Texas Tech football: Beating TCU is important for multiple reasons

These programs face off quite frequently on the recruiting trail

There is a reason that Texas Tech was one of the teams that voted against the inclusion of TCU into the Big 12.  That’s because perhaps no program in the conference has been more impacted on the recruiting front by TCU’s joining of the league than Tech.

For years, the DFW area has been Tech’s primary recruiting area and until the Frogs joined the league, the Red Raiders could play the Power 5 conference card when going head-to-head with TCU.  But those days are gone and now, TCU doesn’t have to worry about conference inferiority while also being able to play the geography card against Tech.

The only way for the Red Raiders to combat that is to simply become the better program.  That starts by stringing together some wins in this rivalry.

The 2019 recruiting class was strange for Tech in that only two of its members came from the DFW area.  But consider that in 2018, 10 of the program’s 22 signees were from the DFW or surrounding areas.

Looking ahead to the current class, it’s easy to see how important the Metroplex is to the Red Raiders.  FIve of Tech’s 16 current commits are DFW targets as are plenty of current targets.

Also, looking back at some of the most impactful players this program has produced shows how often Tech has to beat TCU on the recruiting trail.  Since TCU joined the Big 12, Tech had to fend off the Frogs for the services of Jack Anderson, Erik Ezukanma, Davis Webb, and Dakota Allen (among others), as well as 2020 commits Taj Brooks, Myles Price, and 2021 prized QB, commit Behren Morton.

Over the years, Tech has lost some key recruiting battles to Gary Patterson’s program as well.  Most notably was Jalen Reagor, the Big 12’s most explosive receiver who is the son of former Red Raider Montae Reagor and who has scored in each of that last two games between these two teams.

Recruits care quite a bit about facilities, location, and a million other factors when making their decisions.  However, what matters most is playing for a winning program and if Tech wants to be the recruits’ choice over TCU, it has to begin beating the Frogs year-in and year-out.