If there is any position group on the football field where depth is essential, it would be the offensive line. That's why the news the Texas Tech football program shared on Friday was so welcomed by Red Raider fans.
Thanks to a recent court ruling that stipulates that college players' years of JUCO football do not count toward their eligibility, starting right guard Davion Carter is going to be able to play at least one more season with the Red Raiders.
A 6-foot, 295-pound native of Pearl, Mississippi, Carter began his career at Northwest Mississippi Community College where he spent two seasons (2020-21). There he started all 18 games of his JUCO career.
Then, Carter landed at Memphis for the 2022 season. He would spend two years with the Tigers making 13 starts.
More big news up front 👊@davioncarter56 will return for one more year. pic.twitter.com/ZB5i28eTvn
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) January 3, 2025
Prior to the 2024 season, Carter decided to transfer to Texas Tech. This fall, he made 12 starts in 13 games at right guard.
His return for at least 2025 (the NCAA has granted all former JUCO players a one-year blanket waiver for next season as the court case continues to play out) means the Red Raiders could have three starters from 2024 return next year. Center Sheridan Wilson is expected to return to anchor the offensive line after starting every game this fall at that position while left guard Vinny Sciury should return from a season-ending knee injury that cost him all but two games this year.
What's more, Texas Tech was aggressive along the offensive line in December when it came to the transfer portal. The program has added three starting-caliber transfers including tackle Howard Sampson from North Carolina, tackle Will Jados from Miami (Ohio), and tackle Hunter Zambrano from Illinois State.
On the other hand, the program also lost three transfers to the portal, two of which logged starts in 2024. Tackles Dalton Merryman (six starts) and Ty Buchanan (seven starts, 11 games played) were the most consequential defections while backup guard Kaden Carr also jumped into the portal.
Now, with Carter back in the mix for at least one more season, the Red Raiders have more depth at a position where injuries take a toll virtually every season. That's great news for a program that has long struggled for quite some time to field even an average group of blockers.