Texas Tech football: 5 best individual performances of 2019
No. 4: R.J. Turner vs. Kansas State
While the Texas Tech football team didn’t have any star receivers this year, grad transfer R.J. Turner had to be considered one of the team’s bright spots. The transfer from Louisiana-Monroe came out of nowhere to lead the Red Raiders in receiving this year with 645 yards on 45 catches while finding the endzone three times.
In the home finale against Kansas State, he capped off his lone year in the program with his best collegiate performance as he racked up 141 yards and a score on seven catches and it looked for a moment like me might have made one of the season’s most-important plays.
Remember that Tech came into this game needing to win out to reach a bowl. That didn’t happen as the Wildcats managed a 30-27 triumph but in the fourth quarter, Turner hauled in a 56-yard TD from Jett Duffey to cut a 10-point lead to just three points with 3:58 to play.
Unfortunately, the Red Raider defense couldn’t get the ball back to the offense and thus, Turner’s big play was essentially lost to history. But it was a play that stands out for no other reason than the fact that we just didn’t see many instances when Tech receivers were able to beat defensive backs for huge scoring plays this season.
On 4th-and-8 from the Tech 42, Wells had no choice but to go for it and Turner came up huge. But honestly, this play was as much a broken coverage as anything, however, that’s what most huge plays in college come as a result of.
Still, Turner made the catch and scampered the last 32 yards for a score to put a bow on the best day of his career. It was his third 100-yard day of the year and his second-straight after he had 116 yards and a pair of scores against TCU.
Turner’s opportunity this year came as a result of poor play by and a two-game suspension of junior T.J. Vasher who continues to frustrate by not being able to become the type of player that his talent suggests he should be. Thus, Turner was able to make the most of his chance to start down the stretch. Though his career day didn’t lead to a victory against the Wildcats, he was Tech’s best offensive player in a game that was a true must-win.