Texas Tech’s investment into defensive line pays off and Utah’s lack of a downfield passing game bites them in loss

After last season’s 8-5 record, Texas Tech decided it needed a revamp in the trenches.

The Red Raiders had one of the more prolific offenses in the country, scoring 37.6 points per game, but their defense allowed 34.8 points per game — No. 122 in the nation. In Texas Tech’s five losses, the Red Raiders averaged 27.6 points per game but gave up 42.2 points per game.

Over the 2024 season, the Red Raiders ranked in the bottom third of the nation in sacks (21) and also ranked in the bottom half of the country in rushing yards allowed (152.1 per game). Texas Tech’s pass rush grade, per Pro Football Focus, hovered around the low 60s for much of the season.

It’s been much-publicized how much money has been put into the 2025 Red Raiders — more than $10 million in the transfer portal alone, according to ESPN, and a total of around $25 million for the entire roster, according to The Athletic.

The Red Raiders didn’t go out and blow a bunch of money in a transfer portal on a quarterback — they kept starter Behren Morton at the position — a running back or even wide receivers.

Instead, Texas Tech invested in its defense and its line on both sides of the ball. In their first test against Utah on Saturday, that investment is paying early dividends.

The Utes’ offensive line, touted as one of the best in the country entering the high-stakes matchup, was simply outphysicaled and outplayed by the Red Raider defensive front.

“I never would’ve believed if you would’ve said we would lose the line of scrimmage. Never would’ve believed that in a million years. But we did. We didn’t win the line of scrimmage,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said, later saying the Utes don’t lose the battle in the trenches often, but that it happened on Saturday.

Utah rushed for just 101 yards, 28 of which came in garbage time with the game well decided. The Utes’ offensive front, which had parted opposing defensive lines to provide running lanes in the prior three weeks, albeit against weaker competition, struggled to do so consistently on Saturday.

The Utes didn’t have a single run over 10 yards against Texas Tech after having 23 in the previous three matchups.

“Ran the ball very poorly, way under a hundred yards if you take away the garbage yards,” Whittingham said.

This Texas Tech defensive line — led by defensive tackles Skyler Gill-Howard (NIU transfer), Lee Hunter (UCF transfer) and A.J. Holmes Jr. (Houston transfer) and outside linebackers Romello Height (Georgia Tech transfer) and David Bailey (Stanford transfer) — is the real deal.

“That is a really good football team we played. Give them a lot of credit. They really assembled themselves a really good roster and like I said, they’re talented and physical,” Whittingham said.

All game long, the Red Raiders’ defensive front plugged up running lanes and denied the Utes a chance to get their offense in rhythm. Wayshawn Parker had six carries for 22 yards and a score (3.7 yards per carry) and NaQuari Rogers had 10 carries for 37 yards (3.7 yards per carry).

Even dual-threat Dampier was handled easily by the Tech defense — he had just 27 yards on 11 carries (2.5 yards per carry).

“We knew they were a very good defense coming in. I thought they very much played like it,” Dampier said.

The four turnovers on offense, especially the two fumbles in the first quarter, didn’t help matters either.

With Utah’s rushing attack bottled up, the Utes had to try and beat the Red Raiders through the air. Without a consistent downfield passing threat, Texas Tech could sit on the short passes Utah was calling and keep them playing behind the chains all day.

“I think the biggest thing is just staying efficient. Putting ourselves in a lot of third-and-longs. Those are hard to overcome in football,” Dampier said.

According to Pro Football Focus, 24 of Dampier’s 37 pass attempts were either behind the line of scrimmage or traveled nine or less yards in the air. Dampier attempted seven passes that traveled 10-19 yards through the air and completed three of those and was 0-for-6 on passes that traveled 20-plus yards through the air.

“Just be more on time. I think we have a great O-line. Obviously, they’re going to hold up for us. Just my connections to receivers just needs to be a lot more efficient and a lot more cleaner,” Dampier said of improving the passing game.

One of the most glaring examples of Utah’s struggles in the passing game happened on third-and-4 near the end of the third quarter with Utah down 10-3.

The Red Raiders lost Tobias Merriweather in coverage, but what might have been a touchdown catch turned into another incompletion.

Merriweather bumped into fellow receiver Ryan Davis, which might have affected the ball placement from Dampier. In any event, the ball fell incomplete, and one of the best opportunities of the day went to waste.

Dampier actually connected on a deep shot for a touchdown — a 69-yard pass to Jackson Bennee — but it was wiped away due to an ineligible lineman downfield.

The Utes have been talking throughout this season about needing more explosive plays, but haven’t been able to find that through the air in the last couple of games.

Utah doesn’t have to turn into an Air Raid offense, but the Utes will need to find at least an intermediate passing game as they continue Big 12 play at West Virginia, which lost 41-10 against Kansas this week, on Saturday.