Texas Tech football: Unpleasant streaks that need to end in 2020

6-straight years with a defense in the 100s in total defense

Another six-year streak that needs to end is the run of seasons in which the Tech defense has finished in the 100s in total defense.  That was extended in 2019 when the Red Raiders finished No. 127 in the nation in the first year under defensive coordinator Keith Patterson.

Though I have bee quite vocal about my negative feelings towards how Patterson calls a defense, the truth is that he isn’t the only DC to struggle when trying to turn around Tech’s woes on that side of the ball.  In fact, the last time the Red Raiders finished in just the top half of the nation in yards allowed was in 2012 when they were No. 38.

There seems to be a bit of a myth (or maybe it is an excuse) that playing good defense is impossible in the Big 12 and thus we shouldn’t focus on the yards a defense gives up (which is how total defense stats are ranked).  That’s a flawed way of thinking given that last year, TCU was able to end the year at No. 27 in the nation in that category.  If it can be done in Fort Worth, it can be done in Lubbock.

But for 2020, we aren’t asking Wells and Patterson to put together a top-30 defense.  We’d settle for just a top-100 unit.

That’s not asking all that much for most programs but for the last two decades in Lubbock, it’s been akin to asking Democrats and Republicans to agree on…well…anything.  It’s happened from time to time but not enough to yield any progress.

If the Red Raiders can field a defense this fall that is just run of the mill bad by FBS standards and not cringeworthy, it could be enough to help the program start to turn the corner.  There’s no question that the bar couldn’t get much lower in Lubbock when it comes to defense but it would still be nice to see the Red Raiders finally be something better than a laughingstock.