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Texas Tech Has A Crowded Race For Playing Time At Receiver

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - NOVEMBER 4: T.J. Vasher
LUBBOCK, TX - NOVEMBER 4: T.J. Vasher /
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With spring football coming to a close this week, there remains a crowded field of players trying to earn playing time at wide receiver this fall.

There has not been a season in the “Air Raid” Era of Texas Tech football in which the program has as much uncertainty at the receiver position as it appears to have as spring football comes to a close.  All four of the starting receivers from last season’s opener against Eastern Washington are gone and only one of the returning receivers, T.J. Vasher, started any games a season ago.

Now, the only certainty is that Vasher, a sophomore-to-be from Wichita Falls, Texas is the team’s lead-dog in the passing game.  Who will join in the starting lineup him is far from determined at this point.

Many expected to get an idea of what the receiver position might look like this fall from the past month of spring practices.  However, that picture looks to be growing more cloudy after Saturday’s public scrimmage in Frisco, Texas.

Following the team’s first open scrimmage in Midland, Kliff Kingsbury was complimentary of juniors Antoine Wesley and Donta Thompson.  In Frisco, the pair each hauled in five receptions, tying for the team lead suggesting they are two names fans should get to know.

But behind them, none of the players many expected to step up have distinguished themselves while some unknown candidates have impressed.  In fact, a small-town West Texas native might have made the biggest impression of any receiver on the roster last weekend.

Redshirt freshman Dalton Rigdon, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound native of Perryton, Texas caught a 53-yard touchdown pass from true freshman QB Alan Bowman.  The play brought the crowd to its feet and announced Rigdon’s candidacy to be a factor at receive moving forward.

It is interesting to note that Rigdon was working at the outside receiver spot rather than in the slot where most players of his size seem to find themselves.  The walk-on also competes on the Texas Tech track team so he obviously has plenty of speed.  One must wonder if his work at outside receiver means he will stay there and if so, is he a threat to beat out some upperclassmen at the position?

Another receiver that turned heads is a former JUCO star that many may have forgotten about.  Senior inside receiver De’Quan Bowman has been impressive this spring and he continued that trend with a nice 40-yard touchdown off a tunnel screen on Saturday.

The former JUCO All-American kick returner was rated as a top-10 receiver in the 2016 class when he signed with Texas Tech.  But he redshirted in 2016 and played mostly as a special teamer last season causing many fans to forget about him.  Now, he is poised to claim a role in the receiver rotation this fall after a strong spring.

"“That’s what I appreciate about De’Quan is he’s worked his tail off knowing he wasn’t going to see the field much the last couple of years, and he envisioned this opportunity and now he’s running with it.” Kingsbury told the “Lubbock Avalanche-Journal” earlier this spring."

While the emergence of dark horse candidates is interesting, so is the silence surrounding players many thought would be big contributors this fall.  One such player is a former 4-star recruit who played in the SEC West before coming to Lubbock.

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Senior inside receiver Jojo Robinson was once thought to the heir-apparent to Keke Coutee who left after his junior season to enter the NFL Draft.  But Robinson, a transfer from Arkansas, has not distinguished himself in any of the scrimmages and he isn’t being talked about by Kingsbury or offensive coordinator Kevin Johns when they meet with the media.

The same can be said for former star high school QB turned slot receiver Xavier Martin.  The electric athlete was thought to be a factor in the receiver competition at the beginning of spring camp but it now looks like his transition to a new position could be taking more time than many thought it would.

On the outside, two of the most well-known players on the roster have also failed to set themselves apart from the crowd.   Junior Quan Shorts and senior Ja’Deion High are two of the most experienced receivers on the team but neither has solidified a starting role as expected.

The biggest news Shorts made this spring came two weeks ago when he was arrested outside a Lubbock bar.  He was subsequently suspended for a week and though he participated in the Frisco scrimmage, he did nothing to stand out.

High, who was granted an extra year of eligibility this offseason, has 21 catches in his career for 223 yards and one touchdown making him one of the few receivers on the roster to have made any impact on Saturdays.  But he has not capitalized on that experience and though he’s reportedly been steady this spring, he has not seized the opportunity to win a starting role.

Next: Can Texas Tech Football Find A Pass Rush This Spring?

The good news for Texas Tech and the wide receivers trying to earn playing time is that there is still time for some play-makers to step forward.  However, it is a bit surprising and very unusual that Texas Tech fans are heading into the summer with virtually no idea who will start at three of the four receiver spots come September.

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