Texas Tech football: Extra observations from dominant win over Baylor

Baylor Cupp has his biggest impact while at Texas Tech

I don’t know why Texas Tech fans are so obsessed with the tight end position.  After all, it isn’t as if this program has had a dominant one outside of Jace Amaro in 2013.  Even the glory days of the program in the 2000s were achieved without many contributions from the position.

Still, we obsess over what that position does or doesn’t bring to the table on a weekly basis.  Why?  Is it because programs like Texas, Iowa State, and Oklahoma have all burned the Red Raiders with big, athletic tight ends and we covet the opportunity to return the favor?

Whatever the reason, after every game this year, the play of Tech’s tight end group is a discussion point among the fans.  For the most part, the consensus has been that we should be seeing more from Baylor Cupp, Mason Tharp, and Jayden York, all of whom look the part and possess tremendous physical gifts.

Saturday night, it was Cupp who starred for his offense with Tharp unable to play due to injury.  Somewhat of a forgotten man in the passing game this year, he entered Saturday with only three receptions on the season.

Instead, he had been utilized more as a blocker, even in the passing game when the Red Raider defensive tackles needed help.  However, against the school that he shares a name with, he showed us what he can do when featured as a route runner.

Each of his two receptions on the evening went for scores and while his second of the night, an 18-yard catch and run in the 3rd quarter, was important as it put Tech ahead 24-3, it was his first TD of the game that had to make Red Raider fans salivate.

Lined up as an outside receiver in the formation, he simply ran a “go route” against man coverage and used his size to win a contested ball against a smaller corner for a 16-yard TD.  That’s what a 6-foot-6 tight end should do inside the 20.

So far, all four of his TD catches as a Red Raider have come in the red zone.  What’s more, one of Tharp’s two TDs in 2023 was a red-zone score as was York’s score against Wyoming.

Maybe that’s where the TEs on this roster can be most effective as receivers.  It doesn’t seem like the plan is to feature them like Tech did Amaro all those years ago.  But in the red zone, it would be wise to keep using the size and talent that each possesses as a primary option because there are tons of mismatches that they can create.