Texas Tech Secondary Coming Together Ahead of Week 4 Challenge
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LUBBOCK, Texas — Although starting cornerback Amier Boyd was inactive for Texas Tech in the No. 11 Red Raiders' close win over Houston last week, the secondary did welcome back starting safety Brenden Jordan.
The veteran defensive back served a two-game suspension before leading Texas Tech in tackles with eight.
He has already begun seeing the secondary unit improve through the first three weeks of the season.
"I feel like we're doing a lot better communicating on the back end," Jordan said in media availability this week. "We had a couple of busts and stuff [against Houston], but it's gonna get fixed and I feel like we're gelling at a good time."
In place of Boyd, senior UTSA transfer Davin Martin got his first start as a Red Raider. He made four tackles and led the team with two pass breakups against his hometown team in Week 3.
"It's just getting easier," Martin said about his role. "Playing with BJ now that he's back, getting with Peyton [Morgan] and Malik [Esquerra] and just learn to communicate with them and – it just makes it easier so I can go down, do my job, and they can do theirs."
Texas Tech hosts Sam Houston this Saturday afternoon after the Bearkats exploded for 619 yards of offense in a 59-0 blowout over Nicholls. Quarterback Landyn Locke threw for 322 yard and four touchdowns for an offense that averaged over eight yards per play.
"From what I've seen, they're a big-shot team. They like taking big shots, big one-on-ones on the outside," Jordan scouted. "Just stopping that would be key."
Martin also pointed out Sam Houston's rushing attack, which was spreading the wealth in their first win of the season. Four players (other than Locke) received at least five handoffs and the Bearkats totaled 233 yards on the ground.
Texas Tech, just regaining health on the defensive line with Trey White making his debut, came down slightly from their dominant run defense over the last year. Houston posted 175 rushing yards, with much of that production coming early in the game.
"It'll be a good task to handle," Martin said about that phase of the game for Sam Houston.
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