Joey McGuire talks growth, expectations heading into Week 1

The first official week of college football is back, and a long-awaited season for Texas Tech is finally here as the Red Raiders will be taking on Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday. With creating one of the best rosters in the country this offseason, the publicity around the Red Raiders has been big, and people are ready to see if the hype is real.

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire spoke with the media on Monday to talk about what he has seen from his players during the offseason, his expectations, and some popular talking points that have surrounded his team.

The standouts, differences from last season?

With several new additions and bringing back key returners, a big question has been whether this team can win big games and compete at the highest level. With the roster they’ve created, there is no doubt the Red Raiders are in the conversation, but will they execute? McGuire talked about what changes he wants to make compared to last season and what will set them apart.

“One (change) will be the size of the team as a whole. I think we’re as athletic as we’ve ever been, especially since I’ve been here,” McGuire said. “One thing we talk about all the time is, whenever people watch the game, when they turn on the tape, when they turn on the TV, is the ‘oh my gosh’ factor of how hard these guys play… a team that truly cares about each other plays for each other. I’m expecting our guys to play extremely hard on Saturday.”

Along with talking about executing and playing at a high level, McGuire has seen several players this offseason who may not be talked about enough step up and who are ready to make an impact this season.

“The guy that I probably haven’t talked about enough that I think has been the biggest improvement from last year to this year is Sheridan Wilson, our center,” McGuire said. “He’s really taken ownership in that room, being a leader in that room. He has really gotten better and better… Cam Dickey, I’ve been really impressed with him. Defense I would say John Curry… he’s got a high football IQ, he’s got a high care factor, not only for his teammates, for this university… one thing that I was so impressed with was him tackling in space… he earned the right to start this week.”

What McGuire sees from the offensive line

Another big question from the offseason has been if the o-line will be better than in previous years, and their ability to do so will be a huge factor in the team’s success.

“Howard Sampson, really from day one solidified himself at left tackle. Will Jados has played a lot of different positions, when you talk to different people, they see him as a guard and a tackle. He’s probably not as athletic, but he’s more physical than Caleb Rodgers, who was a pick for the (Las Vegas) Raiders,” McGuire said. “Sheridan held a center spot… Vinny (Sciury) is back, Hunter Zambrano and both will practice tomorrow… our starters are Howard, Will, Sheridan, Davion (Carter), and Jacob Ponton… you’re going to see Hunter Zambrano, Danny Sill, when Cash Cleveland’s back, we’re going to see Cash, you’ll see Vinny Sciury, those guys will be in the mix of playing early in the games whenever we have opportunities.”

Thoughts on Arkansas-Pine Bluff and week 1

In the past two seasons, the first game of the season has been either a loss or a one-point overtime win. McGuire’s coaching staff, as well as the veteran players, are determined to be prepared and ready for Saturday against the Golden Lions.

“It’s like this at a lot of places, you can see schematically what they do, but you really don’t know yet who you’re playing with the transfer portal and depending on when the depth chart comes out,” McGuire said. “We’ll be prepared. I think they’ve got a really good running back, very athletic. He’s got good speed. He’s going to be a physical runner. They have good size in the offensive line, and they’re going to be able to be physical on defense… the biggest things week one is to eliminate bad football.

We have a very old veteran team, and I will be shocked if our older guys allow this team not to be ready to play Saturday. This is a player led team, and we have allowed them to lead this and help me make sure that everything’s going in the right direction… I love how close they are, but I feel the exact same that I have from year one to now and I expect to win.”