Breaking Down Texas Tech’s Strengths & Weaknesses

It’s Week 3. It's in Lubbock. Primetime.

Head coach Willie Fritz & Co. know it will be a hostile environment and will have to study up significantly to identify the good and bad aspects of head coach Joey McGuire’s program.

Here is what the Cougars and the fanbase need to know heading into their first conference game of the season.

Strengths

Houston Cougars Texas Tech Red Raiders. — Oct 4, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) passes while being rushed by Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive end Romello Height (9) in the first half at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Defense. The old saying is that defense wins championships, and boy, is that right. It didn’t work out for the Red Raiders last season, but it certainly did take them to the conference championship game and the College Football Playoff.

This season is shaping up to be another year of the defense taking command and controlling the pace. There were limited points that last year’s team gave up, and it could very well carry over to this next season.

Credit to what the defensive coordinator, Shiel Wood, has been able to do over the course of his time with the program. He has elevated his unit to the next level and has made opponents less than super excited to face his troops because of the toughness and grit his troops possess.

If last year looks anything like this year, this group of men is going to be dominant. They will be a force to reckon with. They will be highly-rated NFL Draft prospects. Get ready to see some amazing work put in, and it shows every weekend on the field, which makes it tougher for Houston’s offense to compete against.

Weaknesses

Offensive consistency.

Every time a fan follows or watches the Red Raiders, it seems like there is a new quarterback running the offense, and that simply cannot happen.

Yes, injuries happen. It has piled up over the last several years, and there hasn’t been a solid starter throughout the entire season who hasn't been out a week, a month, or an entire season.

Now there is another quarterback dilemma. Who will be the starter? No one is really sure what the masterminds are thinking. They have to evaluate everything that is on the table to prepare in a hurry for this upcoming season.

The weapons are in place. That is not an issue. It is a matter of getting over the hump and finding ways to outplay the opponent on both sides of the ball.

In the air, the Red Raiders posted 278.4 yards of offense, which isn’t too shabby with the ground game sitting at 182.9 yards. As a whole, the offense averaged 461.1 yards per game. Shoutout to what the coaching staff has been able to do, including the offensive coordinator, Mack Leftwich.

It’s just when the lights are bright on the biggest stage, it hasn’t always worked out against those quality teams.

We’ll see how it plays out when Houston gets a shot of revenge after last season’s loss.

Both schools collide again on Friday, September 18.

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