Texas Tech is all-in on the 2025 season as the Red Raiders made splashes in the transfer portal and in the coaching carousel ahead of Year 4 of the Joey McGuire era. They hired Mack Leftwich as offensive coordinator and Shiel Wood as defensive coordinator. Tech also signed a Top 5 portal class and head into the year with Big 12 championship aspirations. 

We stop at all 13 FBS programs in Texas each spring as we compile the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football summer magazine. Our stop in Lubbock took place April 5 and included sit downs with McGuire, Leftwich, and Wood. Here are our notes from that visit. 

Previous stops: Baylor | North Texas | SMU | TCU 

OFFENSE 

• Quarterback Behren Morton is missing the spring for the second year because of a Grade 5 AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder, which he suffered against West Virginia in September of 2023. Morton will head to Jacksonville, Florida, when he starts working towards throwing again. He’ll start throwing again May 14th. 
• Will Hammond is receiving the first-team reps at QB with Morton out and the coaching staff loves the mentality and upside of the former Hutto Hippo. Hammond was described as an “elite process and decision maker.” He didn’t throw his first interception until the seventh spring practice and that was a pass that went through a receiver’s hands. Wake Forest transfer Mitch Griffis provides some experienced depth at the position after starting 10 games for the Demon Deacons. 
• Leftwich is from the Air Raid tree but the offense isn’t exactly like former offensive coordinator Zach Kittley. Expect the Red Raiders to take more deep shots down the field and to use tempo to their advantage with Leftwich at the helm. He keeps it simple and likes to play fast. Be physical and explosive in the run and pass game. Texas State led the state in rushing last year with Leftwich calling plays. 
• Caleb Douglas was labeled as a “freak” over the first six practices and was shut down for the rest of spring because the coaching staff knows what it has in their WR1. Coy Eakin is the other big-name returner at wide receiver and has missed spring with an injury. 
• Kelby Valsin has played well in the slot this spring. Price Morgan was another name that was mentioned. Reggie Virgil is a vertical threat. When healthy, we’d imagine Douglas and Virgil start at outside receiver with Eakin manning the slot position. But Leftwich likes the room’s versatility and most of the wide receivers can play inside or outside. 
• Not a huge update on Micah Hudson. The transfer portal opens on April 16 and things will start to happen from there. My guess is that it is still 50-50 on if Hudson returns to the Tech football team for 2025. 
• Replacing Tahj Brooks won’t be a one-man job. The Red Raiders like the three-headed monster of Quinten Joyner, J’Koby Williams, and Cameron Dickey. They all have a different skill set and that’ll allow Leftwich to tinker the offense depending on who is on the field. 
• This is the first time Leftwich has had two starting caliber tight ends and that might allow the Red Raiders to play in some 12 personnel with both Johncarlos Miller II and Terrance Carter Jr. on the field at the same time. 
• The one known up front is that North Carolina transfer Howard Simpson will start at left tackle. Every other position is up for grabs because Tech feels like it has six or seven potential starters. Transfers Will Jados and Hunter Zambrano were also added to the mix and Vinny Sciury returns from injury. Sheridan Wilson and Davion Carter are back, as well. It sounds like Tech plans to rotate the offensive line early in the season to find out the best combination of players and to keep the unit healthy for what could be a long season. Jacob Ponton is a young guy who could play into some meaningful snaps. Nick Fattig is a potential starter at guard who the staff has been impressed with this spring. Don't be surprised if he's one of the top options come the fall. 

DEFENSE 

• Improving on defense is the key for Texas Tech to become conference contenders and McGuire stole Wood away from Houston after one year in the Big 12. Wood deploys a three-man front with four-man personnel as the outside rusher will line up like a defensive end on most snaps. Wood does think he’ll be more multiple because of the depth and quality of his personnel along the defensive line. 
• Wood wants to stop the run and not give up big, explosive plays. Alignment and assignment are important in his scheme. Houston thrived on getting teams off schedule and then forcing mistakes on third down last year. 
• Romello Height (Georgia Tech) is the expected starter at the boundary outside linebacker spot that Wood’s defense refers to as the “DOG” position. He’s got a skill set to rush the passer at a high level. 
• Lee Hunter (UCF) can play multiple spots along the defensive line, but he’ll mostly be the nose tackle playing against the center or guard. Skyler Gill-Howard is more of a traditional defensive tackle who McGuire compared to Ed Oliver because of his ability to disrupt offenses with penetration. 
• Braylon Rigsby was the first name mentioned at the field-side defensive end position which is mostly a C-gap (5-technique) player. Wood likes the depth up front with names like Charles Esters III, E’Maurion Banks, Isaac Smith and others. 
• Jacob Rodriguez and Ben Roberts are back to start at the inside linebacker spots. The main backup is probably John Curry, who is having a great spring. 
• Cornerback Brice Pollack sounds like a potential lockdown corner for Texas Tech. Safety transfer Cole Wisniewski, who is playing free safety and is into the boundary, missed last year after an ankle surgery but is back and is described as a “football player.” He recorded the top speed of any defender in the first scrimmage of the spring. Expect both of those guys to start. 
• Brenden Jordan is currently starting at strong safety on the wide side of the field. He can also play some nickel. 
• Mo Horn is a returner who was mentioned at corner and started some last year for Tech.