Texas Tech will open the 2026 season on Saturday night against Abilene Christian with two defensive starters sidelined, including one of its most experienced pieces in the secondary.
Safety Brenden Jordan and EDGE Trey White are both out for the opener, according to a Texas Tech Athletics release. Jordan is set to miss the first two games because of what the program called “non-injury related reasons,” while White is still unavailable after a knee injury he suffered during fall camp.
Jordan’s absence matters because Texas Tech is already rebuilding a defense that has to replace several important contributors from last year’s Big 12 Championship team. The senior started all 14 games in 2025 and finished fifth on the team with 59 tackles.
He added two tackles for loss, an interception, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Jordan was on the field for 794 defensive snaps last season, third-most on the team, and earned an 82.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
With Jordan out, Malik Esquerra is in line to make his first career start and will line up next to Peyton Morgan at safety.
White’s spot will be filled by Ansel Nedore at the field-side EDGE position, while Miami (Ohio) transfer Adam Trick shifts to the DOG spot. Head coach Joey McGuire had already labeled White “week-to-week” after the knee injury.
Texas Tech will also be missing linebacker Kaegan Ash, offensive lineman Ren Brown, EDGE LaDamion Guyton, cornerback Ashton Hampton and wide receivers Quintaelyn Joyner and Kai Powell on Saturday.
The No. 12 Red Raiders kick off at 6 p.m.
CT, then head to Oregon State next weekend. Because of his two-game absence, Jordan will also sit out that matchup.
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