Texas Tech backup running back Cam’Ron Valdez will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury, forcing two true freshmen to step into backup roles behind Tahj Brooks.
On Monday, the Red Raiders announced the unfortunate news regarding Valdez, who has experienced a frustrating string of injuries throughout his career, though previous injuries were less severe and kept him out for only a few weeks at a time.
Valdez was expected to take on a more significant role this season alongside star running back Tahj Brooks. The coaching staff had noted that Valdez had his best offseason yet and planned to reduce Brooks’ carries after he rushed the ball 290 times last season.
This year, Valdez had only nine carries in the first two games before missing the week-three matchup against North Texas. In week two, when Brooks was sidelined, Valdez managed just eight carries for 34 yards.
Over his career, Valdez has played in 18 games, rushing 85 times for 511 yards and one touchdown. Now, with him out for the 2024 season, the Red Raiders will rely on true freshmen to back up Brooks.
Freshman Cam Dickey, from Austin, Texas, was initially slated to see action each week. He’s shown promising development recently, recording seven carries for 25 yards and five catches for 34 yards and a touchdown against Washington State, followed by a strong performance against North Texas with 75 rushing yards and a touchdown on ten carries.
Meanwhile, the Red Raiders had hoped to redshirt fellow true freshman J’Koby Williams, a speedy 180-pound back from Beckville, Texas. However, with Valdez out of the picture, Williams may need to play sooner than anticipated. He has only appeared in one game this season, the blowout against North Texas, where he rushed for 27 yards and a touchdown on four carries.
On a positive note, Tahj Brooks returned to action this past weekend after missing the previous game, solidifying his role as Texas Tech’s main offensive weapon. However, with Valdez’s injury, the only backups to Brooks will now be true freshmen, which raises concerns about the team’s depth should Brooks miss any future games.
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