Texas Tech football: What we can learn from previous upsets of Longhorns

The Red Raider slot receivers typically come up big

The last time the Red Raiders met UT, KeSean Carter made his first career start in the slot.  And what a start it was.

Catching 11 balls for 150 yards and a TD, he had his best game thus far as a collegiate.  Hopefully, he can repeat that performance against Texas this weekend.  If he does, it will be a continuation of the trend in which the Red Raider slot receivers have huge performances against Texas.

The last time the Red Raiders won in this series (2017), Keke Coutee had 9 catches for 168 yards.  Included among that performance was a 52-yard strike as he averaged 18.7 yards per catch.

In 2015, Jakeem Grant had his career-defining game.  On the night when he surpassed Michael Crabtree to become the program’s all-time leading receiver, he caught two passes for 105 yards and a TD while rushing twice for 42 yards and another score on a trick play.  Also that night, fellow inside receiver Ian Sadler caught six passes for 108 yards to lead the team.

Eric Morris was Tech’s leading receiver in 2008 with 10 grabs for 97 yards and a TD.  Additionally, Detron Lewis hauled in seven passes for 93 yards from the slot.

But the greatest performance a Red Raider slot receiver has had against the Longhorns was the monster game Wes Welker had in 2002.  In the passing game, he caught 14 balls for 169 yards and a pair of TDs.  On the ground, he ran four times for 40 yards, and in the return game, he had 38 yards on three punt returns.  That’s a total of 247 yards, 209 of which came against a defense that entered the year allowing just 261 yards per contest.

Texas normally has a strong secondary loaded with former 4 and 5-star signees and that’s the case again this year.  But often, teams do not have their best defensive backs playing in the slot and if that is what the Horns decide to do Saturday, Carter could have another huge day and that would bode well for the Red Raiders.