It might be hard to fathom, but the Texas Tech football season will reach its midway point this weekend when the Red Raiders take on Arizona State in Lubbock. Though the season is almost halfway complete, there are still plenty of questions that loom large on the South Plains.
The good news is that, despite the problems that have surfaced, Tech has put itself in a great position. Sitting at 5-0, the Red Raiders are ranked in the top ten of both polls.
Still, it feels as if the questions surrounding Joey McGuire's team are larger than those other Big 12 contenders seem to be facing. So let's take a look at three looming issues that the Red Raiders must sort out if they hope to defend their conference crown.
Is Will Hammond capable of leading Texas Tech to a title?
As we recently discussed, Texas Tech starting QB Will Hammond has been solid this year. In fact, the advanced stats that he's put up are better than most people realize.
However, no one is suggesting that he's hit his ceiling. In fact, the entire Texas Tech offense is yet to find its top gear.
Tech will need Hammond to take his game to another level in the second half of the season. He's got to play more like the QB we saw in the Houston game rather than the one we saw against Sam Houston and Colorado.
Versus Houston, Hammond was 17-for-27 passing for 257 yards and a touchdown while throwing only one pick. In that game, he had a QB rating of 147.7 despite the fact that his receivers dropped three critical passes.
However, in the last two games, he hasn't been as impressive, going 34-for-55 through the air for just a total of 358 yards (179.0 per contest). His QB rating in those two games was 117.6, and he had three interceptions to just two touchdowns.
No one is asking Hammond to be the second coming of Joe Montana this season. However, everyone in Raiderland is certain that he will have to step up for Tech to get back to the playoffs.
Can the Texas Tech defense carry this team to a Big 12 title again?
While the Red Raider offense has sputtered for most of the season, the defense appears to be hitting its stride. Now, it is fair to wonder if that side of the ball can again be the driving force behind a Big 12 championship run.
There is no question that this year's defense has taken a step back from the one this program fielded last fall. Tech ranks just 70th nationally in total defense and is 124th in passing yards allowed.
However, against Sam Houston and Colorado, the Red Raiders seemed to find their footing on that side of the ball. In the last two games, Tech has given up just 21 points in total and forced seven turnovers. What's more, in those two games, the defense allowed just 76 yards per game on the ground.
The good news is that the Red Raiders rank 26th overall in points allowed per game at just 16.2. That is despite playing a couple of high-scoring teams in Oregon State and Houston.
There is no debating that Tech's defense is the strength of the team. What remains to be seen, though, is whether this year's defense is strong enough to carry the Red Raiders to a conference crown just like the 2025 defense did.
Does Texas Tech have enough playmakers on offense?
Finally, the Red Raiders must figure out how to get enough production out of their offensive weapons. So far, it is fair to wonder if that group is capable of giving the team enough punch to win the Big 12.
Through five games, Tech's best option has been running back J'Koby Williams. He leads the team in rushing yards (373) and in receptions (19). He's also third on the team in receiving yards (137).
The rest of the skill position players need to step up, though. Tech has no player on the roster with 300 receiving yards or 20 receptions.
Additionally, no player on offense has more than two TD receptions. To put that in perspective, linebacker Austin Romaine has as many TDs this year as any Tech receiver.
The hope is that tight end Terrance Carter Jr. will be close to full health after last week's open date. If that is the case, Tech needs to feature him more in the passing game because he is a potential game-breaker given his speed.
At receiver, players like Kenny Johnson and Coy Eakin need to find more ways to get involved. They are the two best outside options Tech has, and they must carry a bigger portion of the load down the stretch.
Of course, Hammond's play will directly impact this group. However, the offensive options he's working with must also take their game to a new level moving forward. If they do, then Tech could very well find itself hoisting the Big 12 Championship trophy once again this December.
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