Red Raiders attempting to strike balance

Aug 17, 2017 - 10:59 PM Life after Patrick Mahomes II begins in September for Texas Tech, and that's a scary prospect.

Mahomes led the Football Bowl Subdivision with 5,052 passing yards, and he tossed 41 touchdown passes in 12 games during his junior season. He declared for the NFL Draft in January and shot up the draft boards until Kansas City selected him with 10th overall pick.

Yet having that kind of talent with the ball in his hands only resulted in a 5-7 season for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders finished out of a bowl game for the second time in head coach Kliff Kingsbury's four seasons. The pessimists in Raiderland were predicting another losing campaign and Kingsbury's exit as soon as Mahomes announced he was headed to the NFL.

But maybe it's not that simple.

The Red Raiders' new starting QB, senior Nick Shimonek, played important snaps in 2016, most notably helping Texas Tech stay in front of Kansas when Mahomes suffered a shoulder injury in the third quarter. And Kingsbury has proven his ability to mentor quarterbacks. Texas Tech also has a wealth of experience at wide receiver and a mix of experience and potential at running back and offensive line.

All of that indicates that the Red Raiders likely won't slow down too much on offense.

That leaves Texas Tech's seemingly eternal question mark: Can the defense stop anyone?

The Red Raiders ranked 128th, also known as last, in the nation in total defense in 2016. Texas Tech gave up 554.3 yards per game and surrendered an average of 54 points in its seven losses.

As soon as the 2016 season ended, Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he was sticking with Kingsbury as head coach, but he issued a public directive that the coach be more focused on defense.

"I like what I saw this spring," Kingsbury said. "We played a lot of young players on defense last year, and I'm hoping those snaps pay dividends going into this year."

Texas Tech has a chance to improve on defense, in part because there's not much place to go but up. But there are also reasons based on personnel.

Defensive coordinator David Gibbs, who is beginning his third season in Lubbock, has a pair of linebackers who have shown the ability to get to the football. Sophomore Jordyn Brooks led Texas Tech with 61 solo and 86 total tackles as a freshman in 2016. Junior Dakota Allen was second on the defense in 2015 with 87 total tackles.

Additionally, Texas Tech returns five defensive linemen who recorded at least one tackle for loss last season, led by junior defensive end Kolin Hill's four. Junior safety Jah'Shawn Johnson, the best among a group of six experienced defensive backs, posted 77 total tackles, two interceptions and three forced fumbles in 2016.

As nervous as Texas Tech fans might be about life after Mahomes, opponents could be even more jittery if the Red Raiders make a marked improvement on defense.

MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Nic Shimonek -- Shimonek passed for 464 yards, with six touchdowns and one interception in backing up Patrick Mahomes in 2016. His shining moment came against Kansas, when he was thrown into a tense moment after Mahomes suffered a third-quarter shoulder injury. Shimonek responded by completing 15 of 21 passes for 271 yards and four TDs with no interceptions. Shimonek hasn't shown the phenomenal play-making ability the Red Raiders enjoyed with Mahomes, but coach Kliff Kingsbury has praised Shimonek's work ethic and leadership ability. If Shimonek stays healthy, the Red Raiders probably won't drop off much at QB.

BREAKOUT STAR: LB Jordyn Brooks -- The light apparently came on for Brooks during the final game of his freshman season in 2016 when he posted 18 tackles in a win over Baylor. Although he led Texas Tech in solo and total stops a year ago, he was still a freshman on a struggling defense. The Red Raiders desperately need him and the defense to progress together if they are to improve in the national defense rankings and reach the bowl season.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH: RG Jack Anderson -- A couple of Texas Tech's best offensive line signees of recent years -- sophomore Justin Murphy and freshman Conner Dyer -- were forced to give up football because of recurring knee injuries. That means that Anderson, a top 100-ranked prospect out of Frisco, Texas, steps into the starting lineup as a true freshman. He enrolled at the start of the spring semester and went through spring practice. Texas Tech might be due for some good fortune on the O-line, and Anderson could be the man to deliver it.

--LB Dakota Allen was second on Texas Tech's defense in tackles in 2015, but then was kicked out of school following a burglary arrest in the spring of 2016. After being exiled to East Mississippi Community College and featured on the Netflix documentary "Last Chance U," Allen's case has been resolved and he accepted an offer to return to the Red Raiders. He'll be counted on as Texas Tech tries to improve on the defensive side.