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Texas Tech football: Players that helped themselves most in fall camp

By Matthew Conner

STILLWATER, OK - SEPTEMBER 25: The Texas Tech Red Raiders flag flies outside the stadium before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys September 25, 2014 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Cowboys defeated the Red Raiders 45-35. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
STILLWATER, OK - SEPTEMBER 25: The Texas Tech Red Raiders flag flies outside the stadium before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys September 25, 2014 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Cowboys defeated the Red Raiders 45-35. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Center Dawson Deaton

Entering fall camp, most expected the battle at center, where Tech must replace underappreciated multi-year starter Paul Stawarz, to be a leading story.  That hasn’t been the case because of the dominance of sophomore Dawson Deaton.

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The native of Frisco, TX has easily claimed the starting spot in the middle of the offensive line where he will be starting next to his former high school teammate, Jack Anderson.  But unlike Anderson, who was a 4-star recruit in the class of 2017 and a starter from day-one, Deaton has not earned a starting role at Tech until this year.

Still, he was ranked the No. 6 center in the nation in the class of 2017 by the 247Sports composite rankings.  He was also the No. 86 player in Texas in that class.

He’s had to wait his turn though as the Red Raider offensive line has been stocked with veteran talent in recent years.  After redshirting in 2017, he was a key reserve last year making two starts.

Now, he has to anchor an offensive line that must be better in 2019.  Last year, Tech was second-to-last in the Big 12 in rushing offense at just 132 yards per game.  That must improve this year if the offense is going to operate the way new OC David Yost envisions.

With a first-time starter at center, there could be some early bumps in the road.  Making all the calls for the line as well as handling the snap on every play, the responsibilities Deaton will shoulder are significant but he appears ready to take over.

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Had Deaton not won this job so definitively, Tech might have had to shuffle the offensive line considerably and some even wondered if Anderson might move to center if a player did not prove ready to hand the duties in the middle of the line.  But because of Deaton’s strong fall camp, the Red Raiders enter the season with tremendous confidence in the big men up front.

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