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Texas Tech football: Sophomores that are primed to make a big jump in 2020

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 19: Defensive coordinator Keith Patterson of the Texas Tech Red Raiders oversees warmups as linebackers Tyrique Matthews #32 and Xavier Benson #37 warm up before the college football game against the Iowa State Cyclones on October 19, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 19: Defensive coordinator Keith Patterson of the Texas Tech Red Raiders oversees warmups as linebackers Tyrique Matthews #32 and Xavier Benson #37 warm up before the college football game against the Iowa State Cyclones on October 19, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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Defensive back Alex Hogan #27 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders  (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
Defensive back Alex Hogan #27 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders  (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

DB Alex Hogan

There’s no question that the Texas Tech secondary was atrocious last year.  After all, Tech fielded the worst pass defense in the Big 12 and one of the three worst in the nation (at least statistically).

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So trying to point to one of the players that were part of that group as a candidate to emerge this year seems a bit counterintuitive.  However, I would buy stock in sophomore Alex Hogan.

Tech was so thin at corner last fall that both Hogan and converted high school RB Dadrion Taylor were both thrown into the fire way too early.  But both battled and refused to shy away from the challenge.

Hogan started to make some strides as the year progressed.  All eight of his appearances came in conference play and his best showing was a four-tackle game against TCU in the third-to-last game of the year.  That day, he also registered a pass defense.

Tech enters this year with Zech McPhearson and Adrian Frye set to start at corner and DaMarcus Fields expected to be the “spur” or nickel corner.   But in the pass-happy Big 12, no team can have enough quality defensive backs and Tech will certainly need Hogan to be ready to contribute.

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Sometimes, players have to be hardened by the fires and challenges of playing early in their career to become the grizzled veterans that we all love our teams to have.  Hopefully, that’s what we will see Alex Hogan start to become this year after being thrown into the deep end last year as a true freshman.

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