Texas Tech football: Sophomores that are primed to make a big jump in 2020
These sophomores look like they are ready to make a huge jump for the Texas Tech football team in 2020.
There’s a long-held belief that college athletes make the greatest gains between their freshman and sophomore years. In 2020, the Texas Tech football team will be counting on that to prove true for a number of key members of the two-deep.
After a year in the strength and conditioning program and perhaps a year on the field, sophomores have to feel almost superhuman compared to how they felt when they arrived on campus. And if their mental gains can match their physical gains, they become true weapons for their team.
In recent Texas Tech football history, we’ve seen some notable players become stars as sophomores. That is especially true with the two greatest QBs in program history.
As a first-time starter in 2006, Graham Harrell threw for 4,555 yards, 38 TDs, and just 11 interceptions. Though he had his ups and downs that year, he showed the nation during his sophomore year that he was soon to be a star.
Meanwhile, Pat Mahomes went from an intriguing young player to a bonified superstar in 2015. Prior to that season, he beat out junior Davis Webb for the starting job and he parlayed the fulltime starting job into a 4,653-yard, 36-TD, 15-INT season while helping Tech to a winning record (something we no longer take for granted in Lubbock).
Likewise, a number of receivers during the “Air Raid” era of the program have been able to make a huge splash as sophomores. In 2004, Jarrett Hicks caught 76 passes for 1,177 yards and 13 TDs almost tripling his productivity from his freshman year.
Seven seasons later, Eric Ward had the first of his three-straight 800-yard seasons, something only one other player in program history (DeTron Lewis) has managed to accomplish. As a sophomore, the Wichita Falls native caught 84 passes for 800 yards and 11 TDs after catching just six balls the previous season.
Jakeem Grant made significant strides as a sophomore in 2013. That was the year he caught 65 passes for 796 yards and 12 TDs after amassing just 284 yards in 2012.
We could go on but the point has been made. Sophomores often find their footing as the game slows down and their bodies catch up with the rest of their teammates and in 2020, Tech will need some key players to make similar strides.
With that said, it’s worth taking a look at second-year players that could become critical members of the program this fall. (For the sake of this list, we will also include redshirt sophomores as well as true sophomores.) So let’s take a look at some current Red Raiders that could be the next sophomores to make significant jumps.