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Texas Tech football: Ranking the defensive position groups for 2019

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - SEPTEMBER 29: Jordyn Brooks #20 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders makes the catch and scores during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks on September 29, 2016 at AT&T Jones Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech won the game 55-19. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - SEPTEMBER 29: Jordyn Brooks #20 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders makes the catch and scores during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks on September 29, 2016 at AT&T Jones Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech won the game 55-19. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
(Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

The Red Raiders have numerous options at corner

Another position group that has seen a significant increase in talent in recent years is the cornerbacks.  And in 2019, the Red Raiders will have plenty of talented players to man the position.

Sophomore Adrian Frye is coming off an All-Big 12 season that saw him pick off five passes.  The 6-foot-1 native of Houston led the Big 12 with 18 passes defended in his first season of college football.

Opposite him, most expect to see junior Damarcus Fields.  Last year, he started all 12 games breaking up eleven passes.  He has started 23 of 25 games in his career giving him plenty of experience.

The third of the Red Raiders’ quality corners is Desmond Smith, who will likely spend plenty of time covering slot receivers.  The Odessa native made eight starts last year and broke up four passes.  His size (6-foot-2, 190-pounds) could make him a valuable member of the secondary by allowing him to play multiple positions.

Last year, Tech ranked second-to-last nationally against the pass.  Allowing 288 yards per game through the air, Tech was repeatedly torched by opposing offenses. That is concerning being as the secondary is not expected to welcome any significant newcomers this year.

If there is one new face that we should keep an eye on, it would be Zech McPhearson, a graduate transfer from Penn State.  The former 4-star recruit never made an impact in Happy Valley and is a relative unknown as far as his ability to play corner on a regular basis after having played primarily special teams thus far in his career but he might be a pleasant surprise for the Red Raiders.

It will be interesting to see if the corners play differently in Patterson’s scheme.  Being as he wants to play an aggressive style, it is fair to think that he will play his corners closer to the line of scrimmage and ask them to be disruptors by getting their hands on receivers at the snap as opposed to giving receivers a considerable cushion as was the standard practice during the Gibbs era.

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