Texas Tech football: Players that benefitted from the abbreviated spring

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 07: Defensive end Eli Howard V #53 of Texas Tech signals during "The Matador Song" after the college football game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the UTEP Miners at Jones AT&T Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Lubbock, Texas. (Poto by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

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Texas Tech Red Raiders cheerleaders. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

Travis Koontz

TE Travis Koontz is a player who was in a fascinating place this spring. Despite having just 10 catches for 159 yards and no TDs to his name, the former JUCO player is essentially guaranteed the starting job.

That’s because this spring, there was only one competitor on campus who could have challenged him, Simon Gonzalez, and he was suspended for the spring. In fact, we still don’t know if the Magnolia, Texas redshirt sophomore is back in Matt Wells’ good graces or not.

Thus, Koontz was going to be the only scholarship TE on the practice field this spring and that could have been a problem. Had the senior been injured this spring, it could have been a disaster this fall.

Behind Koontz, there are only three TEs in the program and none have ever taken a snap as a Red Raider. In addition to Gonzalez, who redshirted last fall, there is JUCO signee Jason Lloyd, and true freshman John Holcomb.

We saw last year a spring injury take out Seth Collins for the year. Had that happened to Koontz, it would have been a worst-case scenario for the Red Raiders and that’s why the TE was better off not having to go through spring.

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