Texas Tech football: 5 position battles to watch in August
The Texas Tech football team opens preseason practice Friday with the pecking order already set at the most high-profile position. Joey McGuire named Tyler Shough his starting quarterback two months ago, ending any doubt about whether Shough or Behren Morton would get the job.
Still, there are spots on the depth chart to be hashed out between now and the Sept. 2 season opener at Wyoming. Here are five to watch:
Right guard
Tech coaches installed Rusty Staats as starting center from the moment he arrived from Western Kentucky, shifting season-long 2022 starter Dennis Wilburn to right guard. Landon Peterson started eight games at right guard last season, though, and Pro Football Focus gave him a 97.6% pass-blocking grade. Peterson was out of sight in the spring, recovering from shoulder surgery, but he's back and surely not planning to yield the job easily.
"That's going to be interesting," McGuire said, "because Landon's not going to just ... (give in)."
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Wide receiver X
Loic Fouonji is first team at X receiver. In order behind him are promising redshirt freshman Coy Eakin and touted transfer Drae McCray, a 1,000-yard receiver last year for Austin Peay. McCray also will play Y inside receiver behind Myles Price.
Third running back
Tahj Brooks and Cam'Ron Valdez finished spring as the one-two, and McGuire said they'll get the bulk of the carries. Redshirt freshman Bryson Donnell, impressive in small samples last season, and true freshman Anquan Willis, impressive in a small sample this spring, are co-No. 3 on the depth chart. Both had their spring practice cut short, Donnell by a concussion and Willis by a lower-calf injury near his Achilles tendon.
More: 'Something different': Tech freshman running back garners lofty comparison
Boundary end
Newly arrived Syracuse transfer Steve Linton has the No. 1 spot, but he can't relax because behind him are promising sophomore Isaac Smith, who came on last November, and Bryce Ramirez, who was making his first college start last September when he suffered a lower-leg compound fracture. Because Ramirez suffered no nerve damage related to the fracture, McGuire said, he's far along in recovery and could be back in the mix early.
Backup free safety
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson is the returning starter, but his backup could be sure-tackling freshman Chapman Lewis or speedy and seasoned Cameron Watts, who came out of spring as co-No. 2. Another possibility could be A.J. McCarty, who transferred in from Baylor, but the NCAA must grant a waiver for McCarty to play this season.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football: 5 position battles to watch in August
