Tech coach vows deeper offensive rotations for the 2026 season

Coach Joey McGuire highlighted the Red Raiders' increased depth and plans to rotate more receivers and linemen during the 2026 campaign.

During the second day of preseason drills, Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire emphasized that this year's roster is deeper than any he has seen, aiming to keep players healthy after a injury-heavy 2023. He plans to spread playing time among six receivers who participated in practice, moving beyond the reliance on the top three from last season. An off-season analysis showed Tech's fourth-string receiver lagged behind peers at Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson, prompting a purposeful rotation to potentially extend the schedule to 16 games.

On the line, McGuire mentioned a nine-man depth chart, highlighting players such as Daniel Sill, Jacob Ponton, Cash Cleveland and the versatile D'Anthis Upshaw. The backfield will feature Quinten Joyner's return from knee surgery, with J'Koby Williams slated for an all-purpose "Joker" role, while Malcolm Simmons impressed in practice. Overall, the coach expects the larger, more accountable group to sustain high-level performance throughout the season.