Sometimes the game of football is simple, especially when you have elite talent on your side. Often, all you must do is put your best players in a position to succeed and let them do what they do best.
The Texas Tech football team has more talent than any of the opponents on its regular-season schedule. The list of dynamic playmakers at the Red Raiders' disposal begins with tight end Terrance Carter Jr. However, he was hardly noticeable in the week one win over Abilene Christian. That needs to change in week two.
Last Saturday, Carter caught only three passes for 28 yards. What's more, his final catch of the night came with 4:00 to play in the third quarter. That's not getting the most out of arguably the best pass-catching tight end in the nation.
In the season opener, ten Red Raiders caught a pass. However, only running back J'Koby Williams caught more than four.
The coaching staff said prior to the game that the plan was to play plenty of receivers and tight ends this season, and that's what happened in the first game. One reason is that it appears that the evaluation of the receivers is ongoing, as only slot receiver Coy Eakin has a track record as a Red Raider to lean on.
The tight end room, though, should be clear as a bell when it comes to who needs to get the ball most often. Carter is one of the most unique matchups in college football. At 6-foot-2, 245 pounds, he can run like a wide receiver, making him almost impossible to contain. That is, unless the ball doesn't go his way.
Carter should be one of the staples of the Tech offense, especially near the goal line, where his size and ability to make people miss combine to make him an invaluable weapon in that part of the field.
However, in Tech's five red-zone possessions against the Wildcats, Carter did not touch the ball one time. In fact, he wasn't even targeted with a single pass.
Last season, his first with the Red Raiders, Carter caught 55 passes for 624 yards and five scores. What's more, he did most of that while dealing with nagging injuries that limited his effectiveness.
So this year, he returned to school expecting to make a statement. Many fans also have high hopes for Carter. Some even think he could have the best season for a Tech tight end since Jace Amaro's legendary junior season in 2013, when he caught 106 passes for 1,302 yards and seven scores.
A huge season for Carter is still possible (though matching or surpassing Amaro's All-American season is unlikely) if the offensive coaching staff prioritizes him in the game plan. Unlike most of the other pass catchers on the roster, Carter is a proven commodity at Tech, so it only makes sense to make sure he's a central part of the aerial attack every week.
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