Chapter 1: The Setting
Good Guys: Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-0, 2-0)
Bad Guys: Kansas Jayhawks (4-2, 2-1)
Where: Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, Texas
When: Saturday, October 11th @ 6:30 pm
TV & Streaming: FOX
Radio: The Varsity Network
The Line: Texas Tech -14
Game Notes: Texas Tech | Kansas
Weather Report: Sunny, High 86, Low 66
Chapter 2: The Cast
QB Jalon Daniels (6-0/220): Daniels is the straw that stirs the Kansas drink. He does pretty much everything and he’s highly talented. I’d also add that Kansas has done well to find a new offensive coordinator after picking up Baylor’s OC in 2024, they moved on after realizing there was a reason why Baylor let him go. Daniels has thrown for 250 yards a game with 16 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions thus far while completing 67% of his passes. That’s pretty elite.
RB Leshon Williams (5-10/215): Williams and Daniel Hinshaw (5-10/220) do the heavy lifting for the Jayhawks, but think that Williams is quite a bit more explosive. They are similar body types, so not a Texas Tech situation where you’ve got different body types. Williams averages about 61 yards a game and 6.06 yards a carry with 5 touchdowns. Hishaw averages about 45 yards a game and 5 yards a carry with just 1 touchdown. Neither are huge catching passes out of the backfield.
Emmanuel Henderson, Jr. (6-1/190): Henderson is the dude, he’s the main focus for Daniels and has a lion’s share of the receptions. Henderson is a terrific kick returner as well so Texas Tech will be well advised to knock it out of the end zone. Henderson is averaging about 81 yards receiving a game with 4 touchdowns and he also averages about 31 yards a kickoff return with a touchdown already.
DT Tommy Dunn, Jr. (6-3/305) and DE Dean Miller (6-5/240): Dunn will get after you from the tackle spot, while Miller isn’t your pass rushing defensive end, but has been really good against the run. Justice Finkley (6-2/250) is the pass rushing end, but Dunn and Miller are quite capable at stopping the run. Like a lot of defensive tackles, not going to be impressed with his stats, but he’s got 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks this year.
LB Trey Lathan (6-1/228): Lathan is an outside linebacker that’s sort of that hybrid pass rusher and linebacker and is quite active. He’s racked up 46 tackles with 6 tackles for a loss that includes 1.5 sacks, has 3 passes broken up and 3 quarterback hurries. Just a very active player.
CB Jalen Todd (6-1/195): Todd is a terrific cover corner, a sure tackler, and really great in coverage, but doesn’t have a ton of stats. Just 17 tackles and 2 passes broken up.
SS Lyrik Rawls (6-1/205): Rawls is the strong safety, but he’s really good and coverage. He may be asked to do quite a bit, including coming off the edge. Rawls has 1 interception, 37 tackles, a tackle for a loss, 3 passes broken up, and 1 quarterback hurry, so they’ll obviously send him on a blitz or two.
Chapter 3: The Conflict
Strong Defensive Line: This may be the singular strength of the Jayhawks, which is that this is a very good and quality defensive line. I’ve already mentioned Miller and Dunn, but Blake Herold (6-3/290), Finkley, D.J. Withers (6-4/300) and Leroy Harris III (6-5/230) are all quality players. It will be imperative to stop the pass rush of Finkley, Withers, Dunn, and Harris because they will come after opponents.
Just Enough Weapons, But Watch the Tight Ends: Henderson is quite explosive, while Cam Pickett (6-0/200) is a slot guy who is talented and Levi Wentz (6-2/205) picks up the rest of the receptions. Daniel Hishaw is the lead back, but Williams is more explosive and I’m not sure why Williams isn’t starting. They are both seniors so I’m just not sure. I do think that the tight ends, Boden Groen (6-4/240) who has 12 receptions for nearly 20 yards a game and 2 touchdowns along with redshirt freshman Carson Bruhn (6-6/255) can play as well.
Depth in the Secondary: I don’t know how good the secondary is, but they are quite deep and they all have length and size. Devin Dye (6-0/192) may be performing the best, but just doesn’t play a ton.
Linebacking Brothers: Jon Jon Kamara (6-4/230) and Bangally Kamara (6-2/235) are obviously brothers with Jon Jon being pass rusher and is a redshirt freshman, while Bangally is an elite pass rusher, maybe the best on the team. I think that Bangally is a specialist in that he might just play on 3rd downs. I don’t see a ton of defenders that are really good at stopping the run, so there might be yards to gain there. I think I’ve written about how there are guys that will get after the quarterback, but not written a ton about the defense being able to stop the run.
Video Notes: UCF opens up by really rushing the ball really well, but this would only last the first half as it is apparent that the Kansas defense didn’t allow a point in the second half . . . Daniels really had a slow start to this game, but warmed up and really likes to utilize his tight ends, I think that’s going to be important for Texas Tech defensively . . . those tight ends also block really well . . . there are going to be spots where Texas Tech receivers will be pen in this zone defense for Kansas and the UCF had a terrible night throwing the ball, Morton should be a pretty good upgrade . . . Kansas really likes play-action and it’s obviously really effective because Daniels is so mobile. Daniels is a significantly better quarterback than Utah’s Dampier in my opinion, so defending the Kansas offense will be tougher . . . Texas Tech will have to watch out for the big play . . . Kansas made a great defensive play that netted them the ball on the UCF 3 yard line so that ended up being the score that puts them ahead and Kansas couldn’t muster any legitimate offense that netted a score after this 3-yard drive . . .
Chapter 4: The Charts & Graphs
Uniforms:
Stats:
The Kansas offense is quite good, particularly good at explosive drives, but maybe get mired a bit and tend to have too many negative drives. They don’t allow a ton of negative drives and have a decent 3rd down rate. Texas Tech is pretty good at almost everything, but is still maybe a bit weak in the rushing department. That’s a pretty minor grive in the grand scheme. Texas Tech’s 3rd down rate is elite.
Defensively, the Kansas defense is better than I thought, top 3rd in rush and pass basically and do a decent job of stopping explosive drives. The disruptive plays crated is really something to watch. Texas Tech defensively is good at just about every except efficiency and negative drives.
The advanced stats have the Kansas defense basically in the 50’s or higher and the offense in the 20’s to 30’s. Kansas is a good team. Texas Tech having things in single-digits is always weird.
CFB Graphs always has terrific graphics and I had just not visited the site this year, maybe just too busy with other things.
Chapter 5: The Conclusion
Super Survey Maker
Every time that I think the line seems like it’s a bit rich, they inch it up to 14 points. In fact, it was at 14.5 at some point yesterday. I am sort of in the same spot that I was the week before in that Texas Tech is pretty well better in every respect, but funny things happen. They haven’t happened just yet, but it will at some point. It is worrisome that Jacob Rodriguez is a bit hurt, that’s the weakest position in terms of depth on the entire team, maybe right there with running back. I like Texas Tech, but 14 seems like it’s too much.