Spring Notebook: Depth showing through 10 practices

YOUNGER RED RAIDERS FINDING A ROLE
The Red Raiders have finished up two of the three spring scrimmages and look forward to the third on April 22 with the annual Spring Game at Lowrey Field. With the two scrimmages in the books, head coach Joey McGuire took some time to speak on the growth he has seen from his younger players.

"Been really excited about the team, probably two of the most physical scrimmages that I've been a part of on both sides of the ball," said McGuire. "There's been some good on both sides of the ball, so that's always good to see and it's great to see some young guys having really good springs."

One of these young players that McGuire took time to recognize is defensive lineman E'Maurion Banks, who played in just two games last season but saw his role increase dramatically in the weeks leading up to Texas Tech's victory over Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl.

Banks is getting more experience practicing with the first team this spring thanks in part to McGuire and his staff limiting Jaylon Hutchings at one tackle spot, while Tony Bradford Jr. is currently out recovering from an injury suffered late into last season.

"[Banks] played 24 reps in the bowl game," said McGuire. "Really pleased with him; every day he's really shown up. He's playing at a high level."

Maurion Horn is another young player that McGuire bragged about, noting his progress through the spring. Horn is a redshirt freshman defensive back out of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who was among the top recruits in the 2022 signing class, McGuire's first as head coach.

If the Red Raiders were set to play today, Horn would be one of the three corners, playing likely behind returning seniors Rayshad Williams or Malik Dunlap. That's a

"Horn has really had a phenomenal spring," McGuire said. "Been happy with him. He has had a really really good spring."

DEPTH SHOWING UP IN SCRIMMAGES
When McGuire took over as head coach late in the 2021 season, he had the month of November to evaluate the roster as well as 15 practices leading into the AutoZone Liberty Bowl to get an understanding of the depth of his roster.

Even still, several of those seniors from that 2021 season departed after that Liberty Bowl win, meaning McGuire would still need more time to evaluate the newcomers he and his staff signed as well as the returners. This all while implementing a new scheme in all three phases.

Needless to say, that first spring was more about learning about each other as well the scheme the Red Raiders would need to execute the next fall.

This spring has been the opposite, meanwhile, to not only McGuire but the entire Red Raider coaching staff as Texas Tech's core already knows the system, giving more opportunities to develop several members of the last two signing classes into impact players on the depth chart.

"I think the biggest thing is our depth," McGuire said of the difference between last year and this spring. "Last year, you'd go out and there was a distinct difference between your 1s, 2s and 3s. As a whole, I feel really good about having two groups out there, and I don't see a dropoff."

FOUR DOWNS WITH E'MAURION BANKS

Q: How is this spring different for you?
"It's just a different mindset, waking up every day telling myself I got this. Coming up here to watch film and stuff like that. It is all just coming together, and I am putting the work in more."

Q: What have you been learning from Jalen (Hutchings) and Tony (Bradford Jr.) sitting behind them the past couple of years?
"Being physical, playing hard and running to the ball."

Q: How did the bowl game show you that you are capable of playing at this level?
"I practiced all week for it. I felt like I was good. I was able to go out there and play to my best ability. The scheme we had set up was just perfect for me and my game. So, I just felt like it was meant to be."

Q: What is one thing that you have learned over the course of spring practices so far?
"You put the hard work in, it is going to come back to you."

Spring Notebook: Depth showing through 10 practices

Players Mentioned

Tony Bradford Jr.

Malik Dunlap

Maurion Horn

Jaylon Hutchings

Rayshad Williams

Related Videos