S Marquis Waters
At first glance, it would seem a bit much to suggest that any member of the Texas Tech football team’s secondary is a make-or-break player given how many options there are at defensive back. But it seems as if everything Tech wants to do in the secondary revolves around a quality season from safety Marquis (Muddy) Waters.
Some may have forgotten about the former transfer from Duke given that he appeared in only four games last season before an injury against Texas cost him the remainder of 2021. But when he arrived in Lubbock, he was thought to be a rather significant addition.
For his career, Waters has started 39 games and has registered 243 tackles, four interceptions, and a fumble recovery. That makes him one of the most experienced and productive players on the 2022 roster.
Waters will likely start the year playing next to emerging star Dadrion Taylor-Demerson at the back end of the secondary. Last year as a junior, the Oklahoma native racked up a career-high 61 tackles and three interceptions while also being credited with ten pass breakups despite making only seven starts.
Together, Waters and Taylor-Demerson could combine to give Tech an excellent pair of safeties to patrol the deep secondary and that’s something that could help set this year’s defense apart from recent versions. But Waters must give Tech a full season this time around.
If he does, the versatile Reggie Pearson Jr. will be free to be utilized like a jack-of-all-trades in the secondary where his play-making ability can be unleashed in a variety of ways. So keep an eye on Waters because his play could be the key to unlocking everything that new defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter wants to do on that side of the ball.