Texas Tech football kicks off the 2015 football season in 24 days, but the Red Raider program is already creating momentum in recruiting. It is a big year for Kliff Kingsbury’s team, and a renewed sense of urgency, along with new leadership on the defensive side of the ball, is being well-received by recruits in the 2016 cycle. Texas Tech currently has 25 commitments for the 2016 class. In comparison, Texas has just eight verbal commitments going into the season. It can be argued that programs like Texas have a harder time landing commitments since the Longhorns tend to pursue athletes with high star ratings, but that doesn't mean what Texas Tech has accomplished thus far in the 2016 cycle should go unnoticed. The Red Raiders have one four-star commitment according to Rivals.com. T.J. Vasher from Rider High School in Wichita Falls is a four-star wide receiver with a 6-foot-5 frame and chose Texas Tech over SEC school Ole Miss. However, Texas Tech’s greatest success has come along the offensive and defensive lines. Kingsbury has received verbal commitments from five offensive linemen and seven defensive linemen, including four who project at the defensive tackle position. Kingsbury is known for his ability to coach offense. Texas Tech, as a program, is used to putting up big numbers on offense. For the Red Raiders to climb up the ladder in the state it will be up to the defense. David Gibbs’ defenses are known for creating turnovers, and that’s what he’ll need to produce as the new defensive coordinator for the Red Raiders to not be the worst P5 football team in the state in 2015. But even if Texas Tech doesn’t see immediate improvement on defense or on the field, the fact that recruits are aggressively taking notice of the changes is positive for the program. Check out the full list of Texas Tech 2016 recruits on Rivals.com: Screen Shot 2015-08-12 at 2.11.27 PM
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