Texas Tech Red Raiders: By the Numbers
When the Texas Tech Red Raiders take the field on Saturday, things will look a little different.
On Monday the Red Raiders made a coaching change, firing Matt Wells and promoting offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie to interim head coach.
Interestingly enough, Texas Tech rolls into Norman 5-3 on the year, needing just one win the rest of the year to become bowl eligible.
Though the Red Raiders underwent changes at the top this week, the game plan to try and take down the No. 4-ranked Oklahoma Sooners should remain the same — throw the ball all over the field.
The 2021 Texas Tech offense won’t be confused for the explosive Red Raider passing attacks of old, but it’s still plenty capable to exploit an OU secondary which has dipped back into the 100’s in the country defending the pass.
269.5
Wether it’s been Oregon transfer Tyler Slough or Henry Colombi in at quarterback, the Red Raiders have moved the ball through the air.
Texas Tech averages 269.5 passing yards per game this season, good enough for 32nd in the country and No. 2 in the Big 12, only behind OU’s passing attack.
The Red Raider offense has done a lot of their damage with massive chunk plays as well. Seven different Texas Tech receivers have caught a pass of 30 yards or more, with four of those receivers having hauled in a pass of over 65 yards.
That’s bad news for an OU secondary that has struggled to cover since the West Virginia game all the way back in September.
Currently, Oklahoma sports the 113th best ranking against the pass in the country, well below the expectations for Alex Grinch’s unit in 2021/
1,920
By far the most dangerous weapon Texas Tech will bring into Norman this weekend is wide receiver Erik Ezukanma.
One of the most underrated players in the Big 12, Ezukanma’s 1,920 receiving yards since 2019 lead all active players in the conference.
Iowa State’s Charlie Kolar is the next closest player to Ezukanma with 1,636 yards since 2019.
Ezukanma’s 6-foot-3 frame will be a mismatch for every member of the OU secondary, and his size combined with his top-end speed has seen him average 14.8 yards per catch this season.
The Oklahoma secondary will have to know where Ezukanma is on every snap on Saturday or it could be another long day for the Sooner defense.
23
Defensive tackle Jalen Redmond has a chance to return the lineup on Saturday, and the Sooners will need him especially in the red zone.
Texas Tech has scored 23 red zone rushing touchdowns this season, the fifth best mark in the FBS this season.
Veteran running back SaRoderick Thompson has feasted in those opportunities this season, and he has eight rushing touchdowns so far in 2021.
Oklahoma’s inability to get stops in the red zone has hurt them as of late, as the OU defense ranks 83rd in red zone defense in the country.
The Sooners will have to be excellent on early-down situations to get the Red Raiders behind the chains and keep them out of the red zone, because once Texas Tech crosses the opposing 20-yard line, they’ve been as good as anyone in the country at cashing in.
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