Texas Tech took down ACU 33-10 Saturday for its first win of the season. In the midst of the excitement, the Red Raiders might have found their latest game-changer in an unexpected spot.
LUBBOCK - Texas Tech began its latest season with high expectation under the lights of the newly christened Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock.
The Red Raiders took care of business in a 33-10 victory over Abilene Christian to start the year in the win column.
The No. 12-ranked squad had some early-season hiccups but still had an abundance of shining moments to build upon as the year rolls along.
One of the most notable yet unexpected highlights for the Red Raiders came in the form of a reserve edge rusher.
Jamond Mathis entered the season behind Adam Trick and Trey White in the reloaded rotation at the position after the departure of phenoms David Bailey and Romello Height to the NFL.
While Trick and White garnered the headlines in the offseason, an injury kept White sidelined in the debut and allowed Mathis to show his place among his talented counterparts.
Needless to say, Mathis made this most of this golden opportunity.
He wrecked the Wildcat offense all evening long and eventually finished with a team-leading six total tackles and 2.5 sacks.
For the Kent State transfer, it was the perfect presentation of what he can offer to the team while being surrounded by some of the presumed top edge rushers in the Big 12.
Despite the spectacular debut in Lubbock, Mathis was humble following the victory and remained committed to improving throughout the season.
"It's definitely a good game in my career...I could have done a couple of things better...I feel like just being able to expand on what I'm doing right now and just get better overall as the weeks go," said Mathis.
"I feel like my performance shows that I offer a lot for the future."
According to head coach Joey McGuire, White will not suit up for the Red Raiders' next matchup against Oregon State and is expected to return against Houston at the earliest.
But it is certain that McGuire is not concerned about rushing him back onto the field after seeing firsthand how deep the position is with Mathis in the lineup.
"In our room, it's a brotherhood. One eat, we all eat," remarked Mathis when asked how he viewed the high level of competition at the position.
"So, I feel like they push me, even though they're obviously not playing right now, they push me to be great...It's a brotherhood. We are all pushing each other to be the greatest we can."
For a group that appears to have a few things to tighten up as the schedule winds up, Mathis is shaping up to be a valuable asset in helping the Red Raiders reach the heights envisioned before the season got underway.
