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Texas Tech football: 5 reasons Red Raiders will be better in 2022

By Matthew Conner

Dec 28, 2021; Memphis, TN, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders wide receiver Jerand Bradley (89) runs with the ball as Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Decamerion Richardson (30) tries to catch him during the second half as at Liberty Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2021; Memphis, TN, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders wide receiver Jerand Bradley (89) runs with the ball as Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Decamerion Richardson (30) tries to catch him during the second half as at Liberty Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 13, 2022; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the team logo on the helmet of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the Big 12 Media Day at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 13, 2022; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the team logo on the helmet of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the Big 12 Media Day at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Zach Kittley is one of the best offensive coordinators in the nation

Remember when Texas Tech footbally was synonymous with high-powered offense; when Tech was annually one of the top offenses in the nation?  It’s time for those days to return under new offensive coordinator Zach Kittley.

The son of current Texas Tech track head coach Wes Kittley, the young mastermind is thought of as one of the brightest offensive coaches in the NCAA.  Last year, his Western Kentucky QB Bailey Zappe broke the NCAA records for passing yards (5,967) and touchdown passes (62) while averaging 426.2 yards per game through the air.  And remember, Zappe was not some former high-profile recruit but rather a player who had to start out at Houston Baptist and work his way up the college football ladder.

Overall, Kittley’s offense at WKU averaged 44.2 points per game and 535.3 yards of total offense.  Those are numbers the likes of which Tech hasn’t seen since the Mahomes days.

Under former OC David Yost, Tech devolved into a pedestrian offense, one that was predictable and unimaginative.  Of course, Yost was also handcuffed by the poor play and injures his offense had to endure at the QB spot.

That was also the case in 2021 for OC Sonny Cumbie.  When Shough went down against Texas, Cumbie’s offense had to be scaled back to fit the limited abilities of Colombi.  And after Colombi was benched, Cumbie had to put the training wheels on redshirt freshman Donovan Smith.  In other words, we never got to see Cumbie’s full offense at work.

In 2022, Kittley will unleash everything in his playbook.  That should be frightening for opposing defenses.

Last year, for the first time since 2000, Tech averaged below 30 points per game.  That shouldn’t be the case in 2022 and that’s a huge reason why this year’s team will be much more dangerous when it has the ball.

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