Texas Tech has been known as an offense program for a while now, but just because a team is built off of offense doesn't mean the defense shouldn't get some attention. This week I take a look at our past three recruiting classes and see just how much attention was paid to defensive players. The national and Big 12 rank is via 24/7. The class sizes are via Rivals.
2013 Recruiting Class
National : 46 | Big 12: 7
Number of defense out of total signees: 10/23
2014 Recruiting Class
National: 42 | Big 12: 6
Number of defense out of total signees: 12/26
2015 Recruiting Class
National: 34 | Big 12: 3
Number of defense out of total signees: 7/21
If you do the math, that's 29 defensive commits out of 70 total signees or roughly 41.42%. I personally was expecting the difference to be much greater. Out of those 29 commits, 15 of those were defensive backs and 14 were linebackers and defensive linemen.
If people want to point fingers at our defensive recruiting for the reason behind our lackluster defense that just isn't the reason. It might be because the quality of recruits but I don't believe it's the quantity of recruits. Let's take a look at the 2016 class that the Red Raiders have complied thus far.
2016 Recruiting Class
National: 34 | Big 12: 3
Number of defense out of total signees: 14/24
Of those 14 defensive commits, 12 are linebackers and defensive linemen. 8 of those 12 are defensive linemen. That number tells you that this coaching staff is trying to beef up the defensive front. This is great news because the rush defense has been pretty porous the past couple of years.
Another thing, these recruiting classes are getting better talent-wise each year. In 2013 the class finished 7th in the final Big 12 class rankings, so far the 2016 class is ranked 3rd right behind Baylor and TCU. Just like a fine wine, some things get better with time. Give Kliff and his staff time, they know what they're doing. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was Baylor.
2016 Football Commits
Da'Leon Ward: Running Back, Skyline High School (Dallas, TX)
Gio Pancotti: Offensive Line, Episcopal High School (Bellaire, TX)
Neiman Armstrong: Cornerback, DeSoto High School (DeSoto, TX)
Antoine Cox-Wesley: Wide Receiver, Steele High School (Cibolo, TX)
Jett Duffey: Dual-Threat Quarterback, Lake Ridge High School (Mansfield, TX)
Bryson Denley: Athlete (RB, WR), Steele High School (Cibolo, TX)
DeQuan Bowman: Wide Receiver, Hutchinson CC (Hutchinson, KS)
Derrick Willies: Wide Receiver, Trinity Valley CC (Athens, TX)
Mychealon Thomas: Defensive Tackle, Butler CC (El Dorado, KS)
Brayden Stringer: Linebacker, Cypress Ranch High School (Cypress, TX)
Ivory Jackson: Defensive Tackle, Amarillo High School (Amarillo, TX)
T.J. Vasher: Wide Receiver, Rider High School (Wichita Falls, TX)
DaMarcus Fields: Cornerback, Taylor High School (Taylor, TX)
Johnathan Picone: Linebacker, Mandeville High School (Mandeville, LA)
Houston Miller: Defensive End, Keller High School (Keller, TX)
Noah Jones: Defensive End, Southmoore High School (Moore, OK)
Jordyn Brooks: Linebacker, Stratford High School (Houston, TX)
Nick McCann: Defensive Tackle, Arkansas High School (Texarkana, AR)
Austin Deshay: Defensive End, Hendrickson High School (Pflugerville, TX)
Travis Bruffy: Offensive Tackle, Ridge Point High School (Missouri City, TX)
Zach Adams: Offensive Tackle, Riverbend High School (Fredericksburg, VA)
Clarence Henderson: Defensive End, Skyline High School (Dallas, TX)
Joe Wallace: Defensive Tackle, Skyline High School (Dallas, TX)
Kevin Moore: Outside Linebacker, Acadiana High School (Lafayette, LA)