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Texas Tech football: Players with huge opportunities in spring practice

By Matthew Conner

STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 28: Wide receiver Loic Fouonji #19 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders tries to get his hands around the ball as he is hit by cornerback Christian Holmes #0 and safety Kolby Harvell-Peel #31 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the fourth quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium on November 28, 2020 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. OSU won 50-44. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 28: Wide receiver Loic Fouonji #19 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders tries to get his hands around the ball as he is hit by cornerback Christian Holmes #0 and safety Kolby Harvell-Peel #31 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the fourth quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium on November 28, 2020 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. OSU won 50-44. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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Dec 12, 2020; Pasadena, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (8) celebrates after catching an 8-yard touchdown reception with 16 seconds to play as UCLA Bruins defensive back Rayshad Williams (3) reacts at Rose Bowl.USC defeated UCLA 43-38. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 12, 2020; Pasadena, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (8) celebrates after catching an 8-yard touchdown reception with 16 seconds to play as UCLA Bruins defensive back Rayshad Williams (3) reacts at Rose Bowl.USC defeated UCLA 43-38. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Rayshad Williams could earn a starting job at corner

Many believe that the 2021 defense will be the strength of the Texas Tech football team.  While no one is predicting that side of the ball to be a top-50 unit, it is an experienced group that returns all but three of last year’s starters.

However, one key spot that is open is one of the cornerback positions left vacant by the departure of Zech McPhearson.  And to fill McPhearson’s shoes, Tech has turned to the transfer portal.

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While Malik Dunlap from N.C. State is injured and won’t participate in the spring, UCLA transfer Rayshad Williams is a full-go and he’s going to have a golden opportunity to separate himself from the competition.

Williams is a big corner at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds.  And he has experience at the Power 5 level having made eight starts and appearing in 22 games with the Bruins making 42 tackles and three pass break-ups.

We already know that one of Tech’s starting corners will be Damarcus Fields.  Last year, he led the team with 10 pass defenses to go along with 31 tackles.  What’s more, he emerged as the player that defensive coordinator Keith Patterson asked to match up with the opposition’s top receiver.

Williams is going to have an opportunity this spring to play the role that McPhearson played for the last two years and put himself in position to sit atop the depth chart heading into the summer.  Hopefully, he will take to that job as well as McPhearson did.

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