Bralyn Lux set to be critical figure in Texas Tech secondary this season

One of the questions that the 2024 Texas Tech football team must answer concerns the secondary. That's where 2023 starters Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Tyler Owens, Rayshad Williams, and Malik Dunlap all have graduated leaving plenty of holes to fill.

One player the Red Raiders will turn to for leadership and experience in the secondary is super-senior Bralyn Lux. In fact, he could be one of the most important players on this season's defense.

Last year, his first as a Red Raider, he was essentially a third starting corner. He appeared in 12 games making eight starts.

With 40 total tackles, he ranked seventh on the Red Raider defense. What's more, he led the team with nine pass breakups.

This year, he will face a bigger challenge though. As Tech's No. 1 corner, he may have to contend with the opposition's best wide receivers each Saturday.

Of course, the Big 12 is loaded with fantastic pass-catchers. Therefore, Lux will have to be at his best this season.

That's because the rest of the corners on the roster lack his experience. He has appeared in 39 career games between his time at Tech and Fresno State.

The other corners likely to see significant playing time this season are Jalon Peoples and Maurion Horn. Both are sophomores and between them, they have just 13 appearances at the college level.

That's why Lux has to be the rock that Tech can depend on. Now, it is fair to wonder if he will be up for the task.

Last season, he didn't necessarily see the opposition's best weapons on a down-by-down basis. And when he did, he struggled at times, especially with speedy receivers.

The most glaring instance of that came against Oregon in the second game of the year. In the 38-30 loss, Lux was easily beaten by the Ducks' top wideout, Troy Franklin, who blew past Lux for a 72-yard first-quarter touchdown.

Fortunately, plays like that were rare from Lux. Still, it was a reminder that he's far from being a shutdown corner.

Asking Lux to be your top corner is quite a bit to require from a player who has never been in that role. What's more, he will be playing over his pedigree.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder was an unrated recruit coming out of the California high school ranks in the class of 2019. In fact, Fresno State was his only offer.

At Fresno, he was credited with 89 tackles. He also amassed 15 pass defenses over the course of his three seasons there.

Last year, as a Red Raider, Lux had his best season to date. He entered the offseason as mostly an afterthought for fans but by the time the season arrived, he had forced his way into the cornerback rotation.

It was a huge step forward for Lux who proved that he has the fight and savvy to compete in the Big 12. Now, more will be asked of him in 2024. Whether or not he can be a top-end corner for the Red Raiders will be one of the biggest questions that must be answered for Joey McGuire's defense.