Texas Tech is headed into its season opener Saturday with a defense that looks loaded from top to bottom, and the first official two-deep is due out Monday morning. Before that happens, here’s a projected look at how the Red Raiders could line up at 6 p.m. CT against Abilene Christian at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock.
Up front, the nose spot looks like it could go to Bryce Butler or Jayden Cofield. That room is one of the strongest on the roster, with Ibirogba regarded as one of the country’s top interior pass rushers.
Butler gives Texas Tech a sturdy run-stopping presence and should see plenty of snaps, whether or not he opens games in the starting role. Cofield, meanwhile, is ahead of schedule and now expected to be available sooner than originally projected.
The defensive tackle group is just as deep. Holmes headlines that unit as an All-American and preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and he’s backed by three tackles who have all logged plenty of high-level college snaps. Texas Tech’s front looks stacked again.
At outside linebacker - the Dog spot - White stands out as one of the active national leaders in tackles for loss, with Mathis offering proven depth as a former All-MAC performer. Guyton, the blue-chip newcomer who arrived on campus this month, has already impressed people around the program.
White was banged up, though a very good source said it’s not serious. The hope is he can go in the opener, but he could also miss some time.
On the other edge at outside linebacker, Texas Tech has three monster defensive ends who can hold up against the run and still get after the quarterback. Anderson being listed third is a strong sign of just how deep the room is; in a lot of past seasons, he would have been a starter and a heavy-snap player.
The linebacker group around Brock Golwas also looks settled. Roberts is one of the team’s best players and a leader, while Golwas held his own when he was forced into action in the Big 12 championship.
That two-deep stays intact from a year ago, and it remains a major strength. Romaine is viewed as an excellent replacement for a generational player, and there’s a case to be made that he had the best camp on the roster.
Platt brings versatility and experience to a linebacker room that already looks deep.
At star, John Curry is the name to watch. He’s coming off an outstanding season, and the other two options are no slouches either.
Dingle has the kind of freakish athletic ability that jumps off the page, even with the injury history, and Ramon-Edwards adds value in coverage and against the run. It’s another stacked spot on defense.
The secondary has its own clear strengths. At cornerback, Amier Boyd and Tarrion Grant project as the top pair.
Boyd was terrific in his first season at Texas Tech, while Grant brings former four-star pedigree. On the other side, Brice Pollock looks like one of the best cornerbacks in the country, with Davin Martin behind him.
Martin is a big corner and one of the fastest players on the team, and he made noise in the spring. He could be on an all-conference track down the road.
At safety, Jordan has quietly become a very good player and doesn’t get enough credit for everything he’s asked to do. Esquerra is a big, physical safety who thrives in run support. Peyton Morgan rounds out the strong safety spot.
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