Texas Tech football: Takeaways from this season’s first depth chart

With the Texas Tech football team now in game week, we get to enjoy one of fall camp’s yearly rites; the release of the season’s first depth chart.  That’s a sign that the return of football is just days away and it is cause for celebration.

Of course, it is also cause for careful observation as we get our first glimpse as to what the Red Raider coaching staff has seen this fall.  And of course, there were a few expectations that were confirmed with the release of this document. (You can see the entire depth chart in the below tweet from RedRaiderSports.com.)

First of all, it comes as no surprise that Henry Colombi has won the backup QB job behind the starter, Tyler Shough.  After all, he was the only player in that competition who has taken even a single snap in a college game as both of the players behind him on the depth chart, Donovan Smith and Behren Morton, are freshmen who have yet to see game action at this level.

Likewise, it was no shock to see Erik Ezukanma listed as the starter at the “Z” receiver position.  He is, after all, Tech’s best receiver and arguably one of the best pass-catchers in the Big 12.

But there was a time when we all were worried that Ezukanma would miss this week’s game against Houston.  That’s because, near the end of this year’s spring football practice sessions, the junior fell awkwardly on his arm, breaking it and requiring immediate surgery.  At the time, Matt Wells said that Ezukanma’s status for the start of the season was in doubt and that he could miss the beginning of 2021.  So while we aren’t surprised to see Ezukanma atop the depth chart, it’s still something that we should celebrate because he’s ready to go as early as anyone could have hoped.

The linebacking corps was also no shock as Kirshon Merriweather and Colin Schooler are set to start at the “Mike” and “Sam” positions.  Both players were mainstays on the defense last year as they were the top two leading tacklers on the squad and both figure to form one of the best linebacking duos in the nation this season.

The offensive line also shook out just like we suspected with T.J. Storment at left tackle, Weston Wright at left guard, Dawson Deaton at center, Josh Burger at right guard, and Caleb Rogers at right tackle.

But still, there were some interesting developments from the season’s first depth chart.  So let’s take a look at what stands out most.

Still tons of competition at WR

It appears that we will have an ongoing battle for snaps at both inside and outside receiver and that’s unusual for this program.  In fact, it’s tough to remember a season when Tech entered with as much uncertainty at receiver as there is this year.

In the slot, McLane Mannix, Myles Price, and Dalton Rigdon are all listed as co-starters though the fact that they are listed in that particular order could be an indication of where they stand heading into week one.  But what we know is that Tech needs more productivity from that position than it received last year.

Between three players last year (Price, Rigdon, and KeSean Carter) Tech got just 723 receiving yards and five TDs.  That was not what the Red Raiders were expecting from their slot receivers and it can’t be what this year’s crop puts up either.

Perhaps Mannix could be the answer this year.  A former freshman All-American during his time at Nevada, the Midland native was limited to three games in 2020 due to injuries but he’s reportedly had a great offseason.

Meanwhile, at the “X” outside receiver position opposite of Erik Ezukanma, Kaylon Geiger, Trey Cleveland, and J.J. Sparkman are all listed as co-starters.  None have yet to separate from the pack apparently and that makes us wonder if Tech has a player at that position ready to break out and prove to be a consistent weapon opposite of the team’s best wide receiver, Ezukanma.

It will be interesting to see how these receiving positions shake out.  Some may see these three-headed competitions as a positive because they give offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie plenty of options.  However, others may say that if you have this many options, you don’t really have any answers.  Here’s hoping that those answers begin to emerge on Saturday night.