Texas Tech football: Matt Wells discusses spring progress

Wells gave insight on which returners are standing out thus far

Another important update that fans always look for in the spring is word on which returning players are standing out.  That’s because it seems like every spring at least one player is bound to come from nowhere and put himself in the mix for a starting job.

While some of the names Wells mentioned when talking about who has impressed him were names you would expect, others were veterans that are engaged in key position battles where starting spots are on the line.

After mentioning QB Alan Bowman and RB SaRodorick Thompson by name as two players that have stood out since the team put full pads on this spring (which turned out to be just two practices) Wells then spoke highly of three veteran offensive linemen who are competing for jobs along an offensive line that is tasked with replacing three starters from last year.

"“Up front, Zach Adams and Casey Verhulst…and Weston Wright look like they have played a little bit of football,” Wells said.  “I think they’ve started to take another step.  I think they need to.”"

The last remark about how those three players need to step up stands out.  It gives us some insight as to which players this coaching staff is counting on to replace 2019 seniors Terence Steele, Travis Bruffy, and Madison Akamnonu.  And unless Tech adds any more linemen through the transfer portal, that is likely your starting offensive line.

Wright is a no-brainer after he started the final eight games of the year at right guard in place of the injured Jack Anderson.  But should Adams and Verhulst win the starting tackle jobs, it will be the first time that either has been a full-time starter at the collegiate level.

Adams is a 6-foot-6, 320-pound senior from Fredericksburg, Virginia.  In his career, he’s appeared in just 15 games, including three last year.

Meanwhile, Verhulst is a 6-foot-6, 290-pound junior from Plano, Texas.  He started three games last season as injuries to both Anderson and Steele forced him into emergency duty as a spot starter.

How those two tackles develop over the offseason is one of the most important aspects of this team to monitor.  Given the injury history of both starting QB Alan Bowman and backup QB Maverick McIvor, the key to the 2020 offense is going to be how well Wells and his coaches can piece together their starting offensive line.