Struggling Texas Tech’s defense has taken another hit with a season-ending injury announced on Monday. The football program revealed that a key starting defensive tackle will miss the remainder of the season.
Given the poor performance of the Red Raiders’ defense this year, this injury is particularly unfortunate. The team is already grappling with defensive challenges, and losing another crucial player only adds to their woes following a tough 59-35 loss to Baylor.
“We lose a leader,” said Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire. “That was an emotional moment because whenever you have to cart someone off instead of them limping or being helped off, it’s always a strange moment in the game.”
The player in question was reportedly playing very well, sharing the spotlight with another standout in the defensive tackle room. McGuire emphasized the need for the rest of the team to step up, noting that they are losing a physically impressive player known for making crucial plays, such as blocking extra points and field goals.
So far this season, the injured tackle had been a key contributor on the defensive line, leading his position in snaps played with impressive stats that included 16 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss.
The injury occurred under unfortunate circumstances. In the first quarter, Baylor running back Bryson Washington made a 44-yard run that initially appeared to be a touchdown. However, replay review showed he went out of bounds at the half-yard line, forcing Baylor to run another play. On that next attempt, a one-yard touchdown plunge, the tackle suffered his season-ending knee injury. Had the initial run resulted in a touchdown, he might have avoided this injury, which now leaves Tech’s defense even more vulnerable.
The reality for Texas Tech is stark, as they are now missing three players who were projected starters on the defensive front. This includes two outside linebackers, Joseph Adedire and Dylan Spencer, who are also out for the year due to injuries sustained in the preseason.
With the starting tackle off the field, sophomore Trevon McAlpine will need to step up significantly. However, it will require a collective effort from the team to compensate for this loss. This news comes at a challenging time for a defense struggling to recover from a recent meltdown against Baylor.
Texas Tech football program announced that starting defensive tackle E’Maurion Banks will miss the remainder of the season.
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