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Texas Tech football: Goals for this year’s defensive to strive for

By Matthew Conner

Sep 26, 2020; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive coordinator Keith Patterson on the sidelines in the second half in the game against the Texas Longhorns at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2020; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive coordinator Keith Patterson on the sidelines in the second half in the game against the Texas Longhorns at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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LUBBOCK, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 07: Defensive coordinator Keith Patterson of Texas Tech gives instructions during warmups before the college football game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the UTEP Miners on September 07, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 07: Defensive coordinator Keith Patterson of Texas Tech gives instructions during warmups before the college football game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the UTEP Miners on September 07, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

With eight returning starters, as many as five new Power 5 transfers, and a boatload of upperclassmen set to form the core of the 2021 Texas Tech football team’s defense, expectations on that side of the ball are higher than they have been in ages.  But are the expectations a bit too high?

After all, Tech fielded just the No. 9 defense in the Big 12 in terms of yards allowed last year.  That was good for just 99th in the nation at 444.9 yards allowed per game.

What’s more, Tech was ninth in the conference in the following defensive categories last fall: points allowed, rushing defense, interceptions gained, first downs allowed per game, opponent 3rd down conversion percentage.  On top of that, Tech was just eighth in the Big 12 in these categories: sacks, red zone defense, pass defense efficiency.

In other words, last year’s defense was still one of the worst in the nation.  Tech gave up over 30 points in seven of ten games and allowed fifty or more points in three contests.

But many believe that the modest steps forward that Tech made a year ago on defense were a prelude to a significant jump in the right direction in 2021.  In fact, those people are convinced that this year’s defense will be the strength of the team.

However, some of us have grown skeptical of anything to do with defense in Lubbock unless it comes from the mind of head basketball coach Mark Adams.  What’s more, we remain a bit skeptical of Keith Patterson as a defensive coordinator.

Keep in mind that in his career, Patterson has never coordinated a Power 5 defense that ranked in the top 75 in the nation in total yards.  His two greatest successes came at Pitt in 2011, which was after the Big East Conference had lost most of its football prowess, and in 2018 at Utah State which is in the Mountain West.

But this year, Tech won’t be facing on a weekly basis the types of teams that the 2011 Pitt Panthers or 2018 Utah State Aggies did.  Rather, the 2021 Big 12 is loaded with top-end talent and enters the year with two teams ranked in the top 10.

So let’s not ask Patterson’s defense to be the next coming of the 1985 Chicago Bears.  Rather, we would settle for a top-5 defense in the Big 12 and one that sits around No. 75 in the nation.

For that to happen, Tech has to improve in some key categories.  So let’s take a look at some statistical goals that this year’s defense should strive for.

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