Greg McElroy Identifies Big 12 Contender That Is Flying Under The Radar

ESPN's Greg McElroy had high expectations for Texas Tech last season, but the Red Raiders failed to meet his expectations after a 7-6 season under head coach Joey McGuire.

The Red Raiders enter next season with some momentum after posting their third consecutive winning season for the first time since 2008-10. Texas Tech has also won three consecutive bowl games, including a dominant 34-14 win over California last season.

With Texas and Oklahoma leaving for the SEC, McElroy believes the Red Raiders could be primed to compete for the Big 12 championship next season as multiple key contributors return for the 2024 season.

“We were very high on the Texas Tech Red Raiders last year,” McElroy said . “And, unfortunately, Texas Tech kind of let us down a little bit. But there’s a lot of momentum actually this year, too. While they do have some expectations, they’re not nearly as lofty as they were a year ago.

"There is some optimism surrounding this team. The good news is Behren Morton is taking the reins at the quarterback spot, OK? If you look at the quarterback dynamic last year, it was Tyler Shough and Behren Morton. Shough has now transferred to Louisville, and Morton is the guy moving forward. So that will be beneficial… I’m optimistic about him being in the driver’s seat at that position.”

McElroy praised McGuire's ability to recruit the state of Texas, pointing towards his connections throughout the state with multiple notable high school programs. He also noted that McGuire signed an instant-impact freshman in five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson, who could emerge as a day-one starter for the Red Raiders in 2024.

“They also have a top wide receiver, Micah Hudson, who’s a consensus All-American high school player; that’s significant,” McElroy continued. “Should be one of the best wide receivers on their roster day one.

"You also look at Joey McGuire’s ability to recruit… Remember, Joey McGuire (is) very tapped in as a high school coach in the state of Texas. So, he is about as tied into the high school recruiting world as he can get. But he also, has done a pretty good job in the portal market as well. And we already know that they are a team that’s going to be able to run the football. So, I’m really optimistic about Texas Tech this upcoming year; kind of flying under the radar.”

Texas Tech opens the 2024 season against Abilene Christian on Aug. 31 at Jones AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

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