Stepping into the role filled the last few years by Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech DT Quinch Ledet Jr. has to be a big part of the Red Raider defense in 2024.
The Texas Tech football team faces substantial turnover in 2024 on its defensive line, with each position set to feature a new starter. One of the significant losses from last year is nose tackle Jaylon Hutchings, who exhausted his eligibility.
Stepping into this pivotal role is super-senior Quincy Ledet Jr., a 6-foot-2, 315-pound native of Orange, Texas. Ledet, who arrived at Tech in 2023 after three seasons at Louisiana-Monroe, brings physical prowess and experience, having played in 31 games with 76 tackles and 4.0 sacks during his time at Monroe.
In his first season with the Red Raiders, Ledet appeared in all 13 games as the backup nose tackle, recording 20 tackles. Now, he is a key part of a deep nose tackle rotation that includes new addition James Hansen, a transfer from Nevada with 18 tackles in 12 starts last year, and redshirt freshman Jayden Cofield.
While Ledet and his peers may not match Hutchings’ impressive statistics — 193 tackles and 11.0 sacks during his Texas Tech career — their impact is crucial for supporting linebackers Ben Roberts and Jacob Rodriguez. The effectiveness of the nose tackles will be pivotal in preventing blockers from reaching the linebackers and maintaining defensive stability.
With a strategy focused on depth and rotation, Ledet is poised to lead this revamped defensive line. Instead of shouldering the heavy snap load that Hutchings did, the team aims for a balanced approach among the trio. The challenge remains for Ledet, Cofield, and Hansen to collectively fill the void left by Hutchings and provide consistent performance throughout the season.
