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Texas Tech football: Where Red Raiders need transfer help after NSD

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 07: Defensive lineman Broderick Washington Jr. #96 and defensive lineman Eli Howard V #53 of Texas Tech celebrate a tackle by Washington Jr. during the first half of the college football game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the UTEP Miners at Jones AT&T Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 07: Defensive lineman Broderick Washington Jr. #96 and defensive lineman Eli Howard V #53 of Texas Tech celebrate a tackle by Washington Jr. during the first half of the college football game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the UTEP Miners at Jones AT&T Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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Quarterback Jett Duffey #7 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
Quarterback Jett Duffey #7 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

The offensive line needs an influx of ready-to-play talent

Texas Tech graduated three starting offensive linemen after the 2019 season, including both tackles.  With Travis Bruffy, Terence Steele, and guard Madison Akamnonu now gone, the front five will be the biggest area of intrigue in spring practice.

Fortunately, we know that junior Dawson Deaton can be a reliable center after he started all 12 games there last fall, his first season at that position.  We also got good news when we learned that preseason All-Big 12 guard Jack Anderson announced that he would return for another season instead of heading to the NFL after missing eight games last year.

But there are no clear answers as to who will fill the other three spots.  It is fair to believe that redshirt sophomore Weston Wright will slide over to left guard after he played admirably in Anderson’s place.

However, the two tackle positions are up for grabs and there are no sure-fire answers on the roster.  When Steele missed the first two games of the year, Zach Adams got the start at right tackle but being as those games came against Montana State and UTEP, it is hard to evaluate the senior-to-be on those two performances.

Other options could include junior Will Farrar, redshirt freshman Trevor Roberson, and JUCO addition Ethan Carde.  However, even if any of those players prove to be ready to start, Tech has to add some depth after signing some very small offensive line classes in recent years.

In fact, in the last two classes, Tech has brought in a total of just five offensive linemen, which is what each class should contain independently.  Therefore, it is almost a certainty that Tech will bring in at least one offensive lineman this summer and he will be expected to at least be part of the two-deep this fall but make no mistake, they will be looking for possible starters to help sure up this roster’s biggest weakness.

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