Young players that Texas Tech should give more playing time to in final games

The Texas Tech football season is already down to just three games remaining. Unfortunately, this season isn't going to include a run to the Big 12 title game, though.

Those dreams were dashed last weekend when the Red Raiders fell at home to Colorado to drop to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in conference play. However, when one door closes, another often opens.

Now that the Red Raiders are out of title contention, they can start to make decisions that will help prepare this team for next season. It isn't that the team shouldn't try to win the last three games of the season. This isn't the NFL where tanking helps improve a franchise's draft stock, after all.

Rather, this team needs to get some younger players more snaps now that the pressure of a Big 12 title pursuit is gone. So let's look at some players that it would be wise to get more snaps for over the final three games of 2024.

Texas Tech needs to get more carries for J'Koby Williams and Cam Dickey

Though the loss to Colorado was a huge disappointment, one of the bright spots from that game was seeing running back Tahj Brooks break the school's all-time rushing record. But with that season-long team goal accomplished, maybe we will see more from the two freshmen running backs that have been backing up Brooks all season.

Yes, Brooks still deserves around 20 carries per game but it would be nice to see more from J'Koby Williams and Cam Dickey. Each has shown flashes of potential this season but being behind the workhorse Brooks on the depth chart has limited their opportunities to shine.

This season, Dickey has just 26 carries for 151 yards and 1 TD. Meanwhile, Williams has only 19 carries for 89 yards and 1 TD.

On the other hand, Brooks has run the ball 235 times in just nine games. Might it be time to lighten his workload and give the freshmen some valuable experience? That would make sense now that Brooks has the career rushing record and the remaining games are a bit less consequential with a Big 12 title off the table.

Next season, Brooks will be in the NFL and Dickey and Williams will have to play larger roles. So now is the perfect time to give them a chance to prepare for that reality in actual games.

The Texas Tech defensive line could use reinforcements from Eddy Smith

This year, Texas Tech fans have been obsessed with true freshman wide receiver Micah Hudson who has played only sparingly despite being a five-star signee in the class of 2024. But another member of that signing class that Red Raiders should be excited to see is defensive lineman Eddy Smith.

Though he was just a 3-star signee coming out of high school, the edge rusher from Pearland, Texas has opened eyes inside the program. What's more, at 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, Smith already has the size to play in the Big 12.

This year, Tech has been desperate to find players that can rush the QB off the edge. It's been so bad that the coaching staff has even asked tight end Johncarlos Miller II to rush the passer at times.

Thus, it would seem like giving Smith a shot would be wise over the final two games. He has yet to play this season meaning he can still use this season as a redshirt so there should be no drawback to throwing him into the fire the next three games and seeing what he has to offer. He is one of the more promising edge rushers on the roster and it is time to let him showcase his skills on game day.

Texas Tech's O-line is so bad, Jacob Ponton deserves a shot

Throwing a true freshman into the fray along the offensive line is always risky. However, given how awful Texas Tech's O-line has been, it might be time to give true freshman Jacob Ponton some snaps at one of the tackle positions.

The native of Dripping Springs, Texas has positioned himself as one of the most exciting young offensive line prospects on the roster. What's more, if he turns in a strong offseason, he could challenge for a starting job as soon as next fall.

The problem for Ponton right now is that he's listed at only 280 pounds. That's not very big for a 6-foot-8 tackle.

The hope from within the program is that Ponton will put on enough weight to quickly force the coaches to consider whether or not he is a legitimate answer for the program's biggest question, the offensive line. So even though he might be a little light, why not give him some snaps at the end of this season to start to find out?

It isn't as if an offensive line that gave up 7 sacks and 11 tackles for loss to Colorado has anything to lose. What's more, the next two opponents, Oklahoma State and West Virginia, rank 102nd and 63rd nationally in sacks per game.

This move likely won't happen but it is one that Tech fans would love to see. The offensive tackles have been a disaster all season so the performance there can't get much worse and it would be great to see some snaps in the final three games go to a player that has a future with the program and not a senior who is just playing out the string, and doing so poorly.