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Texas Tech football: These players must be better in 2019

By Matthew Conner

HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 01: A.J. Brown #1 of the Mississippi Rebels catches a pass behid Justus Parker #31 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders and runs in for a 34 yard score in the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 01: A.J. Brown #1 of the Mississippi Rebels catches a pass behid Justus Parker #31 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders and runs in for a 34 yard score in the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
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LG – Madison Akamnonu

Heading into the 2019 season, most feel great about three of the five spots on the Red Raider offensive line.  Tackles Travis Bruffy and Terence Steele and right guard Jack Anderson are all expected to be among the best in the Big 12, if not the nation, at their position.

But the other two linemen on the field are going to be much less ballyhooed as this fall approaches.  While we do not know who will win the starting center job, we are almost certain that Madison Akamnonu will get the first crack at winning the left guard spot and if he is going to be a member of the starting o-line this fall, the senior has to be better than he was in 2018.

Last year, Akamnonu started seven games.  But he lost his starting spot in the middle of the season to senior Jacob Hines because of his inconsistent play.

However, he was forced back into the lineup when Hines went down for the year with a knee injury against Oklahoma.  This year, Akamnonu seems to be the clear-cut and best option at left guard, which will be a critical position given that there will be a first-time starter at center in either senior Bailey Smith or sophomore Dawson Deaton.

Tech has to simply be better on the line as a whole, especially when it comes to the ground game.  At just 132.6 yards per game, the Red Raider rushing attack ranked ninth in the Big 12 and twice, Tech put up embarrassing rushing totals with just 30 yards against Iowa State and 31 against Kansas State.

Thus far, Akamnonu has made 27 starts in his collegiate career.  However, he has yet to live up to the hype that surrounded him when he signed with the Red Raiders as a 4-star prospect in 2015 who picked the Red Raiders over Oklahoma.

If he can finally turn in the type of season that we have been waiting to see from him, the Red Raider offensive line could be rather salty this fall.  No one is asking Akamnonu to be an all-American but he needs to be more reliable and effective than he was in 2018.

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