Texas Tech Football: What To Watch For In Today’s Spring Game
3. The Outside Receivers
One of the strongest position groups on the Texas Tech football team is the receiving corps. However, that group is woefully imbalanced.
Not since 2013 has Texas Tech had a true lead dog at the outside receiver position. That year, Eric Ward caught 83 passes for 947 yards and eight touchdowns.
The past three seasons have seen the Texas Tech offense rely heavily upon the production of inside receivers like Jakeem Grant, Ian Sadler, Jonathan Giles, Keke Coutee and Cam Batson. While the slot receivers have flourished, the outside receivers have struggled with inconsistency.
Last season, the only outside receiver that Texas Tech received consistent production from was Dylan Cantrell. He hauled in 58 passes for 675 yards and eight scores.
Still, that is mediocre production in an offensive system that has seen players like Michael Crabtree, Joel Filani, Jarrett Hicks, Carlos Francis and Ward put up monster seasons.
The “Air Raid Offense” works best when every receiver on the field is a threat on every play. If the outside receivers are ineffective, opposing safeties do not have to worry about providing help to corners on the boundary.
Thus, they can help double-team the slot receivers and negate the mismatch the speedy Texas Tech inside receivers can create against linebackers or backup coverage players.
The two most likely candidates to emerge as stalwarts on the outside opposite of Cantrell are senior Derrick Willies and freshman T.J. Vasher. Both struggled with injuries last year causing Vasher to miss all but one game and Willies to sit out four.
A former JUCO all-American, Willies caught 18 passes for 288 yards and 2 touchdowns. He is an explosive athlete with the size and speed to play in the NFL but he must prove capable of staying on the field and being a focal point of the passing attack.
Vasher was a 4-star signee out of high school in 2016. Since he appeared in only one game, he was granted a medical hardship and did not lose a year of eligibility.
Vasher has the height the Texas Tech coaches love but he must add bulk to withstand the rigors of Big 12 football. Currently listed at just 190-pounds, the 6-foot-6 freshman needs to add at least 15 more pounds over the summer.
If the Texas Tech offense if going to remain one of the top units in the nation, quarterback Nick Shimonek must have consistent treats emerge on the outside. Hopefully, the outside wide receivers start to make a name for themselves today in Frisco.