Texas Tech football: Goals for T.J. Vasher in 2020 season

At least 10 red-zone touchdown catches

Texas Tech needs to be better in the red zone on offense this season.  Thus, if Vasher can come down with 10 red-zone TD catches, he could be one of the biggest reasons that his team could get back to a bowl game.

Last year, Tech lost four games by less than one touchdown.  Thus, every scoring opportunity was magnified and often, Tech didn’t convert inside the opponent’s 20-yard-line in those defeats.

Coming away with seven points on only 54.9% of their red zone opportunities, the Red Raiders were just 92nd in the nation.  What’s more, on 51 forays inside the opponent’s 20, Tech found the end zone just 28 times.

Vasher needs to be a red-zone monster similar to what we saw of 6-foot-4 Darrin Moore in 2012.  With a build and playing style very similar to Vasher, the former JUCO transfer found the endzone 13 times in his senior season, most of which came in the red zone.

Last season, four of his six TDs were red-zone scores.  That’s where he should dominate and where Tech needs him to be an asset.  When the field shrinks and passing lanes close, QB Alan Bowman needs to be able to know that he can put the ball up high to his 6-foot-6 weapon and have confidence that he will make the play.

Ten red zone TDs is a lofty number.  Since 2013, only Bradley Marquez (2014), Jakeem Grant (2015), Jonathan Giles (2016) and Keke Coutee (2017) have had that many receiving scores from anywhere on the field in a season.  But none of those receivers had the physical traits to own the red zone the way Vasher could and if the enigmatic senior finally becomes a red-zone beast, it could mean the difference in more than a couple of games this fall.