Sophomore corner stands out because of physicality in first Texas Tech scrimmage

This fall, the Texas Tech football team is having to restock its defensive backfield after losing almost all of its production from 2023. That means opportunities for young players to step up and one Red Raider who appears to be paying his way into a significant role, and possibly a starting job, is sophomore corner Maurion "Mo" Horn.

In fact, following Saturday's first scrimmage of fall camp, Horn was one of the players specifically mentioned by head coach Joey McGuire as a standout performer on the day.

"Mo Horn, at corner, had a really great scrimmage," McGuire said.

That's great news for a Red Raider secondary looking for another starter to play opposite of returning starter Bralyn Lux. Last season saw starters Rayshad Williams and Mailk Dunkap exhaust their eligibility meaning that there is a need for someone to fill their shoes this year. It appears that Horn has the inside track to earning that opportunity.

"It's huge," McGuire said, "because Bralyn Lux is such a good corner...so we feel great about him. And I thought Mo had a really good spring but he's taken it to another level. I mean...even if the ball is caught, he's right there battling to knock the ball out.

"He's 180 pounds so you're like, 'Man, 180 pounds, how physical [can you be]?' He's really physical as a corner and did a good job attacking the ball today."

What should be most encouraging to Red Raider fans, is that the corners apparently held their own against Texas Tech's talented wide receivers in the scrimmage. This year, the Red Raiders have significantly upgraded the talent and skill they feature at the receiver positions and that group could be among the best in the Big 12.

While the upgrades on offense came by adding new impact players via the portal and the recruiting trail, the secondary is relying heavily upon players who have been in the program for a year or two to improve and show that they are ready to play meaningful snaps in the Big 12. Thus, the assumption might have been that the wide receivers would have an edge against the secondary in the scrimmage but that wasn't the case according to McGuire.

"I thought that the corners, especially, early in the scrimmage," McGuire said, "...in the pass game, I thought that the corners really gave our receivers on the outside, all they could handle."

This year, Texas Tech's defensive backs had better be ready to compete. That's because the Big 12 conference features some of the best wide receivers in the nation.

Last season, Tech was just 74th nationally by allowing 229.2 yards per game through the air. While slowing the opposition's passing game is a job for the entire defense, Tech needs its corners to be stronger and more physical in 2024 to compete for a conference crown.

Could Horn be an upgrade and help the Red Raider pass defense take a step forward? Tech fans have certainly been waiting for the Oklahoma native to make a difference for some time now.

In the class of 2022, he was a 4-star recruit according to 247Sports.com. Rated the No. 226 player in the nation, he picked Tech over offers from Baylor, Arkansas, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan State, Oregon, Nebraska, Texas, USC, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State.

In other words, Horn was highly regarded when he arrived. Now, it is time for him to start to contribute in a meaningful way. After being just a backup for two seasons, he appears to be taking steps toward securing a starting role for the Red Raiders and if he proves to be as effective during the season as he has been in the spring and thus far in fall camp, he could be a long-term answer in the secondary for McGuire's program.