Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Texas Tech football: Players that need a strong finish to 2020

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 31: Jones AT&T Stadium is pictured before the college football game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Oklahoma Sooners on October 31, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 31: Jones AT&T Stadium is pictured before the college football game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Oklahoma Sooners on October 31, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 14: Kicker Jonathan Garibay #46 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders lines up for a field goal during the first half of the college football game against the Baylor Bears at Jones AT&T Stadium on November 14, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 14: Kicker Jonathan Garibay #46 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders lines up for a field goal during the first half of the college football game against the Baylor Bears at Jones AT&T Stadium on November 14, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

Jonatha Garibay

One player who can take a starting role and lock it away as his own over the final two games of the year is placekicker Jonathan Garibay.  And after what we saw from him against Baylor, that’s what we expect to happen.

What was so impressive about his 4-4 showing against the Bears was that he was forced to kick into a swirling wind of 30 MPH and yet, he was able to hit a pair of 40-plus yard kicks.  Thus, we shouldn’t have any questions about his leg strength.

Garibay was expected to be Tech’s starting kicker last year after being the only scholarship placekicker on the roster.  In fact, he was the no. 4 JUCO kicker in the nation in the class of 2019.

But he was beaten out by Trey Wolff in what was a bit of a surprise.  And after Wolff went 20-22 last fall, it seemed as if Garibay would never become Tech’s primary kicker.

However, in classic 2020 fashion, what we thought we knew was turned upside down this year as Wolff fell apart, thanks in part to a back injury, giving Garibay a shot.  And the California native made the most of his first opportunity.

Still, one game does not assuage all fears about the kicking situation in Lubbock.  Thus, Garibay needs to continue to be a reliable weapon over the final two games of the year because Wolff should return to full health this offseason and he may regain his form from 2019 to provide stiff competition for Garibay in 2021.

But Garibay is the hero of the day right now for the Texas Tech football program after his heroics against Baylor.  And if he can kick well to end the season, he will head into the offseason with a significant advantage in the race for next year’s kicking job.

Home/Texas Tech Football