texas tech RED raiders

2022 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Spring Storylines

Mcguire Enters Second Season

n Texas Tech enters its second season under head coach Joey McGuire, who led the Red Raiders to a memorable debut that featured eight wins for the first time since 2013, its most Big 12 wins since 2009 and a victory over Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl.

2023 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

SOCIAL MEDIA: #WreckEm

n Twitter: @TexasTechFB n Instagram: @TexasTech_FB

TEXAS TECH COACHING STAFF n Joey McGuire, Head Coach (Second Season) n Kenny Perry, Assoc. H.C./Special Teams/RBs (Second Season) n Tim DeRuyter, Defensive Coordinator (Second Season) n Zach Kittley, Offensive Coordinator/QBs (Second Season) n McGuire became only the fifth head coach in program history to win at least eight games in his debut season and the third to do so while also winning a bowl game, joining both Tommy Tuberville (2010) and Kliff Kingsbury (2013) on that list. Neither Tuberville or Kingsbury were able to post five Big 12 wins in their debut season, however.

Kittley Returns Bulk Of Offense

n There will be plenty of firepower returning to the Red Raider offense this spring as Texas Tech brings back two of its top quarterbacks in Tyler Shough and Behren Morton as well as its leading rusher in Tahj Brooks and each of its top-five leading receivers, including Freshman All-American wideout Jerand Bradley.

n The added experience will be a welcome sight for second-year offensive coordinator Zach Kittley, who pushed the Red Raiders to 34.2 points and 461.4 yards of total offense per game despite utilizing three different starting quarterbacks throughout the season.

Construction Underway At Tech

n Joey McGuire called it before his debut season. He said “we’re going to beat Texas and Oklahoma and then two days later, we’re going to knock down the south end zone.” Texas Tech began its largest facility investment in athletics history less than 24 hours after the Red Raiders topped Oklahoma as demolition started to make way for the more than $200 million south end zone and Dustin R. Womble Football Center project.

n Due to the ongoing construction project, Texas Tech will move its annual Spring Game to Lowrey Field at PlainsCapital Park, the home to Lubbock ISD, on April 22. Television coverage will be provided via Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

Red Raiders By The Numbers

1 4 71

Texas Tech is the only current Big 12 school and one of eight teams across the country to secure a bowl win in each of the past two seasons after topping Mississippi State in 2021 and Ole Miss this past December.

Texas Tech will enter the 2023 season with the Big 12’s longest active winning streak after closing the 2022 campaign with four-consecutive victories, including a 42-25 win over Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl.

Number of career starts between defensive linemen Tony Bradford Jr. and Jaylon Hutchings, who have combined for 254 tackles, 43.5 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks over the past four seasons.

TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL | SPRING PROSPECTUS

Media Information For Texas Tech Spring Football

Texas Tech Spring Coverage

The Texas Tech Athletics Communications office is here to assist the media throughout the 2023 season. Please see the following media policies below for coverage of spring football.

Practice Access

Media will have access to select 20-30 minute periods of practices throughout the spring. Media are asked to report to the front of the Sports Performance Center roughly 15 minutes before each availability time where a member of the communication staff will let you know when the open period is set to begin. Media viewing periods will typically be announced roughly 24 hours in advance of each practice.

Texas Tech will have a media access period for all but five practices, which are the following: April 1, April 7, April 15, April 18, April 20. The entire Texas Tech Spring Game will be available for media. Any changes or additions to this schedule will be sent out via email each week.

For practices held inside the Sports Performance Center, media will be asked to remain on the west side of the facility for the duration of the access period. For practices held outdoors either at the Football Training Facility or inside Jones AT&T Stadium, media will NOT be permitted in the regular team bench areas on both sides of the field (20 yard line to 20 yard line). Media are asked to remain at a distance from all drills. Access to the space between the two fields will be limited.

Live Streaming

Live video streaming of any Texas Tech spring practice or media availability on any social media platform or website is strictly prohibited without prior approval from the athletics communications office. Violation of this policy will lead to revocation of credentials.

Spring Media Availability Schedule

Texas Tech coaches and student-athletes will be available following nearly all of the Red Raiders’ practices this spring, including the Spring Game on April 22. Below is a full schedule of when to expect staff members to be available. Media can expect corresponding student-athletes from that coach’s position room to be available on those same dates. The schedule is subject to change with notification sent when those are made.

Media should arrive 5-10 minutes prior to each viewing period or availability. All post-practice availabilities will take place inside the Sports Performance Center unless otherwise noted. Media will be allowed inside the SPC immediately following the completion of each practice.

n March 21 - Joey McGuire n March 23 - Tim DeRuyter, Zach Kittley n March 25 - Justin Johnson n March 28 - Marcel Yates n March 30 - Joey McGuire, C.J. Ah You n April 1 - No availability n April 4 - Kenny Perry n April 6 - No availability n April 7 - Joey McGuire n April 11 - Josh Cochran, Josh Bookbinder n April 13 - Stephen Hamby, Zarnell Fitch n April 15 - No availability n April 18 - Joey McGuire n April 20 - Zach Kittley, Tim DeRuyter n April 22 - Joey McGuire

Texas Tech Pro Day

Texas Tech will host its annual Pro Day event on March 29 inside the Sports Performance Center. Information regarding coverage of the event will be distributed in the weeks leading up to the event. As of now, Texas Tech expects 15 of its graduated student-athletes to participate in front of NFL scouts and coaches.

Spring Game Credentials

Media wishing to cover the Texas Tech Spring Game must request a credential in order to gain sideline or pressbox access for Lowrey Field. Credential requests can be made to Matt Dowdy in the Athletics Communications office. He can be reached electronically at matthew.dowdy@ttu.edu. Credential requests will start being accepted April 10. Please note that Texas Tech does not credential freelance photographers, outlets or contributors to “fan sites” or podcasts.

STUDENT-ATHLETE/COACH AVAILABILITY

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire will address the media each week throughout the spring. In total, Texas Tech is slated to host availabilities following 12 of its 15 practice dates currently as each assistant coach and coordinator will be available at least once each.

Media are encouraged to send any student-athlete requests to Matt Dowdy at least two days ahead of an availability. Texas Tech will make every effort to make a requested student-athlete available upon requested. Media can expect 3-5 student-athletes and/ or assistant coaches to be available following each designated practice. Contacting student-athletes or coaches through text message or social media is strictly prohibited and could result in revocation of credentials.

COLLEGEPRESSBOX.COM

Collegepressbox is the official media website for Division I football. Access and download game notes, quotes, statistics, media guides, headshots, logos and more for all FBS schools, conferences, postseason games, awards and the College Football Playoff. For access, please register for an account at collegepressbox. com/register.

Practices without either designation will be closed to media.

Team Notebook

RED RAIDERS RETURN 16 STARTERS ON BOTH SIDES n Joey McGuire will return the bulk of his production on both sides of the ball this spring as Texas Tech boasts 16 returning starters, including 10 on offense and an additional six on defense. The list of returnees also features a pair of specialists as well in long snapper Jackson Knotts, a two-year starter, and punter Austin McNamara, who will enter 2023 on pace to easily snap the Texas Tech career punting average record. n As a team, Texas Tech’s list of returners account for 322 career starts between both sides of the ball (165 offense, 157 defense). That total is boosted by 13 different Red Raiders with at least 10 career starts, a list led by defensive lineman Jaylon Hutchings with 46 over the past four seasons. Behind Hutchings, the list also features offensive lineman Caleb Rogers (29), defensive lineman Tony Bradford Jr. (25), defensive backs Rayshad Williams (24) and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (24) as well as wide receiver Myles Price (21). n Offensive coordinator Zach Kittley will benefit from the return of two quarterbacks in senior Tyler Shough and sophomore Behren Morton, who will battle for the starting job throughout spring practices. Shough, the starter out of preseason camp last August, was a perfect 5-0 in starts a year ago after leading the Red Raiders to four-consecutive wins to end the season. Morton, meanwhile, showed the promise that made him Texas Tech’s highest-rated quarterback signing in school history after starting in four Big 12 contests where he threw for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns, while rushing for two more.

What Returns For The Red Raiders

STARTERS RETURNING/LOST

n The quarterback room, regardless of who wins the starting job, will definitely benefit from a much more experienced wide receiver room as Texas Tech returns each of top-five receivers from a year ago, including sophomore Jerand Bradley, who earned second team Freshman All-America honors this past season after catching 51 passes for 744 yards and six touchdowns. Texas Tech, as a team, brings back 87.8 percent of its receiving production from a year ago with fellow returners such as Myles Price, Xavier White, Loic Fouonji and Nehemiah Martinez I. Those five names represent the Red Raiders’ top five leading receivers from this past season.

n Defensively, despite the loss of regulars such as Tyree Wilson, Krishon Merriweather and Marquis Waters, the Red Raiders still bring back plenty of experience, especially up front with the likes of Hutchings and Bradford, who have combined for 71 starts up front between the two. In addition to up front, the Red Raiders return three mainstays in the secondary, including both cornerbacks in Williams and Malik Dunlap as well as safety Taylor-Demerson. Dunlap was an All-Big 12 second team honoree a year ago by the conference coaches.

Welcome To The Family

n Fans and media alike will need a roster this spring as the Red Raiders welcomed 19 new faces to the roster at the start of the spring semester. The list of newcomers are part of a Texas Tech signing class that ranked as high as No. 23 by every major publication, representing the Red Raiders’ top class in more than a decade.

n Texas Tech signed 28 high school prospects as part of its 2023 class, of which 12 are already on campus to start spring practices. That list includes three Red Raiders who were considered four-star signees in defensive backs Jordan Sanford and Brenden Jordan as well as outside linebacker Dylan Spencer. Texas Tech’s lone quarterback signee for the 2023 class, Jake Strong, was also part of the freshman class that enrolled at semester.

n While the Red Raiders’ recruiting efforts will always primarily focus on high school prospects from the state of Texas under McGuire, Texas Tech did land seven mid-year transfers at semester, which includes defensive back C.J. Baskerville (San Diego State), defensive lineman Quincy Ledet Jr. (Louisiana-Monroe), outside linebackers Steve Linton (Syracuse) and Terrell Tilmon (Oregon), wide receiver Drae McCray (Austin Peay), place kicker Gabe Showalter (Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College) and offensive lineman Rusty Staats (Western Kentucky). That group alone accounts for 80 career starts at the collegiate level, including 27 from Staats, a key addition on the offensive line, as well as 22 from McCray, 18 from Ledet and 11 from Baskerville.

Texas Tech Final 2022 Stat Rankings

Meet The New Guys

2023 Super Senior Roster

Big 12 Conference Standings

CONF

Big 12 Bowl Results

LOCKHEED MARTIN ARMED FORCES BOWL

Air Force 30, Baylor 15

GUARANTEED RATE BOWL

Wisconsin 24, Oklahoma State 17

AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL

Arkansas 55, Kansas 53

TAXACT TEXAS BOWL

Texas Tech 42, Ole Miss 25

CHEEZ-IT BOWL

Florida State 35, Oklahoma 32

VALERO ALAMO BOWL, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

Washington 27, Texas 20

ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL

Alabama 45, Kansas State 20

CFP SEMIFINAL AT THE VRBO FIESTA BOWL

TCU 51, Michigan 45

CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Georgia 65, TCU 7

FUTURE NON-CON SCHEDULES

A $200 MILLION INVESTMENT

n Texas Tech announced its largest investment into the Red Raider football program to date in July 2022 as the athletics department unveiled plans for a more than $200 million facilities project to construct a new south end zone building to Jones AT&T Stadium, which will connect to the new Dustin R. Womble Football Center. The newly-constructed facilities will include over 300,000 combined square feet and blend worldclass modern design and technology elements with Spanish architecture well known to Texas Tech supporters.

n Texas Tech will relocate its coaches’ offices to the third floor of the south end zone, which will overlook Cody Campbell Field at Jones AT&T Stadium and connect to both the Womble Football Center and the Sports Performance Center through a skybridge. Plans are for the Womble Football Center to be constructed on the same land that currently occupies the present Football Training Facility, featuring two stories in height as well as the expansion to Sixth Street to further increase the overall square footage of the facility.

n Texas Tech will maintain its football strength and conditioning, sports medicine and equipment areas on the main level of the Womble Football Center as part of the new layout. The second floor will connect to the skybridge, housing many of the football program’s meeting spaces, including individual position rooms and the Spike Dykes Team Meeting Room. This floor will also feature a revolutionary 6,000plus square foot multi-purpose walkthrough area designed to allow for large-scale indoor team strategy implementation, instruction and technique evaluation.

n Between the south end zone project and the Womble Football Center, the two facilities will contain space for both recruiting and players’ lounges, a new player locker room, a television studio for gameday and social media content as well as a significant investment into technology through digital signage and displays.

n Construction crews officially began work on the project Nov. 27 with the start of the removal of the historic Double T Scoreboard.

Spring Game Moving To Lowrey Field In Lubbock

n Due to the ongoing construction project, Texas Tech will move its annual Spring Game to Lowrey Field at PlainsCapital Park, the home to Lubbock ISD football games. The spring game will take place April 22 with a 12 p.m. start with television coverage provided via Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Texas Tech will offer free admission for all fans to PlainsCapital Park, the home of Lubbock ISD football. It will be the lone open practice surrounding Texas Tech’s spring schedule as Jones AT&T Stadium will be unavailable until closer to the 2023 season.

n In between the action on the field, Texas Tech will resume one tradition at halftime of the Spring Game with the unveiling of its team awards from the 2022 season. Texas Tech’s team awards date back to 1961 and feature the likes of the Pete Cawthon Memorial Team MVP, the Dell Morgan Memorial Courage Award and the E.J. Holub Double Tough Award, among others. It will be the first time since 2008 Texas Tech has formally presented its team awards.

RED RAIDERS COMING OFF BACK-TO-BACK BOWL WINS

n Texas Tech is coming off consecutive seasons with a bowl victory for the first time since the 2012-13 campaigns when the Red Raiders claimed the Meineke Car Care trophy (2012) and then the Holiday Bowl crown (2013). The Red Raiders, who routed Mississippi State to end the 2021 season at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl and then Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl this past December, will look to extend that streak this fall, which has not been done previously over a three-year stretch since the 2002-04 campaigns.

n Texas Tech will enter the 2023 season as one of only 13 schools nationally to win a bowl game in consecutive seasons and one of eight to do so as a power-five school at the time. The Red Raiders are the lone current Big 12 school to do so as Texas Tech is joined by the likes of Minnesota, Wake Forest, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland and Wisconsin.

n Texas Tech, historically, is one of the most successful programs nationally with 40 all-time bowl appearances, which ranks in the top 25 of FBS programs. A return to a bowl game in 2023 would mark Texas Tech’s longest streak of consecutive postseason appearances since a school-record run of 11-straight years from 2000-10.

n For Joey McGuire, he is looking to become only the second head coach in program history to lead the Red Raiders to a bowl game in each of his first two seasons as head coach. That would place McGuire in the same category as Mike Leach, who remains Texas Tech’s all-time winningest head coach with an 84-43 record from 2000-09.

The Texas Bowl Good Luck Charm

Christian, at Oregon State, Colorado State

2024 Abilene Christian, at Oregon, North Texas 2025 Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Colorado State, Oregon State 2026

Bluff, at North Texas, N.C. State

2023 Big 12 Media Days

Texas Tech will be on site for Big 12 Media Days on July 12-13 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. All 14 conference teams will be present on both days. Texas Tech will announce its student-athlete attendees to join head coach Joey McGuire in the weeks leading up to the annual Media Days event.

Credential applications will be sent out by the Big 12 office later this summer. Please contact Joni Lehmann at the conference office with any questions (joni@big12sports.com).

n The Red Raiders’ stay at Houston for the TaxAct Texas bowl was one to remember, highlighted by Texas Tech’s 42-25 victory over Ole Miss. Now, the hope is the win will translate the same way it has for the last three Big 12 schools to win the bowl game. Since the 2017 season, the last three Big 12 winners of the Texas Bowl have turned that momentum into an appearance in the conference championship game the next season.

n In fact, Joey McGuire has seen this himself as he was part of a Baylor program that defeated Vanderbilt in 2018 and proceeded to finish 11-3 the next season with a loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game and an appearance in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Texas previously started the run in 2017, defeating Missouri in the Texas Bowl before a 10-4 season the following year and a loss to Oklahoma in the league title game. Kansas State, meanwhile, won the Texas Bowl in 2021 and then followed with a 10-4 record this past season, which featured a win over TCU in the Big 12 Championship.

IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO TALK TOP 25

n After an eight-win season to start the Joey McGuire era, many in the media have labeled the Red Raiders as a preseason top-25 favorite and a darkhorse pick to make the Big 12 Championship game this next fall. Thus far, Texas Tech has ranked as high as No. 14 in the preseason poll compiled by Brett McMurphy of Action Network. The Red Raiders were also slotted at No. 19 by Bleacher Report (Adam Kramer), No. 20 by 247Sports (Brad Crawford) and No. 23 by ESPN (Mark Schlabach).

n If the Red Raiders are tabbed to the preseason top 25 by either the Associated Press or USA Today AFCA poll, it would mark their first appearance in the preseason edition since the 2008 campaign. The Red Raiders have not been featured in either poll since Sept. 23, 2018, when Texas Tech came in at No. 24 in the USA Today AFCA rankings.

n The Red Raiders received votes in both polls to close the 2022 season as Texas Tech picked up 19 points in the Associated Press rankings and then 13 points in the AFCA top 25. Based on total points, the Red Raiders closed 2022 ranked at No. 31 in the AP poll and then No. 32 in the AFCA poll.

IT’S REALLY NOT TOO EARLY...

Texas Tech in several “way too early” top-25 preseason polls Website Ranking

Network No. 14

Report No. 19

20

No. 23

RED RAIDERS RIDE INTO 2023 WITH FOUR-GAME WINNING STREAK n Texas Tech closed the 2022 campaign on a four-game winning streak, its longest winning streak to end a season since the Red Raiders had a similar four-game run in 1995 during their final year in the Southwest Conference. That streak was boosted by three-straight Big 12 wins over Kansas, Iowa State and Oklahoma to close the regular season. n Texas Tech closed the regular season with an overtime win over Oklahoma, marking its third-consecutive Big 12 victory, its longest streak since opening the 2013 conference slate with four-straight wins. The Red Raiders will open Big 12 play this next season at West Virginia, which with a win, would mark Texas Tech’s longest conference winning streak since opening league action in 2013 with fourconsecutive victories. n With a victory over Wyoming in the season opener, the Red Raiders would boast their longest winning streak since being on the right side of the scoreboard over eight-consecutive games over the 2012-13 seasons, starting with the 2012 Meineke Texas Bowl victory over Minnesota and proceeding into the first seven contests of the Kliff Kingsbury era in 2013.

NEW YEAR, NEW NUMBER

n There will be a few Red Raiders debuting new jersey numbers when Texas Tech begins spring practice, including several noticeable changes for the likes of Dadrion Taylor-Demerson and Loic Fouonji, among others. To the right is a listing of 12 different Red Raiders who have changed jersey numbers in the offseason.

New Look Big 12 On Tap For 2023

n The Big 12 Conference will welcome four new members for the 2023 season as BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF will all join to bring the conference’s membership up to 14 schools. The Red Raiders will face three of those schools as Houston and UCF will both visit Jones AT&T Stadium, while Texas Tech will make its first-ever trip to BYU.

NEW NUMBER, NEW YEAR

Red Raiders debuting new jersey numbers beginning this spring

Name 2023 Previous

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson No. 1 No. 25

Jordan Brown No. 4 No. 86

Nate Floyd No. 4 No. 17

Myles Cole No. 6 No. 5

Coy Eakin No. 8 No. 85

Jacob Rodriguez No. 10 No. 13

Loic Fouonji No. 11 No. 19

Hut Graham No. 13 No. 14

Joseph Adedire No. 14 No. 43

Robert Wooten No. 15 No. 51

Jayden York No. 15 No. 89

Cole Spencer No. 70 No. 74 n While new to the Big 12, Houston has been a frequent opponent for the Red Raiders in recent years as the two schools completed a four-game non-conference series against each other just this past season. The Red Raiders, who topped Houston, 33-30, in double overtime this past season, have won 10 of the past 11 meetings against the Cougars as the 2023 contest will be the 35th all-time meeting between the two former Southwest Conference foes. n Texas Tech has a limited history with both BYU and UCF as it will be only the second all-time meeting with the Cougars (other was a 21-10 Tech win in 1940) and the first contest against the Knights. This will be the Red Raiders’ first-ever trip to the state of Utah for a football contest.

MORE ON THE SCHEDULE...

n The Red Raiders will open the year on the road at Wyoming on Sept 2, which marks the first time Texas Tech has kicked off the season at an opponent’s home stadium since a 2013 victory at SMU. Tech previously opened the 2021 campaign with a win at Houston, but that game was played at NRG Stadium - the home to the Houston Texans - and not TDECU Stadium on campus. The Red Raiders, who have won 19 of their last 20 season openers, will be facing Wyoming for only the sixth time in history and the first time since 1992.

n Texas Tech will open its home slate a week later against Pac-12 foe Oregon in what should be one of the top power-five nonconference matchups in college football. The Red Raiders have two former Ducks now on their roster in senior quarterback Tyler Shough and sophomore outside linebacker Terrell Tilmon. Additionally, two members of Texas Tech’s staff - defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter and defensive passing game coordinator Marcel Yates - were on the Oregon staff prior to their arrival in Lubbock.

n The Red Raiders will enter the Oregon contest riding a 23-game winning streak in home openers as Texas Tech has been one of the nation’s most-dominant teams in non-conference play over the past two decades. Tech has won each of its last 16 non-conference games inside Jones AT&T Stadium and 41 of its last 42 contests dating back to the 2002 season. The Red Raiders are an impressive 48-2 overall in non-conference home games since moving to a spread offense in 2000.

n Texas Tech will play two non-Saturday games during the 2023 season as the Red Raiders will host TCU in a Thursday night primetime matchup on Nov. 2. The Red Raiders will close the season Nov. 24 in a Friday contest at Texas.

RECAPPING A MEMORABLE 2022 SEASON...

n With its win over Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl, Texas Tech secured its first eight-win season since 2013, which marked the debut season of then head coach Kliff Kingsbury. It marked Texas Tech’s 12th season as a Big 12 member with eight or more wins.

n The Red Raiders finished 6-1 at home, marking their most wins at Jones AT&T Stadium since Texas Tech had a similar record in front of its fans in 2009. It was the 11th time in program history Texas Tech has won six or more home games in a season and the fifth time as a Big 12 member (2000, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2022).

n Texas Tech’s win over Oklahoma to close the regular season helped the Red Raiders lock in consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the 2012-13 campaigns. The Red Raiders will enter 2023 looking to extend that streak to three-straight years, which would mark Texas Tech’s longest successful run since boasting a .500 or better record over 18-consecutive seasons from 1993-2011. The victory also helped the Red Raider secure their first-ever season with wins over both Texas and Oklahoma.

n The thing about preseason polls is they tend to be wrong. That’s why Joey McGuire and his team were unfazed when the Red Raiders were picked ninth in the preseason, only to finish in sole possession of fourth place in the conference standings. It marked Texas Tech’s highest finish in the conference standings since the Big 12 moved to a 10-team format to start the 2011 season as the Red Raiders were ultimately a win over K-State away from appearing in the conference championship.

n Texas Tech was 3-0 in overtime games after going past regulation to defeat No. 25 Houston, No. 22/19 Texas and Oklahoma during the regular season. It was the first time in program history Texas Tech has won three or more overtime games in a season and only the third time it has won multiple games since the NCAA began allowing games to go past regulation in 1996. The Red Raiders also scored multiple overtime wins in 2012 (Kansas, at No. 21 TCU) as well as 2006 (at UTEP, bowl game versus Minnesota). The victory over Texas marked the first time in program history that the Red Raiders won back-to-back home games in overtime.

n Texas Tech had only two true freshmen play more than four games during the season in defensive lineman Joseph Adedire and linebacker Wesley Smith. Adedire appeared in 12 of 13 games with six starts, recording 19 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, while Smith was inserted into seven games, normally on special teams.

n The excitement over Joey McGuire’s hire was felt across Texas Tech Athletics in his debut season as the athletics department saw significant increases in ticket sales. Texas Tech boasted more than 7,000 new season ticket holders in 2022, pushing its total to more than 28,000, which ranked in the top 10 all-time in school history.

2022 Individual Honors

JOSEPH ADEDIRE (DL)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12 - Defensive Freshman of the Year

JERAND BRADLEY (WR)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12

Honorable Mention Freshman All-America (College Football News)

Second Team Freshman All-America (The Athletic)

All-Big 12 Fourth Team (Phil Steele Magazine)

TONY BRADFORD JR. (DL)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12

All-Big 12 Third Team (Phil Steele Magazine)

BAYLOR CUPP (TE)

John Mackey Award Watch List

MALIK DUNLAP (DB)

All Big-12 Second Team

All-Big 12 Third Team (Phil Steele Magazine)

JAYLON HUTCHINGS (DT)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12

All-Big 12 Second Team (Pro Football Focus)

JACKSON KNOTTS (LS)

All-Big 12 Fourth Team (Phil Steele Magazine)

AUSTIN MCNAMARA (P)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12

All-Big 12 Third Team (Pro Football Focus)

All-Big 12 Third Team (Phil Steele Magazine)

Ray Guy Award Watch List

BEHREN MORTON (QB)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12 - Offensive Freshman of the Year

LANDON PETERSON (OL)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12

MYLES PRICE (WR)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12

Paul Hornung Award Watch List

TYLER SHOUGH (QB)

Johnny Unitas Award Watch List

Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List

COLE SPENCER (OL)

Outland Trophy Watch List

DADRION TAYLOR-DEMERSON (DB)

All-Big 12 Second Team (Pro Football Focus)

SARODORICK THOMPSON JR. (RB)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12

All-Big 12 Fourth Team (Phil Steele Magazine)

NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Selection

HENRY TEETER (TE)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12

XAVIER WHITE (WR/KR)

All-Big 12 Fourth Team (Phil Steele Magazine)

DENNIS WILBURN (OL)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12

RAYSHAD WILLIAMS (DB)

Honorable Mention All-Big 12

NOTE: Returners listed only.

Inside Joey Mcguire

Joey Mcguire File

Hometown Crowley, Texas

Education Texas-Arlington ‘95 (Kinesiology)

Wife Debbie

Children

Coaching History

Daughter: Raegan; Son: Garret

Year Position

2022-present Texas Tech Head Coach

2020-21 Baylor Associate Head Coach (Outside Linebackers)

2019 Baylor Associate Head Coach (Defensive Ends)

2017-18 Baylor Assistant Coach (Tight Ends)

2003-16 Cedar Hill High School Head Coach

1997-02 Cedar Hill High School Assistant Coach

1995-96 Crowley High School Assistant Coach

BOWL GAMES (4)

2022 TaxAct Texas Bowl

2021 Allstate Sugar Bowl*

2019 Allstate Sugar Bowl

2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl

* bowl came after he already accepted the Texas Tech position.

Record Against Opponents

Head Coach Joey Mcguire

If one season is any indication, the future of Texas Tech Football is bright under Joey McGuire. The 17th head coach in program history, McGuire led the Red Raiders to their best season in more than a decade, all the while energizing a fan base with a promising outlook for years to come.

McGuire pushed the Red Raiders to their 40th bowl appearance in program history after a 7-5 regular season that saw Texas Tech defeat both Texas and Oklahoma for the first time in program history, record five Big 12 wins for the first time since 2009 and finish 6-1 at home for the first time since that same season. The Red Raiders only followed that up with a 42-25 victory over Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl, closing the season with four-straight victories for the first time since 1995.

With a recruiting class that ranked in the top 25 of the country, needless to say, the future is bright for the Red Raiders.

His successful start to his Texas Tech tenure should come at little surprise as McGuire previously helped build a winning program at Baylor following a stellar 14-year run at Cedar Hill High School in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. McGuire, a 2020 inductee into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor and a 2022 member of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, was named the 17th head coach in program history by Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt on Nov. 9, 2021.

McGuire, a native of Crowley in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, created one of the most-memorable turnaround stories in Texas high school football history during his 14 seasons leading Cedar Hill. The Longhorns not only won at a high level under McGuire, but they transformed into one of the state’s most dominant programs with its first state title in 2006 and then back-to-back state crowns in 2013 and 2014.

Cedar Hill was an impressive 141-42 during McGuire’s tenure, going from an unknown to a state champion in only his fourth season as head coach. The Longhorns’ dynasty featured 12-consecutive playoff appearances, nine bi-district titles and seven district crowns under McGuire, including another appearance in the state title game in 2012 where Cedar Hill fell to Katy.

McGuire, at only the age of 31, was promoted to head coach at Cedar Hill prior to the 2003 season following six seasons as an assistant coach. Cedar Hill had not recorded a winning season in the eight years prior to his promotion, a streak he quickly ended with a 6-4 campaign in his debut. McGuire was previously an assistant coach at his alma mater, Crowley High School, during the 1995 and 1996 seasons prior to his move to Cedar Hill.

The back-to-back state titles provided McGuire with several opportunities to depart for the collegiate level, a move he wouldn’t make until after the 2016 season when Matt Rhule contacted him shortly after his hire as the new head coach at Baylor. Needing someone with extensive ties throughout the state of Texas, Rhule hired McGuire initially as his tight ends coach. The move was perfect timing for McGuire, who had remained at Cedar Hill to coach his son, Garret, for his final two seasons.

Baylor reached bowl eligibility three times with McGuire on staff and were in the midst of an eventual run to the Big 12 crown and a second appearance in the Allstate Sugar Bowl when McGuire was tabbed as Texas Tech’s new head coach late in the 2021 season. McGuire served as Baylor’s associate head coach during each of his final three seasons as he oversaw three different position groups during his tenure: tight ends (2017-18), defensive ends (2019) and outside linebackers (2020-21).

Following his success helping rebuild the Baylor program, Texas Tech was an ideal fit for McGuire, whose daughter, Raegan, was a recent graduate of the university. McGuire had visited Lubbock numerous times previously either to see his daughter or earlier in life when several life-long friends attended the university. McGuire likes to say he would have attended Texas Tech, himself, had he not met his wife, Debbie. He eventually earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1995.

Nfl Draft Picks

Name Year Rd. Pick Team

Terrel Bernard, OLB* 2022 3rd 89 Buffalo

William Bradley-King, OLB* 2021 7th 240 Washington

James Lynch, DL* 2020 4th 130 Minnesota

Bravvion Roy, DL* 2020 6th 184 Carolina

ALL-BIG 12 SELECTIONS

Name Year Team James Lynch, DL 2019 1st

Vravvion Roy, DL* 2019 1st

Terrel Bernard, OLB* 2020 2nd

Terrel Bernard, OLB*

Tyree Wilson, OLB/DE 2022 1st

Malik Dunlap, DB 2022 2nd

* designates student-athletes from his position room at Baylor

The couple’s two children are also highly successful in their own walks of life as Garret is entering his first season as the wide receivers coach at the University of Nebraska. He was previously a quarterback at Baylor from 2017-20 before joining the coaching profession. Raegan, meanwhile, is a fashion designer for AMUR in New York City. She is engaged to her fiancé, Joe Tocco.

INSIDE JOEY MCGUIRE & THE BRAND

The Brand

The core tenant of the Texas Tech football program under McGuire revolves around The Brand, which stands for his desire that the Red Raiders become the “toughest, hardest-working, most-competitive team in the country.” In his final interview for the Texas Tech position, McGuire described his vision for the Red Raider program using The Brand, which President Lawrence Schovanec said “describes West Texas.”

The Hall Of Famer

There likely isn’t a power-five football program in the state of Texas with better ties to its high school coaches than at Texas Tech as McGuire hired five members of his charter coaching staff that have ties to the Texas High School Coaches Association. McGuire, himself, is already a legend at the prep level as a member of the THSCA Hall of Honor and the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.

COVER GUY

McGuire received one of the highlights of his career in July 2022 as he graced the cover of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football alongside longtime friend and UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor. The publication, dubbed the football Bible of Texas, documented McGuire and Traylor’s rise from state champion high school coaches to successful collegiate head coaches with the appropriate title, “Forged on Fridays.”

The Unofficial Home Of The Thsca

Since his hire as Texas Tech’s head coach, Joey McGuire has made it a point to brand the Red Raiders the “unofficial home of the Texas High School Coaches Association.” Already a Hall of Famer, himself, McGuire has hired a charter staff filled with experience at both the collegiate and high school levels with four assistant coaches who have previous ties to the THSCA as well as a slew of support staff members.

Texas Tech Football Staff With Thsca Ties

Name THSCA Position

Joey McGuire Cedar Hill Head Coach (2003-16)

Kenny Perry Arlington Bowie (2006-12)/Halton City (2004-05)/Sam Houston (2000-03)

Josh Cochran Lindale H.S. Asst. Coach (2015)

Zarnell Fitch Lincoln H.S. Head Coach (2013) / Asst. Coach (2011-12)

Jah’Shawn Johnson (Defensive GA) Ennis H.S. Asst. Coach (2020-21)

Brian Nance (Dir. of Scouting) Temple H.S. Asst. Coach (2018)

Dave Martin (Dir. of Player Development) Cedar Hill H.S. Asst. Coach (1999-03)

Texas Tech also has three current student-athletes on its roster whose fathers are prominent high school coaches in the state in Allen’s Lee Wiginton, the father of redshirt freshman wide receiver Haydon Wiginton, Amarillo Tascosa’s Ken Plunk, the father of sophomore defensive back Joseph Plunk and Eastland’s James Morton, the father of redshirt freshman quarterback Behren Morton Lee Wiginton is the current president of the THSCA.

First Year Success Under Mcguire

n The 98th season of Texas Tech Football featured a new look on the sidelines this fall with the start of the Joey McGuire era as the 17th head coach in program history. Below is a list of facts related to McGuire’s successful start as Texas Tech’s head coach.

n McGuire became the eighth head coach in program history to lead the Red Raiders to a bowl game in his debut season following Texas Tech’s win over Iowa State. The win over Oklahoma, meanwhile, helped him become the 12th head coach in program history to lead the Red Raiders to a winning record in his first year.

n McGuire led the Red Raiders to a 5-4 record in Big 12 play, becoming the first head coach to notch a winning conference record (above .500) in his debut season since David McWilliams did so in 1986.

n The success the Red Raiders had in Big 12 play pushed Texas Tech to its most conference wins since 2009 and a fourth-place finish in the standings, its highest since the league went to a 10team format in 2011. McGuire is the only head coach in program history to defeat both Texas and Oklahoma in the same year.

n McGuire is the sixth head coach all-time to inherit a football program coming off a bowl appearance, joining the likes of Steve Sloan Rex Dockery Spike Dykes Tommy Tuberville and Kliff Kingsbury. Of that group, McGuire joins Tuberville and Kingsbury in returning Texas Tech back to a bowl game during debut season.

n Texas Tech is one of only two power-five schools in the state of Texas to return to a bowl game for a second-consecutive season, joining McGuire’s former school in Baylor.

n Of the head coaches in Texas Tech’s history, McGuire resembles Dykes likely the best, not only for his charm and engaging personality but also his ties as a former high school head coach. Dykes spent a decade at the prep level with stops as an assistant in Eastland, Ballinger, San Angelo Central and then head coaching roles at Coahoma, Belton, Big Spring, Alice and Midland Lee.

TEXAS TECH HEAD COACHES ALL-TIME IN DEBUT SEASON

Name Year Record Bowl

E.Y. Freeland 1925 6-1-2

Grady Higgenbotham 1929 1-7-2

Pete Cawthon 1930 3-6

Dell Morgan 1941 9-2 Sun

DeWitt Weaver 1951 7-4 Sun

JT King 1961 4-6

Jim Carlen 1970 8-4 Sun

Steve Sloan 1975 6-5

Rex Dockery 1978 7-4

Jerry Moore 1981 1-9-1

David McWilliams 1986 7-5 Independence

Spike Dykes 1987 6-4-1

Mike Leach 2000 7-6 Gallery Furniture

Tommy Tuberville 2010 8-5 TicketCity

Kliff Kingsbury 2013 8-5 Holiday

Matt Wells 2019 4-8

Joey McGuire 2022 8-5 Texas

Recruiting Success Under Mcguire

n Texas Tech has reaped the benefits of McGuire’s ties to the state of Texas in the year following his hire as the Red Raiders have signed two of their best classes now in history. The 2022 class, boosted by McGuire’s hiring in November 2021, was ranked as high as 39th nationally by Rivals, a steady improvement from its spot in the 70s prior to his hire.

n Texas Tech’s 2023 class was ranked as high as No. 23 nationally by Rivals as McGuire and his staff inked 28 high school prospects, a key component to the Red Raiders’ recruiting philosophy. It marked the highest-ranked Texas Tech recruiting class in more than a decade.

n One of the key factors in Texas Tech’s recruiting success was the hiring of James Blanchard as Director of Player Personnel. Blanchard, who flew alongside McGuire to Lubbock as soon as he received the head coaching position, was recently named one of the top rising personnel and recruiting staffers in the country by the On3.com website. Blanchard received a two-year contract extension on Dec. 2, 2022.

Cedar Hill Connections

n Joey McGuire made his name in the coaching profession during his 14 seasons leading Cedar Hill High School in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. In his first season as Texas Tech’s head coach, he’ll have three former Cedar Hill standouts on his roster in sophomore outside linebacker Charles Esters III and then two redshirt freshmen in defensive lineman Harvey Dyson III and defensive back Jalon Peoples n The draw of playing for McGuire was so large for Texas Tech’s two true freshmen from Cedar Hill that both committed the night McGuire was named the Red Raiders’ new head coach. Their signing plus several other commitments following McGuire’s hiring helped push Texas Tech to its best signing class since 2012. n While he did not graduate from Cedar Hill, Jordan Brown attended the high school up until his senior year as he was a freshman when McGuire departed for Cedar Hill. His older brother, Laquvionte Gonzalez, was on a Cedar Hill team under McGuire that played in the Class 6A state title game as a senior in 2012.

Not The Only Coach In The Family

n Turn on a television any weekend this fall and you could possibly see another McGuire roaming the sidelines as Garret McGuire is entering his first season as the wide receivers coach at Nebraska. The younger McGuire was named to Matt Rhule’s charter staff at the Huskers following three seasons as an offensive assistant with the Carolina Panthers.

n Garret McGuire, who turned 24 years of age in February, will be the youngest assistant coach among power-five football programs this next season. He previously played under his father at quarterback at Cedar Hill High School before enjoying four years as a backup at Baylor.

n Bob Stoops, former Oklahoma head football coach

“I believe this is an awesome hire, I’ve known Joey a long time, since my first couple of years here going to recruit down in the Dallas area. He’s always run a first class program, always very positive and was always close and connected with his players. The players love playing for him. I think football is relative and you do a great job, at whatever level you’re playing, I think there is no reason you can’t do it at a different level. He got great experience being at Baylor for the last 5 years, being with Matt Rhule, who I think is a heck of a coach. The same thing with Dave Aranda, who’s doing a great job in his second year [at Baylor]. He’s been influenced by two head coaches that have had really strong success. I believe that Joey is a person that connects, motivates players, and he will connect with the community and high school coaches around the state of Texas. I think he will do a great job.” n Matt Rhule, Nebraska head coach, former HC at Baylor

“I think he will be unbelievable ushering in a new era at Tech. I think that he’s one in a million. There are not many people like Joey McGuire as a person, as a coach. I think that there’s not ever going to be a bad day ever in that facility, those players are going to be developed, they’re going to be loved, they’re going to be honed, they’re going to be developed in every aspect of their life. He’s going to bring excitement to all West Texas, especially to Lubbock. For Red Raider Nation I think he’s absolutely going to be a bolt of energy, throughout the entire athletic department and you guys are going to play really good football too.” n Kim Mulkey, LSU head women’s basketball coach

“I am so happy for Joey. Not only is he a great coach, he has the people skills to recruit. He is well connected to the Texas high school coaches. Texas Tech will love him and his wife, Debbie and their two children.” n Mack Brown, North Carolina head football coach

“I’m thrilled Coach McGuire is receiving this opportunity at Texas Tech because he’s earned it. He was a great high school coach during my time at Texas and it doesn’t surprise me at all that he’s worked his way to a head coaching position in the Big 12. He’s a smart, innovative coach, who brings deep ties to Texas high school football with him to Lubbock. I’ve always admired him, and if I had a son, I would want him to play for Coach McGuire. I think Texas Tech made a smart decision here and Coach McGuire will do an excellent job for them.” n Joe Martin, Executive Director of THSCA

“I am very proud and excited for Joey on being selected the next head football coach at Texas Tech. He is a homegrown product starting as a player at Crowley and working his way up the ranks to head coach at Cedar Hill and eventually as associate head coach at Baylor. He is a past member of the THSCA Board of Directors and has many friends in the high school coaching community across the state. Joey is as good as they come as a coach and we wish him the best!” n Glen West, Assistant Executive Director of THSCA

“Joey is one of our own. He is a personable friend to many. In the world we live in today where fewer and fewer coaches have fewer communication with college coaches than in the past, this is a refreshing change. We feel there will be an open dialogue with all the high school coaches in the state, and he will get our full support. Joey is never too busy for you. He’s the same guy he was at Baylor as he was when he was the head coach at Cedar Hill High School. Parents will love him. Players will love him. It’s going to be a fun time. We are over the top excited for his hire at Texas Tech.”

Pass Attempts 50, vs. Oklahoma (2022)

Pass Yards 436, vs. Oklahoma (2022)

Pass Touchdowns 4, twice, vs. FIU (2021)*

Longest pass 75, vs. Stephen F. Austin (2021)

Had Intercepted 2, twice, vs. Stephen F. Austin (2021)*

Total Offense Attempts 64, vs. Ole Miss (2022)

Total Offense Yards 480, vs. Oklahoma (2022)

Rush Attempts 25, vs. Ole Miss (2022)

Rush Yards 111, vs. Ole Miss (2022)

Rush Touchdowns 2, vs. Ole Miss (2022)

Long Rush 36, vs. Ole Miss (2022)

* Indicates most recent high

Qb Tyler Shough

SHOUGH BOASTS 8-1 RECORD AS TEXAS TECH’S STARTING QB n Tyler Shough is now 8-1 as Texas Tech’s starting quarterback after helping lead the Red Raiders to wins in each of their final four games of the 2022 season. Shough returned to the starting role prior to the win over Kansas following an injury in the season opener versus Murray State that kept him out of action for the next six games. The Red Raiders were a perfect 5-0 in games Shough started this past season, improving him to 12-4 over his career after previously finishing 4-3 in his lone season as Oregon’s starter in 2020. Oregon ended that season with appearances in the Pac-12 Championship and the Fiesta Bowl. n Shough finished the 2022 campaign with 1,304 passing yards and seven touchdowns on 106-of-177 passing (59.9 percent). He is completing 63.9 percent of his passes (288-of-451) for his career as he’s totaled 3,879 passing yards and 29 touchdowns between his time at Oregon and as a Red Raider. In addition, Shough has shown he can effectively use his legs as well with 156 carries for 565 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s totaled six of those touchdowns during his two seasons as a Red Raider alone. n Despite only five starts, Shough managed to total 269 rushing yard and four touchdowns on the ground, marking the fourth-highest rushing total for a Texas Tech quarterback since 2000. He trailed only Patrick Mahomes II and his 456 rushing yards in 2015 and his 285 yards the following season as well as Jett Duffey and his 369 yards on the ground in 2018. n Shough capped a strong end to the 2022 season by earning Most Valuable Player honors at the TaxAct Texas Bowl. Shough completed 24-of-39 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown in the win over Ole Miss, while also leading the Red Raiders on the ground via 25 carries for 111 yards and two additional scores. It marked the first time since 1976 where a Texas Tech quarterback reached the century mark with Red Raider great Rodney Allison was the last to do so versus Baylor. n The performance versus Ole Miss matched Shough’s debut as a Red Raider in the same building as the TaxAct Texas Bowl - NRG Stadium in Houston. Shough completed 17-of-24 passes for 231 yards in the Red Raiders’ memorable come-from-behind victory over Houston. Shough also rushed for one other score en route to pushing the Red Raiders to 31 unanswered points in the second half. n Shough entered bowl season coming off possibly the best performance of his career as he completed 31-of-50 passes for 436 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing nine times for 44 yards in the win over Oklahoma. Shough set career highs for completions, attempts, passing yards, total offensive plays and yards of total offense in the win, which snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Sooners. It marked the second-most passing yards by a Big 12 quarterback on the season. n Shough was limited to only four games in 2021 after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in the Big 12 opener at Texas. He had completed 69.6 percent of his passes to that point (64-of-92), throwing for 872 yards and six touchdowns in that span.

The Red Behren

Over his four starts this past season, Behren Morton displayed to Red Raider fans the potential that had him labeled as Texas Tech highest-rated quarterback in history. Morton threw for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns in his first full season as a Red Raider, while also rushing for two more scores. He will compete this spring for the starting job alongside senior Tyler Shough

Morton made his first career start at No. 7 Oklahoma State on Oct. 8 and threw for 379 yards and two touchdowns in the loss but had Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy simply saying “that’s not good” in postgame comments after learning he was only a redshirt freshman. During the Big 12 era (1996-present), Morton’s 379 passing yards in his debut versus Oklahoma State were the third-most yards for a Red Raider making his starting debut against a conference opponent. Despite it being his first career start, that didn’t stop offensive coordinator Zach Kittley from airing it out as Morton recorded 62 passing attempts, the most passing attempts for a FBS freshman making his starting debut since Jared Goff had 64 on Aug. 31, 2013, in Cal’s season-opening loss to Northwestern. Morton didn’t stop there as he made it back-to-back 300-yard performances in his first two starts as he finished 28-of-45 for 325 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the West Virginia and was later named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week for the effort.

The son of a high school coach, Morton was the highest-rated quarterback to ever sign with Texas Tech after totaling more than 8,800 passing yards and 84 touchdowns in three seasons playing for his father at Eastland High School. He was a consensus four-star prospect, ranking sixth nationally among pro-style quarterbacks. Morton grew up in Lubbock for part of his youth as his father, James Morton, was the head football coach at Monterey High School in Lubbock for 11 years.

BRADLEY, THE FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN

n Jerand Bradley developed into Texas Tech’s key threat in the passing game in his first full season as the redshirt freshman finished as the team leader with 744 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. Bradley, who also shared the team high with 51 receptions, became only the sixth freshman since 1972 to lead the team in receiving yards, joining the likes of Erik Ezukanma (2019) newly-enshrined College Football Hall of Fame inductee Michael Crabtree (2007), Taurean Henderson (2002), Sheldon Bass (1994) and Wayne Walker (1985).

n Bradley ended the year ranked third all-time among Texas Tech freshmen for single-season receiving yards, trailing only Crabtree’s NCAA freshman record of 1,962 yards in 2007 as well as the 806 yards from Alex Torres in 2009. He surpassed Ezukanma and his 664 yards from 2019 during the TaxAct Texas Bowl.

n Bradley led all Big 12 freshmen and ranked third among FBS freshmen for receiving yards overall, trailing only Coastal Carolina’s Jared Brown (789 yards) and California’s J.Michael Sturdivant (755 yards).

Fbs Freshman Receiving Leaders

National leaders in receiving yards among FBS freshmen

Name School Yds.

Jared Brown Coastal Carolina 789

J. Michael Sturdivant California 755

Jerand Bradley Texas Tech 744

Tetairoa McMillan Arizona 702

Evan Stewart Texas A&M 649

Texas Tech Freshman Leaders

Listing of the top single-season receiving marks all-time by a freshman

Name Year Yds.

Michael Crabtree 2007 1,962

Alex Torres 2009 806

Record Breakdown

Jerand Bradley 2022 744

Erik Ezukanma 2019 664 n Bradley recorded three 100-yard receiving performances, which led all power-five freshmen nationally. He hauled in six catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener against Murray State before adding eight catches for 119 yards and another score midway through the year at Oklahoma State. He wrapped the regular season with an impressive eight catches for 173 yards and a touchdown in the win over Oklahoma. n Bradley’s 173 receiving yards against the Sooners marked the most by an FBS freshman this season and the most by a Red Raider receiver since Myles Price totaled 175 yards through the air late in the 2021 season against Iowa State. It marked the most receiving yards by a Red Raider freshman since Crabtree finished with 195 yards in Texas Tech’s 2007 contest at Texas. n Bradley capped his successful season with a strong performance versus Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl where he led the Red Raiders with eight catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. His eight receptions matched his career high in the win as he gave Texas Tech a 26-7 lead just before halftime off a 12-yard touchdown strike from Tyler Shough

Fourth Down Success

n Much was said about Joey McGuire’s aggressive approach to fourth downs this past season as Texas Tech finished 33-of-52 on conversion attempts, which ranked first nationally for both total successful conversions and attempts. The Red Raiders were third in the Big 12 and 16th nationally with a .635 conversion percentage.

n The aggressive philosophy is one McGuire gained an appreciation for while at Baylor in 2021 as the Bears were among the most aggressive teams in college football, going 22-of-35 on fourth down attempts en route to a run to the Big 12 title. Baylor closed the 2021 season ranked tied for 10th nationally in most successful fourth-down conversions, which resulted in 86 points compared to only 17 points allowed for failed attempts.

n Baylor was the only other FBS program to convert at least 30 fourth down attempts on the season as the Bears were 30-of-47 overall. There were only 11 total FBS programs with 20 or more conversions, in fact, as North Carolina closed the season ranked third after moving the sticks 25 times on fourth downs followed by Navy with 23 and then the quartet of SMU, Buffalo, Tennessee and West Virginia with 22.

n For total attempts, Texas Tech again easily led the FBS as Baylor was second with 47 followed by a significant gap with Northwestern in third with 40, Navy in fourth with 38 and then five others schools with 37. In fact, there were only 22 other FBS programs who attempted the same number of fourth-down attempts as the Red Raiders had conversions (33) on the year.

n Texas Tech’s 33 successful fourth down conversions are its highest total during the Big 12 era (1996-present). Texas Tech previously moved the sticks 25 times on fourth down in 2002 when the Red Raiders were 25-of-40 overall.

n Texas Tech converted 63.5 percent of its fourth down tries, resulting in 129 points and an astounding plus-78 advantage on the scoreboard. Failed fourth downs have only resulted in 51 points for opponents, with seven of those not being the fault of the Red Raider defense as N.C. State took a fourth down interception back for a touchdown.

Fourth Downs Leading To Points

Game-by-game look at how Texas Tech has turned successful fourth-down conversions into points.

* touchdown was a result of a fourth-down interception returned for the score, not the defense

MOST SUCCESSFUL 4TH-DOWN TRIES n McGuire’s aggressive nature was a key reason for Texas Tech’s victory in its Big 12 opener against Texas as the Red Raiders were 6-of8 on fourth downs, marking their most conversions in a game dating back to 2000. The Red Raiders matched that total by going 6-for-7 on fourth downs against West Virginia, which were all in the first half. n Dating back to 2013 when the NCAA began tracking single-game highs for fourth down conversions, Texas Tech is the only school to successfully move the sticks six times on fourth downs in two separate games in a season. Only UTEP, South Alabama and UCF have converted the same number of fourth downs in an FBS game this year. n Texas Tech turned its six successful fourth down conversions into a season-high 27 points against the Longhorns, while its two failures did not hurt the Red Raiders as Texas was unable to convert into scoring drives of its own. The Red Raiders were 4-for-6 on fourth down tries in the second half of that game, which led to 20 key points down the stretch leading into an overtime victory. n The Red Raiders again used the strategy to their advantage in the TaxAct Texas Bowl as Texas Tech was 5-for-6 against an aggressive Ole Miss team to finish with a plus-23 advantage in points. Ole Miss, meanwhile, was only 2-for-7 on its fourth down attempts. n Texas Tech was 8-1 this past season when it was tied or leading the plus/minus scale on its fourth-down decisions with the lone loss coming at Oklahoma State. That loss came despite the Red Raiders gaining 24 points on drives continued via a successful fourth down with only seven points against due to an inability to convert. The plus-17 advantage marked Texas Tech’s third-highest clip on the season.

Texas Tech’s most successful fourth down conversions in a season during the Big 12 era.