Both the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Arkansas Razorbacks have extensive lists of players not in action during the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. With each team’s portal entrants numbering over 20, which team has the advantage or, better yet, which team could even be close to full strength?
Top Texas Tech Players Not Playing in Liberty Bowl
Thanks to the CFN Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker, we know which players from the Red Raiders won’t be in action in the Liberty Bowl.
- Tahj Brooks, RB (opt-out)
- Behren Morton, QB (surgery)
- Dylan Spencer, EDGE (injury)
- Joseph Adedire, EDGE (injury)
- Vinny Scurry, OL (injury)
- E’Maurion Banks, DL (injury)
- Justin Horne, LB (injury)
- Jake Strong, QB (transfer portal)
- Cameran Brown, QB (transfer portal)
- Brady Boyd, WR (transfer portal)
- Micah Hudson, WR (transfer portal)
- Demarion Crest-Daniels, WR (transfer portal)
- T.J. West, WR (transfer portal)
- Jordan Brown, WR (transfer portal)
- Ty Buchanan, OT (transfer portal)
- Sterling Porcher, iOL (transfer portal)
- Garrett Morphis, iOL (transfer portal)
- Kaden Carr, iOL (transfer portal)
- Harvey Dyson III, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Trevon McAlpine, DL (transfer portal)
- Jalon Peoples, CB (transfer portal)
- Miles Thompson, CB (transfer portal)
- Javeon Wilcox, S (transfer portal)
- Kaden Turner, P (transfer portal)
In a stunner, the Red Raiders announced just an hour before kick that star running back Tahj Brooks would miss the game.
We’ll be without @just_tahj tonight in the Liberty Bowl.
Our all-time leading rusher, he’s a RRFL and will go down as one of the greats in program history. 🫶 pic.twitter.com/5PKJ0Nhx39
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) December 27, 2024
Brooks, the program’s all-time leading rusher, will miss the game and forcing Cameron Dickey into a starting role.
The list of athletes set to miss the game for Texas Tech is quite extensive. Therefore, we’ll just list the major players that are set to be absent.
That list, of course, starts with QB Behren Morton. The Red Raiders starting signal-caller threw for 3,335 yards and 27 touchdowns this season for TTU. He’s reportedly had successful surgery and will be back for action next season in Lubbock.
In Morton’s place, true freshman Will Hammond will start. Hammond has thrown for 191 yards and a touchdown in his limited time on the field so far this season.
Outside of Morton, on offense, the biggest losses are on the offensive line. Starting left tackle Ty Buchanan is out, as is starting left guard Sterling Porcher. The star players return at running back and wide receiver, but will there even be enough blocking up front to move the ball?
On defense, the loss of Dyson off the edge and McAlpine and Banks from the middle are big ones, for depth purposes, but other than that, they remain relatively intact.
Top Arkansas Players Not Playing in Liberty Bowl
Similarly, thanks to CFN’s Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker, the Razorbacks expected to miss the game are easy to find:
- Malachi Singleton, QB (transfer portal)
- Emmanuel Crawford, RB (transfer portal)
- Braylen Russell, RB (transfer portal)
- Jaedon Wilson, WR (transfer portal)
- Isaiah Sategna, WR (transfer portal)
- Davion Dozier, WR (transfer portal)
- Kamron Bibby, WR (transfer portal)
- Luke Hasz, TE (transfer portal)
- Tyrus Washington, TE (transfer portal)
- Var’Keyes Gumms, TE (transfer portal)
- Addison Nichols, OL (transfer portal)
- Ty’Kieast Crawford, iOL (transfer portal)
- Joshua Braun, iOL (transfer portal)
- Patrick Kutas, iOL (transfer portal)
- Brad Spence, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Nico Davillier, EDGE (transfer portal)
- Kaden Henley, LB (transfer portal)
- Alex Sanford, LB (transfer portal)
- Carson Dean, LB (transfer portal)
- Jaylon Braxton, CB (transfer portal)
- Selman Bridges, CB (transfer portal)
- Tevis Metcalf, CB (transfer portal)
- TJ Metcalf, S (transfer portal)
- Dylan Hasz, S (transfer portal)
- Dallas Young, S (transfer portal)
- Sam Dubwig, P (transfer portal)
- Eli Stein, LS (transfer portal)
Just like their opponent, Arkansas had a long list of athletes to hit the portal. It’s easier to just list those who should have the biggest impact with their absences.
The list of most impactful losses on offense begins with Sategna at receiver, who finished second on the team in every major receiving category. Hasz, at tight end, was a massive blow, and he had four receiving touchdowns to lead the team.
Perhaps a bigger loss is that of Nichols, the team’s starting center, and Braun, Arkansas’ starting right guard. Both missing the game will be pivotal for their run game and protection for starting QB Taylen Green.
On defense, Davillier and Spencer each had double-digit pressures on the QB this season off the edge. The Metcalf brothers saw TJ start every game at safety, and as such, his loss will ultimately be felt unless someone can step up in a big way at safety.
Arkansas has a ton to fulfill, but with 27 players in the portal, it’s quite a feat to be missing only a handful of starters and impactful players.
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