Texas Tech needs Joseph Adedire to have a breakout season in 2024

If the Texas Tech football team is going to live up to, and even surpass, expectations in 2024, a number of players who have not yet become household names will have to start to come into their own. That's especially true on the defensive side of the football where there are a ton of opportunities for up and coming players to step up thanks to a large number of graduations and departures following the 2023 campaign. In fact, this spring, head coach Joey McGuire said that he has a "no name" defense this year.

One player the Red Raiders are hoping to see elevate his game is Joseph Adedire, who has teased quite a bit from his defensive end position but who has yet to become a consistent force off of the edge. If he can break out in 2024, it will make the Red Raider defense immeasurably more effective this fall.

Adedire joined the program in the class of 2022 as a four-star signee out of Mansfield, Texas. He was also a top-100 player in Texas. Thus, plenty has been expected of him. However, he's yet to make the splash that many think he can.

As a true freshman, he was the only first-year player on the team to appear in more than four games. Along the way, he racked up 19 tackles with 3.5 for loss and one sack in 12 games. What's more, he even started six games.

Thus, entering last fall, some thought 2023 would be when Adedire made a splash. However, his numbers increased only modestly. He was credited with 25 tackles with 4.0 for loss and 1.0 sacks.

It was interesting to see that the program decided to bring in Steve Linton from Syracuse to play the outside LB/edge rusher role last offseason rather than give that role to Adedire full-time following the departure of NFL first-round pick Tyree Wilson. Of course, Linton was a bit of a disappointment with only 3.0 sacks on the season.

This year, Linton is gone after having transferred from the program. That opens a role for Adedire to fill on the edge of the defense.

Tech desperately needs someone to step up as a pass rusher this fall. While there are plenty of players who may fill that role (fellow juniors Charles Esters III and Isaac Smith, along with sophomore Dylan Spencer and redshirt freshman Amier Washington are all going to get some serious run at outside linebacker as well), Adedire might be the best bet to be a break out performer.

The 6-foot-3, 265-pounder has all the tools needed to impact the passer. He is explosive off the edge while being strong enough to battle with opposing offensive tackles.

If his physical gifts translate to productivity on the field, then the Red Raiders will have an answer to one of the biggest questions of the offseason; who will be able to get after the quarterback?

Last year, Tech averaged just 1.9 sacks per game. That was good for only 78th in the NCAA.

What's concerning is that, of the 25 sacks the Red Raiders registered, the players responsible for 15 of those are no longer with the program. Also, no Red Raider on this year's roster had more than three sacks last season and only three had more than one sack.

Could Adedire be the next Red Raider to be a difference-maker by getting to the quarterback? If so, Tech will have a foundational piece for the defense to build around. Also, the team will be able to impact opposing offenses by limiting the time quarterbacks have to throw.

So keep an eye on Adedire as fall camp opens and as the season begins. He has all the potential to be a disruptive force and this could finally be the season that he produces at the level that Tech has been hoping he will.