Washed Up Red Raiders

Texas Tech's loss to Cincinnati has Red Raider Nation asking some uncomfortable questions. And this week, we're not holding anything back.

Former Texas Tech four-year starter Keenon Ward joins John Darden on Washed Up Red Raiders for a heated discussion about what went wrong, who's responsible, and whether the problems we're seeing are becoming a pattern.

Is offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich the right guy to lead this offense? Why do the same issues keep resurfacing? How much blame belongs to the coaching staff, and how much falls on the players?

John puts Keenon on the hot seat as they dig into the offensive struggles, questionable decisions, and the bigger concerns surrounding the direction of this team.

The expectations in Lubbock have changed. The investment has changed. Now it's time to ask whether the results are measuring up.

No excuses. No sugarcoating. Just two Red Raiders who expect better.

Wreck 'Em!

What in the world did we just watch?

Texas Tech's loss to Cincinnati wasn't just frustrating. It was the kind of performance that makes you question everything.

In this immediate postgame edition of Washed Up Red Raiders, John Darden doesn't hold back. We're talking about the mistakes, the coaching decisions, the lack of execution, and why the same problems keep showing up when the stakes are highest.

At some point, the excuses have to stop. The expectations surrounding this program are too high for performances like this.

No sugarcoating. No moral victories. Just a frustrated Red Raider trying to make sense of an embarrassing loss.

Wreck 'Em. Even when it hurts.

Six games. Six wins. And Texas Tech might just be getting started.

The Red Raiders absolutely dismantled Arizona State 53–25, putting up a staggering 43 points before halftime and sending a message to the rest of the Big 12.

On this episode of Washed Up Red Raiders, we're flying solo to break down Tech's statement victory, the explosive offense, the biggest takeaways, and what this performance means for the Red Raiders moving forward.

But the season isn't over, and the road gets interesting from here. Next up is Cincinnati, where Texas Tech looks to keep its undefeated season rolling.

The question is no longer whether Texas Tech is a good football team. It's just how good this team can become.

Wreck 'Em Tech!

Texas Tech is 5–0 after a 29–7 road win over Colorado, but if you only saw the final score, you missed the story.

The Red Raider defense showed up in a big way, forcing four interceptions and completely shutting down the Buffaloes after their opening possession. Meanwhile, the offense struggled to find its rhythm, leaving plenty of questions despite another convincing-looking victory.

On this episode of Washed Up Red Raiders, we're breaking down the good, the bad, and the downright ugly from Boulder. Is this defense good enough to carry Tech through the Big 12? How concerned should fans be about the offense? And can you really complain when your team is undefeated?

Five wins. Zero losses. Plenty to talk about.

Wreck 'Em!

Texas Tech is 4–0 after a 49–14 win over Sam Houston, but this was one of those games where the final score doesn’t tell the entire story.

The Washed Up Red Raiders break down a wild afternoon in Lubbock that featured a seemingly dominant Texas Tech defense, back-to-back pick-sixes from Austin Romaine, four Red Raider turnovers, and a three-interception performance from Will Hammond that raises some questions despite the comfortable final margin.

We discuss what we’re seeing from Hammond and the offense, whether the turnovers are becoming a legitimate concern, just how good this Texas Tech defense can be, and the difference between beating teams on talent and actually playing clean football.

At 4–0, there’s plenty to like about this team, but there’s also plenty to clean up.

And now the stakes get higher as the Red Raiders head to Boulder for a Big 12 road matchup with Colorado. Are we picking a Colorado upset?

Texas Tech opened Big 12 play with a win, but nothing about it felt comfortable. The Red Raiders fell behind early, battled back and escaped Houston with a 28–26 victory after the Cougars came up inches short on a potential game-tying two-point conversion.

The Washed Up Red Raiders break down the uneven offensive performance, the quarterback situation, the defensive plays that ultimately saved the game and the biggest concerns still facing this team. Will Hammond let it fly and brought home the W. Was this simply a gritty conference win against a ranked opponent, or did Houston expose issues that could become costly later in the season?

A win is a win, and Texas Tech is still undefeated, but there is plenty to clean up.

Texas Tech left Corvallis with a 35–24 victory and an undefeated record, but it certainly wasn’t the comfortable win Red Raider fans expected.

This week, we break down the slow start, the defensive breakdowns that kept Oregon State in the game, the quarterback rotation between Will Hammond and Thomas Castellanos, J’Koby Williams’ impact on the ground, and the fourth-quarter response that finally allowed Tech to pull away.

Was this simply a gritty road win, or did it expose problems that could become costly during Big 12 play? We discuss what still gives us confidence, what must be cleaned up immediately, and what this performance means as the Red Raiders prepare for Houston.

Texas Tech opened the 2026 season with a 33–10 win over Abilene Christian, but the final score doesn’t tell the entire story.

In this episode, the Washed Up Red Raiders break down Will Hammond’s return to the field, an impressive performance by the rebuilt Texas Tech defense, the offense’s frustrating red-zone struggles, and the biggest takeaways from Week 1.

Was it simply early-season rust, or did the ACU game expose problems that could follow the Red Raiders into tougher competition? Plus, we look ahead to Saturday’s road matchup against Oregon State and discuss what Texas Tech needs to clean up before heading to Corvallis.

Wreck ’Em!

Texas Tech football is back, and so are the Washed Up Red Raiders.

In our first episode of the season, we break down where the Red Raiders stand heading into 2026, the expectations surrounding this team, the biggest questions we still need answered, and what we’re watching as the season gets underway.

We talk roster, coaching, expectations, potential concerns, and just how high the ceiling really is for Texas Tech this year.

The offseason is over. The predictions are done.

Now we get to find out who this team really is.

Welcome back to Washed Up Red Raiders.

Keenon and John recap the win over Kent State, look ahead to the Oregon State game as well as chat a minute about Charlie Kirk and why we do this podcast in the first place.

John and Keenon are back. The two washed up Red Raiders are here to discuss and argue all things Texas Tech athletics. First up, the win over Arkansas Pine Bluff. Not much to argue about! Solid win. Biggest concern is Behren Morton's health. Do the guys have any inside info?

Our Texas Tech Men's basketball team gets a couple of March Madness wins against UNCW and Drake - now headed to the Sweet 16 against a tough Arkansas matchup. Aaliyah Chavez chooses Oklahoma and the baseball team's struggles continue.

John and Keenon discuss their first two round predictions for the Texas Tech Red Raiders in March Madness as well as more baseball talk post Houston sweep looking into the TCU series over the weekend.

How far can this men's basketball team go? Are Chance and D5 healthy? What can we expect?

It's been a while, Red Raiders! But we're still here. Keenon and John discuss the insane recruiting class hitting our Texas Tech Football program, some not good Aaliyah Chavez news, and the rising Texas Tech Men's Basketball program who begin the week in the AP top 10!

Another brutal loss for our Texas Tech Red Raiders as Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffs take home the win in Lubbock. Who's to blame? Horrid officiating played a large part. Our offense went completely dead midway through the first and never seemed to come back. Is Coach Kittley eventually going to cost Joey McGuire his job? We dive into it all!

Our Texas Tech Red Raiders pull off an incredible win over the undefeated Iowa State Cyclones in Ames. The defense were the heroes of the day with a lot of questions being raised based on offensive play calling, again, and also some game management decisions that kept Texas Tech from winning decisively.

Blowing a 17-point lead in the second half with some questionable decision making, Texas Tech falls to TCU 34-35 on the road after showing 28 points in a row. What accountability does Coach McGuire need to take in this loss. Coming off of one of the worst losses in a decade against Baylor the week before, why does it seem like our Red Raiders can't seem to thrive when they should?

Our Texas Tech Red Raiders fall in a brutal loss to the Baylor Bears on Homecoming in front of a sold out crowd. What happened? Why are we running 3-man fronts when we get no pressure on the ball? Micah Hudson makes the play of the game and we still barely see him, why? Special teams weren't so special. What does our Washed Up former player have to say about the catastrophe we saw on the field Saturday?

Where the heck is Micah Hudson? Why do we run so many WR screens? Is Behren's arm ok? Can someone remind OC to pound the rock with the NCAA's best running back?

This is Washed Up Red Raiders, a podcast hosted by an old, washed up Texas Tech graduate and an old, washed up former Texas Tech football player giving voice to all the fans and alumni. We bring your thoughts week to week on what's going on inside Texas Tech Athletics, whether it's good, bad or ugly, and then give our former TTU letterman a chance to give his insider knowledge on what's really going on.

Wreck 'em!