbury has stated that he is soon to announce who between Davis Webb and Patrick Mahomes will be under center come the start of the season. Webb was last year’s starter before a shoulder injury shut him down. He led the team in passing yards (2,539) and passing touchdowns (24). Mahomes, on the other hand, did fine, too, as he picked up where Webb left off, compiling 1,547 passing yards to go along with 16 passing scores. Where the Red Raiders need a complete turnaround, however, is on defense.
Former Houston defensive coordinator David Gibbs has the tough task of transforming the Red Raiders’ defense that gave up 41.3 points per game in 2014. Among the weapons Gibbs has at his disposal is a ravenous pass rusher in Pete Robertson, who led the conference last season with 12 sacks. As for the secondary, it’ll feature the experienced tandem of sophomore cornerback Nigel Bethel and junior safety Keenon Ward. The offense will be there for Texas Tech regardless of the starting quarterback, but the defense is a big question mark. If that aspect of the Red Raiders’ game improves big time, expect the team to get a ticket to a lower tier bowl match.
Key Player – Pete Robertson
If defense is Texas Tech’s barometer, then defensive end Pete Robertson is that instrument’s needle.
The offense is set, needing just a solid stop unit to complement it. Enter Robertson, whose versatility in shifting between linebacker and defensive end positions should pose consistent threat to Texas Tech’s opponents. Aside from leading the Big 12 in sacks in 2014, Robertson also finished second in forced fumbles (three) and fourth in tackles for loss (14.5). Defensive coordinator can’t be any happier that he have Robertson plugged in the defense.
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Key Game – vs. TCU (Sep. 26)
TCU nearly erased the Red Raiders off the face of the planet last season when the Horned Frogs scored a soul-crushing 82-27 win against Texas Tech. Another meeting with Trevone Boykins and crew is just what the Red Raiders need to see how far they have come, particularly in terms of defense. Since 2004, Texas Tech is 3-2 SU and ATS in its last five games versus the Horned Frogs.
Best/Worst Case Scenario for the Season
Best Case Scenario
By regular season’s end, Gibbs would be viewed as a miracle worker, as the he rectifies Texas Tech’s much-maligned defense. The experience injected by the Red Raiders’ bunch of returnees serves the team well as almost all their basic offensive and defensive statistics increase. With the defense keeping in step with the offense, Texas Tech finishes, the regular season with an 8-4 overall record (4-5 in Big 12). Kingsbury’s boys get an invite to a bowl game, winning it and capping a successful season with aplomb.
Worst Case Scenario
The Red Raiders realize that it would take Gibbs more than a single offseason to overhaul a defense that was in shambles just a year ago. Last season’s demons on defense shows up again and weighs down whatever success Texas Tech’s offense is having on the other side of the field. The Red Raiders will win no more than four games in their first nine games, a stretch that includes matchups against TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State, and loses out all their last three matches on schedule versus West Virginia, Kansas State, and Texas. At regular season’s end, the Red Raiders will have a 5-7 overall record (3-6 in Big 12).
Complete Schedule
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, September 5 | vs Sam Houston | 3:30 PM ET |
| Saturday, September 12 | vs UTEP | 3:00 PM ET |
| Saturday, September 19 | @ Arkansas | 7:00 PM ET |
| Saturday, October 26 | vs TCU | TBA |
| Saturday, October 3 | vs Baylor | TBA |
| Saturday, October 10 | vs Iowa State | TBA |
| Saturday, October 17 | @ Kansas | TBA |
| Saturday, October 24 | @ Oklahoma | TBA |
| Saturday, October 31 | vs Oklahoma State | TBA |
| Saturday, November 7 | @ West Virginia | TBA |
| Saturday, November 14 | vs Kansas State | TBA |
| Thursday, November 26 | @ Texas | 7:30 PM ET |
Writer’s Prediction
Texas Tech finishes the 2015 season with an overall record of 7-6 (4-5 in Big 12).
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