Peyton Morgan, Malik Esquerra rising in Texas Tech football battle

With all the experienced players the Texas Tech football program has taken from the transfer portal the past few years, it's become less common for the Red Raiders to stage a position battle among young, home-grown players they signed out of high school. This spring, though, they have one among safeties Peyton Morgan, Oliver Miles and Malik Esquerra, all sophomores they signed as Texas state top-100 recruits. Depending on what unfolds between now and the Sept.

5 season opener against Abilene Christian, Tech figures to open with returning starter Brenden Jordan at field safety, the position he played last year, and Esquerra at boundary safety or Jordan at boundary safety and Morgan or Miles at field safety. One setback: Tech coach Joey McGuire said on Monday, April 6, that Miles suffered a sprained ankle the first week of spring practice , giving Morgan and Esquerra more opportunity to compete so far. "I've been really proud of both of those guys," McGuire said.

"They're showing up. It's their turn, and it's their time. They've put the work in, and they understand the defense — year two being in the defense, but year three of them being in college.

The one thing that's showing up with Peyton Morgan ... He's a ball hawk. He had a big interception on Saturday, just the amount of ground that he can cover and he's got great ball skills.