The offensive line will be a weakness again
Last year, Tech struggled along the offensive line. Unfortunately, 2022 will see the team have to navigate another season with sub-par play up front and that could be the team’s mortal flaw.
The Red Raiders have tried to address the offensive line by bringing in five transfers from other FBS programs. However, that still might be enough to fix that position group.
The rebuilding efforts up front have taken a heavy blow with the news that WKU transfer Cole Spencer might miss the season as his recovery from off-season knee surgery has proven to be slow. He was an all-conference tackle last season for Kittley and was expected to be a walk-in starter for Tech. Without him, the Red Raiders are having to rely on a group of players who are inexperienced at the FBS level.
Monroe Mills is set to start at right tackle. The Oklahoma State transfer has never started a game in his college career and played only sparingly for the Cowboys last year.
Dennis Wilburn appears to have won the starting center job. However, he’s a walk-on from the JUCO ranks who will be playing his first FBS snaps this week.
Meanwhile, junior Landon Peterson is likely to start at left guard. In three years with Tech, he’s earned only one start and been primarily a reserve piece to the puzzle.
That means that three of Tech’s five starters along the offensive front will be first-time college starters. That’s not a recipe for success.