Texas Tech football: 3 predictions for the Red Raider running backs

Tahj Brooks will give Texas Tech 1,000 yards or more of total offense and 15 TDs  or more

To suggest that senior Tahj Brooks will have a big 2023 is not going out on much of a limb.  He’s the unquestioned RB1 and he has 118 more career carries (303) than his backup has career rushing yards.

The question then should not be whether Brooks will be a huge contributor for Tech but whether he can reach the 1,000-yard mark on the ground.  Should he do that, he would be the first Red Raider to get to 1,000 rushing yards since Washington in 2015.

Ultimately, he will fall just shy of that mark but he should easily rack up over 1,000 total yards from scrimmage.  With Thompson now off the roster, Brooks’ workload could increase by 50 carries or more.  He will also be on the field far more, which would allow him to be a greater component of the passing game, which is how he’ll get to 1,000 yards.

In 2022, he set a career-high in receiving yards (164) and receptions (26).  Though he won’t ever be a guy Tech features as a receiver, he will get enough check-downs and designed screen passes to likely top those numbers in 2023.

Also, Tech’s improved offensive line should help Brooks rack up the yards via land.  Last year, the rushing lanes simply were not there for Tech’s RBs, and Brooks’ yards-per-carry average fell nearly two yards from 2021 (6.5 to 4.7).

Another factor that could help Brooks’ stats might be the offense’s style of play.  With the defense expected to be the best Tech has fielded in over a decade, it would stand to reason that there will be fewer shootouts this season meaning that the ground game might be a bigger part of offensive coordinator Zach Kittley’s game plans.

Meanwhile, Brooks’ opportunities near the goal line should increase as well.  Thompson was such a great goal-line back that it meant Brooks didn’t get as many touches inside the red zone.  But this year, Brooks will be Tech’s best short-yardage option and as a result, many of those TDs that went to Thompson will now wind up in Brooks’ stat column and he will get to at least 15 total scores.

Look for Brooks to be a surprise star to many in the Big 12 this season.  While he doesn’t have the home-run speed that garners tons of attention on social media or from television outlets, he will be the workhorse for what should be an excellent offense, and that will lead to an impressive season for one of the most reliable players on the roster.