Wreck'Em Red
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Texas Tech football: Ranking our confidence in each offensive position group

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 16: Quarterback Jett Duffey #7 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders hands the ball to running back Ta'Zhawn Henry #26 during the first half of the college football game against the TCU Horned Frogs on November 16, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 16: Quarterback Jett Duffey #7 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders hands the ball to running back Ta'Zhawn Henry #26 during the first half of the college football game against the TCU Horned Frogs on November 16, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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KeSean Carter #82 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
KeSean Carter #82 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

Options abound at inside receiver

With just one slot receiver on the field in virtually every formation, the three options the Red Raiders have should be more than enough.  That’s why I give this position group a 7 out of 10 on my confidence scale.

Interestingly, the player I’m most excited about here has the least experience.  But what I saw out of Kesean Carter in his first career start in the slot was intoxicating.

Against Texas in last fall’s season finale, he caught 11 passes for 150 yards and a TD in what was by far his best performance as a Red Raider.  Now, Tech has moved his elite speed inside permanently where many of us always thought the 5-foot-10 Houstonian should have been playing.

Meanwhile, both Dalton Rigdon and McLane Mannix are back and they each proved last year that they can be part of the answer in the slot.  Together, they combined for 60 catches, 734 yards, and 8 TDs despite the fact that each missed multiple games due to injury.

With all these options, there’s no reason to think that this position group will be a liability this fall.  But the question is whether or not any of them are ready to be elite.

We’ve come to expect thousand-yard seasons from Tech slots because we’ve been spoiled by Wes Welker, Danny Amendola, Jakeem Grant, and Keke Coutee.  Perhaps one of the three IR in the mix this year will someday join that prestigious group.  Hopefully, one does so as soon as this season.

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