Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Texas Tech football: 3 statistical successes Red Raiders need to repeat in 2020

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - OCTOBER 10: A general view of of Jones AT&T Stadium during the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Iowa State Cyclones on October 10, 2015 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech won the game 66-31. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - OCTOBER 10: A general view of of Jones AT&T Stadium during the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Iowa State Cyclones on October 10, 2015 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech won the game 66-31. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
A general view of a penalty flag on the field during the game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
A general view of a penalty flag on the field during the game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /

Penalties

One of the most frustrating aspects of being a Texas Tech football fan during the “Air Raid” era of the program has been living through season after season in which Tech was amongst the most penalized teams in the nation.  But last year, the Red Raiders ranked 55th nationally and 5th in the conference in terms of the number of penalties assessed against them, 75.

The year prior, the Red Raiders were No. 110 nationally when they were assessed 98 penalties.  It was even worse in 2017 when the Red Raiders were No. 122 out of 129 teams by being penalized 104 times, most in the Big 12.

In fact, in every year of the Kingsbury era, Tech ranked in the 100s when it came to the number of penalties incurred.  Thus, ranking No. 55 nationally in 2019 was a huge improvement.

The numbers were not quite as good when looking at penalty yards per game.  In that area, Tech ranked 83rd overall and 7th in the Big 12 at 57.9 yards per game.  Still, that number is also better than the average year of the Kingsbury era.

Penalties are often killers for teams like Texas Tech, which do not have the talent level to overwhelm opponents.  Last season, the Red Raiders lost four one-score games and that’s a trend that must change in 2020.  And in such tight games, untimely penalties can prove to be the difference so it would behoove the Red Raiders to continue to improve when it comes to the number of flags they see thrown against them.

Home/Texas Tech Football