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Texas Tech football: Takeaways from the first official depth chart of 2020

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - NOVEMBER 03: Thomas Leggett #16 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders knocks the ball back into the field of play downing the ball on the one yard line during the first half of the game against the Oklahoma Sooners on November 3, 2018 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - NOVEMBER 03: Thomas Leggett #16 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders knocks the ball back into the field of play downing the ball on the one yard line during the first half of the game against the Oklahoma Sooners on November 3, 2018 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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Wide receiver Xavier White #14 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders runs with the football after a reception against safety Scottie Young Jr. #6 of the Arizona Wildcats during the first half of the NCAAF game at Arizona Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Wide receiver Xavier White #14 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders runs with the football after a reception against safety Scottie Young Jr. #6 of the Arizona Wildcats during the first half of the NCAAF game at Arizona Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Xavier White wins No. 2 RB job

We all knew that SaRodorick Thompson was going to be this team’s starting RB and he’s listed at No. 1 on the depth chart as such.  But the surprise is at the No. 2 RB spot where a converted slot receiver, Xavier White, has earned the backup job.

White was a feel-good story at the start of last year after the former Monterey Plainsman walked on after a year in the JUCO ranks.  He worked his way into the mix at inside receiver where he caught 10 passes for 159 yards and a TD in just four games.

But an injury ended his season after the OU game in week four and he was largely an afterthought for most fans.  In 2020 though, he’s on scholarship and he is now playing running back and it appears that we had better get used to hearing his name again.

At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, he’s a bit bigger than last year but hopefully, he has kept the explosiveness that he displayed in his brief time on the field.  He could be a tremendous weapon out of the backfield as a matchup nightmare given his receiving background and that’s a skill of his we will be interested to see OC David Yost utilize.

We still expect to see plenty of Alabama Transfer Chadarius Townsend and true freshman Tahj Brooks, especially if Yost decides to run the ball as heavily as many assume he will in 2020.  This is a tremendously diverse and complementary backfield with all four players bringing something to the equation.

But for White to jump to No. 2 on the depth chart in his first camp as a running back is a bit of a surprise.  That makes it the second-straight year that he’s exceeded expectations before the season even began.

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