Red Raiders looking to continue offensive firepower
It’s been more than two decades since Texas Tech lost a season opener at home. And better yet, this year’s opponent is Stephen F. Austin, a team the Red Raiders are 2-0 against that helped bring Tech’s record to 19-1 against FCS opponents.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 on Fox Sports Net.
Ironically, both meetings between Tech and SFA involved Red Raiders coach Kliff Kingsbury. Kingsbury was the quarterback who was 39 of 47 passes for 366 yards and five touchdowns en route to the 58-3 win in 2001. When he returned to be the head coach in 2013, Kingsbury guided Tech to a 61-13 victory as the Red Raiders compiled 731 yards of total offense.
For the first time in school history, Tech returns a quarterback who threw for 4,000 yards in Patrick Mahomes (354-573-4,653-36 touchdowns); a running back that had 1,000 yards in DeAndre Washington (233-1,492-41); and a 1,000-yard receiver in Jakeem Grant (90-1,268-10).
But Kingsbury pointed out the staff has worked hard to develop depth in all postions. That’s especially true at receiver.
“We’ve taken the approach that it’s day to day,” he said. “If you want to show up late and not bring it one day, you’ll be the backup the next. That’s what we’ve tried for in every position. We feel we’ve established that at wide out.”
Meanwhile, the Lumberjacks will counter with quarterback Zach Contue, who completed 177 of 303 passes for 1,933 yards and 16 touchdowns; running back Loren Easly who had 126 rushes for 759 yards and four touchdowns; and receiver Aaron Piper, who had 44 catches for 439 yards and five touchdowns.
Micah Awe is Tech’s top returning tackler with 126, while Pete Robertson is the team’s top sack returner with five, and J.J. Gaines caught four interceptions.
