Texas Tech’s defense has already made an impression on Oregon State head coach Jamarcus Shepard, and he didn’t exactly hold back when explaining why.
Ahead of Saturday’s matchup, Shepard pointed to the Red Raiders’ blend of structure and force after watching them on film. His biggest takeaway wasn’t just that Texas Tech is talented - it was how well the unit knows what it’s doing and how hard it plays while doing it.
“They understand their scheme really well and that to me is what really truly stands out and they’re violent players. I’ve seen on film those guys hit people more violently than I’ve seen in a while. It’s reminiscent of how I feel like our players should play when they get a chance to hit someone violently.”
That’s a strong endorsement from an opposing coach, and Shepard made it clear he wasn’t tossing around the word “violent” lightly. He used it more than once while describing Texas Tech, underscoring how physical the Red Raiders have looked to him.
He also praised the way Texas Tech players appear to operate within the system. In Shepard’s view, the defense isn’t just flying around and making plays - it’s doing so with a clear grasp of its assignments and a level of confidence that shows up consistently on film.
Texas Tech’s defense carried plenty of momentum into this season after being one of the best units in college football last year, and the first outing of 2026 offered more evidence of that edge. In Saturday night’s win over Abilene Christian in Lubbock, the Red Raiders held their opponent to 2.6 yards per carry and 119 total yards.
Oregon State, meanwhile, is coming off a hard-fought game against Houston on Saturday, one that stayed within one score until late in the fourth quarter. The Beavers now return home for a tougher challenge as they try to bounce back in Year 1 under Shepard after going 2-10 in 2025.
Texas Tech at Oregon State is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday night.
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