Texas Tech football: 5 best individual performances of 2019

No. 2: SaRodocik Thomson vs. Baylor

No player did more to enhance his status on the team in 2019 than SaRodorick Thompson.  After entering the year essentially third on the depth chart at running back, he led the team in rushing and touchdown carries and now is the presumed future of the rushing attack for the next three years.

The day he broke out came against Baylor, the team that finished third in the conference in total defense.  In Tech’s 33-30 double-OT loss, the redshirt freshman tore off 153 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries.

Rushing for 5.5 yards per carry on a day when he had his most rushes of the year, Thompson nearly carried his team to a win on a day when Jett Duffey was picked off two times.  In fact, it looked like his 30-yard TD run with just 1:37 to play was going to be the game-winner as it put Tech up 20-17.  Of course, we all know that didn’t prove to be the case.

Still, it was a magnificent performance for the former 2-star recruit.  He had his first 100-yard game as a collegiate and accumulated the most yards on the ground for a Red Raider since Justin Stockton went for 161 against Kansas State in 2017.

In addition, he caught five passes for 24 yards.  Thus, he was responsible for 34.7% of his team’s total offense and had the ball on 38.8% of Tech’s plays.  That’s the definition of a work-horse.

This was one of four games this year in which the Irving, Texas native had two rushing touchdowns.  But it was his only 100-yard game.  Eventually, nagging injuries slowed him to the point that he could not carry such a heavy load but being the only healthy RB on the roster by season’s end, he remained the focus of this team’s ground game, even when playing on just one good ankle.

Heading into 2020, running back is the only settled position group on the roster and that’s in large part due to the emergence of SaRodorick Thompson.  And in his best game in 2019, he began to step forward as this team’s best running back by taking it to one of the best defenses in the Big 12.