With the addition of linebackers coach Kevin Cosgrove and associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator Derek Jones, Texas Tech looks to revive their defense, especially in the secondary after the departure of safeties coach Kerry Cooks.

Looking at the secondary, Adrian Frye will return from his one season at safety back to cornerback. Penn State grad transfer Zech McPhearson will also make his return and stick at cornerback as well. Adam Beck got to see four starts last season recording 39 total tackles, including 29 solo and 3.5 tackles for loss. Houston Lamar product Alex Hogan is someone Jones said is a young guy that has a lot of potential.

Last season, the rotation varied throughout the game and it will be interesting to see how coach Jones rotates, or if we will rotate, his secondary. Thomas Leggett and Damarcus Fields saw most starts in the 2019 season and look to be on the forefront on those rotations. Fields was essential leading the team in pass breakups with five and was second on the team with interceptions with three (first was Douglas Coleman III).

Leggett was one of the many captains named throughout the season as the then-junior appeared in 11 of the 12 games last season. Leggett finished in the top-10 on the team with 42 tackles, 32 of those solo. Leggett also shared the team-high among defensive backs with six tackles for loss. That stat also tied third among all defensive players. Leggett is legit when it comes to tackling and looks to get more of that this coming fall.

In the linebacker core, the obvious loss will be Jordyn Brooks. However, three players will be following in Brooks’s footsteps; those are Riko Jeffers, Eli Howard and Xavier Benson.

Jeffers will enter his senior year stepping into the stoplight of Brooks, looking to pick up where he left off as Brooks heads to the NFL Draft. Jeffers was a centerpiece on the Tech defense, opening the 2019 season with seven tackles against Montana State. The work continued as he went on to get 76 total tackles in his junior campaign, including two forced fumbles. Jeffers ended up earning Big 12 honorable mention accolades at the conclusion of the season,

Benson, who appeared in all 12 games and started in 10 last season, notched 57 tackles, 36 of those being solo, recorded a sack and a quarterback hurry in there as well as racked up four tackles for loss, all these as playing as a redshirt freshman.

Howard started all 12 games with the Red Raiders for the first time in his career. He was elected to the team’s captain circle, among five other junior representatives. Howard finished ninth in the Big 12 for sacks per game with 0.42 and was tied for fourth in the conference with five. Howard will enter his senior season with 30 career starts and 22 consecutive starts, which is currently the longest active streak among returners on the team.

Note: It is also worth mentioning transfers Brandon Bouyer-Randle and Krishon Merriweather will also look to get in on the action at linebacker. This spot looks stacked at the moment.

Now to the D-line. Among who saw the most starts and playing time were upcoming sophomore Tony Bradford Jr., rising senior Nick McCann, current redshirt freshman Jaylon Hutchings, and upcoming junior Nelson Mbanasor, who played a regular role in defensive coordinator Keith Patterson’s rotation on the line. Let's not forget Howard as a veteran leader too that can play defensive end like he has in the past.

Bradford emerged onto the scene fresh off a state championship with North Shore High School (Houston). Although he started in two games, he appeared in 11, missing the season opener in the home blowout against Montana State. Bradford was one of four true freshmen to appear in five or more games on the defensive side of the ball. He also posted at least two tackles in the four games on the season.

McCann posted two starts in the first two games of the year last season and appeared in all 12 games at nose tackle. His season was highlighted with one-tackle games against Oklahoma, Baylor, and Texas. His best performance came in the Kansas game with a season-high four tackles, which included his lone tackle for loss on the year.

Hutchings appeared with the media as he made his presence known. Hutchings was known for being the runner on the fake punt against Arizona. Hutchings started in 10 of the 12 games last season with 29 total tackles. Hutchings hits spring practice with second team Academic All-Big 12 accolades to his name.

Finally, Mbanasor was also a regular in the rotation on the line, recording 15 tackles, notched a sack, a quarterback hurry and pass breakup. Mbanasor appeared in 11 games, but never found himself starting. The Pflugerville-Hendrickson (TX) product recorded at least two tackles in five different games on the year and three time during Big 12 play. Mbanasor is primed to be back in the rotation.