Texas Tech football: Position group grades for Red Raiders vs. Kansas State

Grading the Red Raider offense

Quarterbacks: B+

Texas Tech’s quarterbacks likely entered Saturday licking their chops at the thought of facing a KSU pass defense that entered the game as the second-worst in the Big 12.  But unfortunately, Tech couldn’t exploit a KSU secondary that had been raged by injuries and COVID-19 positives.

The starter, Alan Bowman, never had time to truly get into a rhythm.  He played only a series and a half before leaving with an ankle injury following a late hit.  For the game, he was just 4-7 for 23 yards so we would have to give him an “incomplete” grade.

His understudy, Henry Colombi, came on and performed admirably.  In fact, once he found his groove, he looked more comfortable executing the offense than Bowman has during the Wells era.

Colombi was able to complete 30-42 attempts for 244 yards and a pair of TDs in his first action as a Red Raider.  That included a stretch of three-straight TD drives to open the second half.

However, he was picked off at the most critical of moments.  With Tech trying to rally from a 24-21 deficit in the 4th quarter, he tried to connect with T.J. Vasher on a fade route but he failed to look off the safety, who came over to make the interception.

On that play, Colombi’s arm appeared to be hit as he delivered the ball but still, it was a throw that he should not have even attempted given how he actually did have one-on-one coverage on the other side of the field with Erik Ezukanma and that would have been where he should have gone with the ball if he wanted to take a shot at the endzone.

Still, Colombi played as well as anyone could have asked and it was almost good enough for a win.  Thus, we have to give him a “B+”.

Offensive line: B-

It was a mixed bag for Tech’s offensive line on Saturday.  After all, it was yet another game in which the line allowed QB Alan Bowman to take a hit that took him out of the game.  Though the hit was dirty and late, on the play, right tackle Josh Burger was beaten by the KSU defensive end and Burger shouldn’t have allowed his man to get close enough to Bowman to be enticed to dive at the QB’s legs.

In all, Tech’s o-line was fairly solid in the passing game though.  They allowed only one sack and two QB pressures.  Though at times, the two tackles were pushed back into the QB’s face as was the case on the Colombi interception.

On the ground, the line was better.  Paving the way for an average of 6.0 yards per carry, it imposed its will in the third and fourth quarters.  Tech finished the game with 204 yards on the ground and most of those yards came right up the middle where Jack Anderson, Dawson Deaton, and Weston Wright were able to open some holes, especially for Xavier White.  Thus, the offensive line gets a grade of “B-“.

Backs and receivers: C-

I wasn’t too impressed with what Tech’s running backs and receivers managed to do on Saturday.  That’s because they were facing a KSU defense that had given up tons of yards in the first two games of the year and yet, only one player, Xavier White, took advantage and proved to be a true difference-maker.

White, the former Monterey Plainsman who played inside receiver last year, made his first true impact as a running back on Saturday.  Taking the bulk of the carries in the second half, he finished the day with 113 yards and a TD on just 12 carries.

However, the lead dogs that we would expect to come up big against a suspect KSU defense were held in check.  SaRodorick Thompson had just 46 yards on 12 rushes, Erik Ezukanma was merely adequate with five grabs for 77 yards, and T.J. Vasher was a non-factor with just two catches for 10 yards.  Also, inside receiver KeSean Carter had just 52 yards in his quietest day of the season thus far (though he did have a TD).

If there was one area where we thought Tech would have an edge over the Wildcats, it was supposed to be at the skill positions.  But the star of the game turned out to be KSU’s only explosive weapon, Deuce Vaughn, who dominated the Red Raiders.  Unfortunately, none of the Red Raider weapons were able to match his productivity and that’s why the Red Raider backs and receivers only get a “C-” this week.