Sports
What qualities likely will determine the winner of Texas Tech's three-way battle for safety spot - Dallas News
Three homegrown Red Raiders - Peyton Morgan, Oliver Miles III, and Malik Esquerra - are locked in a battle for a starting safety spot on the Texas Tech football team.
All three - Morgan, Miles III, and Esquerra - signed with the Red Raiders directly out of high school, building their careers right here on the South Plains. They are now vying for a key role on a defense that ranked among the top three nationally last season. Safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator Rob Greene reports each player demonstrates unique strengths during training camp practices.
For Lubbock fans heading to Jones AT&T Stadium this fall, this intense position battle offers a compelling preview of the dedication within the Red Raider program. It ensures a motivated player will fill a critical defensive role. The eventual starter steps onto a defense that finished top-three nationally just last season, a standard they must maintain.
Despite losing an NFL-bound talent, the Red Raiders aim to maintain their elite defensive standing with a new face in the secondary.
Common questions
Who is competing for the open safety spot at Texas Tech?
- Peyton Morgan, Oliver Miles III, and Malik Esquerra are locked in a battle for the starting safety position. All three are homegrown Red Raiders who signed with Texas Tech directly out of high school and are now junior contenders vying for a key role on the defense.
Why is there an open safety position on the Texas Tech football team?
- The competition arose after two-time FCS national champion Cole Wisniewski departed for the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL draft. His exit leaves a significant void in the Red Raider secondary alongside senior Brenden Jordan, who retains his starting multi-position safety role.
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