Texas Tech football: Under the radar stats from Red Raiders’ win over TCU
The Owens and Baskerville swap works for Texas Tech
During Tech’s open week, the Red Raiders made position switches on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. While the flipping of Dennis Wilburn from right guard to center and Rusty Stats from center to right guard was beneficial to the offense, the decision to move Tyler Owens to the star position and C.J. Baskerville to safety might have been even more successful for the defense.
All season, Owens has been playing one of the traditional safety spots at the back of the defense while Baskerville has been the star, which is a hybrid linebacker/safety role that often requires that player to come up and support the run defense near the line of scrimmage or rush the passer.
In the first game after this swap, both players were more productive in their new roles than they have been in quite some time.
Baskerville, the transfer from San Diego State, was credited with nine tackles. That matched his season high, a number he also tallied in a home win over Houston in September. Against TCU, he was the team’s leading tackler.
Meanwhile, Owens made five stops, the most he had amassed in a game since putting up 10 against Houston. The only other time this year that he had five or more tackles was in week two against Oregon. Though he didn’t register any sacks, Owens was also a presence in the Horned Frog backfield on occasion, something that his elite speed and athleticism should allow to do with consistency.
"“One thing that Tyler did do,” McGuire said, “he didn’t get home but he pressured the quarterback…I thought the one thing C.J. did, you know, you want to get the ball down, you want to make people drive and he had a couple of big-time tackles. You know, even if we’re giving up yards, you want a sure tackler back there and I thought he did a really good job. That’s something that both of them will continue to grow, being in new positions. It just says a lot about C.J. Baskerville and what an intelligent football player he is.”"
Sure, TCU picked up far too many yards through the air. However, much of that was due to the shortcomings of the corners, though.
On the other hand, Tech’s safeties played a strong game. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson was the hero of the night with his two interceptions and Owens and Baskerville were noticeable difference-makers in their first game at new positions.