Texas Tech Defensive Line Shines in Win Over Kent State With Pick-Six, Three Sacks

The defensive front at Texas Tech controlled the line of scrimmage on Saturday. They played so well that an interception return score from 55 yards out led to a 30–6 win over Kent State in Week 2.

The Red Raiders had three sacks in the first half, one from David Bailey, one from A.J. Holmes Jr., and one from Romello Height. They also kept pressure on quarterback CJ Montes, which made Kent State throw short and run bad plays.

Bailey is a transfer from Stanford. He showed how versatile he is by avoiding a hit on one play and charging through the line for a sack on another. But the most critical play happened when Holmes blocked Montes' screen pass. Skyler Gill-Howard, a defensive tackle, caught it and ran 55 yards for a score.

Gill-Howard said on the postgame show, "I ran the ball in high school." "Lee Hunter hit him, A.J. tipped it, and I caught it..." That is something I have not done since high school.

Gill-Howard, who used to be a walk-on at Upper Iowa and Northern Illinois, had four tackles, three of which were solo stops, in addition to his first score. On the other hand, Holmes had one of the best defense games of the afternoon. Besides his sack and interception of the pass, he made four solo tackles, two tackles for loss, and recovered a fumble.

The impact of Holmes's destructive play went beyond the stat sheet. The attack at Kent State relied on quick passes behind the line of scrimmage because they could not sustain drives when the Red Raiders were pressuring them.

The Golden Flashes ran the ball 34 times for 64 yards, which is an average of 1.9 yards per carry. They also struggled to maintain their balance throughout the game.

Gill-Howard said, "People have been to the moon, so we know that the sky is still possible." "We all play on top of each other and enjoy each other's games." There are six older citizens with six different body types. Each one can do various tasks. That is why we can play together so well: we all share that understanding.

The Red Raiders' defensive line has become a strength as Big 12 play gets closer. During the initial weeks of the season, they showcased their talent and their capacity to disrupt games.