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Texas Tech Football: What’s keeping the offense from getting untracked

By Matthew Conner

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 28: Wide receiver T.J. Vasher #9 is congratulated after scoring a touchdown against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Red Raiders 55-16. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 28: Wide receiver T.J. Vasher #9 is congratulated after scoring a touchdown against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Red Raiders 55-16. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
(Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

A lack of big plays

Last year at Utah State, Wells and Yost built an offense that was one of the most explosive in the nation with nearly 30 of the Aggies’ touchdown drives lasting less than a minute in duration.  But this year, the Red Raider offense has lacked the type of explosiveness that we’ve become accustomed to in Lubbock.

Currently, Tech sits at No. 68 in the nation in big plays on offense according to CFBStats.com, which ranks NCAA teams by the total number of plays longer than 10 yards.  Tech has 63 thus far, while the Big 12’s top team, OU has 95 and Washington State leads the nation with 106.

Last year, Tech finished the season ranked No. 14 in the nation with 222 such plays.  That breaks down to an average of 18.5 per game.  Through four games, the 2019 offense is averaging just 15.7.

Taking things further, Tech ranks even lower in plays of 20 or more yards.  With just 16, the Red Raiders are tied with a number of teams at 107th in the nation.  Oklahoma leads the way with 43.

This team is not stocked with players that are threats to take the ball to the house on each play.  For instance, the best receiver on the team, T.J. Vasher, is not nearly as prone to picking up tons of yards after the catch as previous receivers that were considered the best on the team.  Rather he is the type of player who gets most of his yards on the catch.

Last year, his longest reception was 37 yards and this year, his 39-yard catch against Arizona has been his biggest play.  Both were plays that saw him make unbelievable catches but pick up no yards after the catch, which is something this team could use from him.

Meanwhile, the receivers on the other side of the field, R.J. Turner and Erik Ezukanma, have yet to come up with a single 20-yard reception between them.  That’s allowing defenses to key all of their efforts on keeping Vasher in check because they don’t fear being burned on the other side of the field.

Fortunately, McLane Mannix appears to have the ability to rack up yards after the catch as he did on his 66-yard catch and run against OU.  He also had a 30-yard catch against Montana State and he needs to continue to be a weapon in the slot.

Overall, no Red Raider ranks anywhere near being on CFBStats.com’s list of players with the most 20-yard catches, which includes all players with at least five.   But the problem isn’t just in the air.

On the ground, Tech is also failing to pick up huge chunks of yards.  With just 17 caries of 10 or more yards, Tech ranks 101st in the country.

Asking an offense to sustain methodical drives by picking up yards in five or six-yard increments is not a recipe for success with a backup QB leading the way.  If the Red Raider offense is going to put up enough points to compete in the Big 12, someone on the roster is going to have to break off some big gains to help get the offense out of neutral.

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