Texas Tech is barely into preseason camp, but Joey McGuire already likes what he sees across the roster.
After the Red Raiders’ first two practices, McGuire met with local media Thursday and kept coming back to the same theme: depth. He said the team has more playable bodies than he can remember, and that the competition is showing up everywhere from receiver to the defensive backfield.
“I can't remember a team like this as far as the depth, of how many guys we feel like can go out there and play.”
That strength is showing up in the receiver room especially. McGuire said wide receivers coach Juice Johnson is doing a strong job of mixing players through the rotation, and he called the group deep. Second-year wideout Bryson Jones has been one of the early standouts after a strong offseason, and McGuire pointed to a touchdown Jones hauled in during 7-on-7 work Thursday.
“He had a touchdown during 7-on-7 today. It was a great contested ball.
Kirk (Francis) hit him with a back shoulder right at the pylon. The guy, he did the same thing, he had a big play yesterday.
He reminds me, because of the length, a bit of Caleb Douglas.
McGuire said Jones’ emergence, along with young receivers like true freshman Chase Campbell, could give Texas Tech the ability to go three-deep at receiver this season. Transfer Malcolm Simmons, who is working with the twos, has also made a strong early impression.
McGuire said Simmons has “really showed up” and singled out his elite speed.
Another piece of the offensive puzzle is how Tech plans to use its skill players. McGuire said the staff has studied other programs and made a deliberate push to rotate more players in and out on offense this season. Outside of offensive line and quarterback, the goal is to keep fresh legs on the field and build real depth.
J'Koby Williams has been getting a lot of work in the slot, with Cam Dickey or Quinten Joyner in the backfield. McGuire also mentioned transfer Jalen Jones, calling him a throwback to the Leach era of smaller, quicker slot receivers.
There was plenty happening on the defensive side too. McGuire said the team has been good about holding itself and each other accountable, and he noted that Texas Tech has always rotated heavily on defense when it can. The roster’s size and depth, he said, make that easier.
McGuire compared this group with last year’s team, saying the 2024 squad was long and big, but this one is even bigger and has more depth. Whether it ends up being as good as last year’s team is still to be determined.
Several young players are making early pushes for snaps. McGuire said true freshman LaDamion Guyton had a couple good reps Thursday and added, “He definitely looks the part.”
At quarterback, McGuire said Will Hammond has stood out early.
“the ball is really jumping out of his hand. He's doing a really good job.”
On defense, McGuire highlighted a few names from Thursday’s work. Esquerra had a strong pass breakup on a throw intended for Terrance Carter. Miles was praised for a strong Wednesday practice, Morgan has been steady, and Quiller is earning more attention as a young safety who has stepped up and earned snaps with the twos.
McGuire also said there were five NFL scouts at practice Thursday, including one from the Jets. He was told David Bailey was the first player in the building and has shown strong work habits so far, something McGuire said made him proud.
And there’s one more marker on the calendar: Aug. 11 will be Texas Tech’s first camp practice in full pads.
McGuire’s birthday, meanwhile, landed on Thursday, 08/06 - a coincidence he joked lines up with the local area code.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Suddenly Faces Real Pressure On Its Conference Future
Texas Techs conference future suddenly looks a lot less settled, with new federal legislation creating a possible escape hatch for schools that want to move without carrying the usual punishment. A proposed amendment from Florida U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody would spare schools from a five-year probation penalty if they leave their athletic conference within 180 days of the bill becoming law, and that kind of window naturally invites speculation for programs weighing a jump to the SEC or Big Ten.
For the Red Raiders, the timing only adds to a busy stretch of off-field headlines. The program has already been part of recent controversy around quarterback Brendan Sorsby, whose legal injunction allowed him to play despite an NCAA suspension, and now conference realignment chatter has the potential to reach far beyond the usual rumor mill. If the amendment advances, it could give ambitious schools a narrower path to act quickly, and Texas Tech is the kind of program people will keep watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech's Playoff-Minded Scheduling Push Just Hit A Serious Snag
Texas Tech had been working to load up its future schedules with the kind of non-conference games that can strengthen a playoff case, but one of the marquee pieces never made it past the planning stage. The Red Raiders had discussed football matchups with Southern California for 2027 and 2028, and both schools acknowledged the talks, but the series did not come together.
That leaves Texas Tech in a tougher spot as it tries to line up Power Four opponents for those seasons. The market for quality non-conference games is already tight, and the Red Raiders have also been dealing with other future cancellations, which makes the remaining openings even more difficult to fill. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Suddenly Has A New Reason To Watch Big 12 Realignment
The latest wrinkle in college sports realignment comes from Washington, where a proposed amendment to the Protect College Sports Act could make it easier for a Power Four school to change leagues without sitting through the usual five-year probation period. Under the idea pushed by Sen. Ashley Moody, a school moving within 180 days of the bills enactment would have a quicker path out, a detail that immediately has people across the Big 12 watching the fine print.
For Big 12 members, the timing matters because the conference is still living with the aftershocks of recent expansion and the possibility of more movement ahead. Utah, which joined the Big 12 in 2024, has been mentioned as a school with interest in the Big Ten, and any change to the escape rules would reshape how firmly the league can count on its current lineup. No move has been announced, but the amendment adds another layer of uncertainty to a conference that has already spent plenty of time thinking about its place in the realignment pecking order. [Read more 🡒]