Oregon State shows Texas Tech football's true defensive weakness - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Veteran safety Brenden Jordan, who was supposed to anchor the defensive backfield and call coverages for his teammates, hasn't been available. Tech also lost proven safety Cole Wisniewski and has leaned on younger defensive backs without much game experience to fill the gap.

Against Oregon State, the cracks showed. A defense missing its communication and experience at safety struggles to disguise coverages and clean up mistakes before they turn into big plays. That pattern is forming through two games.

For Red Raiders fans watching this season unfold, the concern isn't the record. It's what happens once Big 12 play begins and Tech faces offenses with more firepower than Oregon State or Abilene Christian.

Tech's offense can cover for a lot of sins early in the season. Whether the defense can hold up once conference opponents start testing that secondary is the question nobody in Lubbock has an answer to yet.