These are 5 Texas Tech football stories to watch as the Red Raiders open camp Wednesday

The time has finally come. The Texas Tech football team opens camps on Wednesday and the 2024 season is about to officially begin.

Throughout the month of July, we've looked at just about every angle possible to examine this year's Red Raiders. The top returners on both sides of the ball, newcomers, freshmen and breaking down the schedule, we've only just scratched the surface. More stories will present themselves leading up to the Aug. 31 opener against Abilene Christian.

For now, here's what to monitor as Joey McGuire begins his third year as head coach for Texas Tech, and it starts with the health of QB1.

Is Behren Morton's shoulder ready for a full season?

By all accounts, coming from all the major parties involved, Behren Morton's shoulder is considered back to "100 percent." He and McGuire told this to anybody and everybody who asked about it during Big 12 media days a few weeks ago. Morton's spent the offseason working to get his shoulder ready to go.

"I'm throwing four times a week now, 75 balls a day," Morton said in Las Vegas. "I can go throw whenever. If I wanted to go throw right now on the 50-yard line, I could go throw right now."

That's exactly what Red Raider fans want to hear. There is the question, though, as to how his shoulder will hold up throughout the season. It's one thing feel good in the offseason, it's another when getting chased around by opposing defensive linemen and linebackers for a 60-minute game.

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How will Micah Hudson be utilized in the Texas Tech offense?

This is one that probably won't be answered until Aug. 31 against Abilene Christian, and even then it's possible Micah Hudson isn't fully unleashed until later in the season — can't show all your cards in the season opener, after all.

Offensive coordinator Zach Kittley said this spring that the staff has been dreaming up ways to incorporate Hudson into the offense, and it could come in a variety of ways. Another question is whether Hudson will even be the starter from the opening game. That aspect doesn't matter as much as the amount of time he's on the field, but it would send a strong message if Hudson is one of the first receivers to take Jones AT&T Stadium as a true freshman.

What will the offensive line look like?

McGuire was still working through the full starting five offense at the close of the spring but told the Avalanche-Journal later that, as of now, the team feels good with the lineup of Vinny Sciury at left guard, Caleb Rogers at right guard, Sterling Porcher at left tackle and Ty Buchanan at right tackle.

Center is where the door is still open with Sheridan Wilson and Memphis transfer Davion Carter battling for that spot. Carter was pegged as No. 2 at center and right guard out of the spring but could still be the starting man in the middle.

Either way, it will be an entirely new front five for the Red Raiders. Rogers is the lone returning starter from last season and he's switching positions.

Who will emerge as the leader on the defensive front?

The Red Raiders have some holes to fill on the defensive front with the departures of Tony Bradford and Jaylon Hutchings up front and Myles Cole and Steve Linton on the edges having either graduated, transferred or started their pro careers. The question is who will step into those positions and become the new faces of the defense.

Projected starters out of the spring included Isaac Smith and Joseph Adedire at the ends with Quincy Ledet and Dooda Banks on the inside. Amier Washington made a name for himself with two sacks, four tackles for a loss and a forced fumble in the Independence Bowl win over Cal. Dylan Spencer, De'Braylon Carroll, Jayden Cofield and Charles Esters are other names to watch.

Which of these players will have the biggest impact on the new defense? Or will somebody else emerge?

Which player currently under the radar will be a trendy name to start camp?

Imaginations can run wild with this one. At the end of the first day of practice, there's always one player who will be a big talking point. Last year the honor went to Bralyn Lux, who turned that into a very solid season in Lubbock.

There's no real point speculating about potential names that will earn this distinction this time around. The list is long and could go in any direction. The start of camp is the beginning of opportunity to every player on the roster. Even if someone wasn't expected to start at the end of spring ball, all that can change throughout the month of August.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: These are 5 Texas Tech football stories to watch as the Red Raiders open camp Wednesday