Texas Tech football: Positions where Red Raiders will be better in 2021

Dec 5, 2020; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Members of the Texas Tech Red Raiders sing the school song after the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2020; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Members of the Texas Tech Red Raiders sing the school song after the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
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LUBBOCK, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 12: Offensive line coach Steve Farmer of the Texas Tech Red Raiders talks with offensive linemen including Landon Peterson #72, Aaron Castro #63, Will Farrar #74, Josh Burger #50, Jack Anderson #56, Clayton Franks #64, Dawson Deaton #73, Casey Verhulst #68, Weston Wright #70, and Ethan Carde #70 during the first half of the college football game against the Houston Baptist Huskies on September 12, 2020 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 12: Offensive line coach Steve Farmer of the Texas Tech Red Raiders talks with offensive linemen including Landon Peterson #72, Aaron Castro #63, Will Farrar #74, Josh Burger #50, Jack Anderson #56, Clayton Franks #64, Dawson Deaton #73, Casey Verhulst #68, Weston Wright #70, and Ethan Carde #70 during the first half of the college football game against the Houston Baptist Huskies on September 12, 2020 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

Offensive tackle

Any time a team adds an all-conference performer to the roster, it is going to be a huge boost.  That’s what Tech has done at the offensive tackle position where the Texas Tech football team has brought former TCU left tackle T.J. Storment into the fold.

A second-team All-Big 12 honoree last year, Storment is now with his fifth college program and he will be asked to make the edge of the Texas Tech offensive line more stable than it was a season ago.  Remember, last year Tech had Ethan Carde (who was playing through an injured back) and freshman Caleb Rogers splitting time at left tackle where each was ofter overwhelmed.

But now, there is a rock-solid veteran in place to protect Shough’s blindside.  And Storment’s presence will have a nice trickle-down effect for the rest of the o-line.

Now, either a healthy Carde or a more seasoned Rogers can slide over to right tackle, which was another point of weakness in the 2020 line because former Wofford transfer Josh Burger was playing out of position on the end of the line.  Now,  because of Storment’s addition, Burger has slid back to the guard position where he is more comfortable and that should make him far less of a liability than he was in his debut season as a Red Raider.

Though it became a sport to bash 2020 offensive coordinator David Yost for his lack of creativity in play calling last year, we must also keep in mind that he was having to draw up plays that would not expose a flawed offensive line. This year, new OC Sonny Cumbie should have a more talented and deeper line to work with and that could make a tremendous difference in how the offense performs.