The Texas Tech Red Raiders finished the season 8-5 with a victory at the Holiday Bowl over Arizona State. With that being Kliff Kingbury’s first season, it is not a bad record to start out with going into the Big 12 conference. The Red Raiders have some great incoming freshman and will be looking to improve on their 8-5 record from last year.
Kingsbury used some true freshman talent last year, and it looks like he will be using some of that talent again. The two freshmen to keep a lookout for are Ian Sadler and Nigel Bethel. Ian Sadler at 5-foot-10 will provide shiftiness in the receiving corps for the Red Raiders. Along with his receiving ability he will be able to provide Texas Tech with another punt return option. In his state title game, he recorded four catches for 73 yards and had a 65-yard punt-return touchdown.
The top of the Texas Tech recruit class and the most important freshman to look out for is Nigel Bethel. He started off his career with some bumps, including an incident involving assault and a women’s basketball player. However, he has now been reinstated which is good news for Red Raider fans. Bethel is an electrifying corner back who will make a huge impact once he steps out on the field. His aggressive play style will surely convert into some highlight reel footage.
Who to look out for:
On offense, Texas Tech will return starting quarterback Davis Webb at the helm. Webb completed 62.6 percent of his passes last season with 2,718 yards and 20 touchdowns. In addition, Webb will have his entire offensive line returning, which includes All-Big 12 tackle Le’Raven Clark. With the addition of Sadler at receiver the Red Raiders should be promising this season in the passing game.
The Red Raiders have a lot of questions to answer. Most of the starters from the defense have graduated and it looks like a lot of junior college talent is going to have to step up. Fans should be watching transfer senior inside linebacker V.J. Fehoko to establish himself as the leader for this offense. The defensive line look to be strong with JUCO transfers coming in that average about 300 pounds. With Fehoko taking the lead, the JUCO transfers and incoming freshman could be able to surprise some people on defense.
What to expect:
Texas Tech will most likely end up with close to their previous 8-5 record again this season. They have great talent coming in, but it will not be enough to compete with the other top contenders in the Big 12. The offense should be fine, but the defense is certainly suspect. They should be able to make a respectable bowl game and take another victory going into the post season.
