I dove into this inside the 10 Things, but think it needs more explanation. There’s a lot happening here, but there were a handful of things that I wanted to convey about how big of a mess things are right now and likely will be in 2025. Do I like writing depressing things? No, but I also know that we can’t avoid them. I’m just doing this review for the offensive and defensive lines because there were just so many misses that the program is in a situation of having to remedy two years in a row (this year and likely next year) of transfer linemen.
Red font = Transfer
Green font = Home grown
Blue font = Walk on
Gray shade = Seniors
Green shade = Juniors
Yellow shade = Sophomores
Blue shade = Redshirt freshmen
Pink shade = Freshmen
Purple shade = Incoming Freshmen
- This critique is about this year and next year. The problem that you can see for this year is that there were 3 transfers of which all 3 were expected to start, one of which was injured. There is 1 home-grown player, Rogers, that’s a senior and in the junior class, there is just 1 home-grown player in Buchannan, but he was technically a transfer (from USC), although he’s been in the program for 3 years so I think that qualifies as home-grown at this point. Rodriques is not part of the two-deep and when you only have a guy for two years, he’s got to be part of the equation. He’s not.
- The other part of the equation of the junior class is two walk-on’s and Merryman is a starting left tackle so I think that you lucked into that because that’s not usually part of a plan and there are reasons he’s a walk-on, those are usually that he’s limited athletically doesn’t have the range or strength to be an All-Big 12 performer. That’s not written in stone, but we sort of have to be honest at this point.
- The sophomore class has 1 starter, Sheridan Wilson and he might be the best offensive lineman on for Texas Tech at this point. Thus, between the junior and sophomore class there are 2 starters and you hope that Sciury can play next year, but I’m not holding my breath because year long injuries aren’t easy.
- If you asked me where I’d like to upgrade, everywhere but center is my answer. I don’t think that any player has shown enough in 2024, but with Wilson starting as a sophomore, I’m betting on him for improvement.
- Who are the starters in 2024? If 4 out of 5 positions need an upgrade, does that mean that Texas Tech needs to go shopping for 4 offensive linemen transfers? The hit rate on those isn’t great, as you’ll note, I don’t think that Carter, Rodriques, and Porcher are dominating the offensive line? The same scouts that picked these guys will be picking the same offensive line options in the portal this year? Without question, the offensive line should be the one position where you dominate a team physically.
- I am open to the idea that Carr, Fattig, Shaw, and Sill will play into the equation next year, but there will be growing pains and it will be uneven. I cannot imagine that this will happen next year, where all of these guys will fill roles, but there might be two that step up to see some time as sophomores.
- What happened to all of the offensive linemen? In the 2020 class there was Caleb Rogers, Larry Moore, and Ethan Carde. For 2021 it was Matt Keeler, Jacoby Jackson, and Jack Tucker. For 2022 (McGuire’s first year where he had to put together a class after being hired) it was Seth Martin, Sheridan Wilson, Kaden Weatherby, and Erik Gray. That’s a lot of misses.
- I foresee an offseason of upheaval and issues for the offensive line in 2025 unless there are some real bangers that transfer in and settle things down. I am not excited to type that.