Texas Tech football: Positive developments from Oklahoma State loss

Young receivers came up big

For the Texas Tech football program, it’s all about trying to build for the future right now.  Thus, the fact that so many young players are receiving meaningful playing time this year has to be considered a positive.

On Saturday, it was the young receivers that made a ton of plays in the shootout loss.  In fact, they almost helped bring Tech all the way back in the fourth quarter.

It started with Erik Ezukanma, who had a career day.  The sophomore set a new career-high with 183 yards while equaling a career-high with seven receptions.  What’s more, he also had the first two-touchdown game of his career.

The redshirt sophomore became the first Texas Tech receiver this year to post a 100-yard day.  What’s more, his 183 receiving yards were the most from a Red Raider since Antoine Wesley set the school record with 261 yards against Houston early in the 2018 season.

Meanwhile, Miles Price continued to become a solid inside receiver with four receptions for 59 yards.  It was his second-best game of the year in terms of receiving yards and his best when it comes to yards per catch (14.8).

Also, true freshman Loic Fouonji had the catch of the game, a one-handed 31-yard snag in the endzone in the fourth quarter to bring Tech to within 50-44.  It was the Midland native’s first career touchdown and the most impactful play of his young collegiate career thus far.

All three of these players will be counted on heavily next year to be play-makers.  So the fact that they all proved to be just that against an Oklahoma State defense that came into the game second in the Big 12 against the pass was a great sign for the future of the Red Raider offense.