Who: Texas Tech (0-0, 0-0) versus Pine Bluff (0-0, 0-0)
Where: Jones Stadium (60,200), Lubbock, Texas
When: Saturday, August 30, 6:30 p.m. (CT)
Television: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN application
Radio: Texas Tech Sports Network
2024 records: Texas Tech (8-5, 6-3); Pine Bluff (3-9, 2-6)
Series: first meeting
Last meeting: N/A
Coaches: Texas Tech, Joey McGuire (23-16); Pine Bluff, Alonzo Hampton (5-18)
When Texas Tech has the ball: Texas Tech's offense will be piloted by veteran signal caller Behren Morton who, despite suffering from manifold injuries over the course of his collegiate career, has improved steadily. Playing with a bad shoulder during his junior season in 2024, Morton nevertheless attained a passer rating of 139. He threw for 288 yards per contest with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and completed 63 percent of his passes. Offseason surgery has reportedly put Morton in the pink for the first time in a very long time and the hope is he will have a monster season in his final go-round as a Red Raider.
It is possible the offense will have to rely more heavily on Morton's arm than in the past because Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech's all-time leading rusher, is now plying his trade with the Cincinnati Bengals. Furthermore, Quentin Joyner, a USC transfer considered to be possibly the top candidate to replace Brooks, has been shelved by a season-ending injury. Nevertheless, the backfield cupboard is far from bare. Sophomore J'Koby Williams looked very good as a freshman and may well have beaten Joyner out for the starting berth had the latter not gotten hurt. Williams isn't big, but he's a surprisingly powerful runner between the tackles. Additionally, there is Cameron Dickey, a larger back who reminds many observers of Brooks. And then there's walk-on Adam Hill, a straight-line power back who has turned and banged many heads in the spring and fall camps. Barring further injury, this group should be just fine.
Helping Morton in the passing game will be the return of two of the team's top-three receivers from a year ago. Caleb Douglas is a 6-foot-4 wideout with good athleticism and the ability to do damage on intermediate routes, in particular. Coy Eakin isn't as big as Douglas, but he's plenty fast and emerged as something of a deep threat last season. Eakin was, however, prone to the occasional drop and will need to clean that up. Johncarlos Miller and Terrence Carter are the tight ends, and they will be more than adequate at a position that has been a program strength for quite some time.
Naturally, it all starts up front, and offensive line has decidedly not been a program strength for quite some time. Talent mis-evaluation has, as much as anything, been a sore spot with this group, but hopefully the scouting will have been better on the franchise's latest collection of high-dollar transfers. Howard Sampson, late of North Carolina, will be counted on to protect Morton's blind side at left tackle. Returnee Sheridan Wilson is well regarded at center as is Davion Carter at right guard.
When Pine Bluff has the ball: Texas Tech desperately needed to improve defensively in the off season and they certainly shelled out enough money to have done so. And it begins on the defensive line where UCF transfer Lee Hunter is considered to be more than a match for just about any offensive lineman he'll see in 2025. If Hunter can control the center of the line, the rest of Texas Tech's defense could fall into place.
Pass rushers are, of course, at a premium in this day and age, and Texas Tech brought in two of the best in college football in David Bailey (Stanford) and Romello Height (Georgia Tech). With Hunter mandating attention inside, the hope is that Bailey and Height will run wild coming off the edge. It's been some time since Texas Tech has wielded a fearsome pass rush, but this could be the year that the Red Raiders are able to heat up the quarterback almost at will.
One area in which the franchise didn't have to heave heavy goldsacks at transfers is inside linebacker, and that is because returnee Jacob Rodriguez may already be the best inside backer in college football. He had a tremendous season in 2024 and is now poised to possibly bring home the Butkus Award.
Alongside him will be Ben Roberts who garnered some freshman All-American notice two years ago, but experienced something of a sophomore slump last season. Regardless of which Roberts is the real Roberts, he has certainly been around the block and will be, at bare minimum, a competent sidekick for Rodriguez this season.
Then there's John "Freight Train" Curry. Is he a linebacker? Is he a safety? Who the heck knows?! But he's 6-foot-2, 235, and after a short baptism at the Star position, has already locked up the starting berth for the opener. It sounds as though he could be a special player, and you can be sure many eyes will be upon him. Mine sure will.
Texas Tech's secondary will be almost entirely new in the two-deep and that's probably not a bad thing. Maurion Horn is back at one corner position and may start. Then there's returnee Brenden Jordan who is presently penciled in as the staring strong safety. But transfers Brice Pollock, Dontae Balfour, Tarrion Grant, Cole Wisniewski and Amier Boyd are all expected to play major roles in the defensive backfield. Furthermore, freshmen Oliver Miles, Peyton Morgan, Malik Esquerra and Ashton Hampton could see the field. If Pine Bluff has any chance of getting anything done on offense against Texas Tech, it could be through testing a secondary that cannot have yet gelled.