Joey McGuire Wants Cleaner Football From Unbeaten Texas Tech

Texas Tech football is 5-0, ranked No. 11 and coming off a 29-7 road win at Colorado, but Joey McGuire isn’t treating the bye week like a victory lap.

The Red Raiders’ head coach made that clear during his weekly media session, pointing to several areas that need attention before Texas Tech hosts Arizona State on Oct. 17.

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One of the biggest developments is at running back. With Cameron Dickey expected to miss multiple weeks, McGuire is turning to Quinten Joyner for a larger role.

“The biggest thing is he probably got cleared at 230 pounds and he’s down to 216,” McGuire said. “I think you’re seeing that with his runs.”

Joyner showed that explosiveness against Colorado, including a 30-yard fourth-quarter touchdown that helped put the game away.

Texas Tech also wants a better start offensively.

Quarterback Will Hammond threw for 134 yards and one touchdown against Colorado, while the Red Raiders finished with 314 total yards.

McGuire said the staff needs to lean harder into concepts Hammond is most comfortable with early in games.

“One thing I think we’ve got to improve is going back to our day one installs,” McGuire said.

The running game is getting the same treatment. Texas Tech rushed for 180 yards in Boulder, but McGuire acknowledged there were too many negative plays mixed in with the productive ones.

There’s also uncertainty behind Hammond.

Backup quarterback Tommy Castellanos remains involved in practice, but his eligibility case is still unresolved.

McGuire said Kirk Francis has been getting second-team work while the program waits for another hearing next week.

Despite the issues, Texas Tech keeps winning.

“I haven’t had a team that was 5-0 get critiqued this much,” McGuire said. “Do we want to play better? 100 percent.”

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That’s the central theme of the bye week.

Texas Tech doesn’t need to reinvent itself. It needs to clean up the details before Arizona State comes to Lubbock for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff on FOX.