Texas Tech’s defense has gone from a forgotten liability to the kind of unit opponents have to circle on the calendar, and Joey McGuire doesn’t sound like a coach preparing for regression.
After a 2025 season in which the Red Raiders ranked third nationally in total defense at 258.3 yards allowed per game and third in scoring defense at 11.7 points per game, McGuire believes the 2026 group could be even better despite losing David Bailey, Jacob Rodriguez, Romello Height, and Lee Hunter to the NFL after last season.
“Defensively, there's a chance we're better than we were last year,” he said to SiriusXM's Danny Kanell and Roy Philpott on Friday. “And that's [after] losing the No. 2 overall player [Bailey], who's dominating right now. That's losing Jacob Rodriguez.
“Just the depth of this team; we have seven defensive tackles that have started college football games. You know, we have three defensive ends with two more that are ready to play, that are young guys.
And then we got a kid out of Georgia, LaDamion Guyton, who's a freshman for us who's going to be really special. So we have six defensive ends.
You know, if you're good up front, you have a chance to win.”
The 2025 version of this defense was built around headliners. Bailey, Rodriguez, Height and Hunter all went in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft this spring. This year’s version may not have the same top-heavy feel, but the depth is what jumps out.
That starts on the defensive line, where A.J. Holmes enters the season as the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Bailey’s sack total from last year may be tough to replace - he and Height each finished in double digits - but Tech may not need one player to carry the load. Instead, the Red Raiders could spread the pressure around, with multiple players capable of landing in the five-to-nine sack range.
That kind of balance can be a headache for offenses. It’s harder to scheme against when the rush is coming from everywhere rather than from one or two obvious threats.
The linebacking group also looks loaded, even without Rodriguez. Ben Roberts is set to lead that unit, with K-State transfer Austin Romaine in the mix after ranking among the Big 12’s most productive defenders a season ago. John Curry, the Lubbock native, gives Tech another weapon as a hybrid safety/linebacker who can move all over the formation and make plays.
In the secondary, the Red Raiders bring back All-Big 12 corner Bryce Pollock, safety Brenden Jordan, and corner Amier Boyd, who emerged as one of last season’s breakout players.
Texas Tech’s makeover on defense didn’t happen by accident. The program has poured resources into that side of the ball over the last two offseasons, adding 22 defensive transfers, and the payoff has already shown up. If McGuire is right, the next step could be the biggest one yet.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Defense Faces An Early Test In The Opener
Texas Techs defense will enter the season opener with at least one notable absence after Joey McGuire said starting edge rusher Trey White will miss the game against Abilene Christian because of a knee injury. It is not a season-ending issue, but it does trim some of the edge rushing experience the Red Raiders expected to have on hand when the year kicks off.
Still, the early concern around White comes with some built-in reassurance for Tech. The Red Raiders are otherwise expected to be healthy, and there is depth behind him with true freshman LaDamion Guyton and senior transfer Jamond Mathis both positioned to help cover snaps while White works his way back. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Defense Still Has Key Starting Spots Up For Grabs
With Texas Tech set to open against Abilene Christian, the next item on the programs checklist is the official two-deep, and the defense still has a few spots to sort through before the first snap. The staff has already spent the preseason weighing personnel, tracking injuries and watching player development, with the positional picture mostly coming into focus even if the final pecking order is not yet locked in.
Several veteran pieces appear positioned for prominent roles, but the last details on who starts where and how much each defender will play remain unsettled. That uncertainty is part of the intrigue heading into the opener, since the Red Raiders have enough known contributors to feel comfortable and enough competition left at multiple spots to make the depth chart worth watching when it finally drops. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Opener Feels More Complicated Than A Typical Week 1 Tune-Up
Texas Techs opener against Abilene Christian comes with a little more uncertainty than the usual Week 1 tune-up. Both rosters have changed a lot since the teams met in 2024, which makes film study less straightforward, and Joey McGuire and defensive coordinator Shiel Wood have both pointed to the challenge of getting a clean read on what the Wildcats will actually look like this time around.
Abilene Christian has already been on the field once this season, and its offensive staff gives this matchup an especially familiar feel for Tech fans. Keith Pattersons team is being steered by Graham Harrell, the Texas Tech Hall of Famer who now runs the Wildcats offense, adding a layer of history to a game that already asks the Red Raiders to sort through a new cast of players on both sides. [Read more 🡒]