For most groups, the principal goal of spring football is to steer clear of catastrophic accidents. But in April, the Texas Tech football software flirted with that disastrous state of affairs when star huge receiver Erik Ezukanma sustained a gruesome damaged arm that expected nearly fast medical procedures. The good thing is, we figured out this 7 days that Tech’s best move-catching concentrate on is totally recovered from that personal injury and is a complete-go for fall camp.
The first prognosis for Ezukanma’s rehab put his availability for the get started of the year in question. That would have been a significant blow for the Pink Raiders. But in his opening press conference of slide camp, head mentor Matt Wells documented that the junior WR is totally recovered and at 100% physically as a result of his reps will be monitored and restricted early in camp.
That information is terrific information for Texas Tech soccer admirers. Which is since Ezukanma could be this program’s most crucial non-quarterback.
Last time, with a career-large 748 yards in only ten game titles, Ezukanma led the Crimson Raiders in acquiring for the next-straight period. He was also 3rd in the Significant 12 in acquiring yards and second in yards for every video game.
Now, the preseason all-Massive 12 honoree is again to guide a obtaining corps that, outdoors of Ezukanma, is unproven and eco-friendly. In point, previous season, no other Pink Raider had more than 300 yards acquiring and what is far more, the group saw its third-major receiver from 2020, KeSean Carter, transfer to Houston.
Of program, the addition of Troy transfer, Kaylon Geiger, is meant to aid bolster the receiving corps. With 1,625 vocation getting yards, the previous All-Sunlight Belt Meeting collection is predicted to male the other outdoors receiver location reverse of Ezukanma.
But there’s a bit of a catch…Geiger was mainly an within receiver at Troy. Therefore, it is reasonable to speculate no matter whether or not the fast 5-foot-10 receiver can thrive participating in on the outside exactly where it is frequently much more challenging for receivers to get separation at the line of scrimmage.
Of class, it is attention-grabbing that Geiger is the reverse of the prototypical Texas Tech exterior WR in the Matt Wells period. Whilst gamers these types of as Ezukanma, Loic Fouonji, Trey Cleveland, and almost just about every other exterior receiver that Tech has deployed in recent seasons has been at the very least 6-foot-2, Geiger is undersized for that posture and that will go away some questions about his ability to do what the offense wants of him.
On the other hand, he could be the fantastic complement to Ezukanma many thanks to his elite pace. Ezukanma is a physical extensive receiver who is open up even when he’s protected and his capability to make rough catches in site visitors will support the Red Raiders transfer the chains. And placing him across from a receiver who can choose the top rated off of the protection the way Geiger can might only aid to open up up a lot more home for Ezukanma to work.
But all of that relies upon on Ezukanma’s wellness. Thankfully, it seems that he will be all set to go when the Red Raiders encounter Houston on September 4. Which is news that each and every Crimson Raider was hoping to get from Wells when camp opened and now we can truly feel a great deal extra assured about the condition of the Purple Raider acquiring corps in 2021.
