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November 14, 2020; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raider helmets on the field before the game against the Baylor Bears at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA Today Sports
For the 2022 Texas Tech football season to be successful, some spots will need to be cleared starting in 2021. Hopefully a new coaching staff will help in areas where the Red Raiders struggled a season ago.
But since the former Baylor assistant coach has yet to lead a program at the collegiate level, it’s hard to say what to expect from Joey McGuire’s team. Moreover, it is fair to wonder if his leadership and coaching style will lead him to a disciplined and fundamentally sound team at this level of the game.
Tech fans are certainly hoping McGuire will be as effective in coaching the team as he has been in two other critical areas in building a winning program. Encouraging the fan base and refreshing the talent pool on the recruiting trail.
We’ll start getting those answers in just over three weeks. And with Tech taking the field in Week One, here are some statistical categories we hope to see an improvement from last year.
Total destruction
There are two main offensive categories to monitor, points per game and total offense. Of course, the former of those two is the most important stat in the game, but it can often be misleading when trying to figure out how effective an offense is, including stats like defensive scores, yards gained (as yards gained on special teams), and punts. The effectiveness of the game.
This is why many feel that the best measure of offense is offense, which is the average number of yards a team gains per play. That’s one area where Tech was incredibly bad last season.
Now, since Mike Leach took over the program in 2000, it has to be said that our idea of good and bad offense around Redland is a bit skewed, given how big our offense has become. The worst of the modern era of the program.
The Red Raiders have averaged 416.3 yards per game, ranking 56th nationally and 7th in the Big 12. That was down from the 429.5 yards per game the program put up last year, good for 38th nationally. Moreover, it was the lowest Tech output since the 1999 season.
Of course, much of that modest output had to do with the poor play Tech got at QB Henry Columbi, who started five games after starter Tyler Shaw went down in week four with a collarbone injury in the Texas game. Under Shaw, Tech averaged just 406.6 yards per game and failed to crack the 400-yard mark three times. What with redshirt freshman Donovan Smith at QB, Tech will average just 346 yards per game over the season’s final four games. (It should be noted, however, that Smith faced three of the best defenses in the conference in Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Baylor in his first three career starts.)
In other words, the play at QB matters. (Big shock.) This year, the Reds’ starter will be in much better shape at that position regardless. Shaw and Smith now both have experience starting at the Power 5 level and are both much better options than Columbia.
Tech fans are also looking forward to the arrival of offensive coordinator Zach Keightley to bolster the offensive attack. Last year, Western Kentucky’s team was second in the nation with 563.3 yards per game. But whether it’s a new scheme or better play, Tech should have a more effective offense this season in the most important part of the game.
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