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Texas Tech football loses two 2019 defensive backs

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: Raelon Singleton #15 of the Houston Cougars makes the catch for a touchdown against the defense of Adrian Frye #20 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders 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: Raelon Singleton #15 of the Houston Cougars makes the catch for a touchdown against the defense of Adrian Frye #20 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders 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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In the days since the Texas Tech football program hired Matt Wells as head coach, the program has lost four 2019 verbal commits including defensive backs Alex Hogan and Keeyon Stewart.

Two three-star defensive backs from Houston decomitted from the Texas Tech football program over the weekend bring the total number of decomittments since Matt Wells’ hiring to four.  Saturday, Keeyon Stewart from North Shore High School decomitted from the Red Raiders and one day later, Alex Hogan from Lamar High School did the same.

Stewart is the No. 171 player in Texas and No. 137 corner back in the nation.  The 5-foot-11 160-pounder has offers from Houston, Syracuse, Utah, Southern Miss, UTEP and Wyoming among others.

Hogan is the No. 108 player in Texas and No. 71 corner back in the class of 2019.  His offer list includes, Iowa State, Colorado, Memphis, Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Minnesota, Utah and others.

These defections continue to deplete a recruiting class that has seen 2019 QB Maverick McIvor, a 3-star prospect from San Angelo and 4-star DE Steven Parker from Dallas also jump ship.  As a result, the Red Raiders’ current recruiting class has dropped from sixth in the Big 12 to eighth.  The class has fallen from No. 41 in the nation to No. 55 behind such programs as Vanderbilt, Wake Forest and SMU.

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The new coaching staff is expected to hit the recruiting trail this week and they are almost certain to visit most of the players that were or currently remain committed to the Red Raiders.  And with these two defections, it will be critical for them to address the depth in the secondary.

Tech now has only two defensive backs committed.  Brandon Joseph, a 3-star product from College Station and Markel Reed, a 3-star corner back from Temple are the only players currently slated to join a secondary that was dreadful last season.

Tech ranked No 128 out of 130 teams in the nation in pass defense giving up 288.3 yards per game through the air.  The Red Raiders allowed 26 passing plays of 20 or more yards, 108th most in the country.

What’s more, the Red Raiders’ two starting safeties, Jah’Shawn Johnson and Vaughte Dorsey have exhausted their eligibility meaning the team will have to replace its two most steady players in the defensive backfield in 2019.

The early signing period for football prospects is December 19-21 meaning that the opportunity for the new coaching staff to identify new targets and build relationships with them will be limited.   The traditional signing day in February could be more important for the Red Raiders this year than it was last year as it will give prospects time to get out to Lubbock for visits in January.

Next. 4-star DE Steven Parker decommits. dark

The problem is that the majority of recruits in the 2018 class chose to sign their letters of intent in December and if that holds true again this year, the talent pool could be extremely shallow after the early window. Therefore, it would not be surprising to see that Red Raiders bring aboard some JUCO prospects who could help patch some holes over the next two years.  Unfortunately, the way recruits have been jumping ship in the past few days, there appears to be more than a few holes that will need to be addressed.

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