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Texas Tech football: Who will step up if T.J. Vasher can’t play this week?

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: T.J. Vasher #9 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders tries to out run Roman Brown #20 of the Houston Cougars during the first half of the game on September 15, 2018 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: T.J. Vasher #9 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders tries to out run Roman Brown #20 of the Houston Cougars during the first half of the game on September 15, 2018 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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The Texas Tech football team is scrambling as it looks for someone to step in at wide receiver in case T.J. Vasher has to miss this week’s game against Kansas.

The inevitable injury bug has found its way to the Texas Tech wide receivers this year.  Sophomore T.J. Vasher is questionable to play this weekend against Kansas after leaving the TCU game in the fist quarter with a back injury.

Unfortunately, Vasher has seen injuries slow what was supposed to be a breakout season.  The Wichita Falls native previously missed the West Virginia game after spraining a knee in the Red Raiders’ win over Oklahoma State.

As a result, the former 4-star prospect has not been the breakout star that many predicted he would be following his strong finish in 2017.  In the final eight games of last season, Vasher posted 27 receptions for 414 yards and six touchdowns.

And entering this season, it was assumed that he would be the Red Raiders’ primary weapon in the passing game given the fact that he was the only receiver on the roster with over 150 career receiving yards.

But while Vasher has been slowed by injuries, senior Ja’Deion High and junior Antoine Wesley have emerged as the go-to targets for the offense.  However, the players given opportunities in Vasher’s place have not seized the opportunity.

Against West Virginia, senior wide receiver De’Quan Bowman got the start.  His six-catch, 54-yard performance was respectable and he came down with a touchdown reception but he also dropped a couple of passes and his lack of size was evident when he was unable to come down with a jump ball in the back of the end zone on a third down throw from Alan Bowman.

When Vasher left the TCU game, redshirt freshman Dalton Rigdon was inserted into the offense in his place.  The results were less than impressive.

Targeted only once, Rigdon failed to come up with a reception against the Frogs.  To be fair, the Texas Tech passing offense as a whole was stunted throughout the game thanks to the limitations of third string QB Jett Duffey who is an inconsistent passer that prefers to use his legs rather than his arm.

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Apparently, Kliff Kingsbury and the offensive coaching staff are not sold on either De’Quan Bowman or Dalton Rigdon as viable replacements for Vasher.  Kingsbury said after Tuesday’s practices that two true freshmen, Myllar Royals and Caden Leggett, split first team repetitions while Vasher was held out.

Royals, a three-star signee out of Abilene, Texas is a physical clone of Vasher standing 6-foot-5, 180-pounds.  He was one of the most productive high school receivers in Texas over the past three seasons pulling down 177 passes for 2,980 yards and 26 touchdowns while being ranked as a top 100 recruit in the state.

Meanwhile, Leggett, a walk-on out of Georgetown, Texas, is considerably smaller at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds.  But after posting over 1,500 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior, he turned heads in Lubbock during summer workouts and fall camp.

He has drawn high praise from Kingsbury who seemed surprised to be able to convince such a talented player to walk on.

"“It worked out that he wanted to be a Red Raider, but he should’ve gotten a D1 scholarship somewhere,” Kingsbury said in August."

One aspect to consider with both Royals and Leggett is that both can play this week and still maintain their ability to redshirt thanks to a change in the NCAA redshirt rule.   However, if either player is able to have a significant impact while Vasher is on the shelf, he could find a way to become a regular in the offensive rotation on a more regular basis, especially if Vasher’s back and knee problems persist.

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Either way, the Red Raiders need more productivity out of Vasher’s backups than they have received.  Perhaps one of these freshmen will step up in the same manner that their classmates at the quarterback and running back positions have.

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