Texas Tech vs Texas: Week 4 threat assessment

Big 12 play finally opens up on Saturday when the Texas Tech Red Raiders come into Austin to face off with the Texas Longhorns.

The last meeting was a high-scoring affair where the Longhorns needed a little luck to win the game in overtime. Texas was trailing by 15 with under three minutes to go when Sam Ehlinger and Co. went to work when he found Brennan Eagles and Joshua Moore on back-to-back drives to tie the game. They eventually won it in overtime on a pass to Moore once again.

This year it is a new battle with new quarterbacks on both sides of the ball. Not to mention, new coordinators for each offense. Sonny Cumbie returns to the Red Raiders to run Matt Well’s offense. Last year’s starting quarterback transferred out to Michigan and in comes former Oregon Ducks quarterback Tyler Shough.

Overall looking at the Red Raiders team, they look much different than the team that struggled with Houston Baptist last season. They still have their warts like most teams, but a victory over Houston this season was impressive after finding themselves down 21-7 at halftime. They won 38-21 after winning the second half 31-0.

Threat Level: 6

I’m going with a six on the threat scale due to the experience they have at quarterback. Despite the mass exodus of receivers, they are still pretty dangerous offensively. Texas Tech also has one of the better linebackers in the country in Colin Schooler.

Here are the players to watch when Texas and Texas Tech kickoff at 11:00 a.m. CDT at Darrel K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

The Quarterback: Tyler Shough

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The former Duck has the offense rolling through three weeks of the season. He comes in leading the Big 12 Conference with 268 passing yards per game, just ahead of Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler. He isn’t a dink and dunk type of quarterback as he averages 10 yards per attempt. If the Red Raiders pull off the upset in Austin, it is likely due to the play of Shough who helped lead the Ducks to a Pac-12 Championship last season.

The Wide Receiver: Erik Ezukanma

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If there is one weapon in the passing game that can be a headache it is Erik Ezukanma. The 6’3″ receiver can be a real hassle to cover and can run through poor tackle attempts. The Horns defense needs to know where he is at all times. Ezukanma leads the Big 12 in yards per game at 116.7, which is No. 6 in the country. He has just one touchdown but EZ leads the conference in yards per catch with 21.9.

The Running Back: Tahj Brooks

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The Red Raiders leading rusher, Tahj Brooks is a guy to pay attention to when he is in the backfield. He leads the Tech offense with four touchdowns and averages 8.1 yards per attempt. Brooks can bust off a long run at a moment’s notice, his backup Xavier White averages 7.1 yards per attempt. The converted wide receiver can also make plays in the passing game.

The Tight End: Travis Koontz

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While Ezukanma is the best all-around weapon on the Red Raiders offense, the scoring threat in the passing game is the tight end, Travis Koontz. When things get tight in the red zone, look for No. 15.

The Defensive Lineman: Jaylon Hutchings

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Jaylon Hutchings can be a load inside for this offensive line. He already set a career-high with two sacks coming into this game. With the offensive line struggles for this team, No. 95 will look to make an impact and disrupt the offense.

The Linebacker: Colin Schooler

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The Red Raiders defense has a lot of experience at linebacker, but none better than Colin Schooler. He can play the run and the pass. Currently, Schooler leads the team in tackles with 21. He also has two passes defended.

The Secondary: Eric Monroe

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This is the second year in Lubbock for the former LSU Tigers defensive back. Eric Monroe is a guy to watch, he already has one interception this year.

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