Texas Tech football vs. Houston: Scouting report, projected starters & predictions
Entering the 2023 season to much hype, the Texas Tech football team is slowly seeing things slip from its grasp.
With eight games left to play, the Red Raiders (1-3, 0-1) will try to turn things around starting with this week's matchup against Houston at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Jones AT&T Stadium. After a double-overtime thriller in last year's meeting in Lubbock, the Red Raiders and Cougars (2-2, 0-1) will begin what some hope to be a new Big 12 rivalry.
This will be the Cougars' first game outside the city of Houston after playing three home games and a road contest at in-city rival Rice to opener the season.
Here's a look at both teams, who has the advantage, a final score prediction and projected starters for Saturday's game.
More: Myles Cole trying to live up to lofty billing for Texas Tech football
When Texas Tech football runs
Tahj Brooks has been given the opportunity to show his stuff the last few weeks. Used sparingly in the first two games, the senior running back has accumulated 307 yards in the last two contests, including a career-high 158 against Tarleton State. He should be featured prominently in Texas Tech's offense going forward. Houston is giving up 144 yards on the ground a game, surrendering 250 to TCU two weeks ago. Defensive lineman Nelson Ceaser accounts for five of the Cougars' 22 tackles for loss.
Advantage: Texas Tech
When Houston football runs
The Red Raiders have performed well against the run this season and coming off a game in which West Virginia needed 42 attempts to reach 157 yards on the ground. Jaylon Hutchings has been a stalwart in the middle of the interior with 5.5 TFLs. The Cougars have multiple rushing options with three players more than 100 yards so far this season. Freshman Parker Jenkins burst onto the scene in last week's win over Sam Houston with three touchdowns and 107 yards in his first career start.
Advantage: Houston
When Texas Tech football passes
Houston ranks 107th out of 130 teams nationally, allowing 262 yards through the air a game. TCU accounted for 314 yards and Rice 401 against the Cougars secondary. Malik Fleming has three interceptions and Isaiah Hamilton two. Behren Morton will get the start, stepping in for the injured Tyler Shough. Morton struggled during his time on the field at West Virginia, completing 13 of his 37 pass attempts, though he settled in a bit later in the game. He'll look for receivers Jerand Bradley (241 yards, 3 TDs), Xavier White (125 yards) and Myles Price (118 yards, 3 TDs) to get the offense moving.
Advantage: Texas Tech
More: Where are the explosive plays? More run game needed? | Texas Tech football Q&A session
When Houston football passes
Texas Tech will see an old friend occupying the quarterback position for Houston. Donovan Smith transferred to Houston and has stepped in as the leading man for Dana Holgorsen's squad. To this point, he has completed 62.3% of his passes for 1,012 yards, five TDs and three interceptions. His legs, as the Red Raiders know, are also a weapon. Smith leads the team with 46 rushing attempts, accounting for 104 yards and three scores on the ground. Tech has struggled against mobile quarterbacks with Wyoming's Andrew Peasley, Oregon's Bo Nix and West Virginia's Nicco Marchiol totaling 186 yards on 39 attempts (4.7 yards per). Malik Dunlap has come up with three interceptions in the last two games.
Advantage: Houston
Texas Tech vs. Houston: The specialists
Austin McNamara is one of the best punters in the country, averaging 48.56 yards an attempt so far this season, good for second nationally. Gino Garcia has made each of his last five field goal attempts and is now 7 for 11 on the season. For Houston, Jack Martin is 4 of 7 kicking, his misses coming from 51 (twice) and 48 yards. Laine Wilkins isn't too far behind McNamara in punt average as he sits at 46.1 per attempts this year.
Advantage: Texas Tech
Score prediction: Houston 33, Texas Tech 30
Texas Tech Red Raiders Projected Starters
Position | Jersey # | Projected Starter |
TEXAS TECH OFFENSE | ||
Quarterback | 2 | Behren Morton (6-2, 216, SO) |
Running Back | 28 | Tahj Brooks (5-10, 230, SR) |
X Receiver | 4 | Jordan Brown (5-11, 185, JR) |
H Receiver | 10 | Drae McCray (5-9, 185, JR) |
Y Receiver | 1 | Myles Price (5-10, 190, SR) |
Z Receiver | 9 | Jerand Bradley (6-5, 220, SO) |
Tight End | 80 | Mason Tharp (6-9, 270, JR) |
Left Tackle | 71 | Monroe Mills (6-6, 315, JR) |
Left Guard | 70 | Cole Spencer (6-4, 300, SR) |
Center | 53 | Rusty Staats (6-5, 320, SR) |
Right Guard | 56 | Dennis Wilburn (6-3, 325, SR) |
Right Tackle | 76 | Caleb Rogers (6-5, 310, SR) |
TEXAS TECH DEFENSE | ||
Nose Tackle | 95 | Jaylon Hutchings (6-0, 305, SR) |
Defensive Tackle | 97 | Tony Bradford Jr. (6-1, 300, SR) |
EDGE | 6 | Myles Cole (6-6, 280, SR) |
WILL | 8 | Jesiah Pierre (6-2, 240, SR) |
MIKE | 13 | Ben Roberts (6-3, 230, FR) |
Outside | 7 | Steve Linton (6-5, 235, SR) |
STAR | 9 | C.J. Baskerville (6-3, 215, JR) |
Cornerback | 0 | Rayshad Williams (6-3, 215, SR) |
Safety | 1 | Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (5-11, 195, SR) |
Safety | 18 | Tyler Owens (6-2, 210, SR) |
Cornerback | 24 | Malik Dunlap (6-3, 220, SR) |
TEXAS TECH SPECIALISTS | ||
Punter | 31 | Austin McNamara (6-4, 210, SR) |
Kicker | 99 | Gino Garcia (6-2, 215, SR) |
Long Snapper | 30 | Jackson Knotts (5-11, 190, JR) |
Kickoff | 38 | Reese Burkhardt (6-1, 205, JR) |
Holder | 31 | Austin McNamara (6-4, 210, SR) |
Kick Returner | 4 | Jordan Brown (5-11, 185, JR) |
Punt Returner | 1 | Myles Price (5-10, 190, SR) |
Houston Cougars Projected Starters
Position | Jersey # | Projected Starter |
HOUSTON OFFENSE | ||
Quarterback | 1 | Donovan Smith (6-5, 241, JR) |
Running Back | 23 | Parker Jenkins (5-11, 196, Fr.) |
Wide Receiver | 4 | Samuel Brown (6-2, 195, SO) |
Wide Receiver | 2 | Matthew Golden (6-0, 190, SO) |
Wide Receiver | 0 | Joseph Manjack IV (6-3, 202, SO) |
Tight End | 82 | Matt Byrnes (6-6, 250, SO) |
Left Tackle | 76 | Patrick Paul (6-7, 315, JR) |
Left Guard | 50 | Tyler Johnson (6-5, 320, JR) |
Center | 75 | Jack Freeman (6-3, 300, SR) |
Right Guard | 72 | Tank Jenkins (6-3, 320, SR) |
Right Tackle | 74 | Reuben Unije (6-5, 310, SR) |
HOUSTON DEFENSE | ||
Defensive End | 9 | Nelson Ceaser (6-3, 250, JR) |
Defensive Tackle | 18 | Anthony Holmes Jr. (6-2, 295, FR) |
Nose Guard | 92 | Hakeem Ajijolaiya (6-2, 320, JR) |
Defensive End | 12 | David Ugwoegbu (6-4, 250, SR) |
WILL | 8 | Malik Robinson (6-0, 230, SR) |
MIKE | 25 | Jamal Morris (6-2, 225, JR) |
Nickelback | 15 | Malik Fleming (5-8, 179, SR) |
Cornerback | 26 | Moses Alexander (6-3, 195, SO) |
Safety | 24 | A.J. Haulcy (6-0, 215, SO) |
Safety | 5 | Hasaan Hypolite (5-11, 215, SR) |
Cornerback | 23 | Isaiah Hamilton (6-1, 175, JR) |
HOUSTON SPECIALISTS | ||
Kicker | 41 | Jack Martin (6-0, 190, JR) |
Punter | 22 | Laine Wilkins (6-2, 210, JR) |
Long Snapper | 56 | Jacob Garza (6-3, 225, SO) |
Kickoffs | 41 | Jack Martin (6-0, 190, JR) |
Holder | 22 | Laine Wilkins (6-2, 210, JR) |
Kick Returner | 2 | Matthew Golden (6-0, 190, SO) |
Punt Returner | 15 | Malik Fleming (5-8, 179, SR) |
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football vs. Houston: Scouting report, projected starters & predictions
