How do you define success for the 2016 Texas Tech football team?
Chris Level: The offense will be fine, even if the numbers aren't quite as good as last season's record-setting group. The defense is a different story. That side of the ball must improve and do so while relying a lot of new faces.
This team scored an average of 36 points in their six losses last season. Success will largely be defined by whether you see a similar stat following this upcoming season.
It is hard to define how much better this defense needs to be, but it needs to show some improvement and help this program be successful.
I will define success this way: I think if fans feel good about the defense after the season then, regardless of the record, this season has been a success. Feeling good about the young core, the leadership, the defensive line, David Gibbs and the staff that surrounds him is what matters. The Red Raider defense has long been a punchline in college football circles and they can fix that - and the psyche of this fanbase - by showing improvement. That would make for a a successful 2016 season for Texas Tech.
Aaron Dickens: Texas Tech hasn't finished with a winning Big 12 record in six seasons - 4-5 in 2015, 2-7 in 2014, 4-5 in 2013, 4-5 in 2012, 2-7 in 2011 and 3-5 in 2010.
The 2009 season - the last time the Red Raiders posted a winning Big 12 mark - doesn't seem like that long ago for a lot of us. Most of us vividly remember the Mike Leach dismissal and all of the drama that came with it. In a lot of ways, it seems like just yesterday.
For recruits? That 2009 campaign might as well have happened in 1989. Patrick Mahomes, who is entering his junior season, was 14 the last time the Red Raiders posted a winning mark in league play. Now imagine how old 2017, 2018 and 2019 prospects were seven years ago. For a significant portion, if not most, of their lives, Texas Tech has been a middling program when compared its conference peers.
Here's how I define success for the Red Raiders in 2016: Finish with a winning Big 12 record. I'm not too concerned with the how or who, just win five or more games against conference opponents.
Will McKay: For me, in order to call this season a success for the Red Raiders, you certainly have to look at a number of factors.
First, I think this offense with Patrick Mahomes at the helm needs to show that they can continue to be one of the most prolific units in the country while cutting down on turnovers. If Mahomes can become a more efficient quarterback and show real growth on routine plays, and if the production vacated by Jakeem Grant and DeAndre Washington is adequately replaced, this year will be a success on that side of the ball.
Second, I think this defense in year two under David Gibbs needs to show tangible improvements. That means that while you'd certainly hope to see the turnover numbers go up again, which will be the biggest goal for the unit, they absolutely have to show some signs of life against the run. That doesn't mean they need to be some shut-down unit against opposing rushing attacks, but they do need to show they can get stops on the ground when they have to. The mere fact that this is year two in Gibbs' defense should mean that guys are more sound and assignment secure than they were in 2015. It just has to get better.
Finally, I look at this team's record. In order for this team to consider 2016 a success, I think they have to win at least eight games in the regular season. It's year four under Kliff Kingsbury, and I know he feels like this is the best team he's had so far in Lubbock. Now is when you find out what his program will look like for the long run. He's had time to get in his players, especially on offense, and he's had time to adjust and tweak the culture to what he wants. This is the year when you need to start seeing success, and with what this team should be, again I think that means you need to win eight games in the regular season this year and show another step forward as a program.
Matt Clare: Oklahoma is the clear favorite in the Big 12 Conference, but the league has not been so close from 2-10 in a while. With key home games against West Virginia, Oklahoma and Texas this season, my definition for success will be protecting Jones Stadium.
That home-field advantage is something this team could thrive on, especially depending how the schedule shakes out. The Red Raiders will face two very tough road tests against Arizona State in week two and Kansas State in week five, but the the team could go into week six at home against West Virginia with a 5-0 or 4-1 record. A win against the Mountaineers at home could setup another big home game against the Sooners the following weekend.
Success for Texas Tech football in 2016 will be finishing the big games at home. Think of TCU last season, the last minute loss at home against a conference rival. Think of Oklahoma State last season, a game where the Red Raiders led by 10 points at halftime, only to see the defense give up 42 points in the second half. Finishing the close games, protecting home-field, and making the nation notice Lubbock, Texas this fall will define success for Texas Tech in 2016.
Drew Kohnle: Success for Texas Tech is quite simply measured in number of wins, and I’m going to set the magic number at eight. If the Red Raiders don't win at least eight regular season games this season, it will be difficult to call the season a big success. I quite honestly don’t care where the wins or losses come from, but this year has to be the year that Kliff Kingsbury and Texas Tech get over the hump. I think an eight-win mark would be a huge step in the right direction.
Texas Tech could have the 126th ranked defense and Pat Mahomes could only pass for 3,000 yards but if the team wins at least eight games this season, I will call it a success no matter what. Of course, it would be nice to see various defensive improvements and gaudy offensive stats come along with the eight wins, but first and foremost, the biggest barometer for a successful season, is wins.
