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Can Texas Tech End Any Of These Streaks In 2018?

By Matthew Conner

NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 28: The Texas Tech Red Raiders mascot Raider Red performs during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Texas Tech 49-27. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - OCTOBER 28: The Texas Tech Red Raiders mascot Raider Red performs during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 28, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Texas Tech 49-27. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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LUBBOCK, TX – SEPTEMBER 26: Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive coordinator David Gibbs calls over during a time out late in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs September 26, 2015 at Jones AT
LUBBOCK, TX – SEPTEMBER 26: Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive coordinator David Gibbs calls over during a time out late in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs September 26, 2015 at Jones AT /

Five Years Without A Top-90 Defense

For as much press as the Texas Tech defense is receiving after taking a step forward last year, the painful reality is that the 2017 defense was still one of the worst in the country.  In fact, Texas Tech has not had a defense ranked in the top 90 of the nation since 2012, the last year of Tommy Tuberville’s run.

That season, Tech fielded a top-50 defense finishing the season ranked No. 44 in total defense. But since then, Tech’s defense has finished with an average ranking of 113 out of 128 teams.

The highest the Red Raider defense has been ranked to end the season in the Kingsbury era is No. 92 in 2013.  It is worth noting that 2013 was Kingsbury’s first season and that year’s defense was comprised mostly of holdovers recruited by the previous regime.

It is easy to see how the Tech defense became so bad in the past decade.  Beginning with the end of the Leach tenure in 2009, Tech finished the season with a different defensive coordinator in seven-consecutive years.

But now, David Gibbs is entering his fourth season in Lubbock and he believes he finally has a two-deep rotation that is stocked with legitimate Big 12 talent at every position.  And many around the conference agree as Tech was the only team to have three players on the preseason All-Big 12 defense.

Kingsbury is fortunate to have what is expected to be his best defense in a year where he is replacing a starting quarterback and three starting receivers.  If the Texas Tech offense takes a few weeks to gel, the onus of keeping the Red Raiders in games will fall upon the defense.

Thus, it could be imperative for Tech’s defense to be a top-50 unit.  Certainly, it can’t afford to finish in the bottom third in the nation again.

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