Texas Tech has a legitimate battle for the starting left tackle job

Every fall camp has its share of surprises. For Texas Tech in 2024, that could include an unexpected battle for the starting left tackle job.

All offseason, it has been assumed that Middle Tennessee transfer senior Sterling Porcher would hold down that spot. Since the moment spring practices began, he has been running with the first team at left tackle and he was listed on the post-spring depth chart as the starter at that position.

However, on the first day of fall camp, Porcher tweaked a hamstring causing him to miss some time. That opened the door for a challenger to emerge and push for the job. According to head coach Joey McGuire, junior Dalton Merryman is playing so well that there is now a legitimate competition for the starting left tackle job.

"Today, we got Sterling back in," McGuire told the media on Tuesday, August 6. "We kept Dalton with the ones because he's been playing really well. There's going to be a battle there but today was Sterling's first day to get some reps."

Merryman has come from almost out of nowhere to put himself in contention for the starting job on the left side. He was an unranked JUCO signee from Blinn College in the class of 2023 with Tech being his only Power 5 offer. Now, the Montgomery, Texas native is, according to his head coach, one of the most improved players on the team.

"Dalton, man," McGuire said. "If you ask me, one of the biggest players from spring until right now it would be Dalton Merryman. In the spring, he really struggled with his physicality. You know, it's tough, I mean, he's 6-foot-8, 300 pounds so I mean, he's got to do a good job with his pad level and use what he has and man, he's starting to do it. He's had a really good six practices so far.

"You know, there's a battle right there and Sterling sees that and it's only going to make Sterling better."

The Red Raider offensive line battle is shaping up unexpectedly. This offseason, the program brought in three transfer offensive linemen and one JUCO signee. The belief at the start of the spring was that Tech's eventual starting five might be comprised of four players new to the program this year.

However, home-grown players Ty Buchanan and Sheridan Wilson have put themselves in position to start at right tackle and center respectively. What's more, long-time Red Raider, Caleb Rogers, is penciled in as the starter at right guard.

Therefore, if Merryman wins the left tackle job, Toledo transfer Vinny Sciury (left guard) would be the only newcomer to the program who earns a starting job. Meanwhile, Memphis transfer Devion Carter and Porcher could be relegated to backup roles in their final seasons of college eligibility. That would be quite a surprising development.

Perhaps that is a sign that new offensive line coach, Clay McGuire, who was hired in February, nearly two months after the four new offensive linemen signed with the program, has seen something he prefers in the players who were already on campus. Whatever the reason, the offensive line battle is shaping up to be the most intriguing battle of fall camp.

It is also the most important position group that must be sorted out. That's why it is great to see a player like Merryman step up and give the coaching staff another option as they try to assemble their five best players.