Texas Tech Needs to Rely on this Game-Changing Group on Offense
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If running the ball isn’t the primary focus for Joey McGuire this season, it needs to be for many reasons.
When talking about dominant positional groups, the Texas Tech running back room this season is perhaps the best in the entire country. If their three premier running backs play up to their potential, they have a good chance of making a deep run in the college football playoffs.
Three-Headed Monster
Cameron Dickey, J’Koby Williams and Quinten Joyner should be the foundation of the Red Raiders offense this season, and if Coach McGuire leans into this committee of talent he has, this Texas Tech offense can be scary in the Big 12
We saw what Cameron Dickey was able to do last season, and that trend should continue. Sure, with more backs available his total carries may decrease, but his talent won’t.
Dickey will likely be the RB1 of this team, and his snap count should be the highest of the three, but don’t expect the Red Raiders to use him like a workhorse. Backfield by committee is the ideal way to approach this season, especially with who the Red Raiders have back there.
J’Koby Williams was, and is, one of the more underrated players on this Texas Tech team. Despite his 868 yards and 6 touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per carry, Williams remained a bit overshadowed by Dickey’s performance last season.
The two running backs combined for just under 2,000 yards rushing (1,992) with 20 touchdowns and both averaged over 5 yards per carry. That duo alone would have made headlines heading into this season but now they get to add Quinten Joyner to the mix.
Joyner transferred from USC to Texas Tech and was one of the most exciting talents Lubbock had a year ago. Unfortunately, Joyner tore his ACL and was sidelined for the entirety of the season. He is starting the season healthy and looking to be an impact player for Texas Tech this year.
Now, finally healthy and ready to run, he presents the Red Raiders with a huge amount of potential, only adding to the already elite position group for Texas Tech.
With the amount of chaos that has surrounded the quarterback position this offseason for Texas Tech, having a reliable ground game will be essential to the team’s success.
While Will Hammond certainly showed flashes in his starts for Tech, the pressure seems to be building in Lubbock, and this room of running backs is the most surefire way to ease the weight off his shoulders. If the Red Raiders can establish the run game, it will open up the pass game for them as they get ready for their first real test of the season when they host No. 23 Houston.
Focusing on the ground game will be crucial for Texas Tech this season, and what we see from this group could be something special. If they are able to be the best running back trio in the country this season, the Red Raiders can compete for a national championship.
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Kade Nix is a sports writer covering Texas Tech on SI. He specializes in college basketball, college football, and the NFL. In 2021, he founded Kade’s Draft Room, a sports website that ran until 2025, and has an extensive background writing for multiple channels and sports websites. In addition to his writing experience, Kade has hands-on football scouting experience, including time as a Texas area scout for the Hula Bowl, giving him a unique perspective on player evaluation and the college sports landscape.