Texas Tech football: The 5 most indispensable Red Raiders in 2022

No. 3: Caleb Rogers

Speaking of positions that are typically overlooked, offensive tackle certainly falls into that category.  In fact, usually, the only time that tackles get mentioned is when they commit a penalty or allow a sack.

But just because we don’t talk about them as much as we should, don’t underestimate how important they are to the offense.  That’s why Caleb Rogers is the third-most indispensable player on this year’s team.

Having moved to left tackle after being last year’s starting right tackle, he’s now tasked with protecting the blind side of the quarterback.  It goes without saying that it’s a monumentally important job.

Quietly, Rogers has developed into a solid offensive lineman.  With 16 starts under his belt in two years as a Red Raider, he’s all of a sudden become one of this team’s two most experienced o-linemen (along with right guard Weston Wright).  What’s scary though is what’s behind him.

Listed on the post-spring depth chart as the No. 2 left tackle was Matt Keeler.  “Who in the heck is that,” you ask?  He’s a former JUCO transfer who played in only two games last season for Tech, both being blowout wins.

Thus, it is likely that Rogers’ true backup is a player listed somewhere else on the depth chart.  Perhaps it would be New Mexico transfer Cade Briggs, who played tackle for the Lobos but who is battling for the starting center job this offseason.  Maybe a player like Western Kentucky transfer Cole Spencer would side out to tackle, which he played for the Hilltoppers.  But he’s currently penciled in as the starting left guard so moving him to tackle would cause more shuffling along the line.

Meanwhile, players such as Ty Buchannan, Jacoby Jackson, and Landon Peterson have little to no experience at the collegiate level.  In other words, any missed time for Rogers would put the delicate offensive line balance in danger.

So don’t take for granted what Rogers means to this team.  Though we don’t often notice his play and only think about him when something goes wrong, he’s one of the most important cogs in the 2022 Red Raider offense.