Look, Texas Tech defensive coordinator Shiel Wood may not care too much about stats, but we can certainly use them to brag a bit about the way the Red Raiders are playing on the defensive side of things this season.
It’s early (very early, in fact), but Texas Tech’s defense is among the best in the Big 12 so far. The Red Raiders have been thriving on that side of the ball (which is something that just doesn’t seem to happen all that often in Lubbock).
It’s refreshing to see. It’s encouraging to see. I’m glad to see that Texas Tech can be incredibly explosive and dangerous on offense while also still playing disciplined and effective defense. That can lead to a lot of success this season.
Shiel Wood has helped deliver the Big 12’s second-best defenses in total yards allowed per game as Texas Tech heads into Week 6
Let’s take a look at the top defenses in the conference when it comes to yards allowed per game as we roll into Week 6:
- BYU Cougars - 226.8 yards per game
- Texas Tech Red Raiders - 238.8 yards per game
- Houston Cougars - 265.5 yards per game
- Arizona Wildcats - 266.5 yards per game
- UCF Knights - 293.3 yards per game
- Utah Utes - 300.4 yards per game
- Iowa State Cyclones - 309.6 yards per game
- Arizona State Sun Devils - 321 yards per game
- Cincinnati Bearcats - 356 yards per game
- Kansas State Wildcats - 362.6 yards per game
- West Virginia Mountaineers - 364.2 yards per game
- Kansas Jayhawks - 376 yards per game
- Baylor Bears - 383.2 yards per game
- TCU Horned Frogs - 389.3 yards per game
- Colorado Buffaloes - 404.8 yards per game
- Oklahoma State Cowboys - 473 yards per game
That’s a really noteworthy spot for Texas Tech to be in right now as we enter Week 6. I mean, I personally just am not used to the Red Raiders being able to field a competent defense, let alone one that is very robust and disciplined and able to be among the very best in the Big 12, even this early in the season.
Looking around the conference, it’s interesting seeing both Baylor and TCU towards the bottom, though they’ve faced a few early season tests so far, so I don’t want to count that against them just yet. And then at the very bottom there’s Oklahoma State. Which is a common theme these days. They just aren’t having a good season.